👉 The Outdoor Adventure Of Your Lifetime! 💙 FOLLOW YOUR INNER VOICE 🔆 29th June 2025 – 14th July 2025 (Starts in Lucerne – Ends in Bolzano) 🌏 Small Group Travel (16pax + me as a guide) 🚇 Travel Style: Backpacking & train travel |
💎 Through the rivers, mountains, crystal-clear lakes – explore the best parts of the Alps and some of the most beautiful European countries with me – SWITZERLAND & NORTHERN ITALY.
🏃♂️ Embark on this adventure to learn new things, change the way you think, and get more ideas for your life while traveling in a small group.
👉 Maybe you’re stuck in your 9-5 and are afraid to embrace a change and take your life into your own hands.
🌏 Perhaps you want to gain more independence, practice speaking a local language, get rid of your fear of the unknown, and start living fully.
🎉 Or maybe you’re happy just as you are wherever you are and want to experience a new adventure and fulfill one of your travel dreams…
If that sounds like you, I invite you on this amazing journey of discovering your true potential and having fun!
WHAT IS VOICES OF TRAVEL EXPEDITION?
Below is a brief information about the expedition and for whom it’s suitable. Open each tab for more information:
This is not a regular group tour; it’s a tour on which I’d like to inspire you to follow your inner voice and give you the freedom to explore Switzerland & part of Northern Italy by yourself while at the same time feeling safe with me organizing the trip and taking care of everything else.
You only have to book your flight tickets, accommodation, travel insurance, and a Swiss Travel Pass, meet me in Switzerland, and enjoy. I’ll handle everything else and help you with all your bookings.
As I am not backed up nor sponsored by anyone, so tha’ts why you’ll be responsible for booking your flight, accommodation, travel insurance, and a Swiss Travel Pass. These are the only 4 things you need to book prior to the tour. I’ll help you with all the bookings.
I’ll take care of everything else: the itinerary and logistics, guide you from one place to another and organize optional group meals, activities, and panoramic trains.
We’ll have regular online calls (with those who sign up for the expedition), during which you can ask me any questions.
The maximum number of participants for this expedition is 16 people – so hurry up; the spots are limited.
It’ll be 16 of you + me as your guide traveling together through Switzerland and parts of Northern Italy.
It’s for you if you are about 22 – 40 years old and are interested in at least 1 of these things:
NOTE: The age range is approximate; I don’t want to exclude anyone, but I often find it easier to define some sort of age. So please, write me an email if you don’t meet the age requirement and really want to join us: info@voicesoftravel.com
✅ You’ve always wanted to see Switzerland and/or the Dolomites (I’ll take you to the most beautiful parts)
✅ You’re an outdoor & adventure lover (rafting, canyoning, kayaking, jet boating – we can do it all)
✅ You love nature & breathtaking views (Switzerland/Dolomites is full of those)
✅ You love hiking (but you don’t need to love it)
✅ You enjoy boat rides on lakes (Swiss lakes are stunning)
✅ You like train travel (we’ll be taking Swiss trains)
✅ You want to experience breathtaking mountains & cable cars (there will be many opportunities to do so)
✅ You would like to practice your German, French, or Italian while traveling (I’ll encourage you to do so if you are up for it)
✅ You want to immerse into a new culture (I’ll take you to local places)
✅ You want to try authentic Swiss cheese and chocolate (secured!)
✅ You enjoy deep talks and meaningful conversations about life (we can engage in these if you want to)
✅ You need some inspiration for your life (I love inspiring people around me)
NOTE:
Please study the itinerary (scroll down) in detail to get a sense of what type of tour it is – there will be a lot of train travel, adventure, and outdoor activities (optional), and on some days, it might feel a bit fast-paced.
But I want to show you the most beautiful parts of these 2 countries within the time we have, so that’s why.
Nevertheless, you’ll also have many ‘free days’ to relax and spend time alone if you need it. There is no pressure to participate in any outdoor activity, not hiking or a mountain excursion, if you just want to see the beauty of Switzerland/Northern Italy and stand with your feet on the ground :D.
It’s your vacation, your time to shine, so spend it the way you want to (I’m here to help you with it).
I fell in love with Switzerland when I came there for the first time back in 2018 while I stayed for 2 weeks on a local Swiss farm, helping a Swiss family make cheese. Another week, I traveled through the entire country and explored it all.
