National Hiking Day 2026 in the Gstaad Holiday Region

Hiking has represented a nature-focused experience in the Gstaad holiday region for generations, with guests and locals walking past sparkling mountain lakes, into quiet valleys, and up to scenic peaks. Along the way, mountain eateries with their sun terraces invite you to rest and present genuine regional specialties for refreshment amidst an unforgettable setting. This connection of landscape, alpine tradition, and movement has always characterized the Gstaad holiday region. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the region, with over 300 kilometers of marked and maintained paths, was entrusted with hosting the National Hiking Day 2026.

Peter Jost, editor-in-chief of the Swiss Family, announced last week at the Hiking Day in Davos the Gstaad holiday region as the host location for the National Hiking Day on August 29, 2026. Traditionally, he ceremoniously handed over the hiking stick to Tourism Director Flurin Riedi (CEO of Gstaad Saanenland Tourism) and his project team of the Gstaad holiday region as a symbolic gesture for the event in the coming year: "Already a year ago, many expected that the next Hiking Day would be held in the Bernese Oberland. And indeed: the hiking stick will be in the Gstaad holiday region in 2026," Jost revealed the well-kept secret.

A Varied Program with Routes for All Requirements

Three hiking routes with different elevation profiles offer participants of all ages and fitness levels a suitable hiking experience that is enjoyable. Each route is accompanied by a prominent hiking patron. Fans will find opportunities along the way to take a selfie together in the mountain scenery as a memory.

Those who prefer a sporty e-bike tour can also enjoy a special view of the landscape from the saddle.

In the great hiking and nature experience – along comfortable and picturesque paths – the journey itself becomes the destination, where hikers from all over Switzerland meet.

National Impact on the Region's Stage

The National Hiking Day is far more than a regional event: In recent years, several thousand people have participated each time – from families and outdoor enthusiasts to experienced mountaineers. Thus, the event is a significant highlight of the hiking summer and radiates far beyond the host region. For the support program and festivities, diverse interaction opportunities are planned in the Gstaad holiday region – details will follow at a later point next year.

"It is very important to us to make this day inclusive – regardless of age or condition," emphasizes Katrin Haldi, event project manager of the Gstaad holiday region. "We look forward to welcoming guests from all over Switzerland who want to experience our region as a diverse, nature-focused hiking destination. I'm sure that many locals will also be out and about on this day, exchanging with the guests. Who knows, maybe new acquaintances will be made on our hiking trails." Gstaad holiday region views the nomination as the destination for the National Hiking Day as a task to organize an eventful and unforgettable day, adds Haldi further.

About the National Hiking Day

The Swiss Family is one of the highest-circulation and most traditional weekly magazines with around 400,000 readers. For decades, it has accompanied its readers with reports, service, and leisure topics and initiated one of the largest outdoor events in the country with the National Hiking Day, first held in 2008. With several thousand visitors per edition, the event is one of the largest one-day hiking events in Switzerland. Three parallel routes in different difficulty levels, accompanied by well-known personalities as hiking patrons, include all performance levels. The National Hiking Day offers experiences in nature, meetings, and regional diversity, embedded in a family-friendly concept recognized throughout Switzerland.

Contact for further inquiries:
Gstaad Saanenland Tourism
Katrin Haldi
Project Manager MICE & Events
Tel: +41 33 748 81 81
Email: marketing@gstaad.ch