If you were to tell me that I was going to conquer my fear of heights and travel more than 12,000 feet by three gondolas up to Glacier Paradise at the Matterhorn – one of Europe’s steepest mountain peaks – to then walk through a glacier and slide down a glacier slide, I wouldn’t believe it. It was the evening of day 2 of 10 on my Swiss Trains and Italian Lake District itinerary through National Geographic Expeditions when I reflected on this transformative experience of conquering my fear of heights to explore a part of the world that was so high up that even my wildest travel dreams didn’t realize was attainable.
However, I learned from my National Geographic Expeditions Guide – Tim Jepson – that anything is possible while traveling with National Geographic Expeditions. Coming face-to-face with mind-blowing experiences became a common theme of the trip, as each experience topped the previous one. But that’s what the guides and itineraries with National Geographic Expeditions do best, as they bring exclusivity and access to your fingertips that’s hard to experience with any other travel company. Here are different reasons why I enjoyed traveling with National Geographic Expeditions through the Swiss Alps and The Italian Lake District.
A Front Row Seat In Experiencing One of the World’s Most Stunning Locations
From the moment we boarded our first train with our guide to venture to the Alpine village of Zermatt from Zurich – a route that is off-limits to cars – Switzerland had a way of doing what it does best by enticing even the most apprehensive of heights with its beauty. National Geographic recognizes this and offers people an intricate itinerary so they don’t miss any moment or the smallest crevice in the mountains, thus, we traveled by train for most of the expedition.
I’m a 30-something-year-old woman, and the 20+ people on the group trip I was on ranged in age from eight to nearly 90. Not one person missed the Matterhorn—including those of us deathly afraid of heights.
We stayed in Zermatt for three days, which is not enough time to soak in a place where everywhere you turn – from the snow-capped mountain peaks to the verdant landscapes where the Matter Vispa River runs through – contains the elements for the perfect postcard. Luckily, there was no shortage of beauty for the remaining eight days. From Zermatt, we embarked on a breathtaking journey over three high-mountain passes with more than 200 bridges and 91 tunnels, including the iconic Landwasser Viaduct to St. Mortiz. The train was equipped with panoramic windows and tiny windows opening in some carriages at the end.
Once we were in St. Moritz, a luxury vacation resort known for its winter tourism and sports (the city hosted the Winter Olympics twice), I immediately noticed how we were surrounded by the Alpine peaks behind the breathtaking views of the lake at “the top of the world” – a name given to the resort town because it sits more than 6,000 feet above sea level.
Exclusive Experiences
Without giving away all of the best-kept secrets, the group had an exclusive private tour and tasting with the local chocolate and pastry shop Conditorei Hanselmann—an experience not many travel companies can offer.
Another incredible adventure before we continued to Italy was traveling by a funicular to the top of Muottas Muragl, where we were met with impressive views that Alpine artist Giovanni Segantini once painted.
In St. Moritz, we visited the Segantini Museum for a private tour before the museum opened to the public. We had the entire domed museum to ourselves, where we learned more about Segantini’s use of symbolism.
Another exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunity was in Como, Italy at the Teatro Sociale, the opera house in Como City. The theater is one of the oldest in Northern Italy. It wasn’t open, but the group had access to a private tour to absorb the architecture and history.
A Deeper Connection To A Destination
Even with the best travel planner or tips from a social media influencer, it’s challenging to recreate the authentic experience you get with National Geographic Expeditions. Exploring a beautiful region like this can pose challenges, especially when trying to mitigate crowds. Traveling with National Geographic Expeditions not only opens the door to exclusive opportunities but also to expert guides who have a breadth of knowledge to foster a deeper connection with the destination.
