5 Lakes Walk in Zermatt Switzerland, a Must-Do!
Have you heard of this scenic walk in Zermatt? I just did it for the first time on September 18, 2020, and I highly recommend it! The ‘5 Lakes Walk’ is an easy 3-hour mountain hike above the village of Zermatt, a real must-do if you are in this area!
I decided to write this blog post about our wonderful day of hiking while all the details were fresh in my mind! I hope you enjoy my lake-by-lake description as well as all the photos I took in this unique paradise!
Zermatt is a two-hour drive from where we live in Switzerland, so we decided to make it an overnight journey. We probably could have done it in one day, but it would have made for an early start and late return.
We left on a Thursday evening at 6 pm and arrived at Täsch at 8 pm. As you cannot drive in Zermatt, you must park your car in Täsch (it costs 16 CHF for one full day) and take the 12-minute train through the valley to the village of Zermatt. The one-way cost of the train is reasonable at 8 CHF per person.
We walked from the Zermatt train station for less than 10 minutes to reach our hotel by the river. We arrived just in time to eat a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant called ‘Chez Max Julen‘. Max Julen is the owner of the hotel and was the 1984 Olympic Slalom champion. I found the Hotel Beau Rivage at the last minute on Booking.com. It was not too expensive (175 CHF per night) and perfect for our one night stay!
We had a tasty breakfast the next morning with an amazing view of the majestic Matterhorn mountain right out our window.
We then checked out of the hotel, left our bags at reception for the day, and headed off by foot to the nearby Sunnegga funicular.
The underground Sunnegga train takes you swiftly up the mountain in only 4 minutes. But be warned that you have to pay a hefty price for such convenience and speed!
We didn’t have any special discount cards so we paid the full price for the Sunnegga train and the Blauherd gondola, 62 CHF for the two of us. We didn’t buy the return trip from Sunnegga as we were thinking to walk all the way down to Zermatt village. That plan didn’t happen after our long day, so we had to pay another 34 CHF (for two people) for the one-way ride down.
I would advise you to look into the special deals they offer for using the various trains and lifts in Zermatt, especially if you plan to be there for several days. Here is the website to look for tickets.
After you arrive at the top of Sunnegga, you follow the signs for the adjacent Blauherd gondola. After another short ride further up the mountain, you arrive at the starting point of the hike. You will look for the signposts marked ‘5-Seenweg’. The route is clearly marked all the way.
We were very lucky the day we chose to do this hike. The weather was sunny and warm, especially in late September. The best part was that we could see the Matterhorn very clearly! This jagged shaped tooth mountain usually has cloud cover in the afternoon, so I would suggest starting your hike early if you want to see the majestic pyramid during the entire walk.
For more detailed info about the walk, check out this link.
The first lake is called Stellisee. It is the largest lake of the five and at the highest point (2537m) along the walk. It offers the best panoramic views and reflections of the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn summit is 4,478 meters high and one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe.
You should walk all around the lake to get the best photo opportunities. There were many people there, even on a Friday. We learned that this walk is extremely popular!
As you continue the path toward the next lake, you will have amazing vistas looking out on the Matterhorn and surrounding mountains.
There are no steep descents along this 9.8km walk. I normally use hiking poles but didn’t need them at all on this hike. You will see trail signs for other routes that you can take if you don’t want to do the ‘5 Lakes Walk’.
There is only one section of this walk that some people may not feel comfortable with. If you suffer from vertigo and tend to get dizzy in the mountains, the path between the first and second lakes is on a steep incline. It didn’t bother me at all, but some people might feel uneasy.
The nicest part about Grindjisee Lake was the many mountain goats we saw along the path. They were chilling by a huge rock and didn’t mind us getting close for a nice photo.
The ‘5 Lakes Walk’ is special because you pass through varied terrain during the three hours. At times you are walking above the tree line and other times you are deep in a green forest.
The anticipation of arriving at each of the five lakes kept our interest up throughout the day.
