MunggiBivouacking in Switzerland: what is allowed?
As of 05/10/2026 · 637 of 2,120 municipalities looked up
In Switzerland there is neither a nationwide ban nor a nationwide permission to bivouac. In nature reserves, federal hunting reserves and wildlife rest zones, overnight stays are generally prohibited. Outside of these, the municipality decides, but very few say anything about bivouacking: of 637 municipalities looked up, 15 explicitly prohibit bivouacking, 0 attach conditions to it, 1 allow it. For the remaining 589, it is unclear.
Check on the mapWhat is a bivouac?
Staying overnight without a tent, in a sleeping bag, possibly with a bivy bag. Legally this is a question of its own: most regulations govern “camping” or “tenting” — whether a night in a sleeping bag falls under it, they do not say.
Is bivouacking allowed in Switzerland?
In Switzerland there is no nationwide ban on bivouacking — but no nationwide permission either. Three levels are decisive: federal law on protected areas (nature reserves, federal hunting reserves, moorland landscapes), cantonal law and municipal rules. The cantons handle this very differently: in large parts of the Alps a single night's bivouac above the treeline, outside protected areas and away from wildlife rest zones, is considered tolerated — elsewhere there are explicit bans. Within nature reserves, federal hunting reserves and wildlife rest zones, staying overnight is generally prohibited. Camping with a vehicle outside authorised sites is regulated more strictly throughout than a tent bivouac.
Legal bases:
- Bundesgesetz über den Natur- und Heimatschutz (NHG, SR 451)
- Verordnung über die eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebiete (VEJ, SR 922.31)
- Verordnung über den Schutz der Hoch- und Übergangsmoore (SR 451.32)
- Wildruhezonen Schweiz (Bundesamt für Umwelt BAFU)
- Schweizerischer Alpen-Club SAC — Biwakieren
What do the cantons regulate?
An explicit cantonal rule on bivouacking is recorded for 2 cantons:
Ticino: Bivouac only with permission. Das Gesetz selbst nennt weder eine Höhen- oder Waldgrenze noch eine Höchstdauer; es spricht schlicht vom Biwak «in montagna». Die Gemeinden legen es enger aus und nennen übereinstimmend die Waldgrenze und eine Nacht — so Alto Malcantone, Locarno und Brissago in ihren schriftlichen Auskünften. Wer sich darauf verlässt, halte sich an diese engere Lesart. Die Zuständigkeit der Gemeinden betrifft nach diesem Gesetz die Campingplätze — ihre Ausscheidung im Nutzungsplan (Art. 6) und die Betriebsbewilligung (Art. 13) —, nicht die Biwak-Ausnahme. Eine ausdrückliche Ermächtigung, sie einzuschränken, enthält das Gesetz nicht. In der Praxis handhaben es die Gemeinden trotzdem verschieden: Avegno Gordevio etwa erklärt das Übernachten im Freien auf seinem ganzen Gebiet für nicht bewilligt. Wo eine Gemeinde das so sagt, steht es bei ihr auf der Karte. Für Wohnwagen und Wohnmobile gilt die Ausnahme nicht: sie betrifft ausdrücklich das Zelt. In Schutzgebieten, Wildruhezonen und wo eine Beschilderung es verbietet, bleibt das Übernachten untersagt. — Legge sui campeggi vom 26. Januar 2004 (RL 943.100), Art. 2, 3, 6 und 13
Show machine translation
The law itself does not mention an altitude or forest boundary or a maximum duration; it simply speaks of the bivouac "in Montagna". The municipalities interpret it more narrowly and unanimously name the tree line and a night — according to Alto Malcantone, Locarno and Brissago in their written information. Anyone who relies on this should stick to this narrower reading. According to this law, the competence of the municipalities concerns the campsites — their exclusion in the land use plan (Art. 6) and the operating licence (Art. 13) — not the bivouac exception. The law does not contain an explicit authorisation to restrict them. In practice, however, the municipalities handle it differently: Avegno Gordevio, for example, declares that spending the night outdoors is not permitted on its entire territory. Where a municipality says so, it is on its map. The exception does not apply to caravans and motorhomes: it expressly applies to the tent. In protected areas, wildlife rest areas and where signage prohibits it, overnight stays are prohibited.
Machine-translated, may be inaccurate — the original wording is authoritative.
Vaud: Bivouac prohibited. Eine Nacht und nicht in der Gruppe, oberhalb der Waldgrenze. Auf privatem Boden mit Zustimmung der Eigentümerin ist es ebenfalls geduldet; dafür gibt Art. 27 des Gesetzes über Campingplätze und Dauer-Caravanings (LCCR, BLV 935.61) die Grundlage und verlangt ab mehr als vier Tagen zusätzlich eine Bewilligung der Gemeinde. In Naturschutzgebieten, eidgenössischen Jagdbanngebieten und Wildruhezonen gilt ein generelles Verbot. Begleitete Lager brauchen eine kommunale und kantonale Bewilligung (Gesuch POCAMA). Kommunale Vorschriften bleiben vorbehalten und gehen vor. — Behördliche Richtlinie «Camping sauvage et bivouac», veröffentlicht von der Gemeinde Le Chenit (VD) und von Vallée de Joux Tourisme; dazu Art. 27 LCCR (BLV 935.61)
Show machine translation
One night and not in a group, above the tree line. It is also tolerated on private land with the consent of the owner; Art. 27 of the Act on Campsites and Long-Term Caravanning (LCCR, FSVO 935.61) provides the basis for this and also requires a permit from the municipality for more than four days. In nature reserves, federal hunting ban areas and wildlife rest zones, there is a general ban. Accompanied camps require a municipal and cantonal permit (POCAMA application). Municipal regulations are reserved and take precedence.
Machine-translated, may be inaccurate — the original wording is authoritative.
In the other cantons nothing on bivouacking is recorded at cantonal level; what the municipality regulates applies there.
What do the municipalities say about bivouacking?
| Allowed | 1 |
| Allowed under conditions | 0 |
| Prohibited | 15 |
| Not regulated or unclear | 589 |
Explicitly prohibited in:
Allowed in:
Does a tent ban also apply to bivouacking?
Not automatically. Of the 223 municipalities looked up that prohibit tent camping, 15 also explicitly prohibit bivouacking; for 185 it remains unclear. In 23, tents are prohibited but bivouacking is allowed under conditions: Alto Malcantone, Arbedo-Castione, Ascona, Brissago, Cadenazzo, Centovalli, Cerentino, Cevio, Chiasso, Comunanza Cadenazzo/Monteceneri, Dalpe, Fully, Giornico, Locarno, Lumino, Magliaso, Massagno, Mendrisio, Minusio, Monteceneri, Serravalle, Tenero-Contra, Vezia. Applying a tent ban to bivouacking would be guesswork — just like a tent permission. Where the regulation is silent, the municipality's information decides.
How do I find out what applies at my destination?
Tap the municipality on the map: the info card shows tent and bivouac separately, with source and date of verification. If the destination also lies in a protected area, the stricter of the two rules applies. For 1,483 municipalities, nothing has been researched yet; there the map shows the municipality's contact. No entry never means “allowed”.
All municipalities looked up, by canton · Wild camping in Switzerland — what applies where? · How the map is made