As part of our weekend in rocksresort Laax, we were also scheduled to visit Senda dil Dragun, a treetop walkway that was only opened in July 2021. The walkway is 1.56 km long and has the right to boast the title of the world’s longest treetop walkway. You can walk it even with the smallest children and strollers, as it is wheelchair accessible, and for older children, there is an augmented reality experience. And as the icing on the cake, you can try a 73-meter long slide (tested not only on children 🙂 ).
[AD: the tickets were complimentary as a part of our stay in rocksresort Laax]Getting there
By car: If you are coming from Zurich or Basel, follow the A3/A13 motorway in the direction of Chur and take exit no. 18 at Reichenau. Then follow route no. 19 and you reach Laax after about 30 minutes. Coming from San Bernardino, take the Reichenau exit as well.
With public transport: If you arrive by train, the international train connections will take you to Chur. From there you can reach Laax by Postbus in the direction of Flims. The same applies if you arrive in Ilanz with the Rhaetian Railway.
Opening hours and entrance fees
Summer season: from 1 May to 31 October, Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 18:00. Opening hours of the slide: 10:00 – 17:00
Winter season: 1 November to 30 April, Monday to Sunday from 11:00 to 15:30. The slide is open during the winter season (10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 3.30 p.m.) but can be closed depending on weather conditions.
Admission is 22 francs for adults and 11 francs for children aged 6 to 17. In the winter season, it is 16 francs for adults and 8 francs for youths. The day pass includes 1 slide entry You can buy tickets online here or directly on the INSIDE LAAX mobile app. You can rent a tablet or a smartphone for the digital experience for 5 francs.
Senda dil Dragun
If you are wondering why the treetop trail in Laax is called “Senda dil Dragun”, meaning “Path of The Dragon” in the local Romansh language, you will find the answer in the story prepared for children (see below). This is about the dragon woman Spurflonda and her friends and the magician Ami Sabi.
The treetop path connects two districts: Laax Murschetg and Laax Dorf. In keeping with the ecological and sustainable spirit of Flims Laax Falera, the trail, which is perched in the tree canopy between 2 and 28 meters above ground, was built entirely from wood from regionally sourced wood. It has been designed to blend in with the surrounding nature and to have the least possible impact on the environment (e.g. to cut down as little vegetation as possible during its construction).
The treetop walkway is accessible from both sides (Murschetg Tower and Dimplaun Tower). In between are four platforms with seating and a unique view of the surrounding landscape.
Digital experience – the combination of nature with the most modern technology
As of 9 October 2021 (yes, the exact date of our visit 🙂 ), the treetop path offers an additional attraction: thanks to augmented reality, visitors young and old are guided through pictures and stories about the path. This is done with the help of a tablet and augmented reality. By the way, as I had to educate myself about the difference between augmented and virtual reality. So, AR – augmented reality – uses a real-world environment, while VR is entirely virtual. So in augmented reality, you use 3D scans of the environment to place digital objects (in this case, fairy tale characters) into the real world, and then you can observe them using the screen of the device (tablet, smartphone).
As I mentioned above, the digital objects are the fairy tale characters that accompany the children along the trail. The figures were brought to life by Graubünden native Ditti Bürgin-Brook of La Siala Entertainment GmbH, who is also known as the producer of the Swiss film “Schellen-Ursli”.
For the adults, there is a separate story on the tablet. In the role of narrator, they meet the well-known Swiss actor Andrea Zogg (also a native of Graubünden, by the way), who meets them as an AR character and tells them all about nature and how the village of Laax and the surrounding area has developed over the years.
Even though our children are very proficient in using tablets and smartphones, we still needed a bit of guidance to start with. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – the staff is very friendly and happy to explain everything.
The biggest experience was when Patrik and I went to return the tablet and a man stopped us and asked if we liked the AR app and if there was anything he should change about it. When we answered yes and no, he revealed that he was the one who designed the app. I still regret that we didn’t take a picture with him, because it was the aforementioned Ditti Bürgin-Brook himself 🙂 !
The giant slide
From the top of the Murschetg tower, which is always in sight if you are staying at the rocksresort Laax, there is a 73-meter long slide. And it’s not just for kids! Tested on us adults too! Yes, on both of us, and surprisingly, it was my husband who was the first to throw himself into the felt “bag” that makes you go down the slide even faster. I hesitated for a moment, but finally understood why tickets are sold in sets of two: because after the first (honestly, quite scary) ride, you’ll just want to go on more! 🙂
Summary
- The treetop path is barrier-free: accessible with a stroller and wheelchair (there is a lift inside the tower).
- Dogs are not allowed on the path.
- Children under 6 must be accompanied by a parent on the slide (hey, parents, don’t hesitate, you’ll really enjoy it 🙂 )
