Upon arrival, a train takes you to St. Moritz in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. Explore this historic and glamorous alpine resort town. Nestled in the Engadine Valley, it boasts pristine lakes, majestic mountains, and year-round activities. Enjoy a gentle walk around the lake, and then wander the streets renowned for their upscale shopping and vibrant cultural events. (D- Dinner included)
Distance: 3 miles | Ascent: 430 feet | Descent: 270 feet (may vary)
Take the morning train on a section of the Bernina Express route (a Unesco World Heritage site) to a small alpine dairy where cheese is traditionally made by hand, over an open fire. If you'd like, purchase some cheeses for your picnic lunch before heading up the valley to hike to the Morteratsch Glacier, the largest in the Bernina Alps. Enjoy choosing from St. Moritz's many fine dining options for dinner. (B- breakfast included)
Distance: 5.5 miles | Ascent: 1200 feet | Descent: 1200 feet (may vary)
Take a cable car to the summit of Piz Corvatsch for commanding views of the Bernina Alps. After soaking in the panorama of peaks, descend to the mid-mountain station to begin your traverse along the lower flanks of Corvatsch and down towards the beautiful Val Fex. Choose the option of taking a cable car or walking the remaining distance through alpine meadows to get to your hotel in Sils Maria. Sils has a rich Romansch culture, which is evident in its architecture, language, and cuisine. (BD)
Distance: 5-8.5 miles | Ascent: 550 feet | Descent: 2000-3500 feet (may vary)
Follow the Via Engadinia out of Sils Maria and hike up to the scenic Lägh dal Lunghin, nestled below Europe’s most important watershed at the Lunghin Pass. Here, a single raindrop may end up in the North Sea, Black Sea, or Adriatic Sea. Descend to the small historical village of Maloja, which has attracted famous artists and writers for over 200 years. Stay at a historic hotel with a tradition of hospitality dating back 140 years (BD).
Distance: 8.2 miles | Ascent: 2500 feet | Descent: 2300 feet (may vary)
The Maloja Pass was well known to 19th-century traders and travelers, as well as to smugglers. A gentle forest walk takes you to a castle tower, perched strategically over the pass. After taking in the views, head back to the hotel and enjoy your rest day, or continue by hiking along the smuggler's route to the hidden Lägh da Cavloc where you can enjoy lunch at a lakeside mountain refuge. Return to your lodge in Maloja in good time for a massage or sauna before dinner. (BD)
Distance: 1-6 miles | Ascent: 500-1800 feet | Descent: 500-1800 feet (may vary)
Take a short bus ride to Vicosoprano, the former capital of the region and site of many former witch trials. Take a peek in the historic town hall, where the witch-hunting history is on display. Make your way through town, then ascend out of the valley. Hiking on the Via Panoramico, arrive in Soglio -the ‘threshold to paradise.’ Enjoy this picturesque village where you'll stay at a palazzo dating back to the 17th century. (BD)
Distance: 5.5 miles | Ascent: 1650 feet | Descent: 1550 feet (may vary)
From Soglio, walk through beautiful chestnut groves into the town of Castasegna. A short bus ride takes you across the border into Italy, where you arrive at Acquafraggia Waterfalls, one of the most spectacular cascades in the Italian Alps. From here, follow a steep stone path up to the forgotten cliffside village of Savogno, where you can have lunch at a rifugio before descending through the forest into Chiavenna. Stay in the old city, which had an important strategic position on the trade route dating to the Middle Ages. Enjoy choosing from the many fantastic dining options in Chiavenna. (B)
Distance: 7 miles | Ascent: 2150 feet | Descent: 3450 feet (may vary)
Today you'll come full circle on your journey. Head back up the Val Bregaglia towards St. Moritz. Halfway through, stop near the village of Vicosoprano, and take a scenic cable car up to Lägh da l’Albigna. A walk along the shore takes us up to the Capanna de l’Albigna, where you can enjoy lunch surrounded by the peaks and glaciers of the Bernina Alps. Then it’s on to St Moritz for a farewell dinner among the shops and hotels of this lively mountain resort. (B)
Distance: 3 miles | Ascent: 1220 feet | Descent: 800 feet (may vary)
After a final breakfast, use your provided rail pass to depart St. Moritz. Note that it is 3.5 hours to the Zurich airport, and the earliest train leaves 4:45 am.
Daily distance and elevation measurements may vary depending on the device you use to record them. Use our listed stats as an estimate and a reference point while you are training for this tour.
We rate this trip as moderately strenuous. You should be capable of hiking 4 to 7 hours per day on sometimes rocky and uneven trails at an elevation up to 9,000 feet above sea level. You should be capable of accomplishing 2500 feet of ascent in 3 hours. Please note that the stats listed on the itinerary can vary depending on the device used to record them. Some hikes are adaptable according to the desires of the guests.