When we arrived at Grünsee, we saw many people having picnics next to the lake and even a couple of brave souls swimming. Out of the five lakes, you are only allowed to swim in two of them, the Grünsee and the Leisee (the 5th lake).
As we walked around the Grünsee lake, we could see how the color changed from a brownish tint into deep emerald green. It was a sight to see indeed! There was no view of the Matterhorn from this lake, but you could see the other majestic mountains off in the distance. Even in September, you will see frozen glaciers at the peaks.
By this time, we were getting hungry so we decided to stop at a very nice lodge right on the path. The Ze Seewjinu restaurant had a large terrace where we could sit outside and enjoy a relaxing lunch.
I had the traditional pork schnitzel and Mike had a huge pulled pork sandwich. This was a great way to refuel for the remainder of the hike!
One thing worth mentioning is that even though Zermatt is in the Swiss-German region, everyone speaks English. They are used to many tourists from all over the world that come to this well-known area.
After lunch, we walked through a forest toward the 4th lake called Moosjisee. This is actually a reservoir used to generate electricity. The turquoise blue lake is filled by the glaciers. Moosjisee definitely had a different color than the other four lakes.
From the Moosjisee lake, we could see the Matterhorn again. Even though it had clouds around the peak, it was beautiful!
After walking past the Moosjisee lake, the trail started to climb a bit. We saw several friendly mountain cows that were kind enough to pose for our pictures. You will hear many cowbells on this hike!
Another surprise along this path was walking through a traditional mountain village with wooden and stone houses. We passed a group of mountain sheep, some with bells around their neck. So sweet!
The last lake is called Leisee. This lake is right next to the top of the Sunnegga funicular, so there were many people here. There are areas for children to play or swim in the lake.
We walked around the perimeter to take in the view from different angles. There was a cute wooden structure with a rope that you could use to pull yourself from one side of the lake to the other. Of course, I had to do it!
At the end of our full day of fun, we hopped back on the Sunnegga funicular to return to the village of Zermatt. We stopped off at our hotel to pick up our suitcase and walked through the town to reach the Zermatt-Täsch train.
It was a spectacular day! I’m so glad we finally did this hike that I had heard about and seen many beautiful photos of. Zermatt is known for its winter sports but I really like the look and feel of this town in the summer months. For more photos from this day, click here!
If you would like more details about this walk or visiting Zermatt, feel free to drop me an email at jan@janadventures.com. I think everyone coming here should experience the ‘5 Lakes Walk’, a true Must-Do!
If you liked this post, you’ll love my other posts on what to see and do in Switzerland! Check them out!
- Best Gorge Hikes in Switzerland
- 3 Day Itinerary in Ticino Switzerland
- Biking the Heart Route in Switzerland
- Cool Things to See in Flims Switzerland
- Want to Know the Secret Spots in Switzerland?
If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!
MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS… I get asked often which products I use when traveling so I created a page of all my favorite products. You can check it out here
49 Comments
Fiona Griffin Käser
Absolutely fabulous description and photos of Zermatt – makes one want to go there now !! Thanks Jan for all the tips on the different trips and keep up the excellent work !!
Fio
xxxx
Jan
Glad you enjoyed my article! Thanks for your support! 🙂
Maggie | leavemetodream.com
Lovely photos! The stark surroundings of the cemetery really stand out against the breathtaking scenery of the country. Thank you for sharing this!
Jan
Thank you! Yes, the cemetery is very interesting. They call it the “Grave of the Unknown Climber” and reminds us of the more than 500 deaths which have taken place on the Matterhorn since 1865.
Cindy Moore
So beautiful! I can’t wait to walk and hike in Switzerland.
Cynthia Mailhot
I cannot wait to get back to traveling. Switzerland is on the short list.
Melissa Jones
Beautiful pictures! I have had the opportunity to spend a week in Switzerland before and these pictures definitely make me want to go back again!!
Jan
That’s great! Hope you can get back here again!
Barbara
Switzerland looks really beautiful. The natural wonders are calling to me! Thank you for sharing!
