Swiss Highlands Trail 2026

For this challenge, you will tackle the courses of the "Highlander Marathon" and the "Highlander 15"! 💪

A mythical format of 42 km with 2,680 mD+ that starts with a bang on the pedestrian street of Gstaad 🎺.

After admiring the typical station chalets 🏘️, you tackle the serious stuff with the village of Turbach, dominated by the monumental Giferspitz 😎. This alpine "pyramid" serves as the true litmus test of the race: prepare to handle nearly 1,500 mD+ concentrated over the first 11 kilometers 🤯. Once your legs are warmed up, you join a beautiful single track under the Wistätthorn ⛰️, where you can gaze upon the border peaks of the Valais, such as the Wildhorn and the Wildstrubel 📍.

The course then leads you to the summit of Rüwlishorn (2,234 m ⬆️) for a memorable ridge traversal, with a breathtaking view that stretches to the north face of the Eiger 🦅. You will take a rest at the lake of Rüwliseeli facing the Gummfluh, the iconic mountain of the area ❄️. After the refreshments at Zwitzeregg, the Hornberg plateau offers a smoother section up to Horneggli 🏃‍♀️. The end of your journey crosses the forest of Hornfluh before beginning the long final descent to Gstaad.

A triumphant finish awaits you on the main avenue to conclude this rollercoaster marathon 🏆.

A route of 25 km and 1,300 mD+ that offers you total immersion in the landscapes of the Bernese Oberland? ⛰️ This is where it happens! ⬇️

Starting from Gstaad, you warm up in the valley of Turbach, winding between the region's typical chalets and pastures 🌲. After following the Turbach river, the major difficulty of the course stands before you: a climb to the alpine meadows of Zwitzeregg 📈. Once at the Rüwlispass pass (1,715 m), you're struck by an open panorama of the peaks of the Simmental valley 🤩.

Open your eyes wide: the Rüwliseeli lake reveals itself with the Gummfluh in the background 🏔️. It's time to recharge at the second refreshment point at Unere Zwitzeregg 🍽️, where you can probably taste the local alpine cheese before tackling the final ascent to the Parwenge pass (1,939 m) 🧀. The rest is much more rolling on the Hornberg plateau, leading you to the last checkpoint at Horneggli 📍. You then bypass the Hornfluh before starting the final roll: a long technical descent and playful 📉 towards Gstaad for a triumphant finish on the main avenue 🏁.

The route of the "Highlander Family" is the same as the "Highlander 25", with one difference: about 1 km before the finish, your child joins you to complete the race hand in hand 🤚. You will cross the finish line together on the main street of Gstaad, a memory that will last forever 🥰.

This format of 15 km with 900 mD+ is the ideal route if you're new to mountain running or if you are a fan of short and intense efforts ⚡.

The start is right at the heart of Gstaad, with an initial ascent winding between typical chalets and luxury hotels 💎. Very quickly, in less than 2 km, you will join the trails overlooking the Turbach valley. You will find yourself in the Bernese Oberland, with lush green pastures as far as the eye can see 🌲.

Things get tougher once you reach the pasture of Grosses Eige: the slope seriously steepens 📈 to take you towards the Hornberg plateau and its artificial lake 🏔️. It’s time to catch your breath a bit before reaching the Horneggli 🍽️ supply point, where your loved ones can even come and cheer you on via the ski lift 🚠. After that, you circle around the Hornfluh to cross a forest worthy of a Grimm brothers' tale 🍄. Save some energy for the final switchover: nearly 800 meters of negative elevation 📉 await you for a dive towards the finish line on the main street of Gstaad 🏁.