Walking Tour in the Graubunden Region of Switzerland
Having had 3 holidays in the last 5 years in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland (see Bernese Oberland section), Richard and I decided to explore a different area of Switzerland this year. Graubunden is a mountainous canton in the south east of Switzerland. The area, which is also known as The Grissons, contains many well known resorts including Klosters (popular with royal skiers), Davos and St Moritz. Like many Alpine regions, its main tourist season is the winter, and summer walkers can often benefit from reasonable rates in the hotels.
One of the Sunstar Hotels mailings talked of a walking tour they offer between 3 of their hotels in Graubunden. The deal is that over the course of a week, you stay in their hotels in Davos, Arosa and Lenzerheide, spending 2 or 3 nights in each hotel and then walking across the mountains to the next hotel while Sunstar arrange for your luggage to be taken by public transport.
We had a great time. The weather was generally very good, the walking and scenery wonderful, Swiss transport as always efficient and Sunstar arranged everything perfectly. Contrary to popular expectations, it was also very economical.
- The most memorable bit: -Seeing steinbocks (ibex) looking down on us from high up on a ridge
- The best bit: - Free travel in both Arosa and Davos.
- Also free: - Good local walking maps
- Other special things:
- The chance to spend seven days in another wonderful area of Switzerland
- Nusstorte (nut tart) outside a mountain hut on the last full day
- Daily ice-creams to refresh ourselves after or during the walks
- Words of warning:
- the Swiss summer season doesn't really start until July, and some of the cable cars and other facilities are closed in May-June
- supermarkets tend not to be open on Sundays
Contributed by Pat Hutchison
Key Facts
| Location | Graubunden region of Switzerland |
| Date walked | 24th June - 1st July 2006 |
| Walk type | High hills and mountain hikes |
| Difficulty | Varied walking, on marked paths and trails, assisted by cable cars |
| Distance | varied |
| Height climbed | varied |
| Time taken | 8 day(s) |
| Walk source info | Local leaflets and maps |
| Disabled access | No |
