Hiking holidays Mountain Villages

Luggage drop-off in Guarda. The day begins immediately, following the Via Engiadina for a short while, on a steep uphill trail to Plan Champratsch. Once you reach Alp Suot, you branch off and climb up towards Chamonna Tuoi, an inn that lies directly below the highest peaks of the Silvretta Group and that is a well-known starting point for Alpine tours. 

An uphill walk of just a few hundred metres takes you to the picturesque Lai Blau. On the way back down, wonderful views over the Val Tuoi unfold before you. Rugged peaks frame this valley and countless small streams flow from the mountain flanks down to the La Clozza river. You can stop for a bite to eat at Alp Sura, followed by a long descent down to Ardez. Train ride to Scuol.

After a bus ride to S-charl, the trail climbs almost 1,000 metres to Fuorcla Sesvenna. Situated at over 2,800 metres, this is one of the highest crossings in Switzerland’s hiking region. Look out for ibexes. You also get to see bearded vultures from time to time. Soon, you’ll cross the border into Italy and hike past idyllic mountain lakes on your way to the Sesvennahütte inn. 

Small alpine pastures line the path down into Val Venosta. Today’s stage leads you steadily downhill, on easy paths. Before you reach the valley floor, the trail takes you through the first orchards. Once you pass the Marienberg Abbey and the village of Burgusio, the hike along an idyllic path to Malles begins. 

Today, you take the mountain bus to Mazia. One of the many idyllic “Waalwege” – narrow walkways that lead you along the old irrigation ditches dotted around the region – brings you on into the beautiful Val di Mazia. The first section of the winding path to Rifugio Oberettes, a beautiful mountain inn built entirely of stone, snakes its way through the larch forest and is relatively easy to negotiate, however the final two kilometres of this stage are quite challenging. 

The turquoise-green Saldura lakes are the highlight of this last hiking day. From Rifugio Oberettes, you’ll ascend steeply one last time until you reach this lake plateau, which is over 3,000 metres above sea level and directly under the Saldura peaks. What follows is a steep descent into Val di Mazia. From the Glieshof mountain restaurant, a bus takes you back down to Malles.