Rhine gorge – Ruinaulta

The Rhine gorge – the Swiss Grand Canyon

There is a reason why the Rhine gorge between Reichenau and Ilanz is known as the ‘Swiss Grand Canyon’. It is one of the most spectacular landscapes in Graubünden and is unique in the Alpine region. In the wild gorges, you can experience pure adrenalin while river rafting or take a hike along the craggy rock formations. An easily accessible hiking trail and several biking trails along the Rhine also present excellent opportunities to have a barbecue, create stone mounds or dip your feet in the water. If you would like a little more comfort, you can also explore the Rhine gorge by train or PostBus.

Virtual tour

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The Swiss Grand Canyon

Discover the Rhine gorge

Round Trips & Touring in Graubünden

Alpine Circle

The King's Loop of the Alpine Circle passes at the beginning the Rhine Gorge in Surselva. On the route from Bonaduz to Ilanz, you can enjoy views over the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. It continues across the Ticino into the Misox and San Bernardino.

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Three restaurants - one culinary trail

Culinary delights at the edge of the Rhine Gorge

One trail – three venues. On our Woods & Water culinary trail, you will get to know both the culinary attractions and natural attractions of our region. You start off in Flims Waldhaus, where you can savour your first course in the Bistro Kaufmannfrauen. Then you make your way past Lake Cauma and along the Rhine gorge to Conn, where you can tuck into your main course. After a short detour to the Il Spir viewing platform, you will stop for dessert at the restaurant on Lake Cresta before returning to Flims via the impressive Felsbach gorge.

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Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Adrenaline kick in Graubünden

Canoeing and rafting

River rafting in the Rhine gorge: a thrilling experience. Explore the impressive, untamed Ruinaulta by rubber raft from Ilanz to Reichenau. This is one of the most exciting routes in Europe for canoeing, kayaking and river rafting. From the water, you can enjoy the steep cliffs and craggy rocks, while the rapids and spray ensure a fun, refreshing experience. You can start off on a whole-day or half-day trip in the company of experienced guides with various embarking and disembarking points. Bookings can be made via the Flims, Laax and Falera guest information centres on +41 (0)81 920 92 00.

For detailed information and dates of the tours, please check with the respective tour operator:

Kanuschule Versam
Tel. +41 81 645 13 24

Swissraft
Tel. +41 81 911 52 50

Swiss River Adventures
Tel. +41 81 936 01 04

WasserchRaft
Tel. +41 81 936 07 40

Joy of Whitewater
Tel. +41 79 391 63 61
 

Discover the Rhine Gorge by foot

Hiking tour: Valendas – Versam

The approximately 1.5-hour hike from Valendas to Versam in the heart of the formidable Rhine gorge is an amazing experience. The trail mostly follows the bends of the Rhine, traversing small sections of forest and taking you past expansive meadows. We recommend using the practical Ruinaulta ticket for the return trip. This allows you to use public transport in and around the Rhine gorge for an entire day.

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Discover the Rhine Gorge by bike

Mountain bikes/electric bike

The region around the Rhine gorge offers a wealth of adventures for biking enthusiasts. Whether you’re a cross-country or enduro specialist, or looking to take a pleasant biking trip with your family, you will find the perfect option for you. With various elevation profiles, difficulty levels and ground conditions to choose from, there is really something for everyone. Those who prefer a somewhat gentler experience can explore the distinctive region on a TREK electric bike. We have installed charging stations at various locations around the region, so you can charge up your battery whenever you like at no cost.

E-Bike trails

RheinWelten

Discover the Rhine by e-bike

With the RheinWelten e-bike route, you can discover cultural, scenic and culinary diversity along the Rhine. On its way from the headwaters of Graubünden to Basel, the Rhine connects 15 worlds of experience and enjoyment to form an attractive overall offer.

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Viewing platforms

You can find a number of viewing platforms around the gorge, presenting unique views of the natural phenomenon.