In 2020, I moved to Switzerland and worked there in 3 different places over the next 2.5 years. So I became like a local.
Last year, I returned to Switzerland because it’s such a special place to me, and I seem to find a lot of inspiration for life in some of the places. And I did – that’s also where the idea of organizing the Voices of Travel Expedition came from.
Last summer, I also spent 3 weeks wandering around the Dolomites and reflecting on life. And they’re just too beautiful NOT to include them in our expedition. I’d love to take you to my absolute favorite spot on Planet Earth I’ve discovered. 🤗
So why Switzerland & Northern Italy (Dolomites)?
I hope these countries will inspire you the same way they’ve inspired me for the past few years because they’re simply spectacular!
And because these are some of the most stunning places I’ve been to, I would love you to see them through your own eyes.
WHO AM I & WHY WOULD YOU TRAVEL WITH ME?
That’s a very good question. 🙌 Find out below – open the tab for more information:
Hi, my name is Nicoletta (but you can call me Nika), and I’m a passionate traveler and language learner.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve been traveling to many countries on my own, trying to figure out what life is all about and sometimes trying to find myself and my true potential.
I’m from Slovakia, but I left when I was 17 and ever since only returned to visit my family. I’ve lived in various places around Europe, including Barcelona (Spain), Salzburg (Austria), Prague (Czech Republic), Northern Italy, and I lived almost 3 years in Switzerland as well.
Besides, I’ve been working as a tour manager for the past 7 years, guiding tour groups through Europe.
I started with AESU company, with which I’ve been guiding young Alumni groups through Europe (a major 23-day trip).
And I’ve also been working for G Adventures, guiding their small groups through many European countries.
So, I have learned a thing or two about group management, making sure everyone is happy, showing my travelers the local spots, and providing exciting activities. Hence, they get the most out of the trip.
I’m a passionate language learner and have now learned English, German, and Spanish fluently. So, if your goal is to practice German, French, or Italian, I’ll be delighted to help you with it and encourage you to speak on our expedition.
Life hasn’t always been easy. As every one of us experiences challenges from time to time; I had my own. But I’ve learned that through a positive mindset, strenght, gratitude for the things we already have, and following my heart (inner voice), we can get to places and do things in our lives that we would never even imagine!
In 2020, I started my travel and language blog, ‘Voices of Travel‘, to inspire others to leave their comfort zone, travel, and speak local languages.
And that’s why I’m organising Voices of Travel Expedition – not only to show you beautiful Switzerland & Northern Italy but to inspire you to do things you love in your life, to share stories, and take you to local places, so you can see how other people live and perhaps realize that your own problems don’t really matter that much, because we all go through struggles, no matter how great we look on social media.
I would love to take you on an adventure to enjoy beautiful nature and help you get out there and try new things.
I also like to reflect and have meaningful conversations, so we can engage in these if you’re interested.
My main goal with this expedition is to inspire you, bring more energy into your life, help you get out of your comfort zone, have fun, and see the beauties of Switzerland & the Dolomites with me.
P.S. Please excuse the poor video quality – my Youtube/video editting skills are 0 (as you can see, lol) :D. But, it serves the purpose…
🗺 TRAVEL ITINERARY & PROGRAM 🗺
Take your time to land, travel to Lucerne, check in to your accommodation & meet me and everyone else for our first evening dinner in Lucerne.
🚇 Train travel within Switzerland to Lucerne – fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Lucerne
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Dinner in Lucerne (at your own cost)
Get the most out of our full day in Lucerne. Spend the morning exploring the city, admiring its painted houses, and learning about its history. In the afternoon, I’d like to take you on a boat ride on Lake Lucerne.
🚇 All boat rides, trains, and public transportation in Lucerne are included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Lucerne
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Boat ride on Lake Lucerne (fully covered by your Swiss Travel Pass)
Enjoy your first panoramic train ride in Switzerland before we reach the beautiful Jungfrau region. Today, you can participate in one or a few outdoor sports (jet boating, kayaking, rafting, etc.) or spend the afternoon looking speechlessly at the Alpine scenery in Grindelwald, where we’ll stay for the next 3 nights.
