Ticino Tre Laghi – From the idea to the finished bike trip
A mountain bike enduro round trip through Ticino. From Lake Maggiore around Lago di Lugano over to Lake Como and back again
How did the idea for this trip come about?
The first thing we needed was a destination for spring and fall that could be reached with a moderate drive. A destination ala Lake Garda, but not Lake Garda: The flair there is unsurpassed, but the trails for it mostly only mittlelklasse and above all, there is now little new for me to discover.
Fortunately, there are other large lakes in the south. How about Lake Como and Lake Maggiore? My memories of this region, the Ticino, were mainly characterized by two things: either extremely blocked or totally overgrown trails. After a short internet search, however, it was clear that my memories must be wrong or incomplete.
An exploration trip was needed
What we found was definitely worth it. From endless flowing descents ala Trans Provence to appealing technical parts, everything was present what the biker heart of a trail lover desires. We could hardly believe it: Southern climate, top trail quality, super shuttle possibilities and all that only 4 hours away from home.
Of course, not all the paths we took under the studs were usable, but the yield was quite respectable.
Next Step – How do we now combine the highlights on a coherent enduro tour?
With the new knowledge of the area, it was now time to start planning the trip. Imposed goal: A thoroughly coherent enduro trip. First, it was time to lay out a big map and draw in the must do trails. We were lucky, purely from the arrangement already drew an approximate round. In between, however, there were still gaps that needed to be filled. So down to Ticino again and check out further. After the second time, the rough plan for the week’s tour was set and the next step was to check the logistics and hotels for the trip.
Test trip – A trial round at cost price for guests who like to experiment
So we organized a test trip together with Bikefex to check how our theoretical plan works out with guests, where we book the best hotels and how we optimize the shuttle routes and day lengths.
It turned out right away that the right hotel locations are enormously important for this tour to run smoothly. Otherwise, you spend an unnecessary amount of time in the shuttle car. With the experience we gained, we were able to make proper improvements and put together a thoroughly well-rounded package. From a hotel by the lake to a chalet in the vineyards to a modern mountain hut with the ultimate view, the places to stay are now really something to behold and round off the brilliant trail offer perfectly.
A few facts:
