July 6, 2019

Hiking to Five Countries on Foot

Europe Hiking & Trekking Traveler Stories

With a camera in hand, one of our adventurers set out to document one of our signature Alps treks that crosses into five countries.

Our Great Alpine Traverse adventure is one of our more active hiking trips in Alps—crossing high passes and staying in backcountry huts for several nights. We often refer to this trip as a “hiker’s hike” and one our adventurers put together this great photo journal to give you a glimpse of what it’s like.

Out of all the trips I have done, this one was my favorite. We had great weather, great guides, and the food was awesome. We ended up hiking in five different countries (France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria). During our free time, I would wander around the towns we were staying in, taking photos of the beautiful scenery. Here are some of my favorites (and you can view all of them in a slideshow at the bottom).

This was from our very first hike in Chamonix, France, on Day 1 of the trip. The mountain scenery was spectacular!

A hiker wearing a red outfit and carrying trekking poles walks along a mountain trail with snow-capped peaks and green vegetation in the background, enjoying the thrill of hiking through landscapes that span five countries.

This group picture was taken while hiking across the Theodul Glacier in Switzerland. Here, we are roped together with our Trip Leader, Annie Hawkins, while on the snow and ice.

A group of six hikers, equipped with backpacks and trekking poles, pose on a snowy mountain landscape with rocky peaks in the background, illustrating their determination to explore Five Countries on foot.

During our hikes, we often stopped for a picnic lunch near a mountain hut. This hut was abandoned, but this picnic table was the ideal spot to refuel for the journey ahead.

A group of people sit at a wooden picnic table on a grassy hillside with mountains and glaciers in the background. Fresh from hiking, they appear to be having a meal or conversation, resting their weary feet after exploring trails across five countries.

One of our guides, Killian Buckley.

A person stands on a rock in a mountainous area, wearing hiking gear. The background shows steep, grassy and rocky slopes under a partly cloudy sky, ideal for those exploring on foot through any of five countries.

This picture was taken in Cervinia, Italy. There was a lake across from our hotel called Lago Blu. I photographed the lake at sunrise, when the sky was clear, the water calm, and you can see the Matterhorn in the distance.