Experience the magic of the Swiss Alps on our Family Runcation in the Jungfrau Region — a running vacation designed for moms and parents who love the trails and want to share the adventure with their families. Each morning, enjoy guided runs through some of the most beautiful trails in Switzerland while our dedicated childcare team keeps little ones engaged. We’re proud to be the first running tour company to offer childcare on our trail running tours and to create a family-friendly, inclusive itinerary for running travel. Afternoons are for family adventures: from dining at a 360 degree mountaintop buffet (no hiking necessary), interactive nature trails, via ferratas for older kids, summer outdoor music, exploring waterfalls, and relaxing together at playgrounds attached to cafes with breathtaking views of the Eiger and Jungfrau peaks.

Not every destination is a perfect fit for this type of trip, but we think we’ve found one in the Swiss Alps. Enter: the Jungfrau Region in the Bernese Oberland, home to the famous Eiger, Northface trail, the Trümmelbach Falls, and the charming villages of Wengen, Grindelwald, Murren, and more. If you’ve ever seen photos of Switzerland that look so beautiful it’s hard to believe they’re real, they were probably taken here. Picture a valley of green grass and charming Swiss homes with dramatic cliffs that scale either side—now picture waterfalls pouring off the top into the valley. On top of those cliffs you’ll find our Swiss car-free village base camp, with views looking up to the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau (often called the ‘top of Europe’). It’s a base camp for all our runs and activities, but there are also plenty of restaurants and cafes to enjoy in this tiny town.

As for the running, this running vacation with childcare has a little of everything. We’ll explore perfectly graded rolling dirt highways of runnable terrain and epic views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. We’ll lean heavier into the trail running portion for mountain runs up quiet and less touristed valleys with the chance to stop at alpine lakes and Swiss mountain huts along the way. Road runners will delight in the option for afternoon shakeouts on a flat and scenic bike path with mountain and waterfall views. Outside of the running, we’ll have a variety of opt-in family friendly activities to make this a true real family running retreat in the Swiss Alps. Thanks to the remarkable public transportation in Switzerland, you don’t even need to rent a car for this trip.

Trip Difficulty:

Level 1/2 (Learn More at https://runcation.org/which-trip-is-right-for-me)

Trip Requirements:

This trip requires a minimum of 8 to run. Please do not purchase flights until confirming with retreat organizer. 

All transport mentioned on the daily itinerary, including cable cars, train, funiculars, lifts, and gondolas.

Childcare during the running portion at a top notch facility with trained and experienced professionals

Trip logistics of route planning, lodging, and transportation reservations

Double accommodation in 4-star hotels throughout and flexible to fit your family needs

Breakfasts included daily including a special buffet breakfast on the top of a mountain!

Knowledgable expert mountain guide and running coach along the entire route

A 8:1 ratio of guide to participants

Flexible family-friendly afternoon activities to join, or receive suggestions for alternate activities in the region!

Trip packet with detailed info including packing and weather resources

Access to a personal trip WhatsApp group and community

Knowledgable mountain running guide and running coach along the entire route

International airfare

Alcoholic beverages and meals 

Travel Insurance

Dinners and lunches

Extra optional side activities such as massages or activities outside of itinerary

Extra expenses due to a change in itinerary or in case of you having to shorten the day or trip as a whole (including personal return trips to the airport/next destination/etc.)

Small local tourist tax to be paid in person in cash upon checkout at the hotel

Trip Difficulty: Level 1/2

More Info Here on Trip Levels: 

https://runcation.org/which-trip-is-right-for-me

Passport:

Must have a valid passport valid through 6 months upon date of travel.

Travel Insurance:

Must have travel insurance prior to start of trip. 

Fitness/Pacing:

This is a LEVEL 1/2 trip. While there are guides to accommodate a variety of paces, the guided trail running portion of this trip requires running participants to cover the mileage and elevation gain as described in the itinerary. While uphills are hiked, the flats and downhills must be jogged or run (no pace requirement). This trip still takes place in a mountainous environment where you may be exposed to sections of technical trails (think rocky, rooted, or steep with loose rock) or unfavorable weather conditions. We can accommodate different paces, photo and snack stops, and taking time to soak up and enjoy the route and your vacation. We cannot, however, accommodate people purely hiking on this running trip.

Optional 12-week training package available from an experienced running coach to ensure you're trained and ready to go for this adventure of a lifetime! This option is available as an add-on when booking.

Options for Non-Runners to Join: There are plenty of great and accessible hiking options from town if a partner is joining that it not a runner! We are happy to provide maps and suggestions for parents that want to take advantage of the childcare portion of the day, but aren’t interested joining for all the trail runs. These hikes are unguided.

