Itinerary

Day 1 Travel independently by rail to Zuoz.  Zuoz is unique among the villages of the Lower Engadine.  It is the first vantage point from which you can see the high glaciated peaks of the Upper Engadine.  It is also a village, that while ancient and rich in the finest architecture of the region, sees virtually no tourist traffic.  Tonight we are in a marvelous, old world, hotel centrally located on Zuoz's main street.

Day 2 Enjoy a warm-up day to one of our favorite high mountain huts above Zuoz.  The views of the Palu and Bernina massifs to the southeast are superb.  Descend near the old Albula Pass road to La Punt or Chamues-ch for transport back to Zuoz.  Return to Zuoz hotel.

Day 3 A short bit of train transport takes us to one of the Upper Engadines greatest attractions, a funicular with arguably the finest vista in the Alps.  From the top station we traverse to the east along a rocky bench to reach the summit cone of one of the highest hikable summits in the region.  Coincidentally there is a refuge just a hundred meters from the top.  Here they serve superb soups to complement the other worldly views.  Descend to Pontresina and a warm and welcoming inn in a quiet section of the village.

Day 4 Our itinerary for today's hike takes us out of the village of Schlarigna, made famous as the finish village of the renowned Cresta Run, perhaps the world's most famous bobsled course.  We hike into remote and rarely traveled terrain behind the summits of Las Tres Fluors and beneath the rocky Piz Ot.  Descend to Samedan for bus or train transport back to Pontresina.  Return to Pontresina hotel.

Day 5 The day begins with a gentle ascent up one of the Alps most pristine "U" shaped valleys.  Carved out by glaciers over the millennia this valley cannot fail to delight.  We hike all the way to the head of the valley where a charismatic hut has been fancifully placed right on the edge of the moraine adjacent to a quickly receding glacier.  Traverse back through a notch to return to the main Engadine valley for bus transport to idyllic Sils Maria and another superb old-world hotel.

Day 6 Numerous hikable summits are available from Sils Maria and we will choose among them for today's itinerary.  From these peaks we begin to see into the wild and spectacular Val Bregaglia to the south.  The Bregaglia is characterized by massive granite walls emerging from lush green lower valleys on the Italian border.  Return to Sils Maria hotel.

Day 7 We travel one of the regions most seldom seen but magnificent trails.  High above the Val Bregaglia we ascend to a pass above our final destination, Soglio, one of the most charming villages ever seen.  We descend into Soglio through numerous rustic but still active tiny farms and hamlets.  Enjoy your last night in Soglio as you watch the alpenglow embrace the granite spires of the Bregaglia while dining on local specialties.

Day 8 Depart. Typically, same day flights can not be met in Zurich.

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