🚇 All transportation is fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Grindelwald
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Outdoor sports (extra cost approx. 80 – 200 CHF depending on the activity, payable on the spot)
Get ready for a mountain excursion – there are many options. I’ll be organizing one, but you can also explore on your own anywhere you want to go (I’ll give you recommendations). The main program will include visiting the highest train station in Europe (Jungfraujoch), seeing the largest Swiss glacier, enjoying train rides and cable cars, and a stunning hiking trail to a mountain hut.
🚇 Cable cars & mountain excursions are only partially included in your Swiss Travel Pass – you’ll get a discount.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Grindelwald
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Jungfraujoch excursion (extra cost 167 CHF, payable on the spot)
- ✅ Männlichen cable car (extra cost 17 CHF, payable on the spot)
Spend the second day in Grindelwald as you wish to. Go on more outdoor sports, hiking, paragliding, mountain excursions, or just stroll through the green Swiss meadows to see cows and go shopping in town. I’ll again organize a main excursion for the day and give you more recommendations in case you want to explore by yourself.
The main program will be visiting Lauterbrunnen, with stunning waterfalls that fall off steep cliffs.
🚇 Trains to Lauterbrunnen are fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Grindelwald
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Lauterbrunnen & waterfalls (fully covered by your Swiss Travel Pass)
- ✅ Outdoor sports, paragliding, other mountain excursions (extra cost)
Prepare for an exciting day riding on more Swiss trains. Today, we’ll sleep in a very special place – take a cable car up to 2350 m./7709 ft. and enjoy a night (hopefully full of stars) in a local mountain hut called ‘Gemmi Lodge,’ including a delicious 4-course dinner.
🚇 All trains, buses & cable cars are fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Gemmi Lodge
Enjoy a peaceful morning and the views from our mountain hut, and local breakfast before we take a cable car back to town. Today, we’ll spend the day exploring Montreux and Lake Geneva, with an optional visit to Lavaux vineyards.
🚇 All trains, buses & cable cars are fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Montreux
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Lavaus vineyards (there is an option to take a little touristic train through the vineyards overlooking Lake Geneva + a small wine tasting for approx. 20 CHF)
In the morning, we’ll visit a local cheese factory in Gruyeres and learn how the Swiss make their delicious cheese. Opt to visit Gruyeres medieval town and try traditional Swiss fondue.
In the afternoon, we’ll take trains to the car-free village of Zermatt and enjoy our first evening with the views of Matterhorn.
🚇 All trains & visit to the cheese factory are fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Zermatt
Welcome to the car-free village of Zermatt. If you ever get enough starring at the breathtaking Matterhorn (Toblerone mountain), we’ll move on and enjoy a mountain excursion to see some glaciers and hike around the Gornergrat area. You’ll also have the option to pet the local black sheep hiding behind the rocks.
🚇 Cable cars & mountain excursions are only partially included in your Swiss Travel Pass – you’ll get a discount.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Zermatt
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Gornergrat mountain excursion (extra cost 66 CHF)
Relax on the most renowned panoramic train in Switzerland, Glacier Express, that will take you through the Swiss landscape; mountain passes, crazy tunnels, and natural parks. It’s a full-day train ride (8 hours) with a commentary on board, full of breathtaking scenery and optional lunch (you can also bring your own snacks/lunch).
St. Moritz, famous for hosting the Winter Olympics twice, is a luxury town full of small boutiques, local bakeries, and a special vibe. It’s in the largest Swiss canton called Grisons, and you’ll hear people speaking an ancient language Romansch here.
🚇 Glacier Express train is fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass.
🏰 Accommodation Base: St. Moritz
Enjoy an early morning swim in St. Moritz Lake before we continue our journey and head to Italy. Today, take a train and a bus through the scenic Grisons canton, Europe’s oldest national park, visit a traditional village, and end in Italy – Merano.
Set against the backdrop of the Dolomites, Merano is a captivating Italian town where Alpine charm meets Mediterranean flair with Italian, German, and Austrian influence. Relax in local thermal baths, stroll through the apple trails with the smell of the most delicious apples, and take it all in with castles and palm trees around (not even mentioning delicious Italian food).
🚇 All trains & buses up to the Italian border are fully included in your Swiss Travel Pass. We’ll get extra tickets for a train in Italy at the train station (approx. 10 EUR).
🏰 Accommodation Base: Merano (Italy)
Spend the morning soaking up more of the Mediterranean vibe in Merano and its palm trees (or stealing a few more of those delicious apples from the yards) before we head to the Dolomites.
In the afternoon, we’ll take a train and a bus to Val Gardena in the Dolomites, where we’ll stay until the end of our expedition, checking off the highlights from our bucket list.
Ortisei is the main town full of colorful houses and its own charm. You can go shopping for local products and wander around. Then enjoy your first South Tyrolean meal in the evening and prepare for the next 3 full days in the area.
🚇 All trains & buses from Merano to the Dolomites are fully included in your guest card that you’ll receive at your accommodation in Merano.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Val Gardena – Ortisei/Santa Cristina/Selva di Val Gardena (Dolomites)
Today is a free day to explore Val Gardena and the Dolomites. I’ll give you many recommendations for things to do.
The main program (optional) is – I’d like to take you to my absolute favorite place on Planet Earth – Alpe di Siusi – the largest high-elevation Alpine meadow in Europe.
We’ll rent E-Bikes in Ortisei, take a cable car to Alpe di Siusi, and enjoy a relaxing day biking around the Alpine meadows with spectacular views. After, stop for a picnic with me and soak it all in.
🚇 All buses in the Dolomites are fully included in your guest card that you’ll receive at your accommodation in Val Gardena & the cable cars are included in your 3-Day Val Gardena Card.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Val Gardena – Ortisei/Santa Cristina/Selva di Val Gardena (Dolomites)
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ E-Bikes (extra cost approx. 70 EUR full day)
- 3-Day Val Gardena Card (for all mountain excursions & cable cars in Val Gardena/Dolomites – extra cost 100 EUR for 3 days)
Prepare for a half-day excursion with dramatic scenery. It’ll be a free day again, so you can explore by yourself or join us on the main program.
I’ll take you to Seceda, a mountain overlooking the stunning Odle Peaks of the Dolomites and Sella Group, with Piz Boe. We’ll enjoy a relaxing walk around and stop for an apple strudel (or tiramisu) in a local mountain hut to enjoy outside on the meadow.
The afternoon will be free for you to explore more of the area and get use of your 3-Day Val Gardena card.
🚇 All buses in the Dolomites are fully included in your guest card that you’ll receive at your accommodation in Val Gardena & the cable cars are included in your 3-Day Val Gardena Card.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Val Gardena – Ortisei/Santa Cristina/Selva di Val Gardena (Dolomites)
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Seceda mountain excursion (fully included in your Val Gardena Card)
You know what they say – the best comes last. And so it’s with our expedition, too.
On our last day, we’ll take a bus to Passo Sella (one of the breathtaking mountain passes in the Dolomites), which is usually part of the Giro d’Italia (the annual bicycle race in Italy). But don’t worry, you don’t have to bike through the mountain pass. 🙈
We’ll take a surprise transportation up to the mountains with an optional hike. Watch out for some interesting creatures on the way…
In the evening, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner in Val Gardena, trying some more South Tyrolean specialties.
🚇 All buses in the Dolomites are fully included in your guest card that you’ll receive at your accommodation in Val Gardena & the cable cars are included in your 3-Day Val Gardena Card.
🏰 Accommodation Base: Val Gardena – Ortisei/Santa Cristina/Selva di Val Gardena (Dolomites)
- Optional Activities:
- ✅ Passo Sella mountain excursion with a surprise (fully included in your Val Gardena Card)
The least favorite part of any trip – saying goodbye.
We’ll end the expedition in Val Gardena in the morning today. You can make your own way to Bolzano and travel wherever you need to from there.
Or we can all travel together to Bolzano and still have lunch together before we say goodbye. It’ll be flexible.
The bus ride from Val Gardena back to Bolzano is still included in the guest card you’ll receive at your accommodation.
There is no more program on this day.
DETAILED INFORMATION & FAQs
Here are all the details you need to know about the expedition. Open each tab for more information, or write me an email if you have additional questions: info@voicesoftravel.com
Our expedition starts in a Swiss city called Lucerne. That’s where we’ll meet with me and the entire group for the first time. You must arrive on 29th June in the afternoon, check in to your accommodation, and we will first meet in the evening for dinner.
NOTE: You can come a few days or 1 day earlier and start exploring before we meet on 29th June. It’s up to you.
