Switzerland - Alpine Flowers of the Upper Engadine

Tour Code: CHE01

An 8-day, single-centre holiday focusing on the alpine flora and glorious scenery of the Upper Engadine Valley during a week-long programme of mountain walks in the Swiss Alps.

8 days from
£2,595 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£2,295
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

Spring arrives late in the high Alps, and this tour is timed to coincide with the best of the region’s diverse alpine flora. We will be based for the week in the charming town of Pontresina, situated at 1,800 metres and near to the region’s key sites of botanical interest. We will explore the colourful hay-meadows in the lower valleys and the forests of Arolla Pine and Larch that cover the lower slopes. Above these, in mountain pastures, we find an abundance of alpine flowers that includes Gentians, Primulas, Pulsatillas and orchids. Stunning displays of Dwarf Snowbell (Soldanella pusilla) and Entire-leaved Primrose (Primula integrifolia) are characteristic of wet turf by the melting snow. Cable cars and funiculars allow us to explore the higher regions of rocks and screes, where we find Glacier Crowfoot (Ranunculus glacialis), Alpine Rock-jasmine (Androsace alpina) and the beautiful blue King-of-the-Alps (Eritrichium nanum), surrounded by a stunning landscape of high peaks and glaciers.

  • Spectacular mountain scenery
  • Travel on the spectacular UNESCO Albula/Bernina Railway
  • 7 nights in a comfortable hotel in Pontresina
  • Daily botanical walks between 1,800 & 3,000 metres
  • Rich flora including many regional specialities
  • Glaciers and periglacial features
  • Botanise at Val da Fain, Val Minor & Piz Nair (3,057m)
  • Delicious picnic lunches surrounded by mountain scenery
  • Alpine Marmots, Alpine Ibex and a range of birds and butterflies
  • Can be combined with ‘Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps’
  • Led by expert botanist tour leader, David Tattersfield

Grading

Grade B (occasionally C, but optional). We will be walking Between 1,800 and 3,000 metres (though most ascents by cable-car or railway).

The Engadine Valley lies in the south-eastern corner of Switzerland, around the deep glacial trench of the River Inn, which drains eastwards on its long journey to the Danube and the Black Sea. Surrounded by 3,000-metre peaks, the area has long been known for its concentration of winter resorts, centred on the opulent spa town of St. Moritz. To the south lies the intricate mountain frontier with Italy, dominated by the awe-inspiring Bernina group, a jagged panorama of ice-clad peaks, culminating in the 4,049-metre Piz Bernina, from which glacial tongues descend to the valleys. The rocks are typically crystalline, but the Livigno group, to the east of the Bernina Pass, and the Albula group, to the north, contain notable areas of limestone. Most of the plants typical of the central Alps are found here, with the addition of species more characteristic of the eastern Alps. To enjoy the best of the flora, this tour is later than most of our other botanical departures in Europe, since the continental climate combined with the high altitude of this region means that spring arrives late.

Our base for the week is the quiet and charming town of Pontresina. Lying at 1,800 metres, among forests of Arolla Pine and Larch, on a south-west-facing terrace at the foot of the Val Bernina, this is an ideal base from which to explore the area. As elsewhere in Switzerland, the transport network is well developed and efficient, allowing us to make full use of the local railways, buses and cable cars to reach the best sites with a minimum of effort. The extensive footpaths further provide excellent access to the region and our programme of daily walks (broken by delicious picnics!) will include flexibility to cater for different levels of walking ability.

Our holiday begins with a flight to Zürich, then a train journey — on the UNESCO World Heritage Albula/Bernina railway, one of the most spectacular narrow-gauge railways in the world — through the beautiful Swiss countryside to Pontresina. We will make daily use of the railway and bus service, which interconnect with cable cars and funiculars, giving us easy access to all parts of the region. Here, the valley floors are filled with colourful hay meadows, and the forests of Arolla Pine and Larch which cover the lower slopes are home to the rare Twinflower, such avian residents as Nutcracker, Firecrest, Crested Tit and Crossbill, and that charming mammalian denizen of the forest, the Red Squirrel. Above these, in the mountain pastures, rocks and screes, there is an astonishing diversity of flowers, including primulas, gentians, pulsatillas, orchids and many regional specialities.

