How spontaneous are you?
Places filled: 6/8
This trip will test your courage and confidence. Are you ready to embark on your summer's most exciting adventure without even knowing where you're going?
Alpine Lottery is a trip where you only learn the names of the peaks on the spot. But maybe that's even cooler? You don't have to worry about where the peak is, what's special about it, or why you should climb it at all. Our guides with extensive experience in the Swiss Alps will bring you special gems that you might not have been able to choose to climb by Googling on your own. Because in fact, there are many more extraordinary peaks in the Alps than Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. They simply aren't talked about widely enough.
What criteria should be taken into account?
During the trip we will climb two peaks. At least one of them is over 4000 m high (but maybe both are? Who knows...).
The peaks are located in the Swiss Alps and the starting point of the trip is Geneva Airport.
The difficulty levels of the peaks are between PD+ and AD - there may be rope descents, steep snow and rock slopes, and rock climbing. Therefore, this trip is suitable for those who have previously encountered more technical mountaineering or participated in mountaineering training.
Keywords: glaciers, rock climbing, steep ridges, beautiful scenery, mountain huts with three-course dinners, breathtaking views.
NB! As this is a quite challenging adventure both mentally and physically, the following conditions must be met to participate in this trip:
good physical shape*
previous experience at an altitude of at least 4000 m (without severe mountain sickness)
Previous experience of moving on glaciers and rock routes or completion of a basic mountaineering training course
you are able to climb routes with a difficulty level of 6A under protection (without resting)
* Due to the individual characteristics and sports preferences of people, it is difficult to provide uniform indicators for assessing good physical fitness. To give some examples, a person in good physical shape can run a half marathon in under 2,5 hours, a marathon in under 6 hours. Or ride a bike continuously for 130-150 km. Or complete the main distance of the Tartu Marathon in February. It is important that your body can work with a high pulse for several hours in a row and your leg muscles can push you up a hill several hundred meters.
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: Climb exciting mountains in the Swiss Alps
Dates: 26.07.-03.08.2026
Activity: mountain climbing, mountain hiking
Accommodation: tents, mountain huts
Adventure guides: Kaarel Kuslap
Technical difficulty level: 4/5 (previous technical mountaineering experience required)
Route difficulty: PD+ to AD
Physical difficulty: 3/5 (requires good physical fitness)
Group size: min 6, max 10 (including 2 guides)
TRIP PRICE: 1950 €
NB! Elamus+ community members get a 5–10% discount. Read more and check your discount eligibility. community members page.
👉 SEE EQUIPMENT LIST HERE 👈
Travel cost
Price includes
On-site guidance by experienced mountaineering instructors with EKR3 qualification
All overnight stays (cabins in the mountains, camping fees at the campsite below)
Local transportation (gondola, buses, trains, including transportation from the airport to the campsite)
Breakfast and dinner in mountain huts
Special climbing equipment for the group (ropes, ice augers, carabiners and other glacier equipment)
Stylish Elamus+ designed sports shirt
Group pharmacy (including high-altitude medications)
Elamus+ mountaineering preparation package worth €250:
access to online mountaineering webinars;
if necessary, a personal 30-minute online call with a tour guide;
winter mountaineering training day before the trip*;
Summer trial trip/training before the trip*.
*Held once a year in Estonia — participation depends on the time of registration.
Price does not include
Flight tickets Tallinn-Geneva-Tallinn (from €300)
Transportation back to the airport at the end of the trip
Insurance (travel insurance and MANDATORY sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal hiking and climbing equipment (can also be rented) from us)
Drinks and snacks (including lunch) on the mountain
Meals off the mountain
Tents and cooking equipment at the campsite (we will fold the tent up)
Unscheduled excursions, transportation, etc. (or if you want to do something extra)
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditionsTo secure your place on the trip, a deposit (20%) must be paid within 3 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice via email which is not subject to return. If there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more:frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
NB! We recommend taking out travel disruption insurance immediately after paying the advance invoice so that longer-term health problems are also covered!
Schedule and activities
DAY 1 (26.07): Arrival, lifting the veil of secrecy
We will meet the group at Geneva Airport (we will share more detailed flight information after you register for the trip).
The adventure guides Kelli and Kaarel welcome the group and together we travel by train to our destination - a small town where a campsite will be our base camp for the trip. There we will announce which peaks we will climb in the coming days.
We set up our tents, stock up on mountain snacks for the next few days, and have dinner.
NB! If you are coming by car, please let us know! We can disclose your travel destination in another way without you having to travel to Geneva specifically for this.
DAYS 2-4 (27.-29.07): First peak
Time to head into the mountains and start acclimatizing. We'll review glacier rescue and practice ascending and descending on a support rope.
And of course, we will also climb to the peak. We can expect an 8-12 hour summit day, during which we will climb approximately 800-1300 meters. So a lot of physical effort, but undoubtedly a powerful experience!
We will stay for 2 nights in a mountain hut, where you can enjoy soft beds, a three-course dinner, and warm rooms.
On the afternoon of the 4th day, we arrive back at the campsite.
DAY 5 (30.07): Rest day
We recover from our mountain climbing by exploring the campsite and the surrounding area. In the evening we pack our bags to climb higher again the next day.
