Although I had spent decades in Switzerland during my studies and most of my professional career, I discovered hiking in one of the most unusual places: Hong Kong. Faced with a challenging new job with high stress, my unhealthy lifestyle was reflected in the triple-digit numbers on my scale.
Shortly after arriving in Hong Kong in 2009, I discovered hiking and began participating in easy hikes. Over time, my weight decreased and my curiosity for nature grew. I quickly became fascinated by the breathtaking natural trails that remain hidden from tourists and most Hongkongers.
Hong Kong’s subtropical climate allowed for year-round hiking and also offered a wide variety of hikes – from regular day hikes to night hikes and bushwalks, all the way to my absolute favorite: stream trekking. In 2011, I decided to participate in the notorious 100 km charity walk, the Hong Kong Oxfam Trailwalker. As a team of four, we had to cover 100 km together with over 4800 meters of elevation gain. It was an incredible physical and mental challenge that also forged lifelong friendships.
In January 2012, I first started planning and leading hikes on Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. In addition to my participation as a team leader in the Oxfam Trailwalker in 2012 and 2013, I participated in the “King of the Hills” Mountain Marathon Series, the Moontrekker, and the Lantau 50 (km) competitions.
After my return to Switzerland in 2014, I continued to organize hikes in Switzerland, Italy, and France. To date, I have organized over 400 hikes and explore new routes almost every weekend. It’s a wonderful way to explore nature and build a group of mystery hikers.
To share my passion and bring you even closer to nature, I began the path to becoming a certified hiking guide in November 2023. I enrolled in the highly professional training of the Swiss Mountain Guide Association (SBV) and successfully completed it in February 2025. In January 2025, I passed the final exam to become a hiking guide with a federal certificate.
By organizing hikes, I was able to forge unique friendships and enabled many Mystery Hikers to form new friendships among themselves. Unforgettable experiences happen on every hiking adventure. Mystery Hikers are a unique community of wonderful people, and I hope you too find the courage and curiosity to become one of us.
