From Alpe di Neggia to Alpe Foppa via Monte Tamaro and Alpe Duragno

Sunday July 2, 2023 -- Urs' first July vacation week wasn't looking too good for us for all the mountain hikes we have planned, and especially on this day, as it was, once again, quite overcast in the North.

The region around Lugano and Locarno promised sunshine, and even though it's not the Central Alps, there are mountain hikes we can do there. We hadn't been to Indemini area for a long time, a remote mountain village tucked into a valley between Monte Tamaro and Monte Gambarogno, the final village accessed by bus after over an hour on 20 kilometers of winding roads, and right near the Italian border. The pass is called Alpe di Neggia, and from here you can walk up to Monte Tamaro from the West side. From there it's not far to the cable car at Alpe Foppa.

(Interesting note: Since the Gotthard base tunnel was completed end of 2016, we can now get here on a day trip. Before that it was not possible for us to reach Indemini unless we spent the night in the Locarno region. This was the case for the first trip we ever made there in 2016. At that time we also started at Alpe di Neggia, but walked the flank of Monte Gambarogno to Indemini. Those photos are HERE).  

The more popular trails start with the cable car at Alpe Foppa, and people hike up to the summit of Monte Tamaro and back, or along the entire ridge southwards, about 5 hours to the next cable car at Monte Lema, a hike we did in 2014. (Those photos are HERE, and worth looking at, as we had fantastic visibility that day). But on the hike we chose this day, we once again met only a handful of people, and only at the junction to the summit did it get busy for us.

We had a combination of sunshine with some very spectacular views, especially across Lago Maggiore to the Ticino Alps to the north, but also unfortunately got caught in the incoming fog as it rolled up the alpine pastures we descended on the east side of the ridge. One positive thing when the clouds block the sun: It wasn't too too hot for our final ascent to Alpe Foppa.... 

To get to the pass at Alpe di Neggia, you take a bus starting down at lake level on Lago Maggiore, at Magadino (at 8:24 a.m.). It is a 55-minute bus ride along 20 kilometers of narrow hairpin turns. 

Lots of colour and palm trees along Lago Maggiore

What most impressed me on the trip up were the myriads of Hydrangea bushes, all this bright blue!

We got to Alpe di Neggia at 9:20, where we started our uphill hike. After a while, the long bus ride does get tedious! And from here it's still another 12 minutes down the other side of the pass to the village of Indemini, the final stop before the Italian border. 

We are headed to Alpe Foppa, just under 3 hours if you take the most direct way. 

The most direct way from Alpe di Neggia to Alpe Foppa is to go via Capanna Tamaro and down the winding road, a road we ascended in 2014 on our hike to Monte Lema (Trail no.52). We didn't want to do that road again, so we descended via Alpe Duragno, where we had never been before. This was part of another regional Trail no.633: "Giro del Monte Tamaro" 

We started on the uphill hike at 9:35, with views of Lago Maggiore along the way. It was unfortunately overcast for most of the hike, which was disappointing, but at least not overly hot.   

Down below is the pass at the farm called Alpe di Neggia. The mountain on the other side is Monte Gambarogno. The first time we were here we hiked along its flank to Indemini to the South. The second time we hiked to the summit, and then down to Indemini. (Our first trip through the Gotthard Tunnel shortly after it was completed. Those photos are HERE)

It took us 30 minutes to reach Tamaretto, a long stone building, probably for military use. We paused here for about 15 minutes to enjoy the view... 

Enjoying the view down to Lago Maggiore and the "suburbs" of Locarno. A bit of sunshine was welcome, but it got hot quickly!

The farm buildings at Alpe di Neggia where we started are just visible on the left. And you can see the Verzasca Dam on the right, at the back (Entrance to the Verzasca Valley). This is the view to the North. 

Continuing uphill on a crest, we now get the view to the south, down the Veddasca Valley, which is mostly in Italy. The village in the center of the photo is Indemini, the final village north of the Italian border. Technically, it is the highest village in the Veddasca Valley. 

A close-up view of the village of Indemini, where we have been three times before. 

This very pretty moth called a Patton's Tiger was struggling, possibly injured. The ants were already carrying it away, although it was still alive. The antennae and fur coat are so pretty. 

Another wonderful view down to Lago Maggiore and Cimetta, the main mountain of Locarno

We got into some stony mountain terrain. Another look at Monte Gambarogno to the East. 

