Ela Trek

Ela Trek is a four-day, 45 km circuit that circumnavigates the Piz Ela massif in the heart of Parc Ela — Switzerland's largest nature reserve, located in the canton of Graubünden. The trek starts and ends in Bergün, a picturesque village on the route of the famous Rhaetian Railway, so you don't need to arrange transport between start and finish — the entire multi-day trek is a closed loop returning to the same place.

The character of the trek is typical of high-altitude traverses in Graubünden: alternating alpine meadows, pastures with grazing cattle, and rocky sections beneath the summit of Piz Ela. The route does not pass through any via ferrata — it's classic high-altitude hiking without rope protection. The difficulty is rated as moderately challenging — the trek is suitable for hikers with multi-day experience and solid fitness, not for complete beginners, but it's also not mountaineering terrain requiring specialized equipment.

The first stage leads from Bergün to the alpine cheese dairy Agroturissem Alp d'Err, where the entire circuit around Piz Ela begins. The second day takes you to the mountain hut Chamonas d'Ela (CAS) — it stands directly beneath the rock walls of Piz Ela and represents the peak of the entire trek, as it offers the closest view of the massif. The third stage descends across alpine meadows to the agritourism farm Sägässähenki in the mountain village of Jenisberg. Finally, the fourth day leads to the farm Aclas Dafora, from where you can see the Landwasserviadukt — one of the most famous railway viaducts of the Rhaetian Railway — before the trail descends back into Bergün, where the circuit began.

The trail, thanks to its combination of mountain huts and agritourism farms, alternates between typical alpine hut-style accommodation and stays on rural farms, giving the trek a different character than classic hut-to-hut passes in the major Alpine massifs. Ela Trek is suitable for hikers who have already completed at least one multi-day trek in the mountains and want to experience Parc Ela off the main Alpine routes — the region is quieter than the neighboring Engadin, yet offers views of one of Graubünden's prominent peaks. The best time for the trek is summer and early autumn, when the high-altitude sections are snow-free; however, the specific opening dates for individual huts and farms must always be confirmed directly with the operator.

Accommodation on the route is arranged through the official Alpenverein (SAC) reservation system, or directly with the operator of the respective agritourism farm. Given the limited capacity of mountain huts and farms in Parc Ela, we recommend booking well in advance, especially at Chamonas d'Ela, which is the main highlight of the trek and tends to be the busiest during the season.