Age Requirement for Childcare: Childcare is included for children 3 and up from an experienced childcare provider fluent in English and German, amongst other languages. The program is tailored to your children that will be in attendance and includes activities like painting and drawing, reading lessons, children’s yoga, play/fun outdoors, making crafts, various group games, and even a cinema and game room. You are welcome to travel with children under the age of 3, but they will not be old enough for the supervised childcare. If you’re traveling with a partner, you can always switch off for the guided runs. There are plenty of amazing runs and trails easy to access out the door of our hotel if you’d like to get your own run in during the afternoon.

Room Options: Whether you’re attending as a solo parent or with a partner with one or multiple children, we have different booking packages and room arrangements to suit your needs. Don’t see one on the booking page that matches your needs? Write to info@runcation.org and we’re happy to put one together for you.

Weather:

Although the weather in late summer is often ideal, weather in the mountains is variable and trail conditions are subject to change on an hourly basis! Route subjective to change based on the safety of conditions and climate of the trail.

Photos permission Jungfrau Region Tourismus AG

This region has been called the most beautiful region of Switzerland, and as soon as you enter the Lauterbrunnen valley you’ll see why. Cliffs dripping with waterfalls and views of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau will be a warm welcome to entering our car free village. We'll get situated in a comfortable hilltop 4-star hotel hotel before hearing an overview of the week and the many options ahead. We’ve tried to make this week as inclusive as possible for moms and families with many options for each day depending on the age of your child or children that will be attending. We’ll enjoy dinner and refreshments and alpenglow sunset before getting some good sleep for the week ahead!

• Double accommodation in 4-star hotel included

• Gondola ride to our starting village included

After enjoying breakfast at our hotel and dropping kids off with our private childcare service, we’ll head out for today’s morning run. We’ll start our trail running vacation in the Bernese Oberland with a runnable route of rolling hills where we’ll have a chance to enjoy views of wildflowers and the Jungfrau while also experiencing more of Swiss alpine culture up close. We’ll pass dairy farmers, mountain huts, and villages that have more cows that human inhabitants. This afternoon’s activities are family friendly and include a short hike/nature walk to visit a kid’s friendly interactive trail to learn about the local flora and fauna before enjoying snacks, a meal, or an aperitif while kids play in the adjacent open air play structure nearby. With views of the Eiger, you’ll find that this town is a true Swiss playground for adults and kids alike. For families that want to skip the hiking portion, this location is also conveniently accessed by a short lift ride from town.

• Mileage: ~6.5 miles, +/- 1,100 feet elevation gain/loss

• Breakfast and double accommodation in 4-star hotel included

• Cable car fees included

• Childcare included

This morning we head up to 9,744 feet above sea level for a buffet breakfast with 360 degree views of more than 200 alpine peaks. We’ll have views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau of course, but on clear visibility days you can see as far as the Mont Blanc massif in France, the Bernese and Valais Alps, and the Black Forest in Germany. This gondola station is brand new and has even been featured in a James Bond film. For this morning’s activity bring your children for a kid friendly hike. In the afternoon we’ll have a guided run in the Lauterbrunnen valley to run alongside rivers and underneath waterfalls flowing from glaciers with the option to visit the famous Trümmelbach Falls.

• Mileage:

  Kid friendly hikeoption: ~2 miles, +/- 700 feet feet elevation gain/loss

  Run mileage: 6-8 miles, +/- 700 feet elevation gain/loss

• Breakfast and double accommodation in 4-star hotel included

• Guided run, gondola lift fees (return trip), and mountaintop 360 view buffet breakfast included

• Childcare included for the afternoon run

After a spread of a delicious breakfasts of muesli, granola, yogurt, coffee, homemade breads, and eggs, we’ll head out on an adventure trail run for the day. We’ll explore hidden valleys off the beaten path of the more touristed regions in the area. We’ll get to explore views of verdant fields of cows, more waterfalls, and more pristine snowcapped peaks on an epic mountain loop. We’ll get to stop for some much needed snacks and refreshments after the climb at a mountain hut before starting our descent back down the valley.  

• Mileage: ~10 miles, 4,200 feet elevation gain/loss

• Breakfast and double accommodation in 4-star hotel included

• Gondola ticket included

• Childcare included

After breakfast, today we’ll take a short train to a nearby town to explore a loop with views of the Lauterbrunnen valley, the Grindelwald-Fiescherfirn, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. We’ll get up close views underneath the Eiger and explore views between the Lauberhorn and the Eiger from Kleine Scheidegg at almost 7,000 feet. We’ll have the chance to stop for a Swiss lunch and snacks before heading back by train to our base camp. This afternoon you’re free to choose between activities before enjoying a final dinner in this Swiss paradise!

• Mileage: ~9.5 miles, 3,300 feet elevation gain/loss

• Breakfast and double accommodation in 4-star hotel included

• Train tickets included

• Childcare included

Breakfast and Departure

After breakfast, we’ll say our goodbyes!

• Breakfast included

*Please note, exact mileage and ascent/descent info each day subject to change based on weather and trail conditions, but this is a good guideline*