Lake Silvaplana (Silvaplanersee), situated at 1,791 meters above sea level in the high Engadin valley near St. Moritz, Switzerland, is the spiritual temple of European Alpine kitesurfing. Framed by snow-capped 3,000-meter peaks, glaciers, and golden larch forests, it is Europe's premier high-altitude alpine kitesurfing stadium.

The legendary Maloja Wind (Malojawind)

Silvaplana is famous for the 'Malojawind'—a meteorological wonder. In the morning, the lake is mirror-calm. As the sun warms the high Engadin plateau, cool air from the low-lying Bergell valley is sucked up over the Maloja Pass. Like clockwork, at approximately 12:00 PM, the wind switches on, building to a steady, reliable 16 to 25 knots every sunny afternoon until 17:00.

The physics of high-altitude kiting

At 1,800 meters elevation, the air is thinner and less dense than at sea level. This means a 20-knot wind generates slightly less pull than 20 knots at the ocean, often prompting riders to rig one size larger. Conversely, the thinner air creates incredible lift, resulting in exceptionally floaty, prolonged big-air jumps.

Alpine infrastructure and winter snowkiting

The sports center at Mulets features manicured green grass rigging lawns, warm showers, and upscale dining. In winter, the entire lake freezes into a thick ice sheet covered in snow, transforming Silvaplana into the snowkiting capital of the world.