Has anyone spent time in Swiss National Park? We are fit older adults (early 70’s) and want to know if we should include it in our summer travel plans. It is a bit out of our way but would spend a couple of days if it was interesting. We have already been in the Engadine so would not include this area otherwise. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Citizen of the World
2006 posts
I stayed in the small medieval town of Zuoz for a couple nights to visit the Swiss National Park some time back. As it’s off the beaten track due to its location, there are far fewer people than most other Swiss mountain locations I visited. The Swiss goal for the park is to limit human interruption of the ecosystem, quite a contrast to the American model for National Parks.
There are easy hiking trails and a variety of small mammals (chamois, red deer, ibex, marmots and snow voles) to see in their natural setting. Very little shade, though, so sunscreen and a hat are a must. An added point of interest was that the final transit leg to the park was a public bus. On the return, there were a lot of high school kids taking the bus home who were speaking in the local “Romansch” language which is the closest language today to the monosyllabic language of the ancient Romans. It’s survived due to the region’s isolation.