Where are the Alps?

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Alps are the highest mountain ranges in Europe and run from Mediterranean coast of West France to the Northern part of Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Southern Germany finally reaching to the periphery of River Danube and Vienna in the East. It covers a total distance of 960 km or 597 miles. Some part of Alpine ranges also extends into Adriatic coast to Croatia and Slovenia. The highest peak in the Alps is Mont Blanc which stands tall at a height of 4,808 m or 15,774 ft on the Franco-Italian Border. From these ranges arise many major rivers of Europe and their tributaries that include Po, Rhine, Rhone and Danube. The Alps are a type of Fold Mountains that are formed due to the folding of the crust of earth and mostly comprise of sedimentary rocks.

What are the ranges of Alps?

The Alps are categorized into three divisions: western Alps, eastern Alps and central Alps. The western Alpine range stretches from Maritime Alps to the Great St. Bernard Pass and comprise of Cottian, Graian and Liguria Alps. The central Alps run from Great St Bernard to the Brenner passes and comprise of Pennine, Rhaetian, Lepontine and Otztal passes in the South and Bernese and Glarus passes in the north side. The eastern Alps are mostly located in Austria and also cover certain parts of German-Austrian border and Bavaria. The eastern Alps divide Austria from Italy stretching further as Karawanken Alps and forming a boundary to Slovenia which is commonly as Dinaric Alps. The Austrian Alps include Hohe Tauern, Algäuer Alps and Niedere Tauern ranges.

What are the Southern Alps?

The geographically divided part of European Alps is known as Southern Alps. These are located in the south of Periadriatic Seam which is considered to be the major geographical fault zone of the Alps. The Southern Alps are a part of Adriatic or Apulian tectonic plates and are made of sedimentary rocks and lime stones. The Southern Alps form the major geographical feature of New Zealand. Several glacial lakes are present in the Mackenzie Basin of Southern Alps. The major three lakes include Lake Pukaki (largest- 178.7 km²), Lake Tekapo and Lake Oaho (smallest - 60 km²). The snow capped Southern Alpine ranges stand out amongst the green vegetation distinctively attracting attention.

What is the climate of the Alps?

The climate changes according to the seasons. Geographical locations and altitude also play a major role in climatic conditions. During the winter season, the northern Alpine ranges are very cold with temperature sinking as below as -20 degrees Celsius. During summer season, the temperature in Southern Alpine ranges goes beyond 32 degrees Celsius. The northern parts of Alps are comparatively colder than the southern parts. 

What are the outdoor activities to do in the Alps?

The major outdoor activities that are enjoyed in Alpine ranges are skiing, trekking and hiking. Other than that you can choose from innumerable outdoor activities and sports that form an integral part of all the tourist packages near the Alpine ranges. These include adventure cruising and flying, buggy racing, bungee jumping, cliff jumping, caving, potholing, dog sledging, eco-tourism and much more. A tourist can also indulge in fishing, kayaking, heli-skiing, ice climbing, mountain biking, mountaineering, kite surfing and so on. Various resorts offer varieties of outdoor activities along with lodging and boarding.

How to camp in the Alps?

So as to camp in the Alps, you need to make arrangements for mobile home or campsites especially during the peak season from July to August. Camping activities in the Alps are carried out more in France where you can also book for chalet and canvas bungalow on rent. Mobile home is preferred for camping as it includes several urban facilities such as furniture and cooking arrangements apart from the benefits of camping in the outdoors. The tourism campsites are booked for short-term camping, whereas, leisure campsites are booked for long holidays. These camping packages also come loaded with added services such as access to horse riding, swimming pool, fitness club etc.

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