Tell us a little bit about your most recent UnTour.
We stayed four weeks in our favorite place, Chalet Berit in Sachseln in the Swiss Heartland UnTour region. We became so close to the Greuterts and Omlins during our first trip in 1998 that it is more like visiting the family home than going on vacation. So we have never wanted to stay anywhere else. But that is all right because Sachseln is a lovely village and with the great Swiss train service it is convenient to everywhere we want to go.
The best way to see the parts of Switzerland we love is to look at our page on UnTours Cafe. While the notes, blogs, and pictures tell a lot, the video slide shows provide the best insight into our experiences. I think all are enjoyable but you may get a special kick out of the one about the family of coots in Brienz and the two videos about eating.
What is your favorite UnTours memory?
Our favorite UnTours memory is our first glimpse of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau when we got out of the funicular (now a lift) at Grütschalp and their continued presence with us as we walked to Mürren the first time in 1998. That image (pictured below)
is what we use to this day when we want to get relaxed to go to sleep (or when a nurse tests our blood pressure!). We feel it is very important to walk in the direction from Grütschalp to Mürren rather than the other way as some have recommended. Our way keeps us facing our Mountain Friends and is slightly uphill which is easier on the knees. The restaurant halfway at Winteregg makes a wonderful stop.
I have to add a second favorite memory. On the third day of our first visit in 1998 we were sitting on the patio having a beer and conversation with Albert and Berit Greutert when a little four year old boy covered in University of Tennessee orange clothes came riding around on his tricycle. What a shock to see my Alma Mater vividly displayed in Sachseln. That is when we learned that Vance Roy, a retired neurosurgeon and fellow alumnus was living in the “penthouse” above Chalet Berit. That added another member to our “Sachseln Family.”
How is taking an UnTour different from other ways of traveling?
I think the short explanation given by UnTours says it best. It is “Independent travel with support if needed.” First and foremost is being able to get into an apartment, unpack, feel at home, get all the good tips of what is available to do, go where you want when you want, pick good weather for seeing places like Mt Pilatus and the Matterhorn instead of being on a bus and going when scheduled (gives views like those below) and maybe most important, making new friends with the UnTours staff here and abroad.
If you could describe an UnTour in just 3 words, what would they be?
For us that would be “Going Back Home.”
Bill and Marj’s home away from home, Chalet Berit, qualifies for special for arrivals on 5/9, 5/23, 9/12, 9/26. Please call us for details. 1-888-868-6871