Zermatt Walks: Five Lakes, Zmutt, Village

October 20, 2026

Walking in Zermatt means either a stroll through the village or a lift-assisted mountain trail. The high routes are summer walks, roughly mid-June to early October, and snow can cover them outside that window. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF). Take layers, water and sun protection, stay on marked trails and start early, because cloud and thunderstorms often build from late morning.

Five Lakes Walk

The Five Lakes Walk (5-Seenweg) goes from Blauherd to Sunnegga past Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee. The route is about 10 km and about 3 hours, with a net descent. The national route listing gives 11 km, +380 m and -660 m, and shorter variants are a little quicker. The Matterhorn mirrors in Stellisee, Grindjisee and Grünsee on calm days. Stellisee is about 20 minutes from Blauherd. Moosjisee is a reservoir used for snow-making, and Leisee has a beach and playground. The lifts you need are the Sunnegga funicular and the Blauherd gondola. A combined ticket up to Blauherd and back down from Sunnegga costs about CHF 47 to 52 in summer, so confirm the current fare. The lifts of this sector shut from mid-October to late November, which ends the walking season. See the route page on MySwitzerland . Guided walks can be searched on GetYourGuide .

Gornergrat to Riffelberg

From Gornergrat, ride down to Rotenboden and walk about 10 minutes to Riffelsee at 2,757 m. Continue to Riffelberg and take the train down. It is mostly easy downhill walking, but you start at 3,089 m, so go slowly and drink water.

Zmutt hamlet

Zmutt, at about 1,936 m, is a hamlet more than 500 years old, with about 20 dark timber houses and a baroque chapel dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria. A house in the hamlet carries the date 1595. The walk from Zermatt is about 2.7 km each way, with a climb of about 330 m, and takes 1 hour 20 minutes one way (official hike number 121). Take food and water with you, because refreshments along the way are not guaranteed. See the Zmutt chapel listing .

Hörnlihütte approach from Schwarzsee

The path from Schwarzsee to the Hörnlihütte at 3,260 m climbs about 680 m and is rated T3 to T4 on the Swiss hiking scale. It is open roughly mid-June to mid-September. This is a serious mountain route, not a gentle stroll, and the hut is the base camp for climbers of the Matterhorn, so a bed needs booking well ahead. Never go in snow or ice. A guided version is rated T4, takes 5 to 6 hours with the gondola and has a minimum age of 10. See the guided hike listing . The Hörnli ridge above the hut is a guided alpine climb.

Village heritage walk

Begin at the station and follow Bahnhofstrasse to the Kirchplatz and the parish church of St. Mauritius. Behind the church is the Mountaineers’ Cemetery, where climbers who died in the surrounding mountains are buried. It is a place of mourning, so walk through quietly and respect the graves. Entry is free. From the church, cross the Kirchbrücke over the Mattervispa and continue to Hinterdorf, a lane of historic larch barns where people live. The whole loop is free, short and has no big climbs.

Maps and tickets

Zermatt Bergbahnen sells hiking tickets for lift-assisted routes and supplies a free hiking map. See the hiking tickets page . Never step onto a glacier without a certified mountain guide, and call 144 for mountain rescue.