Cycling routes
Valais Cycling Tour: Leukerbad - Oberwald (stage 3)
Leukerbad
-7/-1°
ClosedFrom the spa resort of Leukerbad to the banks of the Rhone River, stage three takes you all the way to Oberwald at the foot of Swiss mountain passes of legend (Nufenen, Grimsel and Furka). On route, you will be steps away from the magnificent Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
98.99 kmDuration
6:00 h
Description
From Leukerbad, you descend along the side of the mountain above the right bank of the Rhone River into the town of Brig. Afterwards, the route climbs slowly, step-by-step, into the town of Oberwald. An added bonus of this route is the inclusion of several stretches of “white roads,” graded gravel paths to add a bit of excitement to your journey. Between Betten and Martisberg, then from Steinhaus to Oberwald, you can enjoy a series of good quality gravel roads, giving you an exceptional experience in the Alps!
Turn-by-turn directions
After being rejuvenated by the thermal baths of Leukerbad, your climb along the Rhone River will take you on a voyage of discovery to some unusual places in the Upper Valais. The route passes near the entrance of the Lötschberg railway, the tunnel that connects the cantons of Valais and Bern. You will also ride just below the mighty Aletsch Glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on a small road that takes you through the peaceful villages of Mörel, Betten and Martisberg. Then as you climb into the Goms Valley, you will ride through numerous quaint little villages typical of the region before arriving in Oberwald.
Start
Leukerbad, Rathausstrasse 4-8, 3954 Leukerbad (1380m)
Destination
Oberwald, Furkastrasse 10 (1364m)
Author's recommendation
After the first 16.8km, you will pass near a historic bridge called the “Hohe Brücke” over the Feschilju River. Not for those with vertigo!
Technical information
Altitude
1495m
623m
Ascent
+2029m
Descent
-2046m
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Getting there
Information
Public transport
CFF train until Leuk, then bus until Leukerbad.
Approach
From route 9 direction Brig or Sierre, in Susten take a right at the roundabout towards Leukerbad for 18km.
Parking
This tour is one stage of the Valais Cycling tour where the finish is not at the same place as the starting point. Therefore, we recommend arriving by public transport. Otherwise there are parkings at Leukerbad, follow the local park routeing to access them.
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion