Route

Gravel Bikepacking in South Graubünden

During 4 days, we delve into 4 unique mountain valleys of South Graubünden (Switzerland) and the Valtellina (Italy). We explore the area and its people, savor the local cuisine and terroir products, and enjoy the contrasting route.

Date

26.–29. September 2024

ROUTE

Engadin–Bregaglia–Valtellina–Valposchiavo–Engadin

Highest / Lowest Point

2300 m / 200 m above sea level

LEVEL 1 & 2

The gravel adventure is specifically designed for a maximum of 14 participants and caters to everyone, from athletic beginners to gravel experts. Since we have 2 guides accompanying us, you can choose between different difficulty levels during the tour.

Level 1: Relaxed but no less scenic. There’s a bit more asphalt, and the climbs are more moderate. However, there are still short sections of singletrack and pushing passages.

Level 2: Longer distances, steeper sections, higher proportion of singletrack.

Day 1

Engadin—Bregaglia

We start our warm-up day in St. Moritz, the gateway to the alpine Engadin mountain world. We pedal leisurely through the impressive landscape, passing by the large and small alpine mountain lakes. Soon, we bid farewell to Engadin with «Au Revoir» and «Ciao Bregaglia»!

→ 40 km // ↑ 500 m // ↓ 1600 m
(Level 2 + ca. 20 %)

Day 2

Bregaglia—Valtellina

After breakfast, we pedal through the wild Bregaglia on a unique route through chestnut forests down towards Chiavenna. The temperatures rise as the flora around us becomes increasingly Mediterranean. We first head towards Lake Como, where after a refreshing swim, we continue through quaint mountain villages and jungle-like forests.

→ 80 km // ↑ 800 m // ↓ 1400 m
(Level 2 + ca. 20 %)

Day 3

Valtellina–Valposchiavo

Today we experience the unspoiled Valtellina and the “heroic viticulture”: We move among the vineyards and get firsthand experience of why winemaking here is so heroic. In the end, we have a climb to Valposchiavo, passing by Lake Poschiavo, followed by a refreshing beer or delicious gelato in the picturesque village center of Poschiavo.

→ 75 km // ↑ 1200 m // ↓ 900 m
Reduction (300 meters elevation) possible (Level 1)
(Level 2 + ca. 20 %)

Day 4

Valposchiavo—Engadin

Today, the Bernina Pass is on the agenda. As a highlight, we cycle past the glacier and later through idyllic Swiss stone pine forests. Would you like to enjoy the Italian flair in Poschiavo a bit longer and start more leisurely? No problem, we’ll pick out the most beautiful sections thanks to the UNESCO Bernina Line.

→ 35 km // ↑ 1400 m // ↓ 700 m
Reduction (1000 meters elevation) possible (Level 1)

PACKING WHAT?

Bikepacking Reise Schweiz

The reduced luggage will accompany us during the tour. The setup shown above has been tried and tested, along with a hip pack.

For the alpine bikepacking adventure, we recommend a lightweight and agile setup. We have designed the route for gravel bikes, but the spectrum can be expanded according to preference.

Gravel Bikes
Single Chainring: 36 teeth (max. 38 teeth for advanced riders) or smaller, and a cassette with 11-42 teeth or larger. Double Chainring: Gravel crankset with 48/31 teeth or smaller, and a cassette with 11-34 teeth or larger.

Tires: Minimum 38 mm // Good to have: Tubeless & Inserts

Cross-Country Bikes
In the cross-country category, you’ll find rigid all-terrain bicycles, hardtail mountain bikes, and lightweight full-suspension bikes. Roll-friendly tires and low weight are important.

Good to have: Tubeless

*Not suitable are classic road bikes with slick tires, downhill-oriented mountain bikes, or e-bikes.

Would you like to rent and test a perfectly tuned bike for this adventure? We have some Ritchey Outbacks ready for you. Drop us a line!

cost per person

You can choose between two price categories or types of accommodation.

Pontisella in Bergell

With the «Speciale» option, you’ll stay in unique accommodations such as our first stop at the «Pontisella» in the Bregaglia region.

Speciale

You’ll stay in historical and unique accommodations.

Price per Person
CHF 990.– / Triple room
CHF 1’040.– / Double room
CHF 1’140.– / Single room

Semplice

Simple and straightforward. Breakfast and dinner take place at the main accommodation of the «Speciale» option.

Price per Person
CHF 840.– / Double Room
CHF 930.– / Single Room

Our journey begins on Thursday at around 10:30 a.m. from St.Moritz and ends on Sunday afternoon at around 4:30 p.m. in St.Moritz.

We recommend arriving by train, as the UNESCO World Heritage route from Thusis to St. Moritz is breathtaking. If you are arriving by car, we have free parking available in St. Moritz.

The price includes: 3 nights accommodation including breakfast, 2 lunches, 3 dinners, guiding with 2 guides/levels, 1 yoga session, compact workshops, local insights, tastings, and meals exclusively from regional and homemade products, as well as other surprises. (Exclusions: costs for arrival and departure, 2 lunches, alcoholic beverages, possibly short train rides)

Your safety is our top priority. Therefore, we reserve the right to cancel our camps at short notice in the event of extreme weather conditions. For this reason, we have introduced the Partner Fair Play Rule. With this rule, we aim to mitigate some of the financial impacts of short-term cancellations due to extreme weather conditions (according to warnings from the Federal Office of Meteorology), such as heavy rain with the associated risk of landslides, for our partners (accommodations and restaurants).

If we have to cancel an event at short notice due to such adverse weather conditions, we will refund you the participation costs already paid minus a fee of 150.- CHF. If you participate in one of our trips, such as the «Triangle of Gravel» or «SULIV Camp», at a later date, these costs will be credited to you.

You can find our terms and conditions here

Booking: Registration via eMail, the final booking will be confirmed upon payment of the costs.

Stay Informed: Subscribe to the «SULIV» Newsletter