Natural jewels

It is considered one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in Switzerland – the much-vaunted Lai da Rims. Since it lies at a lofty 2,396 metres above sea level, it is not easy to catch a glimpse of the lake. Until the Lai da Rims lies before you in all its splendour, you have to conquer terrain step by terrain step. This applies both to the long ascent from the valley and to the high alpine variants over the Piz Umbrail or the Piz Praveder. Once you have reached the Lai da Rims, you will remember it for a long time. There are even guests who have visited the mountain lake over 200 times because they have fallen in love with it.

A touch of Canada – this is probably the best way to describe Val Mora. No wonder, because due to its originality and remoteness, the Val Mora leaves no one untouched. The atmosphere there is almost magical, primal and rough. Rugged mountains tower on both sides, some of them reaching the three-thousand-metre mark, including Piz Murtaröl, the highest peak in the nature park at 3,180 metres above sea level. On the wide valley floor, pines, stone pines, larches, moors and the wild mountain stream Aua da Val Mora form the landscape.

Residual water volume. A technical term that Rom knows nothing about. The valley river in Val Müstair does not carry residual water, but always a full load. And that can be quite a lot, especially when intense rainfall joins the snowmelt in spring. The Rom is the last Swiss valley river that is not used to produce electricity and a natural riverbed has been created along long stretches. So it rushes freely and exuberantly through the valley, carving its way across meadows and through forests, forming gravel banks and side arms and providing a home for numerous animals and plants.

Fritz and Paul Sarasin, Carl Schröter and Steivan Brunies were far-sighted men. The conservationists leased the Val Cluozza from the municipality of Zernez in 1909. They wanted to remove a piece of mountain nature from human use and observe its natural development. Five years later, the Swiss Confederation agreed to the establishment of a national park near Zernez. Nature is grateful. The flora and fauna are extremely diverse. Legendary highlights such as the autumn rutting of the stags in Val Trupchun or spectacular sightings of bearded vultures add to the excitement.

Something mysterious surrounds it, the highest pine forest in Europe. The God Tamangur welcomes its visitors with its heavy, yet sweet scent. Here you get to know gnarled, ancient trees. Some of them have 800 annual rings and more, others have come to an end a long time ago and serve the forest community as deadwood, providing shelter and protection for animals. The forest is protected, no cultivation is carried out and animals only graze on the edges. This is good for the forest. Despite its old age, the God Tamangur enjoys high vitality and dynamism.