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Switzerland
Saturday 17 - Saturday 24 June 2006 (8 days)
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photo by tour participant Ted Scott  Walking in the Swiss Alps |
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Switzerland is rightly famous for its stupendous upland scenery and crisp mountain air. The southern Valais region that borders with Italy is one of the most beautiful - and a prime location for alpine birdwatching. Crested Tits and Western Bonelli's Warblers frequent the forests, boldly-spotted Nutcrackers and crimson-crowned Black Woodpeckers conceal themselves amongst the pines and the trills of handsome 'red' Lesser Redpolls rise above the flower-filled alpine meadows.
From Geneva, we follow the mighty Rhone valley to reach our comfortable hotel in the picturesque Val d'Herens. With no changes of hotel to worry about during our stay, we shall be free to devote ourselves to some of the most spectacular landscapes in all Switzerland - from the glaciers at the head of the lovely Val d'Herens itself, east to the famous Gornergratt with its majestic views of the Matterhorn. In June, the weather in the Alps is generally warm with plenty of sunshine - and our aim will certainly be to make the most of this! Walks are not strenuous and though there will inevitably be some uphill stretches, all are taken at a gentle pace. The woods and mountains around about our hotel are the perfect place to start. Fieldfare, Red-backed Shrike and Serin are to be found in the gardens and hay-meadows around town, Dippers bob and troops of chatty Crossbills buzz about the treetops as we start to explore. On one day, we'll travel to Zermatt and take the mountain railway up to the Gornergratt. If visibility is good, we shall enjoy uninterrupted views across the glacier towards the iconic chiselled peak of the Matterhorn. Up here, at an elevation of around 3000 metres, we'll watch for Alpine Accentor and Snowfinch, while playful Alpine Choughs and plump Alpine Marmots may even feed from your hand! And should visibility on the high tops let us down, we'll find birdwatching along the floor of the Rhone Valley is equally rewarding, with the likes of Honey Buzzard, Nightingale, Marsh Warbler and Golden Oriole awaiting our discovery. In short, alpine birdwatching is full of surprises and, though we should indeed need to be fortunate, recent tour highlights have included Wallcreeper - and even Rock Partridge! Add the prospect of up to 60 different kinds of butterfly on the wing - from Mazarine and Amanda's Blues to Niobe and Asian Fritillaries - and join us for another week of easy-paced walks and invigorating Swiss mountain air on this delightful introduction to alpine birds and wildlife. Itinerary Day 1 Our holiday begins with a flight from London to Geneva. We drive east along the Rhône valley to Sion, then swing south to enter the glorious 'chocolate-box' landscape of the Val d'Herens. Along the way, we should see our first Black Kites beside the banks of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva), and Goshawk is also possible. Late afternoon arrival at our hotel in the beautiful Val d'Herens, which will be our base throughout the holiday. Overnight Evolene Days 2 - 7 Waking to the crisp mountain air and 'gravel-gargling' song of Black Redstarts from the rooftops, our daily plan will depend a little on the weather - which, incidentally, is usually at its best in Switzerland in June. Much of our time will be spent exploring the woods and mountains of the Val d'Herens itself, with its heady mix of stunning scenery, alpine scents and sounds, and its alluring montane birds. Dipper and Grey Wagtail haunt the river at Evolene and we have chances of finding the outsize Black Woodpecker - though despite their size and far-carrying cries, they can prove surprisingly elusive. This lovely valley is also home to Crag Martin, hot-tempered Fieldfares, Rock Bunting, Red-backed Shrike and Serin. We should encounter a few Ring Ouzels too, here of the 'frosted' central European race, alpestris. Golden Eagles sweep the skies and as we scan for them, we'll watch for parties of fast-flying Alpine Swifts, though they can be surprisingly scarce. Taking a walk above the tree-line to the high alpine meadows and towards the Tsidjoure Nouve glacier, Water Pipits and Woodlarks sing and we may hear the 'creaking door' call of perfectly-camouflaged Ptarmigan. The rarely seen Rock Partridge also occurs and though we should be fortunate to find one, our 2002 group enjoyed fantastic views! Arolla is best known as a climbing centre, though also lends its name to Arolla Pine. Quiet in early summer, for the birdwatcher there are flocks of Common Crossbills to enjoy, while Nutcrackers feed in the shade below the pines that are also the haunt of Firecrest, and Crested and Willow Tits. In June, we have sometimes found Griffon Vulture and Citril Finch here too, along with the superb Rock Thrush. This area also offers one chance of finding the crimson-winged Wallcreeper - no mean feat in a landscape so vast. And with a splendid array of alpine butterflies on offer, too - among them such delights as Mazarine and Amanda's Blues, Alpine and Pearly Heaths, Spotted and Knapweed Fritillaries, Almond-eyed and Swiss Brassy Ringlets, Moorland Clouded Yellow and Red-underwing Skipper - this is a place destined to linger long in the memory. On one of our days, after a relatively short drive east to Zermatt, we'll take the mountain railway high up to the Gornergratt. Set at around 3,200m, if visibility is good, stunning views across the glacier towards the Matterhorn will tempt our eyes away from the schools of playful Alpine Choughs - close enough to stroke last time! - which jostle for visitors' left-over food. While the plump Alpine Marmots and endearing Snowfinches like to join in too, the less demonstrative Alpine Accentors are more easily overlooked as they shuffle quietly about. Later, investigation of the forested lower slopes may reveal Western Bonelli's Warbler and Ortolan Bunting to round off another exciting day. Offering a whole new suite of birds, a visit to the floor of the Rhône Valley can be equally rewarding. Nightingales, Blackcaps and Garden Warblers provide plenty of background sound as we listen for the tell-tale voices of other valley dwellers such as Quail, Marsh Warbler, Stonechat, Golden Oriole and Cirl Bunting. Overhead, we could see Peregrine or perhaps a dashing Hobby, while Common and Honey Buzzards are quick to take advantage of thermals as the day begins to warm. Six nights Evolene Day 8 Bidding a reluctant farewell to the Val d'Herens after breakfast this morning, we will head back west along the Rhône valley. If flight times permit, we will enjoy a short stop at Les Grangettes, where the river flows into the eastern end of Lac Leman. An array of wetland birds is possible, with Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Red-crested Pochard, Common Tern and Yellow-legged Gull among species we've seen in the past. We then continue on to Geneva and board our afternoon flight to London. Accommodation We stay at a friendly, family-run two-star hotel in Evolene, with all rooms en suite. Meals: All included in the tour price. Continental-style breakfasts at the hotel, dinners at local restaurant. Lunches a mix of picnics & Gasthof sit-down meals. Walking: The Rhône valley is relatively flat and the going is easy. Elsewhere, our walks are not strenuous, but expect some uphill stretches - all taken at a gentle pace, our itinerary being carefully planned to avoid arduous hikes. Swiss trails are well-marked & generally in good condition. Maximum elevation, c. 3,000m. |
| Leaders: | Brian Small & John Muddeman |
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| Numbers: | Max. 12 clients | |||
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Price: |
£ | 1,295 | ||
| Single supp.: | £ | 75 | ||
| Deposit: | £ | 300 | per person | |
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The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of scheduled return flights London-Geneva with meals on-board as appropriate, all accommodation, meals, transport (inc. mountain railway to Gornergratt), tips, airport taxes, bird & butterfly checklist & services of the leader/s.
The price excludes travel insurance, drinks and other personal expenses. This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays. |
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