It didn't take long, and the clouds moved low over the summit of Monte Gambarogno. On the right you can see the Maggia Delta

We are now approaching the west side base of Monte Tamaro, with a look at the trail that we will walk a bit later, toward the tower at Capanna Tamaro. At the left is Alpe Foppa, our destination for the day but we will approach it from the east. 

A most spectacular view again of the Maggia Delta, the city of Locarno, and the Ticino mountains to the north. The ridge to our north is one we would also like to walk one day. 

Another closer look at the mountain hut called Capanna Tamaro, and the communication tower. 

We were surprised to discover that the trail along the north side of Monte Tamaro included a tunnel and a narrow trail along some vertical cliff walls. 

We were also surprised to see these very pretty goats along the narrow trail next to the cliffs!

The best part of our hike, and it wasn't long enough!

Now we are approaching the junction of trails, where most people have come from the north to summit Monte Tamaro (on the right, not visible). We got here at 11:35, two hours after starting our hike. (Strict walking time would be 90 minutes). We've already ascended 480 meters by now. 

The junction of trails at the base of Monte Tamaro. 

Taking more photos of the Magadino Plain below me. 

Here is the photo I was taking!

Directly behind me now is the summit of Monte Tamaro. All other folks are headed up there!

Panorama photo to the West: Monte Tamaro on the left, then Monte Gambarogno, and Poncino della Croce, where we still have to hike.... 

The east side of Monte Tamaro. We came along the trail from the right, at its base, instead of over the summit, which is also possible from the West. 

Ahead of us is the communication tower, and beyond that the more direct road down to Alpe Foppa, the clearing on the left. We descended from this ridge, down the mountainside on the right. 

The lovely mountain pasture called Alpe di Duragno. The trail first passed the closer building in the center, where we met some friendly goats. Way down below is the farm called Duragno, and we headed around the hillside on the left at that point. 

It's now 12:20 and we had planned to stop here for our picnic lunch. But goats.... they always want to know what you have to eat!!!

What a hoot! They all ran up to me and started licking my legs and arms! All four of them!

The pretty goats were very assertive, so we didn't stop here for our lunch. 

The hillsides here were all covered in Alpine Roses.

Continuing down the hillside looking for some suitable rocks to stop for our picnic lunch. 

We found the perfect place for our picnic lunch, some flat rocks and lovely flowering alpine roses. The only negative part: The fog rolled in and we had our lunch in the fog. 

Here's the fog rolling in from the east and covering our picnic spot! This rarely happens to us. 

Cute! The bridge at the back is where we crossed the river. 

Behind me is the farm at Duragno. We crossed the river near there and climbed up the hill on the left. 

Crossing the river at Alpe Duragno. We still have 50 minutes to walk until Alpe Foppa. It is now 13:15.

A very nice high trail along the east side of the mountain. Down below is the industry of the upper Ceneri Valley, and at the back the lovely Magadino Plain. I would have enjoyed more sunshine here!

The trail we followed all along the east side of the mountain. 

Up ahead is Alpe Foppa and the building designed by Swiss Architect Mario Botta. (It is a church called "Santa Maria degli Angeli", built from 1992 to 1996) 

The view to the east. Below is the city of Bironico, and the entrance to the Isone Valley. The nearest mountain is Cima di Medeglia, where we also have been twice.

Last uphill section and we see the gondola cable-way which we will be descending on. 

A quick look at the building designed by Mario Botta. We didn't go in as we had been there in 2014. 

"Santa Maria degli Angeli" as seen from the gondola as we headed down the hill

The Monte Tamaro gondola cable-way. It was about a 20-minute ride down to the valley bottom at Rivera. 

My standard photo with the cable-car cabin, before rushing out to the train station. (It was a 10-minute walk to the train station, and we just made it with four minutes to spare for the 15:04 train. Although our route was not direct, we can still be home in about 2 hours from here!)

The curvy red line at the back is the 20-km road from Magadino to Indemini. We walked from Alpe di Neggia past the summit of Monte Tamaro, and to Alpe Foppa via Alpe Duragno (not the direct route) and then took the cableway down to the valley bottom. 

All the hikes we have done around the Monte Tamaro and Monte Gambarogno region. (The yellow line is the border between the two countries, not a hiking trail).