Monte Tamaro
1,962 m
Switzerland
Also known as მონტე-ტამაროAlso known as
მონტე-ტამარო
- Elevation
- 1,962 m
- Prominence
- 1,408 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The usual way up: gondola from Rivera to Alpe Foppa (1,530 m), then a well-marked path climbing about 430 m past Capanna Tamaro (1,867 m) to the summit at 1,962 m. About 1½–2 hours up; often extended into the ridge traverse to Monte Lema.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 3.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +491 m
- −57 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 1,962 m
- Time Up
- 2h 13m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 38m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Take the gondola from Rivera (472 m, next to Rivera-Bironico station and the A2 exit) to Alpe Foppa (1,530 m), home to Mario Botta's chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli (1990s, with paintings by Enzo Cucchi), a restaurant and a summer adventure park. A well-signed path climbs south-west to Capanna Tamaro (about 1,867 m), a staffed hut with drinks and simple meals, in about 40 minutes to an hour. From the hut the path continues up the ridge to the summit, a further 100 m or so of ascent, for a total of about 1½–2 hours from Alpe Foppa. Swisscom telecommunication antennas stand near the top; the view ranges over Ticino, Lombardy and Piedmont to the Valais Alps. Descend the same way to the gondola (last ride down normally at 17:00, 18:00 in July and August), or continue along the frontier ridge over Monte Gradiccioli to Monte Lema (about 5 hours, T3) and return by the Lema cable car and the shuttle bus to Rivera.
Start
Alpe Foppa1,524 m
- Monte Tamaro gondola, Rivera–Alpe Foppa (about 10 minutes); 2026 season 1 April – 8 November, 08:30–17:00 (last ride up 16:30), 08:30–18:00 in July and August.
- Train to Rivera-Bironico (on the Bellinzona–Lugano line); the gondola valley station is about 300 m away.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpe Foppa → Monte Tamaro | 3.8 | 491 | 57 | 2h 13m |
Waypoints
- Lift: Alpe Foppa1,524 m
Top station of the Monte Tamaro gondola from Rivera
- Hut: Capanna Tamaro1,872 m
- Summit: Monte Tamaro1,962 m
Key Passages
- Capanna Tamaro
- Final ridge to the summit
Equipment
0/4 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
At 1,962 m the highest summit between Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano and the most prominent peak in Ticino. A gondola from Rivera and a short marked path make it an easy half-day, and it is the starting point of the popular ridge walk to Monte Lema.
Monte Tamaro rises south-west of the Monte Ceneri pass, on the line that divides Ticino into the Sopraceneri and Sottoceneri. It is the highest point of the Lugano Prealps chain between Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano, which continues south-west along the Swiss–Italian border to Monte Lema, and with a prominence of about 1,400 m it is the most prominent summit in the canton. Large Swisscom antennas stand near the top.
A gondola built in the 1960s climbs from Rivera to Alpe Foppa (about 1,530 m). The small ski area there closed in 2003 and was replaced by a summer adventure park with a toboggan run and zipline. Alpe Foppa is also known for Mario Botta's chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built in the 1990s with paintings by Enzo Cucchi. From the gondola, a marked path leads past Capanna Tamaro, a former military building now used as a hut, to the summit in about 1–2 hours.
Many walkers continue along the frontier ridge over Monte Gradiccioli, Monte Pola and Monte Magno to Monte Lema. It is a gentle but long walk (about 5 hours, T3) with views over the lakes and to the Valais Alps, and a shuttle bus links the two cable cars at the end of the day. The Alpe di Neggia pass road on the south-west side gives another approach.
Climbing Notes
An easy walk on marked paths (T1–T2) for anyone with basic hiking fitness; about 430 m of ascent and 1–2 hours from the gondola. Wear proper shoes and carry a warm layer, as the summit ridge is exposed to wind.
For the Tamaro–Monte Lema traverse, start early enough to reach the last Monte Lema cable car, carry enough water (there are no services between Capanna Tamaro and Monte Lema) and buy the combined traverse ticket, which includes both cable cars and the evening shuttle bus between Miglieglia and Rivera. Guard dogs protect livestock on the section between the Bassa di Indemini and Monte Pola; pass calmly and give herds a wide berth. Avoid the open ridge in thunderstorms.
Outside the gondola season the mountain can be climbed on foot from Rivera or from the Alpe di Neggia; in winter it is an occasional snowshoe or ski-touring objective from the Monte Ceneri pass.
History
The Rivera–Alpe Foppa gondola opened in the 1960s and the mountain became a small ski area, with a chairlift, three T-bars and about 15 km of pistes. After a run of snow-poor winters the ski lifts closed in 2003 and the area was converted to summer use. Mario Botta's chapel of Santa Maria degli Angeli at Alpe Foppa dates from the 1990s.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Gondola closed; snowshoe or ski ascents from the Monte Ceneri pass in snowy winters
- Feb
- Gondola closed; winter conditions
- Mar
- Gondola closed until April; snow on the upper slopes
- Apr
- Gondola opens 1 April (2026); possible late snow near the summit
- May
- Good conditions
- Jun
- Good conditions
- Jul
- Hot and hazy; afternoon thunderstorms; longer gondola hours
- Aug
- Hot and hazy; afternoon thunderstorms
- Sep
- Often clear and stable
- Oct
- Clear autumn days; check that the traverse shuttle bus is still running
- Nov
- Gondola closes 8 November (2026); first snow possible
- Dec
- Gondola closed; winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Capanna Tamaro (UTOE Bellinzona) offers meals and overnight stays in summer; contact the hut directly.
- Fees
- Gondola Rivera–Alpe Foppa (fares on montetamaro.ch)
- Combined Tamaro–Lema traverse ticket including both cable cars and the shuttle bus
- Rules
- Guard dogs with livestock on the ridge between the Bassa di Indemini and Monte Pola
- Getting There
Rivera (Monteceneri); Bellinzona and Lugano
Milan Malpensa (MXP)
- Train to Rivera-Bironico on the Bellinzona–Lugano line; the gondola station is about 300 m away
- By car: A2 motorway exit Rivera; gondola at Via Campagnole 6, Rivera
- Monte Lema cable car from Miglieglia at the other end of the ridge traverse; shuttle bus Miglieglia–Rivera (+41 91 946 23 03)
Hazards
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,867 m