MOUNTAIN BIKE SWITZERLAND
CLOUDRAKER
DEtails:
2025 DATES: August 10-17, 2025 (PRIVATE) | August 24-31, 2025 (PRIVATE) | September 7-14, 2025
Duration: 7 Nights, 8 Days
Joining In: Geneva, Switzerland
Land Cost: $3695 USD/person | Currency Conversion
Single room supplement: $595 USD
Activity Level: Advanced | more info »
Twenty years in the making, this Switzerland mountain bike trip has become a must-do for passionate riders longing for the ultimate European Alps riding adventure. If you’re an advanced rider and dream of getting off a lift high in the Alps, climbing to a high pass with spectacular views, downing a quick cappuccino, then rolling downhill for an hour or more on rediculously fantastic singletrack, then this riding adventure is for you. We'll gaze out at Mont Blanc from a little stone hut above Verbier, spend a night in a historic hotel perched at 2330m and spend two amazing days riding in the shadow of the Matterhorn in Zermatt. Cloudraker is a serious enduro riding buffet!
Looking for another trip in this region? Check out our eMTB Switzerland trip.
Trip Highlights:
- Gazing up at the iconic Matterhorn, 4478m, perched like a spire above Zermatt.
- Stepping out the door of the historic Hotel Weisshorn at 2337m to a glorious ribbon of singletrack.
- Sitting in the hot tub with a cold beer at our hotel after a spectacular day of riding around Verbier.
- Riding Zermatt's historic Gornergrat cog railway with views of 28 peaks above 4000 meters.
- Enjoying an alpine picnic of cheeses, meats, bread and chocolate with views of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
- Expert local leadership.
- Seven nights 3-star hotel accommodation (based on double occupancy)
- All breakfasts & three dinners.
- Private shuttle van transportation, all lift & train passes (excluding train transfers to/from Geneva Airport).
- Detailed pre-departure information and trip extension assistance.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
- Airfare, airport taxes and excess baggage charges.
- All lunches & four dinners.
- Personal travel and medical insurance.
- Optional tipping to guides.
- Your bike and related equipment needed to ride.
- Personal items like drinks, alcohol and snacks.
- We recommend $40 USD per day for lunches and extras.
Bike and equipment
High-performance rental bikes and eMTB’s are available on this trip. As it is on most of our trips it is recommended that riders bring their own bikes. A current full-suspension enduro bike with 150-160mm travel that’s capable up & down with a penchant for descending through rough terrain is suggested on this trip. Tires should be tubeless, 2.30” or above, aggressive tread designed for rocky terrain, one to two-ply casing for durability, puncture resistance and added control. Eye protection and knee pads that you can comfortably pedal in are highly recommended. Helmets are mandatory when on your bike. A 20L backpack is recommended.
Suggested Bike
Trek Slash
Suggested Pack
EVOC FR Trail 20
ACTIVITY LEVEL
The minimum technical ability required for Switzerland is Advanced. This trip is suitable if you have been riding consistently for five years or more and can ride technical trails with steep sections and all types of singletrack and conditions including some hike-a-bike. This trip is a Level 4/6 for fitness. The accumulation of multiple long days of riding will add up, as it is on all of our trips the fitter you are, the more fun you’ll have.
THE RIDING
Rides are mostly over 2,000m/7,000ft and sometimes start at 3,000m/10,000ft. The singletrack trails are old hiking paths and are linked by sections of gravel roads and doubletrack and accessed by lifts or shuttle and climbing. Trail surfaces feature fixed rocks and rock gar- dens, with some dirt in lower sections, switchbacks and steep sections. Expect some exposure at times, hike-a-bike sections and mostly open alpine riding and some forested sections in lower valleys
LODGING AND CUISINE
We spend three nights at a small family-run hotel in the quaint farming village of Lourtier at the base of Verbier. This hotel is warm and cozy with typical Swiss food, a small bar and fantastic Swiss hospitality. One night is in a historic hotel at 2337m where you will not have your luggage. In Zermatt we’re at a great little hotel for three nights that’s located steps from the center of town. The food is typical of the area. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs.
CLIMATE
In big mountains, weather can change quickly and drastically – it could be 30 degrees Celsius one day and then freezing on a mountaintop the next day. Even tough the Valais is considered to be the ‘California of Switzerland’ and it receives lots of sun, it can rain and we all need to be prepared. Generally though the weather during the summer in the Valais is hot and sunny.
YOUR SAFETY
Our trips take place in remote regions with limited evacuation options available. Our guides have basic first aid training, if a serious injury is suspected they will call helicopter search and rescue at the cost of the participant. Personal medical travel insurance is mandatory for all riders. If you choose to participate in our trips it is up to you to ride well within your limits, to ride conservatively, to walk sections if needed and to be safe as mountain biking is a dangerous sport. There are always risks and hazards on all trails that we ride. It is your responsibility to inspect your bike or rental bike daily and keep it in excellent condition. Helmets are mandatory and alcohol and drugs are not permitted while riding your bike.
THE NEXT STEPS
Please read and understand our Terms and Conditions and our Waiver. Then, email or call us to make sure that your desired departure is confirmed and there’s still space available. We’ll then send you a short Rider Questionnaire to learn about your riding experience and ensure that you are suitable for the trip. The last step is to complete our secure online Registration Form and pay your 25% deposit, and we’ll send you detailed Trip Preparation Guide that includes steps on preparing for your adventure.
A Travel Protection Plan protects your travel investment, your belongings, and most importantly, you. We strongly advise travelers to enroll in a Travel Protection Plan in case an unexpected event causes you to cancel or leave your trip. Please review Big Mountain Bike Adventures’ Cancellation Policy:
A Travel Protection Plan should be purchased once a deposit or any payment is made for a trip. Insurance must provide coverage for personal accident, death, emergency remote evacuation including helicopter evacuation, medical expenses and emergency repatriation. We advise travellers to confirm that it covers trip cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You will be asked for proof of insurance in lead up to your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance coverage, Big Mountain will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect to insurance coverage that would have otherwise have been available.
“In a world where epic has been overused, this trip certainly fits the real definition - I have never experienced anything so amazing.”
