EZ03: Bernina Relaxplorer
What a Munro is to Scotland, mountains over 4000 meters are to Switzerland; there is undoubtedly a certain attraction and aura associated with these peaks, even to those who would never even think about climbing one.
But this is no wonder, since these magnificent mountains with their eternal snow cover and the frosty world of glaciers, that usually surrounds them, are of an unparalleled beauty. The 4000-meter peaks of the Valais and the Bernese Oberland are well known, but many people are not aware that even the Canton of Grisons has a group of mountains, whose peaks surpass the magic mark of 4000 meters. The Bernina Relaxplorer tour leads you from Pontresina in the Engadine valley over the Bernina Pass and down the Val Poschiavo with its southern charm. Piz Bernina (4049 meters) and its beautiful, mighty neighbours are your company during most parts of your walk. They are a delight to look at and dominate the magnificent panorama on your way southward.
Infos
| Pontresina > Bernina Suot > Berninapass > Sfazù > Poschiavo > Brusio. | |
| Category I: Easy-Tours. | |
| Daily 06/07/2024 through 21/09/2024 (arrival dates). | |
| 7 x Hotels. | |
| 7 x Breakfast, 3 x Dinner. | |
| Daily luggage transfers. | |
| CHF 1'055.00 per person for parties of 2, CHF 995.00 per person for parties of 4; from Samedan/to Poschiavo.. |
Customer Feedback
“Thank you very much for your wonderful route. We were very happy with your arrangements. Everything went very smoothly and even your weather arrangements were optimal. The first day walk was little long and there were lots of snow at 2800-2900 meters. However, the walk was the most beautiful of all we have experienced. The walk over the Viola pass to Italy was also our favorite.”
Map
Itinerary
Day 1: Pontresina. Fly into Zurich and travel onto Pontresina. Depending on your time of arrival, you may want to visit nearby St. Moritz and savour the many delights that this small mountain city has to offer.
Day 2: Pontresina – Bernina Suot. A very short train ride brings you to the station of Punt Muragl, where you change to the funicular (not included in the price, approx CHF 18.00), that will help you climb up to Muotas Muragl, where a breathtaking view across the upper Engadine valley and over to Piz Bernina awaits you. Walk high above the valley to Alp Languard. If you feel fit, you have the chance to visit the Georgy Hut, which is located in the midst of a wonderful mountain wilderness, far away from the noise and hustle of civilisation and have a drink or a small meal there. You may even want to climp Piz Languard, whose altitude of 3262 meters offers fantastic views. After this (non-compulsory) visit, continue your walk over the saddle of the Fuorcla Pischa, after which you descent into the valley Val da Fain. Once on the bottom there, it’s only a short stroll to your hotel in Bernina Suot, a very small place with only a handful of buildings.
Day 3: Bernina Suot – Bernina Hospitz. It’s a short walk from Bernina Suot to the Bernina Pass. In the barren landscape, which characterises this region, the contrast to the busy little town of Samedan could not be bigger and you won’t believe that it has just been two days since you have left that place. Take a stroll along the shores of one of the lakes situated on both sides of the divide to really feel the special ambience, which is home to the Bernina Pass. For the more ambitious walkers, there are alternatives today, such as the walk through the lovely Val Minor with its small, beautiful mountain lakes.
Day 4: Bernina Hospiz – Sfazù. Today you have a choice between a very short walk, which takes you directly from Bernina Hospiz to Sfazù. Or you choose a longer option which leads at first along the tracks of the railway in the direction of the Alp Grüm. Before you reach Alp Grüm however, your walk leads you into a small side-valley called Val da Pila, known for a wildlife protection area where you are very likely to observe Chamois. High above the valley ground, you cross the slopes of the mountains to a place called Alp Prairol, then further downhill and finally on a haute route through forested area in a northerly direction to Sfazù. Sfazû – that is a handful of buildings along the road leading to and from the Berninapass, including a comfortable hotel, where you stay for the next two nights.
Day 5: Sfazù. Sfazù is well located as a starting point for exploring the very charming and valley Val da Camp. You may for example simply enjoy a few hours on the shores of Lake Saoseo or Lake Val Viola; or you do a walk over the Pass da Val Viola, cross to the Italian side and visit the small hut Rifugio Viola. Of course, there are also tours for the ambitious walker – there is definitively for everybody an unforgettable way to spend a day in this valley.
Day 6: Sfazù – Poschiavo. You will be sorry to leave the area around Sfazù, but you may look forward to your next destination, the charming village of Poschiavo, where you must not miss the visit of the small but exceptional Spanish quarter, built by former emigrants who returned to their hometown and designed their new homes in the colonial styles they had seen and in other parts of Europe.
Day 7: Poschiavo – Brusio. There are several possibilities to walk from Poschiavo to Brusio with more challenging or more relaxed ones. Whichever way you choose, you won’t fail to see the highlight of the day, the unique loop viaduct that the trains pass on their way from Poschiavo to Brusio, close to the Italian border. The idea of a loop to stretch distance in order to overcome altitude has been applied elsewhere as well, but this viaduct is the only example where this technical solution has been built in open country rather than in a tunnel. Return by train from Brusio to Poschiavo for the final night of this tour.
Day 8: Return.
