8-DAY CENTRAL ALPS CHALLENGE – TOP HIGHLIGHTS, 2000 KM, Tour Book & GPX Data
Experience an unforgettable 8-Day motorcycle tour through the Central Alps, featuring more than 50 high alpine passes, including an impressive 28 out of the TOP 50 passes in the Alps. This journey will traverse the Austrian, Italian, and Swiss Alps, with a delightful taste of the French Alps towards the end of the tour.
Prepare to embrace some of the world's best high alpine roads. This tour is tailored for ambitious riders who enjoy long days on challenging alpine roads, where the focus is on the ride itself.
Riding Days: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Tour Distance: 2000 km
Daily Distance: 260-380 km
Start Location: Unken, Austria (near Bad Reichenhall)
End Location: Annecy, France
IMPORTANT: Some days are offered with alternatives routes (shorter) and most tracks can be shorten while enroute. The road book includes information on the highlights for every riding day. The GPX tracks were created with Garmin Basecamp and include additional information on hotels, scenic highlights.
For ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, please refer to the details below.
DETAILED TOUR INFORMATION
Tour highlights include iconic routes such as the Stelvio Pass, Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Sella Ronda in the Dolomites, Passo di Gavia, and many of Switzerland's best passes, including the Big 3 - Furka, Grimsel, and Susten Pass, as well as the Umbrail Pass, Albula Pass, Splügen Pass, and the historic Tremola.
Itinerary:
· Day 1: Individual Arrival to Unken, Austria. Arrive by 16:00 CET for Meet & Greet and Tour Briefing
· Day 2 (335-360 km): Austrian Alps to the Dolomites. Highlights: Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Edelweissspitze, Passo Stalle, Passo di Giau, Passo di Falzarego, Passo di Valparola, Passo di Campolongo
· Day 3 (315 km): Italian & Austrian Alps. Highlights: Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo di Gardena, Passo di Monte Giovo (Jaufenpass), Passo del Rombo (Timmelsjoch), Piller Höhe
· Day 4 (280-345 km): Swiss & Italian Alps. Highlights: Reschenpass, Umbrail Pass, Passo di Gavia, Gampenjoch, Passo dello Stelvio
· Day 5 (280-350 km): Italian & Swiss Alps. Highlights: Passo dello Stelvio, Forcola di Livignio, Bernina Pass, Albula Pass, Julier Pass, Splügen Pass, San Bernadino Pass
· Day 6 (265 km): Swiss Alps. Highlights: Historic Tremola, Furka Pass, Grimsel Pass, Susten Pass, St. Gotthard Pass, Nufenen Pass
· Day 7 (320-385 km): A Taste of France. Highlights: Col du Grand Saint-Bernard, Col du Petit Saint Bernard.
· Day 8: Individual ride home (or rest day before the West Alps tour – booked separately)
Tour Profile:
Riding days are designed for 6 hours of net riding time. For tour days spanning well over 300 km/day, there may be segments of faster highway/Autobahn sections integrated into the route to efficiently cover ground and maximize the exploration of key highlights within the designated timeframe.
On these longer tour days, I have also mapped out shorter alternative routes, allowing a reduction of the distance traveled while ensuring the riding time remains reasonable for the day.
Required Skill Level:
Riders should be proficient on winding roads, especially in hairpin turns, and comfortable passing slower vehicles on high alpine roads. This tour is tailored for ambitious riders with the stamina to cover up to 300 km on winding alpine roads. Riding days will take 6-7hours of net riding time.
