Cycling routes

Valais Cycling Tour: Leukerbad - Oberwald (stage 3)

Leukerbad

-3/3°

From 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

Difficult

Length

98.99 km

Duration

6:00 h

Blick auf den Pfynwald auf der Abfahrt von Leukerbad nach Leuk

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)

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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

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