The closest airports are Zurich Airport & possibly EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg. So I suggest checking flights to these 2 places. From there, you can start using your Swiss Travel Pass (within Switzerland) and take trains to Lucerne.
I’ll give you instructions on which trains you can take from the airport where you land to get to Lucerne, so you don’t have to worry about it much.
You’ll take care of your accommodation. I’ll guide you, give you a full list of places I suggest booking in each destination, and tell you where to book with the exact dates. So the only thing you have to do is to book it.
It’ll also enable you to decide what expenses you want for the trip – you can significantly lower the costs if you stay in hostels, so the tour will be much more affordable. On the other hand, you can stay comfortably in a hotel you like, if you don’t mind the cost.
We’ll all be staying in the same city/town/village, just in different accommodations (or a few of you might book the same accommodation; it’s up to you). We’ll then meet each day on a spot and at a time I’ll notify you of the day before.
Each day, I’ll give you information and a full program for the next day so you’ll know what exactly is happening and where to meet me with the group. We’ll spend the entire day together and then check in to our individual accommodations whenever we make it to a new destination.
**NOTE: Accommodations in all places are selling out very fast, so if you decide to sign up in April, finding accommodation will be challenging. It’s a busy season, so it’s best to start booking asap (best until the beginning of March).
We’ll use public transportation on this trip in Switzerland (trains, cable cars, a few buses, and boats) and Italy (trains, cable cars, and buses).
Swiss Travel Pass will enable us to travel on all trains, buses, and boats within Switzerland (everything included, no extra costs). So once you pay for your Swiss Travel Pass, it covers most of the transportation.
The only things not 100% covered by the Swiss Travel Pass are cable cars and mountain excursions (except the cable car to the Gemmi Lodge on 4th July, which is included in the accommodation price).
The pass will give us 25% to 50% off for the mountain excursions and cable cars (most of which will be optional anyway, so you don’t need to spend extra if you don’t want to). Refer to the ‘optional activities’ below to see what extra costs you might have during the trip for cable cars and mountain excursions.
We’ll use the Swiss Travel Pass for 11 days (from 29th June until 9th July) until we cross the border to Italy. There is only a pass for 8 days and then for 15 days (there isn’t a pass for 11 days), so that’s why we’ll book the 15-day Swiss Travel Pass.
The cost significantly pays off, even if we won’t use the pass for 15 days. A train ticket in Switzerland can cost as much as $100 per journey, and the 15-day Swiss Pass is only about $40 more than the 8-day Swiss Pass, so we’ll save a lot by getting the 15-day pass anyway (you get the point).
In Italy, we’ll get a guest card from our accommodation that covers all the transportation (trains & buses) between Merano and the Dolomites, so no extra costs here. The only extra train ticket we’ll pay for is from the Italian border to Merano, which is about $10.
You don’t need to care about the route as I’ll be taking care of the daily program, and we’ll travel together every day from one destination to another.
The only essential thing for you now is to secure your 15-Day Swiss Travel Pass, and everything else will be taken care of.
No meals are included in the expedition.
The only 2 meals that are included are in the Gemmi Lodge (on the 4th of July) – the accommodation cost (121 CHF) already includes a 4-course dinner with a salad buffet and breakfast + a return cable car ride to the mountain hut (payable on the spot).
I’ll organize optional dinners in some places for the entire group (e.g., in Lucerne on our first night, in Grindelwald, Zermatt, Merano, and the Dolomites). This will be an extra opportunity to enjoy meals together as a group, but you can skip them. Everyone will pay individually for their meal.
For lunch, we’ll either buy some sandwiches/fresh bowls/snacks for the train rides (on the travel days), or you can grab a lunch on your own.
I’ll always recommend places to eat and nice restaurants in each place, so you don’t have to worry about it.
As you might have seen from the itinerary, we’ll take many trains and move around quite a lot. So I highly recommend taking it as a ‘backpacking trip through the Alps.’ That’s why it’s also called an expedition.
You could pack into a suitcase, but please note that moving around will make your life significantly more difficult.
I’ve designed this tour as an expedition, on which I would like to encourage you to pack into a backpack and be more flexible. I’ll also give you tips on packing into a backpack (with a packing list) so you can still bring everything you need.
You’ll see that sometimes, less is more, and you’ll experience a minimalist lifestyle for some time :).
