The Alpine road trip from Garmisch to Lake Garda and back to Garmisch has a total of 970 kilometres of road with its 9 lake stops. If you don't have 9 days, simply remove a lake from the programme and drive straight on to the next stop. But it's best to take 14 days, because one or two places on the shores of the lake are simply too beautiful to continue travelling straight after the tour.
The weather, traffic or a fully booked campsite (Ferragosto holidays in Italy around 15 August!) can also throw a spanner in the works along the way. But unpredictable events like these are exactly what make a road trip so exciting.
Whether you prefer to move to the next lake in the evening after the tour or in the morning to secure a camper site first and only then set off on the tour is something you will notice along the way. Sometimes it also depends on the road route. The routes in Switzerland (Engadin, Julier Pass, Viamala) and through the Bergamasque Alps in particular would simply be too bad to cycle them in the dark.
If you don't want to go straight home after Lake Garda, we recommend a detour to Paganella on the incredibly beautiful Lake Molveno. We wish you lots of fun!
Car journey from Garmisch to Lermoos: 24.3 km
1st stop: the Blindsee in Tyrol
From the Tyrolean Fernpass road, you can see this Caribbean blue pearl lying in its forest bed. The south face of the Zugspitze rises up behind it. Altitude: 1093 m, water: up to 24 degrees. The tour starts at the Grubigalmbahn car park.
The tour: Blindsee Trail and Barbarasteig
- Length: 31.3 kilometres
- Uphill: 1290 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: medium
Tour description:
The Blindsee Trail is one of the legal super trails in the Tyrolean Northern Alps. Those in a hurry can experience it in a short version with the Grubigalmbahn cable car or embark on this extended version with two more trails: From Lermoos up the long, gentle gravel ascent to the Grubigalm and down an enduro trail to the branch-off of the Blindsee Trail. The trail starts off quite flowy, but soon becomes steeper and steeper down the slope with its sometimes deep scree. Highlights: Sensational views over the lake and a somewhat exposed passage past the waterfall. At the end, the trail balances along a rock face and ends at the most beautiful swimming spot on the Blindsee. You could leave it at that. But almost at the end of the Fernpass gravel road, you could also take the chairlift again and add the descent on the Barbarasteig. A rather rough zigzag trail, but fun nonetheless. Then cycle back to Lermoos via Ehrwald and the ice cream parlour in the pretty pedestrian zone.
Overnight stay:
Happy Camp in Lermoos with pitches on a meadow, rooms can also be booked.
Continue from Lermoos to the 3-country enduro mecca at Lake Reschen
Drive from Lermoos to Nauders: 89 kilometres
2nd stop: Lake Reschen in the border triangle
Its dammed-up water from the Adige is only 16 degrees in summer, but you can swim around its film-worthy church tower while King Ortler shines in the background.
The tour: three-country enduro trails with lift
- Length: 62 kilometres
- Downhill: 3513 metres in depth
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
Tour description:
The enduro trails in the border triangle of Nauders are a must-do experience. The best thing to do is to buy a cable car ticket that is valid for the four lifts you need and use it to do the big loop through the area. You will come across natural root trails where every millimetre of suspension travel is worth its weight in gold. But there are also trails with flowing bends and plenty of views of the Ortler and Vinschgau peaks. Alternatively, a super tour awaits in Nauders: via the Sesvenna hut and on through the spectacular rock gallery of the Val d'Uina (70.2 km/2011 metres in altitude). The tour does not include any challenging trails, but it is long. If you are not in marathon condition, you can eat well and spend the night at the Sesvenna hut!
Overnight stay:
Alpencamping Nauders: Unfortunately the site is not directly on the lake, but on the pass road, reservations are not possible in summer. Free choice of pitch!
From Nauders on to the Upper Engadine - a backdrop like in Canada
Car journey from Nauders to Silvaplana: 91 km
3rd stop: Lake Silvaplana in the Upper Engadine
There are three lakes in a row in the Upper Engadine at an altitude of 1800 metres. The Silvaplaner is the middle one and has a campsite right on the shore. The water in the lake is only a tingling 17 degrees in summer.
