Switzerland – a journey through the famous Engadin Alpine Valley

SUMMARY

Dates: Monday June 19th to Sunday June 25th  6 nights/7 days of walking with some shorter days and time to rest.

Arrive – meeting point is the town of Zernez where we start our trip. Nearest airport/train station is Zurich and it is almost 3 hours by train Zurich to Zernez.

Arrive by 5pm in Zernez to settle into the hotel before a briefing and welcome dinner.

Departure – we leave from our final destination Bever which is approx 3.30 minutes from Zurich on the train. Plan to leave after breakfast and from 11am.

Let us know where you are coming from and we can help with finding the best route for you.

If guests would like to arrive earlier or stay longer to explore more of Switzerland just let us know and we,and our Swiss partner, can help organise.

Guide: BergFrau(MountainWomen) guide – Claudia from our Swiss partner organisation. English and German speaking.

Walking Grade: 3 goats at a very steady pace.

The daily walks are between 4 and 5 hours. The ascents and descents are between 400 and 890m. A good basic level of fitness is required for the hikes.

Base: Hotel Accommodation in Zernez for 3 nights and then we move on to Bever Hotel Accommodation for 3 nights. Both hotels are traditional Swiss hotels.

Price: £2,180 person for the holiday to include:

• All accommodation in a solo occupancy room with breakfast – there is a discount of £250 per person for bringing a friend and sharing a room. Total per person per holiday = £1930. If you bring a friend but don’t want to share a room we will still give a discount of £100 per person. Your final payment invoice will be adjusted to reflect and discounts.
• 3 local restaurant evening meals
• Local Transport needed for walks
• Highly experienced Swiss tour guide, English speaking
• Organisation in country by BergFrau in partnership with WalkingWomen

Not included

• Travel to Arrival Point and from Departure Point
• 3 dinners and all lunches/picnics which we will buy in local shops or have in local restaurants
• Travel Insurance – which is mandatory for all guests
• Personal expenses for drinks, souvenirs, etc.
• Any Tips

DETAILS

The Engadin offers breathtaking nature and landscape and a world-famous mountain backdrop: the Bernina massif, over 4000m high, and the Morteratsch glacier. Such a wonderful place to walk .

Artists, poets and celebrities sought peace, inspiration or the glamor of St. Moritz in the Engadin. Romantic places like Guarda preserve their old culture and architecture. And sometimes nature is even poetic with the play of light on the lakes of the Upper Engadine which we will view as we walk.

 In this alpine world we hike – often on mountain trails – where good shoes and physical condition are important. This is how you experience our local guides insider tips and spectacular views. We are always on the lookout for ibex, chamois and eagles.

Highlights of this trip.

Bernina Massif
With its world-famous peaks Piz Bernina and Piz Palü and the impressive world of glaciers. One of the most beautiful mountain panoramas in the Alps and a must see in our discover Switzerland series.

Guarda and Ardez
Engadine villages in traditional old style showing the area in times gone by.

National Park – the oldest in the Alps
There are a wealth of species  of fauna and flora and this is the time to see those wonderful alpine flowers.

Upper Engadine Lake District at 1800m with 4 large lakes and many smaller ones 

This area attracts water sports enthusiasts in summer and winter and we hope for the chance to swim in these lakes. Last year we swam in so many fresh Swiss mountain lakes.

ITINERARY

Itinerary – could change depending on the weather or at the discretion of the guide who will adapt routes if any paths are closed or unsafe

1. Day – Arrival

Meet in Zernez , a village in the National Park of Switzerland. We meet at Hotel Crusch Alba for a welcome dinner and briefing with your guide. Arrive by 5pm to settle into the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel in Zernez https://cruschalba-zernez.ch/

2. Day – Guarda and Ardez, the picturesque villages
   The train ride along the Inn Valley to Guarda. The village shows the beauty of the Lower Engadine. Guarda and Ardez are two small, quiet places. Guarda, which became famous because of the story of Schellen-Ursli (A bell for Ursli), is one of the most beautiful places in Graubünden.

In front of Ardez you can see the Steinsberg castle ruins from afar. It towers over the showcase village of Romanesque living culture: sunlight plays around the sgraffito of the beautiful Engadine houses.

The hike leads up to Alp Murtera Dadoura on good paths. Here we enjoy the view over the Lower Engadine. Experience alpine farming and the alpine flora. In the two villages we have time to look at the wonderfully decorated houses.

Hike: approx. 4 hours, ascent 550 m, descent 730 m, 8.2 km

Overnight in Zernez

3. Day – National Park

Here, nature is allowed to be nature –  in the background you can witnesses the dynamic processes that give this alpine landscape its incomparable character. The exceptional wealth of alpine animals such as chamois, deer and marmots are one of the hallmarks of the national park. At the beginning of summer, the alpine flora is particularly varied and colourful.

The Swiss National Park was founded in 1914 and is the oldest national park in the Alps. The park covers 170 km2 of untouched natural landscape.

The hike is on clearly signposted paths. The ascent and descent to the summit is a bit steep. From the summit we enjoy a special view.

Hike: approx. 5 hours, ascent 720 m, descent 890 m, 11.6 km

Overnight in Zernez

4. Day – Bever and St. Moritz

The Bevertal is a quiet valley with an old larch forest.

The hike goes up steeply at first, then between mountain peaks over a pass. The descent brings us to St. Moritz. The view of Piz Corvatsch and Piz Bernina is unique.

Hike: approx. 4 hours, ascent 700 m, descent 800 m, 7.5 km

Overnight in Bever  https://beverlodge.ch/EN/home.html

5. Day – Bernina and Palü

The Bernina massif with its world-famous peaks such as the Piz Bernina and the Piz Palü as well as the impressive glacier world are among the most beautiful mountain panoramas in the Alps.

The path of the hike leads through millennia of geological history. Sometimes we walk on the moraine or behind the moraine towards the glacier. The mighty Morteratsch glacier and the Biancograt are getting closer and closer.

Hike: 5h, ascent 720 m, descent 650 m, 13 km

Overnight stay in Bever

6. Day – Muottag Muragl
   We take the oldest funicular in Graubünden up to Muottas Muragl. In front of us is St. Moritz with its lakes and the Bernina massif forms the backdrop. The artist Segantini and poet Nietsche were inspired by the landscape. “Anyone who wants to see the Engadin  should go to Muottas Muragl” was a piece of advice from 1867, made for eternity!

We hike into the panorama in the truest sense of the word. We hike to the Segantini Hut, where the great artist painted unforgettable pictures and later died alone. We continue hiking on the high trail with the breathtaking view. We reach Pontresina with the chairlift.

Hike: 4h, ascent 540 m, descent 690 m, 8.5 km

Overnight stay in Bever

7. Day –Departure after breakfast. Either return to Zurich or spend more time exploring Switzerland. We can advise.