Photo: Hennadii Hryshyn ↗THE JOURNEY IN DETAIL
Running beneath the North Face.
Grindelwald sits directly below the Eiger North Face, and the E101 course circles it via the region’s finest viewpoints: Grosse Scheidegg, Bachalpsee, Faulhorn, Schynige Platte, Wengen. The limit is 25 hours, with a 04:00 start. The E51 and E35 suit anyone wanting Swiss trails without a night on the course. We stay in the village, warm up with the lifts and crew the aid stations.
- The Eiger North Face above the start arch
- The ridge from Faulhorn to Schynige Platte
- A shakeout at Bachalpsee
- Crewing in Wengen beneath the Jungfrau
With old friends or new ones
Join a group or arrange a separate departure for your own team. Before travelling, we get to know each other, discuss everyone's experience and find suitable dates. You can also prepare together.
DAY BY DAY
Your daily itinerary.
A provisional itinerary. Weather, group readiness and local conditions may change the order and length of the stages.
- DAY 1 · Transfer, walk
Arrival in Zurich, transfer to Grindelwald
The drive via Interlaken takes about two and a half hours. Grindelwald sits at 1,034 m, directly beneath the Eiger. A short evening walk to the race village.
Overnight: Chalet in Grindelwald - DAY 2 · 8 km, 300 m of climbing
Shakeout from First to Bachalpsee
We take the gondola to First (2,168 m) and run 8 km to Bachalpsee and back — a section of the E101 course. A look at the climb toward Faulhorn.
Overnight: Chalet in Grindelwald - DAY 3 · Rest, briefing
Bibs, kit check and rest
Bib collection and the mandatory-kit control. Ivan goes through the cut-offs — Schynige Platte and Wengen are the ones to watch. Pasta dinner, lights out at nine.
Overnight: Chalet in Grindelwald - DAY 4 · E101 race, 101 km
E101: 04:00 start
A dark start from the village centre and the first climb to Grosse Scheidegg (1,962 m). Then First, Faulhorn (2,681 m), the ridge to Schynige Platte, the descent to Wengen and Männlichen. The crew meets runners in Wengen and at the finish.
Overnight: Chalet in Grindelwald - DAY 5 · Recover account
Night finishers and recovery
The finish closes at 05:00 — we welcome the last runners. A slow walk to the glacier or a swim at Interlaken by day, the award ceremony in the evening.
Overnight: Chalet in Grindelwald - DAY 6 · Transfer
Departure to Zurich
Breakfast facing the Eiger, then the transfer to the airport for afternoon flights.
Overnight: —
Included in the estimated price
5 nights in a chalet in Grindelwald
Breakfasts and shared dinners
Zurich — Grindelwald — Zurich transfers
First gondola pass for the shakeout
Ivan’s support at aid stations and the finish
Kit check and course briefing
Not included in the price
Flights to the meeting point
Personal travel insurance and visas
Personal equipment
Single-room supplements and personal expenses
Eiger Ultra Trail entry fee
Lunches
Single supplement
YOUR PREPARATION
Arrive ready for the route.
The E101 requires a 60 km-plus mountain finish and the ability to hike uphill for hours with poles; a mountain marathon is enough for the E51. Ivan runs a 10-week plan focused on vertical gain and technical descents.
Prepare with IvanROUTE QUESTIONS
BEFORE WE MEET ON THE TRAIL
What to prepare in advance
- Trail shoes already tested in training
- A running vest, soft flasks and rain protection
- Layers for changing weather and familiar trail food
- Poles, if suitable for the route and you know how to use them
Once we choose a date, we agree on the equipment list, meeting point and transfer time. Please wait until the programme is confirmed before booking flights.