From Glaciers to Palmtrees

Tour Itinerary

Day 1.
Arrival

 

Day 2.
On the first day we will take it easy. There will be time in the morning for sightseeing of Lucerne's Old Town. A boat will take us to our starting point. Passing the lakes Alpnachsee and Wichelsee we will use side roads, some single-track passages, and gravel tracks to get to our first destination in the lovely Melch Valley.

 

Day 3.
We will start into the day with a steep ascent of 900 vertical meters up to Melchsee Frutt and tarns embedded in mountain pastures. The following downhill of 1400 vertical meters down to Meiringen has everything in store: fast tarmac roads, technically challenging single-tracks, and forest tracks. The panaroma will offer the first sights of the snow covered mountains Mt Titlis (3238 m) and Mt Wetterhorn (3692 m). Heading to our romantic hotel located higher than 1300 m we will make the first half of the way across Reichenbachtal up to Grosse Scheidegg (1962 m) in the afternoon.

 

Day 4.
We will soon have left behind us some 600 vertical meters to Grosse Scheidegg, which have been part of the Tour de Suisse for several times. Grindelwald is far below us at the foot of the 3000 m Eiger North Wall, where Clint Eastwood shot "The Eiger Sanction" in 1975. Having mastered a sometimes difficult downhill we will reach an alpine village and have the rest of the afternoon at our disposal: shopping, cafe, or swimming pool. It is a unique experience to take the rack-and-pinion railway to the highest railway station in Europe. The train climbs the Eiger North Wall up to the icy world of Jungfraujoch in an altitude of 3500 m.

 

Day 5.
Passing mountain pastures, fir woods and alpine chalets we will make it to Kleine Scheidegg (2061 m). The mighty summits of Eiger (3970 m), Mönch (4107 m), and Jungfrau (4158 m) loom high above us into the sky. Some splendid downhills await us with beautiful panoramas. Through the village Wengen, situated just in front of Mt Schilthorn (2970 m), a set of the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", and some mule-tracks we will get into Lauterbrunnental. On scarcely used side roads we will pass Thunersee and make the last ascent of the day, and settle in Frutigen.

 

Day 6.
On a gravel road we cross the lovely Kandertal up to Kandersteg. By using the cablecar to Sunnbüel we save 700 vertical meters of an extremely steep hiking trail. We will pass the mountain lake Daubensee and get to Gemmipass (2314 m) to enjoy a unique view of the 4000 m peaks of the Wallis. We will not make the almost 800 m long sloping rock face down to Leukerbad without having to push our bikes from time to time. Nevertheless it's a thrill to overcome that steep face. After a few kilometers of ups and downs we will arrive at our cozy hotel in one of the most beautiful mountain villages of the Wallis. In the afternoon there will be sufficient time to take a look around, enjoy the view of Rhone Valley from the terrace of the hotel, or visit the hot springs in Leukerbad.

 

Day 7.
We will cover the first 13 km of the day on forest tracks, single-tracks, and rarely used roads aside the slope of the Rhone Valley. Following will be a hot-blooded downhill over 900 vertical meters and several serpentines down into the valley. Vegetation will be changing and the temperature rising - it isn't long to Italy. Bikeways will take us beyond vineyards and ancient castles to the historical town of Brig. Another 1150 vertical meters to the hotel high above the Rhone Valley and the day on the bike will be over.

 

Day 8.
In the high alpine terrain two passes await us today. Situated above 2400 m they are far beyond the timberline. The first pass is way up 2564 m and thus is the highest of the whole tour. On a fast downhill with a lot of single-tracks we will soon be 1200 vertical meters lower than before. The nutritious lunch will empower us to master the passover to Italy, including some passages where we must push the bikes. A glass of red wine or an espresso will ease our pain in a nicely renovated mountain inn.

 

Day 9.
Passing some Italian mountain villages with stone-made roofs we approach our destination, Lago Maggiore. However, some steep and pebbly passages are to be overcome yet. On the way from our mountain inn down to the Val Ossola the countryside changes from an alpine region with fir trees to a Mediterranean setting with chestnut woods, vineyards and the first palm trees. The last noteworthy ascent of the tour is due this afternoon.

 

Day 10.
On a short last climb we can look forward to the upcoming 24 km of tarmac downhills. Here and there the rocks drop down quite vertically just at the side of the road into the chasm-like Valle Cannobio. We will have lunch in Cannobio at the Lago Maggiore. The afternoon is at our disposal: bathing, cafe, and chatting about the experiences of the past days.

 

Day 11.
Departure