On the Walser Trail Gottardo from Curaglia to Tschamut
Narrow mule tracks and wide views: Our hike along the Walserweg Gottardo takes us from the idyllic Val Medel to Tschamut at the foot of the Oberalp Pass. In this blog post, you’ll find out why we chose Curaglia as our starting point and why June is an especially great time for this hike.The overnight tip that drew us to Val Medel
Whenever friends or acquaintances recommend a place to stay with the comment “Anita, you might really like this,” it immediately gets added to my idea list. Over the years, that list has grown quite long. Some places have been on it for ages—usually because I haven’t yet found the right hike to pair them with. That wasn’t the case with Bed and Breakfast Chrämerhus in Curaglia: My parents spent a weekend there in winter and used it as a cozy base for snowshoe hikes in Val Medel. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I knew right away we’d love it too. Originally, I planned to combine the overnight stay at Chrämerhus with a two-day hike on the Walserweg Gottardo. This long-distance trail leads across 14 stages from Binn in Valais to Surselva in Grisons, following the historic paths of the Walser people. Curaglia in Val Medel is ideally located between stages 12 and 13, making Chrämerhus a perfect spot for a restful overnight stop—after the roughly 20-kilometer stage from the Oberalp Pass and before the next, shorter but more demanding stretch with 1,300 meters of elevation gain over Alp Soliva to Sumvitg. Because of the weather, we had to slightly adjust our ambitious hiking plans. But we definitely didn’t want to miss out on the night at the lovingly run Chrämerhus. The charming BnB offers six nostalgically furnished rooms. Shower and toilet are on the same floor and shared with other guests—but they’re well-equipped and leave nothing to be desired. On the top floor, a cozy lounge invites you to relax, and on sunny days, you can enjoy the last rays of sunshine on the terrace behind the house. If booked in advance, a delicious homemade 3-course dinner is served. We had nettle soup with fresh nettles from the garden, a large bowl of crisp salad from the raised bed, and Chnöpfli with cheese from the surrounding alpine pastures.
A short but sweet climb from Curaglia to Stagias
The area around Curaglia offers numerous hiking options. One example is the six-kilometer loop Senda dil senns Val Plattas, which starts right in the village. A side trip to nearby Disentis with its impressive monastery is also worthwhile. In the end, we decided to stick somewhat to our original idea and hike stage 12 of the Walserweg Gottardo in reverse. The advantage of this variation: you can flexibly adapt the stage length along the way—perfect for uncertain weather or if you want to take it easier.The hike begins in Val Medel, still slightly veiled in clouds, with a climb to the picturesque hamlet of Mutschnengia, founded by the Walser people in the 14th/15th century. A highlight here is the 96-meter-long suspension bridge made of larch wood that spans the valley—built in 2011 by forestry apprentices. Our route doesn’t cross the bridge but passes right next to it. The trail then climbs steeply through the forest up to Stagias. The rainy spring days have left their mark on the soft ground. Yep, I really should have worn the high hiking boots!
Along historic mule tracks to Surrein/Sedrun
After a good hour, the first ascent is behind us. At the trail marker “1631”, we find not only a signpost but also a charming rest area with a fire pit. Given my soaked feet, I’m relieved that the next few kilometers mostly follow dry gravel paths. But they’re far from boring: the historic mule track descends about 2.5 kilometers through a light forest before the trail meanders downhill through blooming alpine meadows toward Carvogia. Along the way, stunning panoramic views open up—sometimes toward Disentis, sometimes directly onto Sedrun. A highlight of this section is the sea of blossoms in the alpine meadows; this is mountain spring at its finest in June!
A break at Lag da Claus
From Carvogia, a paved road crosses the gorge of the Rein da Nalps. We’re now nearly back to the same elevation where we started the hike. That means: it’s uphill again toward the Oberalp Pass. We follow the road to the hamlet of Surrein, across from Sedrun. Depending on the weather, Lag da Claus invites you for a refreshing dip, and the nearby bistro offers cold drinks or a snack.
A varied up and down toward the Oberalp Pass
The next few kilometers are a varied mix of narrow forest and meadow paths following the young Rhine, all the way to its source near the Oberalp Pass. This section isn’t just about the traces of the Walser people—you’ll also spot remnants of the NEAT construction project. Between Rueras and Sedrun, for instance, one of the installation sites for the Gotthard Base Tunnel is visible. Just a stone’s throw from the trail lies the Naturcamping Viva—where we spent a winter weekend in a tiny house. Also a wonderful place to stay.
Up ahead, we spot the Walser settlements of “Selva” and, higher up on a hill, “Tschamut.” Near Selva, the trail passes straight through the Sedrun golf course before winding up to Tschamut in a series of switchbacks. After nearly 17 kilometers and around 1,000 meters of elevation gain, we decide to end the hike here. It would be another hour and a half to the Oberalp Pass—but we hadn’t packed food, the only restaurant in Tschamut was closed, and the train connection was perfect. So the decision wasn’t too hard to make.
Key facts about the Curaglia – Sedrun – Tschamut hike
The map below shows the route we took on the Walserweg Gottardo from Curaglia to Tschamut. This is a red-white-red marked mountain trail (T2/T3). The most technically challenging part is the climb from Mutschnengia to Stagias. It can get slippery when wet—ankle-high hiking boots are recommended. The Walserweg Gottardo is marked with the route number “62”. In a few places, the route differed slightly from the path shown on SchweizMobil, and the signage wasn’t always clear. But if you stay alert and look out for signs on posts or rocks, navigation shouldn’t be an issue.
The Curaglia – Tschamut route is signposted with a hiking time of just over 5 hours (6.6 h to Oberalp Pass). We needed just over 4 hours at a brisk pace without breaks.
| Starting point | B&B Chrämerhus / Curaglia Posta bus stop (1,273 m a.s.l.) |
| Accessibility | reachable by public transport |
| Length | 16.8 kilometers |
| Elevation gain/loss | ↗ 1,015 m ↘ 650 m |
| Duration | 5:00 h (pure walking time) |
| Destination | Tschamut-Selva train station (1,701 m a.s.l.) |
| Refreshment stop | Ustria Lag da Claus |
Practical tips for your hike from Curaglia to Tschamut
- Curaglia can be reached by public transport via Disentis and is located on the road toward Lukmanier Pass. In Sedrun, Tschamut, and at the Oberalp Pass, you can connect to the Furka-Oberalp Railway.
- The Oberalp Pass sits at 2,000 meters above sea level; depending on snow conditions, snow may still be present on the trails in June. Up to Tschamut, everything was snow-free—higher up, a few snowfields remain.
- There are more rewarding hikes around Curaglia; two years ago we did this great tour over the Cristallina Pass to Capanna Bovarina.
- From Curaglia, you can also hike up to the Medelserhütte and continue from there to Terrihütte / the Greina Plateau.
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