Swiss national park. National parks and reserves in switzerland Galapagos Islands National Park, Ecuador

Switzerland is a small country by European standards, so it is not surprising that there is only one national natural park here. By the way, that's what it's called: the Swiss National Park. At the beginning of the 20th century, the territory of today's park was subjected to the so-called industrialization.

This term, translated into normal language, means the total production of natural resources. And after the latter were almost completely used, someone came up with the idea: "Why don't we create here, all of ourselves, a national natural park."

And since this idea absolutely did not contradict the democratic principles of building society, it fell on fertile ground and is still there. In any case, in 1914, economic activity was completely prohibited on its territory.

And after some time, the creation of a national park was announced. And the reason for the creation of the park was announced: the need to study the ability of nature to restore.

The park is located in the Engadine Valley region and its total area is 172.4 square kilometers. Moreover, all of it is located within the height range from 1400 meters above sea level to 3174 meters.

Its second name is: Engodin Park, due to the fact that it occupies the southern slopes of the valley of the same name. This park was the first alpine reserve in Europe, created in a place actively developed by man.

What to see.

Since human economic activity in the park is prohibited in any field of activity, this fact has a very favorable effect on the animal world of the park. In any case, not every nature reserve can today boast of having more than 60 species of mammals.

Among the latter there are such rare species today as the alpine ibex, chamois, alpine marten, lynx, brown bear and a considerable number of others, among which there is even an endemic alpine newt.

It is clear that such types of illegal fishing as poaching are unacceptable here. Moreover, there are many prohibitions in the park, which are not very easy to explain with Slavic logic.

In particular, it is forbidden to ride a bicycle in the park, make loud noises and spend the night in tents. Moreover, the fines here are issued not by the human traffic police, but by the strict and incorruptible park security service.

But the most important asset in the park are 21 hiking trails. Their total length is 80 kilometers and they fully represent the opportunity to admire the beauties of these places and see the local inhabitants in their natural conditions.

It is also interesting that the entrance to the park is absolutely free, which is quite rare in Switzerland. In addition, there are 9 parking lots along its perimeter, which are also free and have their own routes departing from them.

The park is open from June to October, so everyone, please hurry up, otherwise the protracted economic crisis may make its not very good amendments to such a prosperous and cheap place.

The most interesting thing is that opposite the southern slopes of the Engadine valley are the northern slopes. So, on these slopes there is also a nature reserve, created in 2006. Its name is Ela Regional Park.

It covers the territory of the local mountain range between the peaks of Ela and Kesh. Its area is 600 square kilometers and here human economic activity is allowed on a limited scale.

Its last feature, in particular, allows you to ride on the Rhaetische Bahn railway, which is included in the UNESCO lists. Its length is 63 kilometers. It would seem that it is, if not for 55 bridges and 39 tunnels, which are also included in the route.

And actually there is nothing to say about the views of the Engadine mountains, because it must be seen. In addition, there are ski resorts where the fashion for skiing does not pass from year to year.

There is another popular Jura natural park in Switzerland. They named him apparently in honor of the first cosmonaut of the Earth. It is located along the shores of Lake Geneva from Le Sentier to Nyon. The Jura Mountains and one of the most beautiful valleys in Switzerland, the Joux Valley, are considered the pearls of the park.

Despite the rather populated area, there is a very rich world of flora and fauna. And in Lake Zhu there are over 50 species of fish. As elsewhere in Switzerland, there is an excellent network of hiking and skiing trails. Their total length is 523 kilometers.

And the local catering sector in the form of restaurants and cafes will add color. There are also cycling routes here, which are of great interest to lovers of two-wheeled vehicles with a foot drive. Search for cheap hotels.

How to get there.

The best option for an active holiday in the Engadine National Park is a stop in St. Moritz. This area has a very developed infrastructure and anyone suffering from natural spectacles will feel comfortable here.

