Wheels of Thrill

Route

Day 1 - 29/06/18

VITZNAU

In the course of Friday afternoon all participating teams are expected at the scenic Hotel Vitznauerhof, situated at the beautiful lake Lucerne and surrounded by countless mountains. Here you will be welcomed with a refreshing aperitif and small snacks. In the evening a delicious dinner will be served at the waterfront with a stunning view over the lake. Afterwards it is time from some after-dinner drinks and finally a luxurious hotel room will be awaiting you to rest for the next rally day!

HOTEL
Hotel Vitznauerhof (4*S)
Vitznau [Lake Lucerne] (CH)

Hotel Vitznauerhof  

Day 2 - 30/06/18

VITZNAU - ANDERMATT

After a lovely night's rest it is finally time to hit the roads! Of course Wheels of Thrill booked all rooms with lake view to make sure everyone can start the day with a brilliant view. After a delicious breakfast we leave the hotel and start driving southwards along the lake. At the end of the lake we will start following the ever narrowing Reuss valley. Already in the beginning we will pass the north terminal of the 57 (!) km long Gotthard Base Tunnel, world's longest tunnel! A little later the real work can begin as we will start climbing to the first pass on our route, the Sustenpass. At the top of this pass (2224 m) we will have a quick stop to enjoy the beautiful sight. When arriving at the other side of the pass, we will immediately start climbing to the next pass, the Grimselpass. Also here we will have a quick stop. When descending the Grimselpass we can enjoy the breathtaking view on the Rhône glacier and the famous Furkapass in the distance. Quickly after we will arrive at Hotel-Restaurant Castle, where we will enjoy a delicious lunch (16 Gault&Millau points!) while looking over the Goms valley. After satisfying our stomaches, we will continue driving to the third pass on the route, which is Switzerland's highest mountain pass: the Nufenenpass (2478 m). Here we will quickly stop before continuing our route down the long green valley towards the famous St Gotthard road tunnel and pass. Here we will follow the traditional 'Via Tremola' road to reach the top of the pass. The Tremola road was the original pass road made out of cobblestones which was finished in 1830. After we climbed this 4th pass we will head for the small town of Andermatt. There we will arrive at the imposing 5 star luxury hotel 'The Chedi Andermatt', where we are welcomed with a refreshing drink and snacks. In this just 4-year-old hotel you can enjoy the extensive Spa & Wellness facilities as well as many other facilities the hotel has to offer. In the evening a culinary surprise is awaiting us in the hotel's restaurant, after which we can of course enjoy one (or more?!) after dinner drinks in the bar or hotel's lounge. Finally there is a very spacious 55 m2 (!) deluxe room waiting for you to revive from this active day and prepare for the next rally day. Sleep well...

Distance:
233 km

Approx. travel time:
5 h 15 min

Mountain passes:
4

START
Hotel Vitznauerhof (4*S)
Vitznau [Lake Lucerne] (CH)

Hotel Vitznauerhof

 

LUNCH
Hotel-Restaurant Castle
Blitzingen (CH)

Hotel-Restaurant Castle

 

CHECKPOINT
Tremola road
St Gotthard Pass (CH)

Tremola road

 

HOTEL
The Chedi Andermatt (5*)
Andermatt (CH)

The Chedi Andermatt

Day 3 - 01/07/18

ANDERMATT - LUCERNE

After a well-deserved rest and extensive breakfast buffet in the luxurious 'The Chedi' hotel, it is time for day 3 of the Alpine Adventure Rally. Today we will start driving eastwards where we will immediately start climbing towards the 5th mountain pass, the Oberalppass at 2044 m. On the other side of the pass we will leave the main road and continue southwards. This road takes us through a beautiful valley to the top of the 6th pass of our rally route, the Lukmanierpass. Here we will stop at the large mountain lake before we continue our journey through the Italian speaking canton of Ticino. We will follow the road all the way down the valley until we reach Biasca, from where we will take the main road towards the St Gotthard tunnel. Here we will take the new pass road, instead of the old Via Tremola we took the day before, to the top of the St Gotthard massif. On the other side of the pass we will again quickly reach the town of Andermatt, from where we left earlier this morning. Here we will enjoy a lovely lunch in the traditional Hotel-Restaurant Bären. After lunch we will head for the famous Furkapass, which is well-known from the legendary car chase in the James Bond movie 'Goldfinger'. Almost at the end of this pass we will reach the Rhôneglacier, where we can witness how the Rhône springs from the meltwater of the glacier. At the other side of the Furkapass we will again climb the Grimselpass, but of course now from the other side. This gives us a magnificent view on the mountain lakes just after reaching the top of the pass. From here we will continue our route through the undulating landscape back towards Lucerne, located at the Vierwaldstättersee. There we will soon reach 'Château Gütsch', the finish of the Alpine Adventure Rally 2018. Here we will find a more than 100 year old castle that overlooks the historical centre of Lucerne, the magnificent lake and the Swiss Alps in the background. On their terrace we can enjoy the breathtaking view over lake Lucerne and look back at an amazing weekend, accompanied by refreshing drinks and culinary snacks. Of course we also organise the optional 'closing dinner' for the real enthusiasts and the optional hotel stay for the ones that just can't get enough of it! Can we entice you with all this beauty...?

Distance:
311 km

Approx. travel time:
6 h 25 min

Mountain passes:
5

START
The Chedi Andermatt (5*)
Andermatt (CH)

The Chedi Andermatt

 

LUNCH
Restaurant Bären
Andermatt (CH)

Restaurant Bären

 

CHECKPOINT
Rhône glacier
Furka pass (CH)

Rhône glacier

 

FINISH
Château Gütsch (4*)
Lucerne (CH)

Château Gütsch

ROUTE | ALPINE ADVENTURE RALLY