It was during our stay at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa, Switzerland, that we discovered the incredible Squirrel Trail. Just a few minutes walk from our hotel, it was THE princess’ favorite during this amazing trip in the heart of the mountains.
The squirrel Trail is a portion of a very long Arosa trail which goes through the forest, crosses some ski and sledge slopes and allows you, incidentally, to enjoy a wonderful and peaceful stroll, especially when you can avoid tourist season. From the Tschuggen Grand Hotel, we put on our moon boots, borrowed (for free) a sledge and stole nuts from the breakfast buffet: and two mornings in a row, we lived an extraordinary experience.
Maybe because the kids were at school in Switzerland, or maybe because we chose to go in the morning, in any case, we were on our own, it was super quiet, which allowed us to feed not only the squirrels, but also magnificent birds. Squirrels will come very easily to steal nuts from you (they love almonds and pine nuts) and even go so far as to climb on your lap to do so.
It is recommended to bring unopened nuts (which we didn’t have unfortunately), so that the squirrels use their teeth to open them. As for the birds, they peck pine nuts and small kernels.
Good to know
A must do
Go there in the morning if you want to spend a quiet moment surrounded by very cute wild animals. Sit down and wait: you can shake your nuts, they are used to this sound and should come at once!
The princess loved
It is one of her best travel memories. We could have stayed for hours (even if we started to get cold). Almost every day, she tells us that she wants to go back!
The ups for kids
Your kids are over 8 years old
They will no doubt appreciate the information that is found along the way. But then, whatever their age, they will literally fall for this proximity to wild animals.
Your kids are less than 8 years old
Remember to take a sledge if you are staying at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel or to rent one, because the path may seem a bit long for toddlers. Take warm clothes with you if you go there in winter. And don’t worry, they will love it and imagine themselves being Snow White!
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Information
Details
The Squirrel Trail is open all year long. It starts at Tomeli-Street, under the Wadhotel National and ends at a barbecue area, at the Maran bus stop. You are more likely to see squirrels and birds in summer, however, with a sunny weather, they also come easily in the heart of winter: we saw lots of them and lots of birds too!