DAYS 6-8 (31.07-02.08): Second, slightly higher peak
This peak is already a bit tougher, both in terms of height, technicality and the length of the summit day. But it's okay, we're acclimatized. The system is the same: we climb high, we're excited, we descend and rest our exhausted bodies in the hut to freshen up again.
By the afternoon of the 8th day at the latest, we will be back at the campsite to celebrate a memorable trip!
DAY 9 (03.08): Farewell
And that's it! We say goodbye to our fellow travelers and the guides and fly back to Estonia, where hopefully the summer has gone into full swing. Or we continue our adventures in the Alps - as anyone would do.
Lodging recommendation: stay in the area longer to do more climbing and hiking. You can also arrange to stay longer with some travel companions and do something cool together!
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
From Switzerland
Switzerland is located in Central Europe and is known for its mountainous terrain, precision and mountains. About 60% of the country's surface is mountainous, and 48 of the 82 4000-meter peaks in the Alps are located in Switzerland. For mountaineers and hikers, Switzerland is one of the best destinations in Europe: the road network, train connections and mountain hut system are well developed and convenient to use.
Swiss alpine culture is diverse – the country has four official languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh) and regional differences are reflected in both architecture and culture. Most of Switzerland's highest mountains are located in the German-speaking region.
Switzerland not part of the European Union, but is part of the Schengen visa area. This means that you must carry an identity document, but border controls are minimal. The country's official currency is Swiss Franc (CHF), although euros are also accepted in many places. The price level is higher than in most European countries, but the quality of services and reliability are very high.
When visiting Switzerland, it is also worth considering with strict nature conservation and precise rulesCamping outside of official areas is not allowed, garbage must always be taken with you, and public transportation is preferred.
Swiss national dishes are mostly based on cheese, potatoes and bread. It is definitely worth trying cheese fondue (liquid cheese that is dipped into pieces of bread) at a local restaurant. squeegee'i (a strong-flavored liquid cheese spread on potatoes and bread) and röstit (a potato pancake).
Don't worry, let's do it!
How can I be sure I haven't been to these peaks before? I don't want to discover when I get there that I've already done it.
If you have climbed in Switzerland before and are afraid that the peaks might overlap, talk to the climbers about it. Maybe we can dispel your doubts. ;)
How physically fit do I need to be to reach the peak?
The peaks participating in the lottery require good physical fitness and mental endurance, as the days at the summit are long. In addition, a solid balance is needed on the steeper sections.
Due to the individual characteristics and sports preferences of people, it is difficult to provide uniform indicators for assessing good physical fitness. To give a few examples, a person in good physical shape can run a half marathon in under 2,5 hours, a marathon in under 6 hours. Or cycle at least 100 km in a row. Or complete the main distance of the Tartu Marathon in February. It is important that your body can work with a high pulse for several hours in a row and your leg muscles can push you up a hill several hundred meters. Mental endurance during long, intense activities (self-motivation, dividing the journey into sections, walking in silence in your thoughts) is at least as important.
I've heard that Switzerland must be terribly expensive!
Depending on what and where you buy, Switzerland can be very expensive. This opinion can actually be misleading... When shopping, you just have to make sure that you buy local goods, which are sometimes cheaper than equivalent Estonian products. Switzerland has imposed such high taxes on imported goods that foreign goods are 3-4 times more expensive. Eating in a restaurant is also expensive - the cost of dinner should be around 30-50 €/person.
NB! In Switzerland, payments are made in Swiss francs (1 CHF = 1,07 €), but many businesses also accept euros. However, card payment options are so widespread in the country that cash is unlikely to be needed during this trip.
Will I survive?
It's an extreme sport/hobby, but you shouldn't be too afraid here. Of course, there are certain dangers in the mountains and you have to take them into account, but accidents happen in everyday life too. The most important thing for the group leader is to ensure the safety of the participants — to do this, we learn and use correct mountaineering techniques and turn around if the weather gets too bad. The point is still to have an enjoyable experience and not let this mountain go away. ;)
Okay, I registered. Now what?
We also recommend participating in preparatory events - it's part of the fun. We organize preparatory hiking training, give advice on suitable insurance and equipment, where to rent cheaply, what to train for, etc. The guides will share important information with you both by email and in a joint Facebook group chat - be in the picture and ask all the questions that arise when preparing for the trip.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
ID card/passport;
sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain hike;
travel insurance (trip disruption, health and luggage). NB! Take out insurance immediately after registering for the trip to get your expenses back (for example, advance payment) in the event of an unexpected event..
Plan your trip early and start training for it. We organize several trial trips, training sessions and recommend training plans before the trip. It would be a shame if the peak is only behind the physique. Also a good opportunity to get in shape. ;)
Summits are not guaranteed. As you might expect, weather is king in the mountains. So it is entirely possible that weather or dangerous conditions will prevent us from even attempting the summit. Nevertheless, it will definitely be an awesome experience!
Although at the end of the day everyone is still responsible for their own actions and consequences, we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with mountaineering. As a result, the group leader has the right to make ongoing decisions about the competence of the participants, the suitability of their equipment, physical/mental capacity, etc. and, if necessary, for example, to prohibit participation on summit day if it endangers the health of the group or the participant themselves. Hopefully, of course, there will be no need for this.
Read also travel conditions.