So, let’s go backpacking, please, do NOT pack into a suitcase. We can discuss everything regarding packing during our online calls.
I’m the person who organizes the entire expedition (Nicoletta – Nika). I’m handling all bookings, payments, reservations, etc. So if you have any questions, feel free to write me an email: info@voicesoftravel.com
I’m also the person who will guide you throughout the entire trip. I’ll ensure you’re having a great time, recommend many things in each destination (if you also want to explore by yourself), and ensure you’re feeling safe and happy.
I’ll be with you from the very beginning of the expedition to the very end, arranging everything around so the journey goes smoothly.
There are many optional activities that you can do – but these are optional, so you can skip them and explore on your own.
Some days on the trip will be so-called ‘free days’ when I’ll organize a main activity (a mountain excursion, hiking, a picnic, a boat ride, biking, etc.). Still, you can also decide not to join us and go on your own way.
I’ll always give you information about extra costs for these optional activities ahead of time on the tour. We’ll handle payments for them on the spot.
Here is a list of the optional activities you can do on the tour:
- Outdoor sports (day 2. – 4.): prices range between 80 and 200 CHF (jetboat, kayaking, rafting, paragliding, canyoning)
- Jungfraujoch (day 3.) – highest train station in Europe: extra cost 167 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Männlichen cable car (1-way also on day 3.): extra cost 17 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Lavaux Vineyards with a small wine-tasting (day 6.): extra cost approx. 20 CHF
- Gornergrat excursion in Zermatt (day 8.): extra cost 66 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Val Gardena Card (Dolomites) for 3 days – this is a 3-day travel pass for the Dolomites that includes all the cable cars and excursions we’ll do in the Dolomites: extra cost 100 EUR (payable on the spot)
- E-Bike Rental (day 11.) – for our excursion in Alpe di Siusi: extra cost approx. 70 EUR
We all know that Switzerland and the Dolomites aren’t the cheapest countries, so we just have to go with it. But it’s gonna pay off 1000% with the beauty and experiences, believe me! 🤗
The approx. cost of this expedition per person for 15 days is $3300 – go through my calculations below:
Since you’ll be booking your flights and accommodation, the cost of the entire expedition will widely depend on your decisions and bookings/preferences. This is also great because you can customize it to fit your budget.
But I’ve made some calculations to give you a general idea of what this expedition will cost you and the budget you’ll need.
So here are my basic calculations – please note that these are approximate and will vary from person to person.
🏰 ACCOMMODATION:
approx. $2500 for all nights (that’s a price if you stay in simple 3* hotels or nice apartments/rooms/Airbnbs)
You can lower the cost of accommodation if you don’t mind staying in hostels – then your accommodation expense can be around $1500 for all nights.
You can also balance the cost by staying in a hostel (in places where we only stay for a night) and then treat yourself to a nicer hotel in places where we stay for longer (2 – 3 nights).
🚇 TRANSPORTATION:
$500 for your 15-Day Swiss Travel Pass – this will cover the entire transportation system in Switzerland (no additional costs) + a small fee for a train ticket from the Italian border to Merano (it’ll be around $10).
The transportation (trains and buses) from Merano within the Dolomites are included in a guest card that you’ll get at your accommodation in Northern Italy (for the entire stay), so we won’t have any additional expenses for transportation here.
👉 BASIC EXPEDITION COST: approx. $3300 per person
These are the 3 major expenses for the expedition: accommodation (approx. $2500), transportation ($500), and donation ($300) (scroll below for the explanation of the donation).
So the cost of the entire expedition will be around $3300 per person for 15 days in Switzerland & Northern Italy + food (individual cost) + flights + optional activities.
🍕 FOOD:
I would count on $50 per day (lunch + dinner); sometimes it’ll be less if you just buy sandwiches or fresh bowls/snacks for our train rides, but generally about $50 a day.
Breakfast will be included in your accommodation (if you choose that option).
So the total cost of food for the entire expedition will be around $700 – it can be a lot less if you eat less; this would be for a hungry person 😀 + count with all the Swiss chocolate & cheese you’ll need to try, cause it’s so delicious, lol.