The tour: Trais Fluors trail with lift
- Length: 26.5 kilometres
- Uphill: 250 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 1530 metres in depth
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
Tour description:
The Upper Engadine offers a scenic experience like Canada. Added to this are the signposted trails that lead into the lonely high mountains. It is therefore not easy to choose a top tour. But the Trais Fluors is definitely one of the super trails in the Eastern Alps: from St. Moritz, you can take the funicular railway and gondola up to the 3056 metre-high Piz Nair. Up there, you'll not only have a breathtaking view of the Bernina glaciers, but also a 13.2-kilometre trail - with a counter-climb (250 metres of pushing up to the Trais Fluors). Once you have reached the highest point of the tour and enjoyed the magnificent view, 1000 metres of the finest, high alpine flow down to Samedan await you!
Overnight stay:
Camping Silvaplana: no parcelling, no reservation, free choice of pitch. Pitch for motorhomes from 18.50 euros.
Continue over the Julier Pass to the world champion area of Lenzerheide
Car journey from Silvaplana to Lenzerheide: 55 km
4th stop: Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide on Lake Heidsee
The beautiful Julier Pass road takes you directly down to Lenzerheide. At an altitude of 1480 metres, the beautiful Heidsee lake and the world champion area on the Rothorn await.
The tour: Arosa Trail with lift
- Length: 35 kilometres
- Uphill: 750 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 2900 metres in depth
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
Tour description:
There is also plenty to do in Lenzerheide in the Swiss canton of Graubünden: The Bike Kingdom's bike park alone boasts five freeride trails. These include the 1.7-kilometre-long World Cup descent and the adventure trail that extends all the way down to the bike park in Chur. The most iconic experience, however, is the epic high mountain trip over the hinterland rocky ridges to Arosa. There you could even jump into the Obersee before taking the Hörnli Express up to Urdenfürggli and back down to Lenzerheide on the never-ending Weisshorn Trail.
Overnight stay:
Camping Gravas: Very beautiful, idyllic site near the town centre, Heidsee lake 2 km away. Motorhome pitch: approx. 21 euros.
Continue through the Viamala to the great Italian lakes...
Car journey from Lenzerheide to Rivera on Lake Maggiore: 120 km
5th stop: Lake Maggiore or Lake Lugano
The journey to Lake Maggiore takes you through the spectacular Viamala gorge, then either through the S. Bernadino tunnel (toll 32 euros) or over the Splügen Pass.
The tour: Monte Tamaro trail with lift
- Length: 39 kilometres
- Uphill: 588 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 1582 metres depth
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
Tour description:
Monte Tamaro is an elongated mountain ridge almost 2000 metres high between Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano. So it's no wonder that the cable car in Rivera is already packed with hikers at this vantage point. Even on the rough gravel road from the mountain station up to the trail entrance (approx. 350 metres in altitude), you have to manoeuvre your way past a caravan of hikers while balancing through the rough rock. But not much longer and you have the entire ridge crossing almost to the shores of Lake Lugano to yourself: a dream of a varied enduro trail - a whopping 15 kilometres long!
Overnight stay:
Idyllic campsite in Magadino, on the shores of Lake Maggiore (motorhome pitch: 28 euros): Camping Bellavista. Alternatively: at one of the 5 campsites in Agno (Lake Lugano).
The mule tracks on Lake Como have long been on the to-do list...
Car journey from Rivera to Domaso: 63 km
6th stop: Lake Como
Scenic route along the shores of Lakes Lugano and Como to the surfers' paradise of Domaso. The northern shore of the lake is still rural in character. Ancient mule tracks zigzag through the mountains up to 2600 metres high.
