Itinerary

Day 1, August 17th: 

Arrive in Engadin, at your home away from home, the Hotel Castell in the historic village of Zuoz. This hotel was built in 1912 as an alpine place for healing. And yes, it does resemble an actual castle!

During your stay, be sure to visit the Hamam for pure relaxation, & purification in this unique, oriental spa experience.

You might even sense the spirits from times long gone when staying at the Castell. It’s no surprise! On Chastlatsch Hill, just behind the hotel, traces were discovered of a settlement dating as far back as the late Bronze Age. Consequently, the area is often referred to as “power place”.

You will be here for the first 2 nights of your Swiss Alpine Ride as well as the last night.

The typical Engadin village of Zuoz is the most beautiful place, with proud patrician houses and mighty residential towers in the historic village that bear witness to a colorful past. Be sure to make time for a stroll around the village!

In addition to the shops and exquisite galleries, Zuoz scores high with its beautifully landscaped 18-hole golf course, and many hiking, and biking trails. Just in case, you are bringing a significant other who won’t be riding horses with us…
Zuoz also is home to the highest coffee roaster in Europe and the renowned international boarding school, the “Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz“. 

Dinner will be at the Hotel Castell.

Logistics

Riding

🇨🇭 This event includes 4 days of riding, 1 day off, and 6 nights.
🇨🇭 Our horse & host ranch, the Engadin River Ranch has horses for intermediate and advanced riders.
🇨🇭 Max rider weight: 200 lbs.
🇨🇭 The ranch offers a limited number of Western saddles, the rest of the saddles are English saddles.
🇨🇭 We will be walking, trotting & cantering through the Engadin. The trails are safe, however we will travel high above the valley at times.
🇨🇭 There are also some steep sections where we will get off and lead our horses, physical fitness for hiking as well as advanced riding skills are required.
🇨🇭 The elevation that we will be riding & sleeping at is +/- 6000ft. 

Travel

The meeting point is at the Hotel Castell in Zuoz. The best way to get there is to fly into Zurich (ZRH). Multiple airlines fly direct to ZRH from various airports all over the US:

🇨🇭 Swiss Air or Edelweiss Air from LAX, SFO, DEN, ORD, BOS, EWR, IAD, MIA, TPA.
🇨🇭 American Airlines from PHL.
🇨🇭 United Airlines from ORD, EWR, IAD.
🇨🇭 Both United & American offer codeshare flights to ZRH.

Once you arrive in Switzerland, I suggest taking a day or two to get acclimated and to sleep off the jetlag. Then you will travel by train from Zurich to Landquart, where you will change trains and arrive in Zuoz.

Don’t worry, Elli will help you coordinate all that and will accompany you on the train trip at a set time.
During our round-trip ride, your luggage will be transported for you, from one overnight stop to the next.

Good to know” things about Switzerland: 🇨🇭

Time Difference:

Switzerland is on Central European Time; meaning they are 6 hours ahead of EST; 7 hours ahead of CT; 8 hours ahead of MST and 9 hours ahead of PST

Currency:

Swiss Franc; 1 CHF is one Franc. Credit cards with microchips and cash are widely accepted in Switzerland and ATMs are plentiful. 

Before going abroad, notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel, to avoid the risk of your credit card being blocked.

US Cell Service Plan:

I usually sign up for the “International Plan” with my cell service provider (Verizon) when traveling abroad. The cost is $10/day for roaming, however, the data is limited but I’ve never run into a problem with it. WiFi is available almost everywhere.

Tipping:

You are not expected to tip in Switzerland, because the service charge is already added to the bill. However, Swiss people sometimes do leave a tip of 10% of the bill to show that they like the food or service.

Electric outlets:

In Switzerland, they use a J-type socket. You might consider bringing a converter with you. Even if you don’t bring it, you can get it for a low price at the airport or train station.

Language:

It changes according to which region you will go to (Swiss German, French, Italian, Romansh), and a different language is spoken in each region. However, since the majority of the population can speak English, especially in tourist areas, you can travel without any language problems.

Internet:

Free WiFi is available at almost all train stations, airports, and hotels.

Getting around:

Switzerland has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. Trains, ships, buses, and all means are immaculate. The train, which is scheduled to depart at 16.03, leaves at exactly 16.03. If there will be a few minutes delay, they will let you know in advance. It is possible to go everywhere by train both in the city and in the country. You can travel by train just for the view. It’s spectacular.

