7 Best Hikes in Davos Klosters

Davos Klosters is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful mountain regions, with an extensive network of well-marked hiking trails leading to alpine meadows, mountain lakes, and dramatic peaks.

Although the area is well known in Europe for its ski resorts and a few international events, Davos Klosters remains relatively undiscovered by many international visitors. That means quieter trails and a more authentic mountain experience than you’ll find in some of Switzerland’s busier destinations.

We’ve hiked in this region over many years, including a recent week exploring some of its best trails.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up our favorite hikes in Davos Klosters, from easy family walks to challenging alpine adventures.

Note: Our recent stay was hosted by Davos Klosters tourism and Hotel Waldhuus Davos.

Where is Davos Klosters

The Davos Klosters region is located in southeast Switzerland. The region includes several small villages and the larger towns of Davos and Klosters.

This region is easily accessible by car and public transport. From Zürich to Davos, it’s about 2h by car and 2h30 by train.

How to get around

The hiking areas around Davos Klosters are well connected by public transport. Even if you arrive by car, you don’t really need it during your stay.

Several mountains in this area have cable cars, funiculars, and mountain trains so you can more easily access higher elevation trails in summer.

• In Davos, you’ll find Jakobshorn, Rinerhorn, Parsenn, and Schatzalp.
• In Klosters, you can use cable cars at Madrisa and Gotschna.

The more remote valleys like Discha, Flüela, and Sertig are all serviced by mountain bus. But check the schedules carefully as some only run once an hour.

Where to stay

For efficient day trips and access to services, it’s most convenient to stay in the larger towns of Davos and Klosters, near the train stations and bus depots.

Hotel Waldhuus Davos

On our recent visit, we had a lovely stay at Hotel Waldhuus Davos (4-stars), which has a quiet location a short walk from the main street through town. This hotel is especially family-friendly, with a supervised kids club, family suites, and fun extras.

We stayed in their family suite, which has a separate bedroom and sofa bed in the sitting room. We appreciated the walk-in closet, which kept our messy luggage hidden away.

Kids Club! If you want to hike without the kids, their free Kids Club provides supervised childcare every day, no booking necessary.

They also have a cinema room with popcorn movie nights, indoor games room with table tennis and foosball, outdoor playground, mini golf, indoor pool, sauna, and fitness room.

Their restaurant serves elevated versions of Swiss classics, with a particularly good Schnitzel. We loved having our meals on their outdoor terrace with mountain views.

Check current offers for Hotel Waldhuus Davos. Save 10% with our code SWISSFAMILYFUN.

Premium Card for Overnight Guests

If you stay overnight in the region, you get the free Davos Klosters Premium Card to use during your visit (at hotels, apartment rentals, and camping, not your friend’s chalet 😊). Benefits include:

• free public transport in the areas near your hotel (see network)
• heavy discounted mountain railway ticket, only CHF 8-20/person for a round trip ticket
• book a huge variety of activities for a very low cost, usually CHF 5-15/person. This includes sport courses, scenic tours, guided hikes, museums, animal experiences and more.

See the full list of benefits.

Short & easy hikes for families

Davos Klosters has a wide variety of trails, with good options for all ages and abilities. Let’s start with a few easy and fun ones suitable for beginners and young children.

Madrisa Mässplatte Viewpoint

Madrisa is the family mountain, with the largest playground in the Swiss alps and variety of amusements to keep the kids entertained for hours.

For an easy walk with the kids, I think you’ll enjoy the short trail to the Massplatte viewpoint. It’s easy enough so no one gives up, but just enough work that the kids will feel a sense of accomplishment when you reach the viewpoint.

Definitely take the short detour off the main path to the Alpbach falls. You could cool your feet off in the small pool just below the falling water. Above the falls, there is a nice picnic area along the stream feeding the falls.

Route: 1h • 3.1 km round trip • +168m -168m
See trail map on SchweizMobil.

Location: Klosters-Madrisa gondola – Madrisastrasse 7, 7252 Klosters-Serneus

Ducanbach Falls in Sertig valley

This river walk to a waterfall is perfect for families and anyone looking for an easy stroll with big views.

This trail starts at the end of the road in the Sertig valley. Although you can drive to the trail head, I highly recommend riding the bus to save you stress of driving on the one-lane winding road. Then you can also enjoy the ride, passing clusters of adorable Swiss cottages surrounded by lush meadows.

The bus drops you at the Walserhuus Sertig, which has a restaurant with a large outdoor terrace and nice playground facing the view. Best to reserve for lunch on weekends.

Then about 25 mins along the river, mostly on a flat service road, also possible with a stroller, until the last few minutes close to the falls.

You can walk all the way up to the rushing water and wander about the river bed. Plenty of room to picnic in the shade to enjoy the view longer.

Route: 45 mins • 2.9 km round trip • +68m -68m
See trail map on SchweizMobil.

Location: Sertig, Sand bus stop. From Davos Platz, buses leave every 30 mins, travel time 25 mins.

Klosters “Fairytale Forest” Theme Trail

This fun activity trail for children is in the pine forest just outside the Klosters village, a good choice for a hot summer day when you need shade.

Along the way, you’ll visit ten stations with play elements where you learn part of the fairytale story. It includes a marble run, giant slide, pine cone toss, sensory games, treasure dig, suspension bridge, and more.

It’s easy walking, but the footpath is not suitable for strollers.

