Upper Engadine Lakes
Intro
Between Maloja and St. Moritz, the Upper Engadine lake plateau presents itself sometimes almost as a kitschy tableau. Besides the four big lakes (St. Moritz, Silvaplana, Champfèrer and Silser) a large number of romantic mountain lakes are hidden in the forests.
Description
The beauty of the lake plateau, located at an elevation of 1,800 meters has inspired many poets and thinkers. Where water sports enthusiasts and recuperation-seekers frolic in the summer, leisure walkers, trekkers and snowkiters can be found in winter on the thick layer of ice on the frozen lakes. Thanks to the steady Maloja wind, you will find ideal conditions here for surfing and sailing.
St. Moritz Lake
The St. Moritz Lake, or Lej da San Murezzan, as it is called in Rhaeto-Romanic, is located - as the name suggests - near St. Moritz. People who sail boats especially appreciate the Maloja wind for their regattas. The event offerings on and around the lake are diverse. For example, the St. Moritz Match Race with top boating experts from around the world, or the White Turf (horse race on the frozen lake).
Silvaplana Lake
The Inn River, here still called the “Sela”, flows through Lej da Silvaplauna (raet.). The consistent Maloja wind causes the hearts of kite and wind surfers to race. Here they achieve speeds of up to 80km/h and kite surfers rave about 20 second jumps.
Champfèrer Lake
The idyllic Lej da Champfèr (raet.) is located south of the eponymous village and is linked at a narrow spot with Silvaplana Lake. It’s a paradies for anglers, who fish here in clear waters.
Lake Sils
The Lake Sils (Romanic: Lej da Segl) lies on a high plateau at an altitude of 1800 m, immediately by the watershed of the Maloja pass, the crossing into the Bergell valley. During the summer months, Europe’s highest passenger boat service operates on lake Sils: the modern motor vessel "Segl-Maria" ploughs across the lake from Sils Maria to Maloja on the south-western lakeshore and back again in 40 minutes, four times a day.