🏃♂️ OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
As I mentioned, there will be activities that I’ll organize during the trip, and you can decide if you want to join us or not. These are the activities I’ll organize and their additional cost (these costs already come with the discount your Swiss Travel Pass provides):
- Outdoor sports Interlaken (day 2. – 4.): prices range between 80 and 200 CHF (jetboat, kayaking, rafting, paragliding, canyoning)
- Jungfraujoch (day 3.) – highest train station in Europe: extra cost 167 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Männlichen cable car (1-way also on day 3.): extra cost 17 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Lavaux Vineyards with a small wine-tasting (day 6.): approx. 20 CHF
- Gornergrat excursion in Zermatt (day 8.): extra cost 66 CHF (payable on the spot)
- Val Gardena Card (Dolomites) for 3 days – this is a travel pass for the Dolomites that includes all the cable cars and excursions we’ll do in the Dolomites: extra cost 100 EUR (payable on the spot)
- E-Bike Rental (day 11.) – for our excursion in Alpe di Siusi: extra cost approx. 70 EUR
You can count with these extra costs, but you can decide on the tour if you want to do these activities or not – I would consider all of them, because once you’re there, you really need to experience these places and excursions. I don’t get any commission from these; I just truly want to take you there for you to see it.
If you want to do some optional activities (like outdoor sports), then you might need some Swiss Francs (CHF)/Euros. Otherwise, Switzerland & Italy are pretty much cashless, and you can pay by card almost everywhere.
If you need to withdraw Swiss Francs, we can handle it on our first day in Lucerne. I’ll point out good ATMs in the city and tell you approximately how much Swiss cash you need.
We’ll do the same with Euros once we arrive in Merano (Italy).
So don’t worry about it now.
I use Wise Bank in my daily life and when traveling. So, I recommend opening a Wise account and getting the Wise card.
You can put different currencies on it and easily transfer money from your currency (your bank) to Swiss Francs/Euros (the fees are super low).
Once you have a Swiss Franc/Euro account on your Wise, it doesn’t charge you when you pay by card or withdraw up to a certain amount from a local bank.
I’ve never had problems with them blocking my cards or anything like that. Transferring from one currency to another is very easy, and the fees are very low, so it doesn’t cost you much overall.
This bank truly makes the life of us travelers a lot easier. 🙌
You are responsible for getting your own travel insurance. Consider adding insurance for outdoor sports, hiking in the mountains, and other sports activities (like swimming & biking).
You can’t participate in this trip if you DON’T have travel insurance; it’s compulsory to get one before you sign up.
If you don’t know any good travel insurance, I recommend Safety Wing (their Nomad Insurance).
Make sure to check if you need a Visa for Switzerland and/or Italy.
You can use this website; check it out. You’re responsible for your Visa, so please bear it in mind.
We’ll end the expedition in Ortisei (Val Gardena – Dolomites), or we can also travel together to Bolzano on Monday morning, 14th July 2025. Feel free to start making travel arrangements on this day to return home.
The closest airports to Bolzano are Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP) & Munich International Airport (MUC). I’ll again help you and give you instructions on how to get to these airports or anywhere else your heart might want to go.
You need to book your own flights, accommodation, and a travel pass because I am not a tour operator or a big travel agency. I can’t handle all of these reservations for you (from a legal perspective).
However, I’ll give you a full list of instructions on when and where exactly to book your accommodation, help you with flight bookings, recommend travel insurance, and explain how and where to purchase your Swiss Travel Pass.
These are the only 4 things you need to arrange by yourself. I’ll take care of everything else, and all other payments (for outdoor/optional activities and a few train and bus tickets in Italy) will be done on the spot.
Before we meet in Switzerland, I’ll organize monthly online calls for you to ask me any questions and help you with bookings (flights, accommodation, travel insurance, and the Swiss Travel Pass).
I’ll always notify you via email when exactly we will have these online calls. It’s optional to join. You don’t need to pay anything extra for these – they’re free, and it’s your time to chat with me before the expedition and ask me any questions.
I opt to have 1 call every 2 weeks, but we can be flexible.
HOW TO SIGN UP?
Below is all the information about applying for this expedition, sign up form, a donation fee, deadline, and cancellations. Open each tab for more information:
You can sign up for this trip by completing this application form.
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After receiving your application form, I’ll send you instructions on transferring the donation of $300 (see information about this in the next tab).