Il Spir

The Il Spir viewing platform is located just a few minutes from Restaurant Conn. The platform was developed by Chur architect Corinna Menn and inaugurated in September 2006. You can savour a unique 180-degree view of "Swiss Grand Canyon" from here. From Flims Waldhaus, you can reach the viewing platform in around 45 minutes on a pram-friendly hiking trail. It is accessible all year round.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Islabord

From the modestly designed Islabord balconies, you can enjoy unique views to the north and over the UNESCO-World Heritage Site Tectonic Arena Sardona. You can reach Islabord by foot from Versam. The viewing platform is open from May to October.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Zault

A natural spiral-shaped elevation winds along the start of the Rhine gorge and offers breathtaking views into the depths of the gorge. The Zault viewing platform is accessible from the hiking trail. It was developed by the Bonaduz engineer Walter Bieler. The viewing platform is open from March to November.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Crap Signina

Between Laax and Sagogn, the Crap Signina platform sits majestically on a cliff above Sagogn. You can reach it in around 30 minutes from Laax or Sagogn. Panoramic panels provide information about the views over Val Mulin and in the direction of Ilanz. You can also spend some time in comfort here during bad weather, as the platform is sheltered.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Spitg

The romantic Spitg viewing platform offers extraordinary 270-degree views of the Versam ravine, the Rhine gorge and the mountain landscape around Flims. You can reach the viewing platform from Versam or from Trin station by foot in around 1.5 hours. Please note that the ascent is partially exposed, so it is important to watch your step and have a good head for heights. The viewing platform is open from May to October.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Alix

You can take the hiking trail from Valendas to reach the Alix viewing platform. Spectacular views of the Rhine gorge also await you here. The viewing platform is open from May to October.

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Wackenau

The Wackenau viewing platform is located at the end of the vast Rhine gorge. It is named after the castle ruin situated above it. You can reach it from Trin station or from Bonaduz. The viewing platform is open from May to October.

Respect nature

Code of conduct

The Rhine Gorge is not only a fascinating place for excursions, but also home to numerous animal and plant species, some of which are particularly endangered. For the protection of wildlife and plants, we kindly ask you to observe the following rules in the area of the Rhine Gorge:

  • Please only walk on marked hiking trails
  • The hiking trail along the Rhine is not a biking route
  • Use only official fireplaces
  • Camping is only allowed on campsites
  • Land canoes and boats only at marked places
  • Take garbage back with you
  • Dogs must be kept on a leash
  • 1 April until 15 July - No trespassing on the gravel banks marked with boards for the protection of ground-nesting bird species

Explore the suspension bridge in various different ways

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Take an action-packed canoeing or rafting tour on the waterway

 

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

By road from Zault viewing platform

 

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

By rail and with the Ruinaulta ticket

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Directly on foot by road from Trin Digg to Versam via Trin station, or by return hike along the Rhine from Reichenau to Trin station

Die Rheinschlucht, der Swiss Grand Canyon, auf allen Wegen erleben.

Punt Ruinaulta footbridge

The detailed suspension bridge at Trin station which was completed in 2010 is the third bridge in our region to connect the left and right banks of the Rhine. With a length of 105 metres and a passage width of 1.8 metres, the Punt Ruinaulta is one of the longest suspension bridges in Graubünden. A riverside path was developed here alongside the Rhine, allowing hikers to better explore the exceptional Rhine gorge.

Useful information

Reaching the Rhine Gorge

We recommend Flims Waldhaus, Laax or Trin as the perfect bases for discovering the Rhine gorge. If you would like to marvel at the views from the Il Spir platform, start off in Flims Waldhaus, along the turquoise-green Lake Cauma towards Conn. Restaurant Conn is also located just before the platform. From Laax, you can reach the Crap Signina viewing platform or the Valendas station, where you can venture into the Rhine gorge on hiking or biking trails. As well as visiting the platforms, we also recommend crossing the unique Punt Ruinaulta wooden suspension bridge, which you can reach from Trin.

Transportation

We recommend exploring the Rhine gorge with the Ruinaulta ticket. This allows you to use public transport in and around Ruinaulta for an entire day. The Ruinaulta ticket is available from the Flims, Laax and Falera guest information centres. This special ticket is also perfect when combined with a hike in or through the Rhine gorge. 

Additionally, the Rhine gorge taxi connects the Rhine gorge with Brün.

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Nature conservation

We do everything we can to make your holiday as eventful as possible without any negative impact on nature. To do this, we rely on the support of all our visitors. We therefore ask you to follow certain rules.

 

Please only use signposted trails and rest areas, and take note of protected areas. Please only use fire pits at signposted rest areas and take your litter with you. There are official campsites throughout the region, so wilderness camping is not necessary. We, and nature, thank you for your support.

Nature conservation

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