Route: 1h • 2.8 km • +107m -95m
See trail map • More info: www.davos.ch

Start:  Klosters, Brachweg bus stop
End: Klosters, Aeuja Alte Post bus stop

Mountain Views

Jatzhorn Ridge to Dischma Valley

If you love ridge trails like I do, you’ll love this one, showcases some of the best views in the region.

From the center of Davos, ride the Jacobshorn cable cars up to a viewpoint over the whole valley. Then join the ridge trail, heading south to the Jatzhorn peak and further to the Tällifürgga pass.

The terrain is very rocky, often with steep slopes to the side. Best for those with steady feet and a head for heights, but not particularly dangerous.

From the pass, we hiked down through the Rüedisch valley, filled with many alpine flowers fed by rambling streams. We ended at Teufi, where you can have a hearty meal at the restaurant and ride a bus back to Davos.

Route: 3h15 • 9.3 km • +264m -1131m
See trail map on SchweizMobil or Komoot.

Start: Jakobshorn cable car – Brämabüelstrasse 11, 7270 Davos
End: Davos Dischma, Teufi bus stop

💡Tip: If you a shorter hike, less downhill, and/or easier logistics, hike along the ridge to the Jatzhorn peak, then back the same way – about 1 hour.

Strelapass & Strelasee Hike from Schatzalp

Built in 1898, Schatzalp became one of Europe’s most exclusive alpine health clinics where wealthy patients came to recover in the clean mountain air. At the top of the funicular, you’ll still find the historic Belle Epoque style hotel and extensive flower gardens.

From Schatzalp, we rode a chair lift higher up the mountain. Then wandered up to the Strelapass through these yellow meadows with sweeping views across the Davos valley.

At the pass, we had lunch at the Strelapass hut, serving tasty versions of alpine favorites. We particularly liked the Flammkuchen, Rösti, and Kaiserschmarrn for dessert.

The hike’s highlight is definitely the Strelasee, a tiny alpine lake framed by cotton flowers, big peaks reflected in the still water.

The trail loops back down to Schatzalp, where you can reward happy hikers with a few rides on the fun alpine slide.

Route: 3h • 9.3 km • + 312m -595m
See trail map on SchweizMobil • Komoot

Location: Schatzalp funicular – Promenade 63, Talstation, 7270 Davos

💡Note: Part of this trail is also used by mountain bikers, so listen for their bells so they can safely pass.

Walserweg: Ducantal valley & Fanezfugga pass

The Walserweg is a multistage hiking route that winds around the high valleys of Graubünden. We hiked Stage 13, from Sertig Dörfli to Monstein, famous for their beer brewed in an old church.

Start by riding a bus up the peaceful Sertig valley, then a short walk along a rushing river to the Duncanbach falls.

Now the real hike begins, steadily climbing up the Ducantal, a high valley filled with pretty meadows and surrounded by mountain peaks.

After crossing the Fanezfugga pass, the highest point of the hike, you descend through more flower-filled meadows, past grazing cows and alpine dairy huts.

When you reach the Monstein village, grab cold drinks and ice cream from the self-service village grocery and ride a bus the rest of the way down the mountain and back to Davos.

Route: 5h • 12.4 km • +790m -1043m
See trail map on SchweizMobil • Komoot

Start: Sertig, Sand bus stop
End: Davos Monstein, Dorf bus stop

💡TIP: If you hike on a Friday, you can visit the Monstein brewery after the hike (option 4-7pm on Fridays).

Madrisa: Chüacalenda to Rätschenjoch

I’m absolutely in love with the alpine meadows high above Madrisa. In mid July, this area was bursting with wildflowers, speckled with cows, and only a handful of hikers.

You’ll get your fitness in as you climb to the mountain pass, but I can’t think of a nicer way to keep my heart healthy.

At the pass, you’ll get a unique view of the bright white Gafierplatten, an enormous limestone slab that looks like a snow field.

For the descent, you have a few options, some connecting with other valleys where you can catch a bus back to your starting point. For simpler logistics, I chose a loop, skirting under the Madrisahorn peak and descending via the Saaser Alp slope.

Route: 4h30 • 11.5 km loop • +820m -820m
See trail map on SchweizMobil or Komoot.

Location: Klosters-Madrisa gondola – Madrisastrasse 7, 7252 Klosters-Serneus

💡Scooters: After the hike, you can rent mountain scooters at the Madrisa gondola station and ride them 9k down to the valley.

Variation: For more drama, instead descending via the Saaser Alp, hike via Saaser Calenda, a rocky limestone ridge. The terrain is more challenging, but also more interesting with better views. See trail map for this variation.

Jöriseen Lakes

Visit a series of sparkling alpine lakes in a rocky landscape high in the mountains.

No cable car here, so you’ll earn these views with steep ascent up rocky switchbacks. But once you catch a glimpse of the first lake, all the hard work is forgotten.

Despite the general moonscape feel of this area, it has a lot of variety as you wander around to each lake. Best on a sunny day so the colors of lakes shine bright, making for very attractive photos.

This hike can be surprisingly popular on weekends, so get an early start, especially if you come by car and need one of the few parking spots.

Route: 5 h • 10.8 k loop • +870m -870m
See trail map on SchweizMobil or Komoot

Location: Wägerhus/Abzw. Jöriseen bus stop

For more Davos hikes, visit www.davos.ch.

Have a favorite in Davos Klosters that’s not on our list? Leave a comment and let us know. We’re always looking for an excuse to go back.