Once I have these 2 things from you – the application form and the donation fee – you’re officially a Voices of Travel Expedition 2025 member. 🥂
I’ll then send you a detailed PDF with instructions on how to book flights, accommodation, your Swiss Travel Pass, and additional things you’ll need, so you can start booking.
I’ll also give you dates for our online calls to discuss the details of the trip. I’ll help you with the necessary bookings, make sure it’s easy and smooth for you, and you can ask me any other questions.
Any time you have any questions, you can always contact me at info@voicesoftravel.com
To participate in this trip, I ask you to transfer a donation of $300 for Voices of Travel (me).
This is the only payment that goes to me so I can handle a few arrangements, organize the expedition, for my time I spent preparing everything throughout the months, cover my basic accommodation and transportation expenses as a guide, additional materials I want to prepare for you and for running the tour.
I called it a ‘donation’, as I’m not backed up nor sponsored by any tour company, and it’ll support me in what I do and organize for you.
*NOTE:
The $300 donation includes a $50 fee for the compulsory Glacier Express seat reservation (per person) I’ve already booked. I need to transfer the full payment to ride this panoramic train before the tour starts.
The ride on the Glacier Express is fully included in our Swiss Travel Pass. However, since it’s a panoramic train, there is a compulsory seat reservation, which costs $50 per person. You don’t have to worry about anything; this $50 is included in the ‘donation fee,’ and I’ll handle the payment for you.
You can sign up for this trip by Tuesday, 20th May 2025 (including this day). After this date, the applications will be closed, and joining us will no longer be possible.
If you decide to cancel, you can do so by 20th May 2025. If you cancel before 20th May 2025 (including this date), I’ll give you the donation of $300 back.
If you cancel after 20th May 2025, you can NO longer get your donation back. There are a few payments that need to be settled for the expedition after this date. Otherwise, the suppliers will charge my personal account, which I want to avoid.
NOTE: I’m also NOT responsible for any cancellation of your flights, accommodation, and Swiss Travel Pass. Since you’re making all these bookings yourself, it’s your responsibility to check the cancellation policy of each flight/accommodation/transportation operator.
🌏 SO… WHAT DO YOU THINK?
In short, if this all sounds interesting to you and would like to join us on the expedition, here are the steps you need to take:
- Get a travel insurance
- Fill out the application form
- Transfer $300 donation for the expedition (based on my instructions after I receive your application)
- Book your flights, accommodation, and 15-Day Swiss Travel Pass (based on my instructions after I receive your application)
- Later, participate in online calls to ask me questions and make sure you have everything (optional)
- Note that there are only 16 spots, and the application deadline is 20th May 2025, so don’t miss out on it!
- And meet me on Sunday, 29th June 2025 in Lucerne to start our expedition, yaay! 😍
… until our expedition starts 😎…
I’m excited to have you on board and show you the most beautiful parts of Switzerland and Northern Italy (Dolomites).
See you in Lucerne! 👏💙
Your guide, Nicoletta (Nika).
P.S. Follow me on Instagram @voices.of.travel (for current stories and updates).
What Do Others Say About Me As A Guide?
Nicoletta was truly exceptional – enthusiastic, professional, very aware of unique personal needs of group, organized extra activities for the group. She was the best guide we have had.
Nicoletta went above and beyond, helping members of the group with their bookings for optional activities and demonstrating a great attitude that made the trip more enjoyable.
Nika was fabulous. She really made it a great trip. Super knowledgeable and was eager to share with us all the information she knew and specific things to see in the areas.
Nicoletta was very well informed about every where we travelled and went out of her way to help everyone and to make sure we were happy and enjoying the trip. She was always smiling and positive and we all enjoyed her company and leadership skills. I would definitely travel with her group again😊⭐️.
Stellar! Among the best I’ve encountered (top 3!). Always patient, friendly, kind, calm. So helpful and went over and above in every area. She arranged extra activities (piano concerto in Krakow) and opera in Vienna. Always had a smile!
Nicoletta was probably the best tour guide we have had on our 5 G Adventure tours. She was professional, highly efficient, knowledgeable, thoughtful, and personable. She provided historical and cultural insights, was clear and accurate in all communications and always available to help when any problem arose. You need to do whatever you can to keep her on your payroll, she is the best.
She was very enthusiastic about her job which made the trip wonderful.
I believe she is why the tour was so amazing. She’s so personable, kind, energetic, and knowledgeable.