Article updated on 08.27.24
Switzerland is a paradise for hiking enthusiasts, with its varied landscapes ranging from green hills to snow-capped mountains. To make the most of these natural treasures, good planning is essential. The Swisstopo application, developed by the Federal Office of Topography, is the ideal tool for preparing your hikes. In this article, we’ll explain how to use this application to plan your hikes.
1. Download the Swisstopo application
To get started, download the Swisstopo application from theApp Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
The application is free!
2. Explanation of the different options
To start with, it’s important to know that you can choose lots of options for displaying your maps.
You can choose the visual and add options. For example, nature reserve zones (where it’s forbidden to go wild camping), zones where you can’t fly the drone, etc.
Here’s how to do it:
When you open the application, click on the icon in the bottom right-hand corner.

Here you can scroll from left to right to see the different card styles and options.
Please note that ‘Pro’ does not mean pro version, as the application is free.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the ‘Pro’ tab, you will find a number of options to tick.
For example, you can tick ‘Wildlife protection sites’, which means Nature Reserve and therefore protected site:
- Camping/bivouac/vanlife prohibited.
- Prohibition on flying the drone
- Etc
By clicking on the ‘i’ button, you will find a description of the legends (colour, type of trail, etc).
In this PDF, you will find the list of conventional signs.



3. Draw a hiking itinerary
To start with, we’re going to select the ‘hiking’ map (by clicking on the icon at the bottom right).
This will show us the :
- Mountain hiking. Trail marked in red and white, normal level (T1 and T2)
- High mountain hiking. Trail marked in blue and white, advanced level (T3, T4 and T5). !!! do not go there if you have no experience !!!
More information in this PDF.

Use the search bar to find a specific location, such as a mountain, lake or village. You can also navigate directly on the map by zooming and dragging the view to explore the surrounding area.

Below, you’ll find the list of results. Click on the location that interests you.

To start drawing a itinerary, click on the ‘Tour’ button.

Then click and drag the red pin onto the hiking trail indicated in light red.
This icon represents the start of the trail.

Then click on the map at the end point of your itinerary.
The flag icon will indicate the end point.

If the itinerary does not take the path you would like, you need to draw it.
Click with your fingers on the red line. A small white dot will appear.
Now click again on this white dot and drag it over the part of the trail where you would like to go, then release your finger.
If the trail still doesn’t look the way you want it to, start this step again by adding your white dots manually.

Here, for example, I wanted the track to pass by the other side of the lake, so I moved my point and the itinerary adapted automatically.

Let’s say you want to know the number of elevation gain for the return journey or simply swap the start and finish points. Click on this little button:

Last but not least!
Download the map offline. It’s quite possible that you won’t have an internet connection while you’re out hiking.
So click on the ‘download’ button.



The Swisstopo application is an essential tool for all hikers in Switzerland. Offering detailed maps, route planning features and real-time information, it helps you plan your hikes. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced hiker, Swisstopo will guide you on your adventures through Switzerland’s spectacular landscapes. So don’t wait any longer, download the free application and set off on your journey of discovery!
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