The 77-kilometre (48 mi) long Prättigau High Trail leads you through Rätikon’s magnificent mountain world in four stages. Fantastic views of the picturesque Prättigau and striking peaks such as the Sulzfluh, Drusenfluh and Schesaplana await you around every bend. From the panoramic Cavelljoch, you can look across to Austria and Lake Lünersee, while the idyllic Partnunsee invites you to relax on its shores.

For the first two nights, you sleep in two well-known Swiss mountain huts with great views – the Schesaplanahütte and the Carschinahütte. As you hike from hut to hut across flowering alpine meadows and scree, climbers take on the steep limestone cliffs on countless climbing routes above. On the last stage, you finally climb a peak yourself. From the Jägglisch Horn, you have a magnificent panoramic view of the entire high-altitude trail, the peaks of the Rätikon and the Plessur Alps. With luck, you may spot marmots or golden eagles.

The first and last stages of this high-altitude trail are very long and strenuous, but you have the option of shortening parts of the route by bus or cable car. You can find more information in the stage descriptions. Of course, you can also hike in the opposite direction. I recommend this version though, as the Highlights are always in view as you walk. The paths are mostly easy to follow, but you should be sure-footed and wear sturdy shoes.

The best time of year for this route is from the end of June to the end of September. Find out in advance what the conditions are like on the trails and book your accommodation in advance. At high altitudes, snowfields can persist into the summer. Check the weather forecast before setting off and pack suitable clothing. You hike through a herd protection area. Check the information (in German) on how to behave around shepherd dogs here:
schweizmobil.ch/de/wanderland/verhalten-unterwegs.html.

You can easily reach the start and end points by public transport, for example from Zurich. You can find more information about the timetables at sbb.ch/en/timetable.html.

So, shoulder your rucksack and off you go. Look forward to a fantastic time on the Prättigau High Trail and enjoy the mountain world of the Swiss Alps.