The North-South route connects two of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. It starts at the Dreiländereck in Basel and continues over the Jura mountains to Lucerne. It then passes through central Switzerland, up the Gotthard Pass, past the fortresses of Bellinzona and on to Monte Ceneri, where there are wonderful views of Lake Maggiore. The last kilometres to the mirror-clear waters of Lake Lugano are covered on small roads with very little traffic.
The route is challenging on the first stretch in the Jura mountains, but flattens out through the Mittelland and on past Lake Lucerne. It is uphill from Amsteg towards the pass and downhill on the cobbled Tremola road. Some traffic is to be expected on the way into and out of the big cities. Of the approximately 370km of the tour, 35-40km are on gravel roads. The rest are paved or otherwise surfaced.
You arrive at the first hotel in Basel, where you are given maps, directions and any bikes you have rented. You then have the rest of the day to yourself.
The vibrant life of Basel, Liestal and Ergolztal contrasts sharply with the peace and tranquillity of the Jura region of Basel. The tour continues through Jurapark Aargau followed by a steep descent in the southern Jura mountains to Aarau.
Today's stage goes from Aarau to the idyllic Suhrental river valley with views of the Alps to the south and the Jura mountain range to the north, through lush fields and orchards along the Sempachersee and on to Lucerne.
Lake Lucerne is one of Switzerland's largest and most beautiful lakes. Its many tributaries link the Mittelland and the Alps, and when the wind blows, the lake can be a harsh experience. Urnerland is a constantly pulsating traffic corridor.
The tour continues through the canton of Uri, where the wild river Reuss flows down through the Schöllenenschlucht gorge, only obscured by mountain walls and the so-called "devil's bridge" (Teufelsbrücke). There has always been a desire and a need to cross the Gotthard Pass in a southerly direction - in the past on horseback and nowadays by train or car.
The Leventina district has been a popular traffic corridor since ancient times. The further south you go, the milder the climate, and today's route offers a pleasant stretch along the River Ticino past chestnut trees and vineyards. Bellinzona is called "La Turrita" because of its many castles and fortifications.
You cycle to Cadenazzo and take the train up to Rivera-Bironico. From Monte Ceneri there are great views of Lake Maggiore and the vegetable fields of Piano di Magadino. The tour ends at the picturesque Lake Lugano.
The tour is now over. You check out of your last hotel in the morning.
The price is based upon two people sharing. It is also possible travel alone in a single room. If you travel alone a single room is necessary.
On this tour you will be on your own supplied with maps, route descriptions and luggage transfers. That means that your time is your own and you have plenty of time to enjoy the stages in your own pace.
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The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. This process typically takes 2-5 working days, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
Bicycle rental is available for this trip. If you choose to do so, you will be given your chosen bikes when you arrive at the first hotel.
Here are the options:
Included equipment
E-Bike
Included equipment
Any rented bike is selected on the booking form. Remember to write your height in the message field when booking the trip.
The flights to/from Basel are not included in the price. You can easily find a suitable flight via a flight booking engine such as Momondo or Skyscanner.
Notice: we recommend that you book with us and wait for the confirmation before you book your flights.
It works like this:
Getting there
Here is a link for the perfect tool which will help you get an overview of how to get to the starting point of the tour: Rome2Rio
Accommodation is all in 3-star hotels in the small towns. In Gotthardpass, accommodation is in a hostel (in private rooms).
On this tour we have included breakfast every day. It is generally easy to find restaurants and places to buy lunch or packed lunch.
Luggage transfer is included on this tour. Upon arrival at the first hotel you will be given luggage tags along with the rest of the welcome package. You fill out the luggage tags and put them on your bags where they will remain for the duration of the tour.
Your luggage is picked up from the hotel lobby around 9am every morning and will arrive at your next hotel at 6pm at the latest (often long before that). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer you will be notified upon arrival.
Luggage transfer includes one bag per guest and the bags can weigh 20kg each.
You will recieve the following documentation
Upon booking
You recieve practical information about the tour in a digital format
One month before arrival
You recieve your hotel list and your voucher (hotel list is often supplied upon booking)
Upon arrival
You recieve the welcome package which contains the printed version of the road book, luggage tags, local specific vouchers and if you have rented bikes then they will also be delivered and fitted at the first hotel.
This tour has difficulty grade 2-3. Which means that most days are grade 2 and some days are grade 3.
Grade 2
For cyclists who like hilly terrain and a bit longer distances. You cycle on good roads, which usually don’t have much traffic. The distance is between 35 – 60 km or 20 – 38 miles. If you are capable of riding a bike and you have a normal good health, you should not worry about going on these tours.
Grade 3
Longer distances in hilly terrain, often with steep climbs. The distance is usually 65 – 80 km or 40 – 50 miles per day. Requires good shape and health. We highly recommend that you practice on some longer rides before you leave home.
Read more about our Grading System
It can be difficult to plan your trip according to the weather, but to give you an idea of the local climate, see data below. Statistics as seen on www.yr.no.
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
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