Lötschental

One of Switzerland's most isolated alpine valleys, where during carnival week in February, the terrifying Tschäggätta monsters haunt the valley from dusk onwards...

This ancient pagan custom sees its followers dress in fur and cover their faces in grotesque masks to give chase and terrorise anyone who doesn't have the wisdom to stay indoors. Of course, this ancient custom has now become a tourist attraction, and it's hardly just children who are still scared by it! But Tschäggätta is not the only attraction in this strange valley...

Carved out by the Lonza and its tributaries, the valley begins on the plain at Gampel-Steg, where the river flows into the Rhône from a deep gorge. Like many of the valleys in the Valais on both sides of the river, it opens at right angles to the course of the river and climbs up to the peaks, heading straight north. Shortly after Goppenstein, where the Lötschberg tunnel opens, it bends and heads north-east.

This is where the scenery becomes truly beautiful, with a succession of small villages, some of which have remained very authentic... A visit to Blatten, the most picturesque village in the valley, is a must, but the route continues on to the Fafleralp mountain pasture, the starting point for countless hikes through spectacular scenery.

Authentic and mysterious, the Lötschental is an unmissable destination for recharging your batteries in a valley that has remained unspoilt, hemmed in between peaks over 3000m high.