The tour: Crotto Dangri Gorge
- Length: 19.6 kilometres
- Uphill: 890 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: easy to medium
Tour description:
Similar to the approach to Lake Como, this leisurely sightseeing tour also leads through a spectacular, narrow gorge: the wild Livo Valley. The rustic Crotto Dangri refreshment stop awaits at the end of the valley. After a break, return along the same route just above Peglio, then turn off onto the panoramic road to the Santa Croce Trail. The old mule track winds its way in tight bends through the forest, down the steep mountain slope to Segna. Then back to Domaso on a stepped trail and paved paths.
Overnight stay:
Domaso is something like the Torbole of Lake Como: the Mecca of surfers with a total of three campsites on the lake, e.g. Camping Gardena.
Further into uncharted territory: the Bergamo Alps...
Car journey from Domaso to Marone: 126 km
7th stop: Lake Iseo near Brescia
Those in a hurry take the road via Bergamo (140 km). But if you don't have a motorhome that is too bulky, choose the winding mountain road route through the Bergamo Alps to Lake Iseo (167 km)
The tour: Monte Guglielmo
- Length: 35 kilometres
- Uphill: 1671 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: medium
Tour description:
Lake Iseo is the local recreation area for the two major cities of Bergamo and Brescia. It is therefore a good idea not to come here at the weekend. However, the hustle and bustle is mainly confined to the lake shore. The military roads up to the 1948 metre-high Monte Guglielmo in the eastern hinterland are less crowded. The tour leads almost up to the summit with ramps in places and also includes a few trail sections on the steep slope downhill towards Rifugio Malpensata. If you look at the map, you will find more trails, but also easier downhill options.
Overnight stay:
In Marone, on the eastern shore of Lake Iseo (evening sun!), there are three nice campsites, for example Camping Vela.
Military trail specialists are then drawn to Lake Idro...
Car journey from Marone to Baitoni: 85 km
8th stop: Lake Idro military trail paradise
The shortest, but very winding and thoroughly entertaining route leads via Dosso and Vestona through the mountains to the Baitoni campsite on the north bank of Lake Idro.
The tour: Monte Breda Trail
- Length: 26.7 kilometres
- Uphill: 1220 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: medium to difficult
Tour description:
The forest slopes around Lake Idro, which are up to 1700 metres high, are criss-crossed by exciting military trails, but there are two tours that mountain bikers with good riding technique must have done at least once: the 136-Kehren Trail on the east side and the less well-known Monte Breda Trail on the west side. For the latter tour, you roll along the shore to Anfo, climb over the Passo del Baremone to the 1504 metre high Monte Breda and continue along the entire ridge to above Ponte Caffaro. Then take the trail that cuts halfway up the mountain back to the Chiesa di Sant'Antonio and back to Baitoni.
Overnight stay:
Campsite with top pizzeria in Baitoni: Camping Miralago
...and then, of course, it's off to the grand finale: Lake Garda...
Car journey from Baitoni to Riva del Garda: 40 km
9th stop: Lake Garda
Idyllic mountain roads lead to Storo, past waterfalls and Lake Ledro to Riva del Garda, the final highlight of the road trip.
The tour: Tremalzo classic with shuttle
- Length: 26.1 kilometres
- Uphill: 349 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 2009 metres depth
- Difficulty: medium
Tour description:
Die-hard Lago bikers will have their own personal favourite tour that they head for for the grand finale. But for those who have not yet been to Lake Garda, the military road hairpin bends on the Tremalzo are definitely a must. And as your legs will probably be heavy after the very eventful last few days of touring, we recommend taking a shuttle up to the Rifugio Garda. This way, you'll only need to climb 160 metres to the famous tunnel under your own steam and the short counter-climbs at Passo Nota and Rocchetta.
Overnight stay:
There are several campsites in Riva del Garda. For example: Al Lago or Bavaria.
That's it. You can't put more biking and swimming into a summer holiday. With a whole album of pictures, we head straight back to Garmisch on the Brenner motorway (277 kilometres). Or why not take a little detour to Lake Molveno? The trails on the Paganella would be worth it...!
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