The main mode of transport for arriving at the resort of St. Moritz is the railway. The most convenient train from Zurich, which goes every hour to Chur (Chur). In the latter, a transfer is made to St. Moritz. From Chur trains leave once an hour, starting at 13.58 and ending at 17.58.

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• The address: 7530 Zernez, Canton Graubünden, Engadine Valley region, Switzerland
• Telephone: +41 81 851 41 41
• Official site: www.nationalpark.ch
• Square: 172.4 km²
• Foundation date: August 1, 1914
• Working hours: daily from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00, Saturday and Sunday - days off
• Visit cost: free entry, free parking

The only national park is located in the Engadine Valley, which extends to the east of the country. Here, in the legendary foothills, you can admire the pristine natural landscapes and watch animals in their natural habitats. The Swiss National Park is an ideal place for hiking and a unique opportunity to explore the wildlife that we see less and less due to the rapid growth of urban areas.

The reserve was opened on one of the most terrible days in the history of mankind, on the day when the First World War began, which claimed the lives of more than 17 million people. Switzerland is known for its unshakable decision to remain neutral: it was not involved in the war. Instead, enterprises opened in the state, the economy developed and, of course, all kinds of tourist centers.

On August 1, 1914, the Engadine National Park began work. Worried about the infinitely picturesque places of the park, many rules of conduct have been introduced here. The first of them says that in no case should you leave special tourist trails. The second rule prohibits lodging for the night on the territory of the reserve (for the safety of the guest, too, because an impressive number of animals live here).

However, there are exceptions to this rule - the Il Fuorn hotel and the Chamanna Cluozza hut. No one will disturb you within the walls of the hotel and the forest house, and you will spend time with comfort and pleasure. It makes no sense to list all the rules, but it should be remembered that the park is very closely followed by order. You can get a fine for even the most ordinary loud noises (whether it be music or your own voice, it doesn't matter), because they can scare the representatives of the local fauna.

The fauna is represented by about 60 species of mammals, more than 100 birds and about 70 amphibians. Some of them are even endemic, such as the alpine ibex and the alpine newt. Here you can meet stone marten, boldly making contact with humans, fast lynx, brown bear and chamois. Red deer and white hare, common in Europe and Asia, are also residents of the reserve. Cunning foxes, squirrels, toads and frogs, agile voles - you will not meet anyone at this celebration of nature. By the way, snakes are rare here. The only snake in the state reserve is the northern viper, which can reach 60-65 cm in length.

Of the birds, bearded vultures or, as they are also called, lambs are especially interesting. The second name of the winged rulers of the Alps was due to researchers who mistakenly believed that these birds feed on sheep. In fact, the best delicacy for them is carrion and bones, and their claws are completely unsuited to attack and kill. Also, nutcrackers (birds of the corvid family), huge eagles and white partridge fly over the reserve, the only local bird that does not leave the reserve even in harsh winter.

Despite the fact that 51% of Switzerland's national park is made up of rocks without the slightest hint of vegetation, there is plenty of curious greenery here. While mountain pines, endless larches and spruces form whole forest armies, stemless tarsus, beloved by butterflies, all kinds of orchids, fairy bells, forget-me-nots, glacier bekvichia and many other plants with difficult-to-perceive names create an interesting flavor of the park. And lingonberries grow in these parts. Of the green endemics, the alpine poppy, the alpine edelweiss and, no matter how terrible another repetition of this word sounds, the alpine aster are known.

You can get to the oldest alpine reserve by bus from Zernez to Mustair. Transport links between the cities are excellent, every hour a new bus with passengers leaves for Müstair. Entrance to the reserve is free, parking is also free. Payment is taken exclusively for and exhibitions. Please note that the park is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, and on weekdays it is always happy to welcome guests from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00.

