The Viamala Schlucht is a narrow river gorge in southeast Switzerland near Chur. In this middle of this long river, there’s a narrow section with interesting formations and a visitor center with a fenced walkway built into the cliffs so you can get a closer look. They offer a treasure hunt activity for kids, where the kids use binoculars to look for hidden letters, then unscramble to solve a puzzle. It’s a relatively short activity; you might spend an hour here. So it’s probably better combined with something else in the area (see the Viamala region website for ideas). We went in April 2010 and as you can see, it was still icy cold and covered with snow. But it was still fun and very beautiful.
| Location: | Graubünden Switzerland |
| Address: | Viamala, Zillis, Switzerland |
| Car: | Parking: 46°39’47.6″N 9°26’51.2″E 25 mins from Chur, 1hr40 from Zürich |
| Train: | Zillis, Viamala Schlucht bus stop 1hr from Chur, 2hr from Zürich |
| Trail: | short path on stone walkways carved into canyon walls |
| Condition: | walkway with lots of stairs, no strollers |
| Skill: | easy |
| Open: | April through October, daily 9:00 – 18:00, until 19:00 from May to Sept. |
| Cost: | CHF 6/adult, CHF 4/child, under 6 free. |
| More info: | www.viamala-schlucht.ch |
Overview
The Viamala Schlucht is located in southeast Switzerland near Chur, accessible by car or bus.
You pay a fee to enter the gorge and explore on walkways cut into the rock, about 300m of total walking. There are lots of stairs, so not suitable for strollers. The walkways and viewpoints are protected with fences so you can’t fall into the gorge. It can get very wet in the gorge, so best to wear shoes with good tractions and bring a jacket.
Hiking: If you want to enjoy more of the gorge, there are trails above and below the visitor center. See hiking trails here.
Getting There
By car: Drive south on A3 then A13 past Chur towards the San Bernardino tunnel/pass. Take exit 23-Viamala and merge onto Route 13, following the winding road up the canyon. After a few minutes, you’ll see a small parking lot and visitor center on your right (46°39’47.6″N 9°26’51.2″E).
By transit: You can take a train to Thusis (via Chur), then a bus to Zillis, Viamala Schlucht, which drops near the entrance to the gorge.
Tickets and Opening Times
The Viamala gorge is open from April to end of October. It is open daily 9:00 – 18:00, until 19:00 from May to Sept.
In 2021, tickets cost CHF 6/adult, CHF 4/child, under 6 free. Dogs are free.
The treasure hunt for kids costs an extra CHF 3/child, which includes the treasure map and use of a satchel with binoculars.
There is a café and gift shop at the entrance. There is a toilet that costs CHF 1 to use but you get a voucher to use at the shop.
Impressions
On the left, you see the road winding through the Viamala Schlucht as seen from the visitor center. On the right, our big group buying tix.
When we went in 2010, for an extra 3CHF, your kid gets a treasure map and use of binoculars and explorer pack, shown in pics above. If I remember correctly, there are a series of informational signboards along the path and the kids have something to look for at each signboard.
The kids use the binoculars to spot clues and letters hidden around the Schlucht. Below you can see a little army diorama on the opposing walls that our kids had to find. Our 6 and under kids needed a lot of assistance with the treasure hunt and some lost interest after awhile.
You explore the Schlucht on concrete walkways built into the cliffs. There are a lot of stairs, so no strollers and very little children might need help. The railways were safer than other gorges I’ve visited. I wasn’t so worried about my 6yr old walking ahead of us with his friends. Some sections are in tunnels and under overhangs. It can get wet and slippery in these sections, so kids may need a gentle reminder not to run around.
The formations are impressive and beautiful. With grey skies, it was hard to get pics that really showed the beauty of this place. I’ll bet it’s so much prettier on a sunny summer day.
2 responses
Dear Tanya
I have a few hints for your readers based on my last year’s experience:
– The bathroom is on the other side of the road and is for a fee. However you get the paid amount as a coupon to be used in the box office/shop. It might make sense to go to the bathroom first and then use your coupons to pay for the entrance to the gorge.
– The visit to this gorge can be perfectly combined with great mineral baths in Andeer. We left a car in Thusis, went by bus to the gorge, hiked back to our car and then went to Andeer by car. But you can also catch a bus near the gorge or hike to Zillis and take a bus from there. What I liked in the baths is that they have very strong massage jets in the pool.
I hope everyone enjoys a visit to Viamala region as much as we did last year!
Thanks for the helpful tips! I’ll incorporate them into my post. Hopefully I can take advantage of these on my next visit.