Having arrived in Davos – the starting point of our five-day safari – the previous evening, we start the first day of cross-country skiing feeling relaxed. There’s no alarm clock, no time pressure – we have enough of that at home, after all. This week is supposed to be all about keeping to an enjoyable pace. 

As the first rays of sunshine sweep across the local mountain and bathe the façade of our hotel in a warm light, we feel ourselves brimming with energy. Our internal clock – or was it our stomachs after all? – tells us it’s time to get going. 

The tempting coffee aroma reaches us before we even arrive at the hearty breakfast buffet. A Bircher muesli, some scrambled eggs and a few slices of crusty bread end up on our plates, giving us the energy we need to tackle the first stage. With our heads bent over the trail map, we treat ourselves to a second cup and decide where our first cross-country ski tour should lead. 

After a short detour to our room to change, we fetch our traditional skis from the ski room and set off. The start of the cross-country ski trail is within easy walking distance of the hotel. 

We are still shivering a little, but that shouldn’t last long: the day is to begin with climbing the idyllic side valley of Sertig.  

At first, the trail gently follows a stream. But with the branch-off into the side valley, the ascent begins. And it’s a tough one. Our breaths get shorter, but we find our rhythm. The skis perform well, allowing us to glide evenly up the trail. We really feel alive in this moment. A last push over the hilltop, then a fantastic view opens up in front of us: a wide plateau, framed by a majestic mountain panorama. Made it! 

In the distance, we see a small chapel. And hidden behind it is the village of Sertig, with its sun-weathered wooden houses. That must be our goal for the day. In the meantime, the trail heads slightly downhill. It doesn’t take long to reach the restaurant in the traditional Walser house. The place is busy, but we manage to find a table outside. Sit back and breathe… 

On the next table, a homemade barley soup is steaming in the midday sun. It looks delicious. Perusing the menu takes a little more time than it usually would. How about a Graubünden platter or perhaps capuns? Ideally, we would love to try all the local dishes right away. In the end, we decide on the latter, accompanied by a portion of Maluns – a vegetarian speciality from the region made from potatoes. This is served with apple sauce and a tangy piece of Graubünden mountain cheese. Pure indulgence. This is followed by a quick cup of espresso, and then it’s time to move on. We save the nut cake as motivation for later.

The hard-earned ascent in the morning is soon rewarded with a thrilling descent. The downhill trail is fast – but ends abruptly. Not because of a fall or broken ski pole, but rather because the sun lounger just off the cross-country ski trail was simply too inviting to miss. So, time for a quick break! 

With renewed energy from our break in the sun, we finally make our way to the last stage. Following the river, we quickly wind our way into the valley. We see the trees fly past out of the corner of our eyes, and soon enough we find ourselves back at our hotel. That’s enough for today, at least as far as cross-country skiing is concerned. Time to get out of our sports equipment and into our bathrobes. Well-deserved muscle relaxation awaits us in the whirlpool before a comfortable end to the evening. Then, it’s lights out. Good night! 

The next morning begins almost like the one before: we get up, have breakfast and get into our cross-country skiing gear. Today is the second stage of our cross-country skiing safari. We move on to the next cross-country skiing region. Michelle is already waiting at the hotel reception to take our bags. The tour organiser takes these directly to the end of the stage for us. 

Thanks to the public transport ticket that was included in the price, we can make our way to the cross-country ski trail in comfort without having to worry about taking our baggage with us. There’s just one thing we can’t forget, and that’s our skis. New routes and new adventures await along the way. Today, we both like the idea of going skating. Let’s see what the day brings – the main thing is to keep things “patgific”, of course.