Be prepared to show your ticket when traveling by public transportation, the officers who check the ticket get on at any stop and check the ticket. These controllers are usually in uniform, and sometimes they dress as civilians.

Shopping/Stores:

Store hours usually are from 9 am until 6.30 pm, Monday through Friday, and 9 am until 4 or 5 pm on Saturday. Most stores are closed on Sundays, and some even close for lunch (12 pm – 2 pm) during the week.

Stores at airports and train stations have longer store hours and typically are open on Sundays as well.

Ethics:

Swiss people generally prefer to shake hands with the people they meet for the first time. Friends, colleagues, and family members kiss on the cheek 3 times. First right, then left, then right again.

While hiking, you are expected to greet those who come across or pass by. They look into your eyes to get your greetings.

I guess it doesn’t sound strange that Swiss people see being late as a big shame. In the end, Switzerland is the land of the clocks. They neither like to be late nor do they like to wait.

While they toast, they wait for the attention of everyone at the table to be in the glasses. They make a toast with everyone one by one, and the main thing is to make eye contact. You have to look into the eyes of the person with every glass you hit.

If your goal is to make many Swiss friends while traveling in Switzerland, you will most likely have to work harder than usual. Typically, the Swiss tend to be very reserved people, guarded, and never veering out of their way to make small talk with people. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try! 😉

Security:

Switzerland is one of the safest countries in the world. Whether you are an alone woman or with your children, you feel safe walking through this country, day or night.
If you leave something behind or lose something, usually someone will turn it into the lost & found. Of course, it is always useful to be careful, but you can come to Switzerland with peace of mind. The biggest unpredictability in Switzerland is the weather…

Clothing:

Swiss people generally dress comfortably but elegantly. You won’t see many women wearing high heels unless they go to work. Even if they do, they wear short heels.

Swiss people attach great importance to quality clothing, but there is no exaggeration. They are simple and stylish. So, when you go out at night or attend a party, you may feel like you are overdressed compared to the Swiss ladies. You can go anywhere with your sneakers, no one will find it odd.

Water:

You can drink water from the tap in Switzerland. My personal opinion is that tap water tastes better than most bottled water. In addition, every corner of this country is full of fountains. Most restaurants will charge you for tap water though.

Prices:

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Prices are high if you plan to eat and drink out, but not that expensive to buy at the grocery store.

A simple dish at a restaurant starts at CHF 25. A serving of food and a glass of wine in a normal standard restaurant costs an average of CHF 40, a cappuccino at a cafe costs around 5-8 CHF, a beer CHF 10, and a glass of wine around CHF 12.

Insurance:

Medical services are very expensive in Switzerland. Inquire if your health insurance includes international coverage. Many U.S. insurance companies will not pay if you break a leg, get food poisoning, or run out of medication and need to see a doctor outside of the United States. Check your insurance provider’s travel policy before going abroad. If you do have international coverage, carry your policy identity card as proof of insurance and a claim form.

Generally, Medicare does not include international coverage. While the U.S. State Department can assist in locating appropriate medical services, contacting loved ones, and transferring funds from family and friends to citizens overseas, the Department cannot pay medical bills. If your insurance does not offer overseas coverage, purchase travel insurance before you begin your trip.

Travel Health Insurance usually shouldn’t cost more than about $30 for 14 days. 

Passport/Visa requirements:

Check your passport validity!

You will be denied entry into Switzerland if your passport expires or expires soon. To enter Switzerland or the Schengen area, your passport must remain valid for 90 days after your planned date of departure from the Schengen area. Before leaving the U.S., it is recommended that your passport has at least 6 months of validity remaining.

U.S. citizens may enter Switzerland without a visa for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes.
Later in 2025, ETIAS travel authorization will take effect. For now, you don’t have to worry about it. I will notify you if or when that changes.

ETIAS is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals traveling to any European country. You can apply for it online and it will be linked to your passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorization.

With a valid ETIAS travel authorization, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays – normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.

FAQ’s

This trip is best suited to advanced riders who are confident cantering on uneven ground and in a group. 

There is some mandatory walking while leading your horse on the steeper sections. Good physical fitness & appropriate footwear is therefore a must!
Maximum rider weight is 200 lbs.