Every year there are more and more visitors to the park. From the first days of June until mid-autumn, more than 150 thousand tourists from all over the world come here, who want to be face to face with wildlife for a little while. However, people tired of city life are not the only ones who visit the reserve. Very often there are special events for the younger generation. They are aimed at developing respect for nature, at a deep understanding of the value of its riches. Therefore, the park is also perfect for families with

Hiking is one of the most popular leisure activities in the country - more than 50 thousand (!!) kilometers of marked footpaths have been laid across the territory of Switzerland - this is 1.25 times the length of the Earth's equator. For such a small country, the figure is simply incredible, but it will become even more when you consider about 23 thousand kilometers of specialized mountain routes with a higher level of difficulty, as well as an unimaginable number of trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, dog sledding and horseback riding, as well as also about 4 thousand trails for water tourism. All this makes Switzerland one of the best places in Europe for outdoor activities and ecotourism.

swiss national park

Despite the very modest size of the country, protected areas occupy to some extent up to 14% of its area. And at the same time, there is only one full-fledged reserve - the Swiss National Park, or the Engadine Park (www.nationalpark.ch), created in 1914 in the eastern part of the canton of Grisons, on the southern slopes of the Engadine valley. This is the first alpine reserve in Central Europe, moreover, created in an area intensively developed by man. In 1979, it was included in the list of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, along with the adjacent Italian Stelvio National Park.

Here, on an area of ​​more than 172 square kilometers, the unique natural complexes of the Rhaetian Alps are protected - mountain pine forests, alpine and subalpine meadows, as well as numerous lakes and wastelands, and almost half of this territory is secondary forests recreated after the cessation of human economic activity. The fauna of the park is very rich - more than 60 species of mammals (including alpine ibex, chamois, stone marten, alpine marmot, lynx, brown bear and others), about 100 species of birds, as well as about 70 species of amphibians, including endemic alpine triton. Despite the fact that literally everything is protected here (a fine can be issued even for loud sounds!), 21 hiking trails with a total length of about 80 km have been laid across the territory, which allow you to see the life of the inhabitants of these beautiful places. However, cycling is prohibited within the park.

Entrance to the park is free and free, along its perimeter there are nine such free parking lots for cars, from which most trails and routes depart. The reserve is open to the public from June to October daily, from 8.30 to 18.00, on Thursdays - until 22.00.

You can get to the park by buses running at hourly intervals between the towns of Zernez (1 km east of it is the head office of the park) and Mustair.

Ela Park

The largest and youngest regional natural park in Switzerland - Ela (Parc Ela, www.parc-ela.ch) begins just 18 km from the northwestern border of the Swiss National Park. It was created in 2006 as a territory protecting the untouched world of a vast mountain range between the peaks of Ela (Piz Ela, 3339 m) and Kesch (Kesch, 3417 m). The area of ​​the reserve is 600 square kilometers, which is 3.5 times the area of ​​the Engadine National Park, and here human economic activity is allowed on a limited scale. This leads to the fact that in Ela Park, in addition to exploring the magnificent nature of the northern slopes of the Engadine, you can ride the Rhaetische Bahn railway, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (55 bridges and 39 tunnels for 63 km of length through the park, about the beauty of landscapes and nothing to say!), go skiing on the slopes of Savognin, Samedan, Celerina, Pontresina or St. Moritz (all these resorts are literally within 15-20 minutes by car from the most beautiful places in the park), relax on the shores of Lake Marmorera ( Lai da Marmorera) or visit the highest place of pilgrimage in Europe - the sanctuary of Ziteil (Ziteil, founded in 1580, height - 2434 meters above sea level) near Salouf (Salouf).

Entlebuch

Well, the country's most easily accessible reserve is the Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve (www.biosphaere.ch), located in the canton of Lucerne, just 20 km southwest of its capital. This is the first and only park of its kind in central Switzerland. Here, on the most picturesque slopes of the Kleine Emme valley (Kleine Emme, Kleine Emme), on an area of ​​395 square kilometers, landscapes quite unusual for the country are presented - endless peat bogs and moorlands, idyllic alpine pastures and forests, rocky karst formations and picturesque wild mountains. These regions are often figuratively called the "Wild West of Lucerne" - so diverse and beautiful are the local natural complexes. And at the same time, there is a huge selection of facilities, hotels and mountain chalets, many old churches and monasteries, about 75 km of hiking trails and even therapeutic mud baths at local thermal springs.