Magan
Beautiful photos! I’ve always wanted to visit Switzerland, and this looks like the perfect place to go.
April Key
If hiking in 3 hours with this views a long the way this will be spectacular and fun to do. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful pictures in Switzerland and I hope we can make it there one day.
Jan
I hope so too! If you need any help planning your trip, do let me know! https://janadventures.com/itinerary-planning/
Sandi Barrett
Beautiful photos. Sounds like a great way to spend a gorgeous day in Switzerland.
Patti
Wow, the views are so incredible! That mountainous peak sure looks like Matterhorn at Disney! hehehehe
Jan
Wow, didn’t know they had the Matterhorn at Disney – pretty cool.
Yvette
Switzerland is on our list. This is great info! Thank you!
Chelsea
Wow. The hike is only 3 hours? That’s totally doable. And the views are stunning!
Jan
Yes only 3 max if you walk straight through but we took 5 hours to enjoy the lakes and have a lunch! 👍🏻
Tiffany
This looks amazing 🤩
Suz
Fabulous photos; absolutely spectacular!!
Jan
Thank you! It was so gorgeous!
Lisa
Wow, so many beautiful sights. When we were in Switzerland a few years ago, we kept saying how the mountains are breathingtaking and photos just don’t do justice, but your photos are incredible!
Alyssa
Wow this looks like a really fun trip and quite beautiful! Love your photos!
Ali Huseman
WOW stunning views!! These all look like amazing places to visit.
Jan
Thanks! It is truly a paradise to see!🤩
Bonnie
Such a beautiful area! The scenery is spectacular.
Adrienne
Such amazing sights on this trip you took. I’d love to go there some day and do the 5 Lakes Walk.
Alice
Beautiful area!
Elaina
What a great day trip, beautiful images.
Sandra Whitmore
I’ve been to Zermat twice but did not know about these lakes.
Debbie
What a spectacular day of majestic scenery!! Gorgeous photos!!
Lisa Manderino
I am adding this to my next Europe Tour! I can’t wait to see it in person!
Linda Egeler
Your photos are absolutely breathtaking! This looks like a must-do hike for any outdoor lover.
Kristin
So very lovely! I love the artsy picture with the dandelion as well. You are so fortunate to have these little day or overnight trips within range for you. A wonderful getaway.
Sydney Delong
Wow, what stunning views! I would love to be able to visit Switzerland!
Jenni / Out in the Nature
Looks incredible! I gotta check with my Swiss friends if they would take me here someday when I visit them next time.
Ashley Pacheco
So fun! I love the view of Matterhorn.
Megan
We want to visit Switzerland so bad! This post is NOT helping me stay patient!! 😉
Beth Shields
What an amazing trip. The photos are just gorgeous and the scenes breathtaking. You would have to be in good shape to trek around on those mountains. I would feel like Heidi! I love schintzel – so your lunch was right in my comfort zone and you probably needed that for all the walking. Thanks for sharing.
Christina Siwik
Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing,
Shay
Beautiful photos! I can’t wait to travel again; Switzerland is definitely on my list.
Giulia
Absolutely gorgeous! I love mountain lakes. Were your muscles sore at the end? It looks like a hike even a couch potato like me could do 🙂
Ashleigh
These photos make me want to visit Switzerland so much! I’ve always loved lakes and the serenity of them. Your photos are stunning
Nkem
The whole trip appears to have been scenic, from the views from the hotel to the views at the lakes themselves. Thanks for sharing what looks like an epic trip!
Demi
Love it. I will definitely save this for my trip. Great information. Lovely pictures. I can’t wait. Hopefully next year. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Nesha
This sounds amazing thanks for sharing and you really do have some great pictures!! Just beautiful!!
Tanya
Wow, Jan! I’m blown away by your pics. I’m bookmarking this post.
Truly breathtaking and what an adventure!
Jan
Thanks so much Tanya! I love taking my photos and sharing the beauty of nature!
Mihaela
Breathtaking! And I miss a proper schnitzel, too!:)