Towards the Bernina Pass, the valleys on either side of the limestone pyramid of Piz Alv are famous for their rich flora. In a jumble of limestone boulders and screes, at the foot of Val da Fain, a profusion of flowers includes Martagon Lily, Greater Yellow Gentian, Alpine Aquilegia, Alpine Clematis and Mountain Avens. Val Minor offers a circular route around Piz Lagalb, with colourful displays of Alpine Gypsophila, Large-flowered Rock-rose and Dragon-mouth in its lower part. Higher up, where snow lingers late into the season, we find drifts of yellow Alpine Pasque Flower and myriad Dwarf Snowbell and Entireleaved Primrose in the sodden turf. Alpine Marmots are common in these valleys and herds of Alpine Ibex roam freely over the summits. On other days we follow easy trails alongside Lago Bianco, which straddles the watershed, and descend through the forests that extend beyond Alp Grum into the beautiful Poschiavo Valley, where a different range of flora reflects the milder climate of these south-facing slopes.

Throughout the region there are many classic landscape features associated with glaciation. From the Diavolezza, we will have breath-taking views of the mountains and glaciers of the Bernina group, while, on a walk up to the Morteratsch Glacier, we witness the processes of plant colonisation during its rapid retreat. The cable cars that serve the ski resorts on either side of the Inn Valley also offer exciting summer possibilities. From Surlej, we ride above the treetops to Murtel, where the wet rocks and moraines below the Corvatsch Glacier are covered in Glacier Crowfoot and stunning displays of nowbells, primulas and saxifrages. From Fuorcla Surlej, the flora changes dramatically as we make the long descent into Val Roseg and we return to our hotel through the forested valley floor. On another day, usually our last, we ascend to the dizzy heights of Piz Nair (3,057 metres), high above St Moritz, where the airy summit ridge and screes beneath it hold stunning displays of Glacier Crowfoot, the beautiful blue King-of-the-Alps, pink Alpine Rock-jasmine and other alpine gems. We descend through the limestones of Alp Nova, where an astonishing display of flowers includes Edelweiss and abundant orchids, before marking the end of our botanical explorations with a little time to relax in St. Moritz.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Zürich and transfer by train to Pontresina
Day 2/7
Botanical walks and excursions from Pontresina
Day 8
Transfer by train to Zürich and fly London
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    This is a single-centre holiday based in a very comfortable hotel in Pontresina; all rooms have private facilities.

  • Food:

    All food is included in the price.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 2nd Jul – Wed 9th Jul SPACES £2,595
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£250
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
David Tattersfield
TL David Tattersfield

Tour Leader: David Tattersfield

David graduated in Botany and went on to do research in upland ecology. During a career with the Nature Conservancy Council and as a horticulturist with the National Trust for Scotland, he gained an extensive knowledge of the world's mountain floras. He is an energetic, experienced field botanist and photographer, and his love of mountains and wilderness has taken him to five continents. Above all, he enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world with others and has led trips for Naturetrek to a variety of destinations in Europe, north and south Africa and central Asia. Between tours David is based in Kirkmichael in highland Perthshire, where he works as a horticultural and ecological consultant and lectures on his travels.

Wed 9th Jul – Wed 16th Jul SPACES £2,595
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,295
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£250
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
David Tattersfield
TL David Tattersfield

Tour Leader: David Tattersfield

David graduated in Botany and went on to do research in upland ecology. During a career with the Nature Conservancy Council and as a horticulturist with the National Trust for Scotland, he gained an extensive knowledge of the world's mountain floras. He is an energetic, experienced field botanist and photographer, and his love of mountains and wilderness has taken him to five continents. Above all, he enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world with others and has led trips for Naturetrek to a variety of destinations in Europe, north and south Africa and central Asia. Between tours David is based in Kirkmichael in highland Perthshire, where he works as a horticultural and ecological consultant and lectures on his travels.

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Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides


There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.  


Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.


Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?


    

  • All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
    • 

  • All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
    • 

  • We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
    • 



What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?


    

  • Travel with a group of like-minded people
    • 

  • Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
    • 

  • Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
    • 



In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.  




Our specialist recommends...






"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour” 

David Tattersfield - Tour Leader




All Botany Tours

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!