Jura National Park

Green slopes stretch from Le Sentier to Nyon on the shores of Lake Geneva Jura National Park(Parc naturel régional Jura vaudois) www.parc-jurassien.ch - the second in the country in terms of size and richness of flora. Despite the dense population of these places, many local natural complexes, characteristic of the low Jura Mountains and the famous Joux Valley (Vallée de Joux), considered one of the most beautiful in Switzerland, have been preserved here. Among the beauties of these places are beautiful mountain forests (by the composition of the flora - one of the richest in the region - more than 320 species), ancient swamps, limestone cliffs, secluded meadows and mountain pastures. More than 90 species of mammals and 160 species of birds live here, and the picturesque Zhu Lake has almost 50 species of fish. Since there is an excellent network of hiking and skiing trails with a total length of 523 km (!!), there are many colorful alpine cheese factories and vineyards, restaurants and chalets, the park is extremely popular with fans of hiking, horseback riding and cycling, and in winter it becomes one of the best centers mountain recreation - it is quite obvious that he focuses not on skiers, but on fans of snowshoes and flat skiing.

You can get to the park in literally a dozen ways, since it is located next to the main transport arteries of the country. By rail, the easiest way to get there from Nyon is by train Nyon - St-Cergue with stops at Bassins, Arzier, St-Cergue and Givrine or by train Nyon - Gimel with stops at Bassins, Vaud, Marchissy, Longirod, St-George and Gimel . When departing from Vallorbe (Vallorbe) - by train to Brassus, from Morges (Morges) - by train BAM to Bière et l "Isle with a stop in Montricher. The options for traveling by public transport from all major cities of the canton of Vaud are just as diverse.

swiss national park (Schweizerischer Nationalpark) is the only national park in the south. It is located in the Engadine Valley region (engadin), and is located at altitudes from 1400 to 3200 meters above sea level. It covers over 170 square kilometers and is also the oldest national park in the Alps.

This is an amazing place of primeval nature, where everyone can enjoy alpine meadows, forests, mountain slopes and simply picturesque views. It is home to many species of wild animals and birds. For every connoisseur of nature in the national park, many hiking trails and sightseeing routes have been developed. This place is definitely worth a visit if you are traveling in Switzerland.

Swiss National Park: How to get there

The most convenient way to get to the commune of Zernez (Zernez), where the main entrance to the Swiss National Park is located. In addition, it is highly recommended to use public transport in order to keep the nature of the park clean.

Automobile. The distance between Zurich and Zernets is about 178 kilometers. The road will take you about 2.5 hours along the highway "A3" and No. 28. The car will need to be parked.

Next you need to get to the information center (Nationalparkzentrum) where is the main entrance to the park. It is located at Urtatsch 2, Zernez 7530, Switzerland. You can go by car or take a taxi.

Swiss National Park: Life Hacks

From the very beginning of exploring the Swiss National Park, it is worth visiting the information center (Nationalparkzentrum), where there is also a museum, exhibitions, and you can order a guided tour. There you will get acquainted with information for tourists, and visiting the museum, you will have the opportunity to learn the history of the national park, its features and learn about its inhabitants. The entrance ticket costs 7 EUR for adults, 3 EUR for children 6-16 years old, and free of charge for children under 6 years old. It is possible to take a family ticket for 15 EUR. Information about prices for tours, the museum, as well as contacts and descriptions can be found on the official website of the Swiss National Park.

Then you can take a walk through the park itself. You can order a guided tour or take a walk on your own. About 80 kilometers of hiking trails and 21 routes will be available for you. You also need to prepare in advance and take sunscreen and glasses, a raincoat, a change of clothes and shoes, food and water. There are also some rules that must be strictly observed. For example, you can not pick mushrooms and flowers, use a bicycle or bring your pets with you.