Climbing Mt Gambarogno from San Nazzaro to Indemini – Hike in Ticino
| Total distance: ~13km one way | Elevation gain: ~1300m (~1800m to Mt Gambarogno) | Total time: 4hs one way |
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The Italian speaking canton of Ticino is considered as one of the best places for hiking in Switzerland. While exploring Lago Maggiore and the surrounding region we stayed in San Nazzaro, a small town on the opposite side of the lake from Ascona-Locarno. This was convenient enough to climb Mt. Gambarogno and drive one of the most scenic mountain roads of Switzerland.
This hike starts from San Nazzaro which is at lake level and goes straight up to Sass da Grüm, a hotel in a very scenic location where you can have a break and a snack.
From there the hike goes through a beautiful forest all the way to Alpe Cedullo. The trail at first is very easy to follow but later it becomes less obvious and it’s important to keep track of the posts that mark the way.
From Alpe Cedullo there is a trail that goes all the way up to Mt Gambarogno (extra ~400m of elevation) and continues to Alpe di Neggia where you can take a bus and go back down to San Nazzaro. This road and all of its 132 bends is considered one of the most impressive roads in Switzerland.
Since our hike was in early April and there was still a lot of snow on Mt Gambarogno, when we reached Alpe Cedullo, we decided to take another track that goes to Indemini, a typical stone village in Ticino. With only about 40 residents it was one of the most interesting villages that we explored on this trip.
The track that goes to Indemini is relatively flat and easy. In the village there is a grocery shop and a couple of restaurants and it’s where the bus route, that goes back to the lake, starts.
