Swiss National Park
Have you ever been to the Swiss National Park “Parc Naziunal Svizzer”? If not, start planning a trip to this simply breathtaking little gem.
General Information
The Swiss National Park was established 1914 and is the oldest nature protected area in the Alps. It is located at the eastern-most part of Switzerland near the Italian border. The park’s visitor centre is located in Zernez. In comparison to for example the American national parks the Swiss one is rather small. You could probably hike most sections in a weeks time. But do not make the wrong conclusions - it is a little gem. The wildlife is stunning and the flora has not been touch for over 100 years. The park opens in early Sommer and closes down again in October. During the Winter months the park is not accessible to humans to protect the animals during the difficult time of the year.
Where to stay
There are several accommodations close by - a number of options in Zernez (from B&B to hotels), in the towns close-by and two special accommodations I can personally recommend:
“Il Fuorn” as the Hotel in the middle of the national park. Easily accessible by car and bus does it offer some fine dining and calm nights in rooms with (or without) toilet and shower. The food served is excellent and offers some local specialities that you should try. The large terrace is especially relaxing after a long hike - enjoy your beer in the warming sun while enjoying the mountain panorama.
The SAC hut “Chamanna Cluozza” located in a picturesque valley only accessibly on foot. You are as close the nature in the national park as possible and have easy access to some of the most spectacular trails. Do not forget to book your bed for the night well in advance as the place is often fully booked weeks ahead.
What to do
The national park is not an amusement park but offers much more than that. There are 21 marked trailes you can hike. Please be aware that no bikes nor dogs are allowed in the park. The hikes differ from very easy to difficult (as in distance and height gained) - there is something for every taste and fitness level. The hikes are T2/T3 category except about two that are high alpine routes (T4). Most trails can be done in trail runners or light hiking shoes and boots. Caution is advised in the early and late season when their might be snow on some trails. There is a report of the trail conditions online updated almost daily.
The flora and fauna in the park are stunning. You need a bit of luck and the right timing and you can spot chamois, ibex, deer and hart. If you are very luck you might even see a wolf or lynx. There have even been bear sightings years ago. What you can observe quite often are marmots, sometimes even with their cute newborns. Since a few years their are a number of bearded vultures in the park. Also visit the parks website on the local animals for more details.
Personal recommendations on hikes and wildlife observations
Some recommendations from personal experience that you might find helpful:
Bring good binoculars or even a spotting scope: Some animals might be close (esp. marmots) but others remain further away (often ibex or chamois). Good binoculars will help you not only to find the animals but also to observe them for a while. I can highly recommend the binoculars from Svarowski.
Stay at least one night at the “Il Fuorn”: It is a good place to stay with good food and perfectly situated for an early morning or late evening hike. Chances to see animals around sunset or sunrise are way higher than in the middle of the day. You might also see some deer at night on the grassy fields around the hotel.
Visit the Alp Trupchun and be there early, ideally before or around sunrise. There is a good chance to see larger animals on the slopes towards Italy. Especially in the fall the area is known for observing large groups of deer, ibex and others.
During the day use your binoculars to spot animals higher up on the mountains. They usually are not too fond of the hot sun and go higher up and sit in the shade or on snowy patches. We have been lucky to spot a large group of deer and a pair of ibex high up. I wished I had a spotting scope with me with a 20-40 magnification for a better (or more detailled) view - the 10x binoculars were reaching their limit at those distances.
Take your time: Spotting animals requires time. Enjoy sitting somewhere in silence for 30 (or more) minutes. Listen to the sound of nature around you and who knows, a deer might stop by.
All in all… visit the national park for a life changing experience. If you have time also step by the visitor centre in Zernez. Especially on a less sunny day this is a great opportunity to pay a visit to the exhibition. Very well done providing an interactive view into the national park and its flora and fauna.