There's a moment on every good alpine walk when the valley floor drops away and you understand why the Swiss built everything at a forty-five-degree angle. We've hiked the Alps for fifteen summers, from the Matterhorn's shadow to the Aletsch ice, and these seven trails are the ones we'd defend to the death. If you can walk a few hours, you can do every single one of them.
Trail basics and alpine etiquette
Swiss trails are signposted and graded: yellow is easy, red-and-white is a mountain path, blue is alpine and demanding. A few rules of thumb:
- Start early — afternoon thunderstorms are the Alps' daily appointment in summer
- Let uphill walkers pass and say "grüezi" to everyone you meet — it's the law of the land
- Keep noise down, keep food away from marmots, and don't pick the flowers
- Carry water, sun cream and a rain layer even on blue-sky days
The Eiger Trail
The north face of the Eiger is the most famous rock wall in the world, and the trail beneath it is the most dramatic short walk in the Bernese Oberland. Ride the railway from Grindelwald up to Eigergletscher station, then walk the 6-kilometre path down to Alpiglen with the 1,800-metre wall of the Eiger towering overhead. Two and a half hours, mostly downhill, completely jaw-dropping. The train runs around CHF 25–30 one-way and is worth every franc — and if you want the ultimate add-on, it continues up to the Jungfraujoch, the "top of Europe" at 3,454 metres.
The Aletsch Glacier Panoramaweg
The Aletsch is Europe's largest glacier — 23 kilometres of white snake — and the Panoramaweg above it is the easiest big view in Switzerland. Ride the cable car from Mörel up to Bettmeralp or Riederalp (around CHF 30 return), then walk the mostly flat, beautifully signposted path between the two villages. Three hours, about 8.5 kilometres, and views of ice that simply keep going. The whole region is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and midweek in June you'll share it with cows rather than crowds.
Rigi Känzeli: the gentle option
Rigi is called the Queen of the Mountains, and it's the classic first-day trail — a cogwheel railway ride up from Vitznau on the lake (around CHF 30–40 return), then a short, glorious walk along the Känzeli cliff edge. The family favourite is the Kräuterweg, a forty-minute path lined with boxes of alpine herbs to sniff. On a clear day you count thirteen lakes. On a foggy day you look down on the clouds, which is its own magic.
The Zermatt Five Lakes
The 5-Seenweg above Zermatt delivers the single best photo in this article: the Matterhorn reflected upside down in the still water of Stellisee. The trail runs about 9.5 kilometres between five lakes, roughly three hours with photo stops. Take the funicular up to Sunnegga (about CHF 40–50 return) and follow the trail west past Grindelsee to Blauherd and back — the loop works in either direction. Keep an eye out for ibex; they live up here and they're not camera-shy.
Lauterbrunnen valley and the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
The Lauterbrunnen valley strings dozens of waterfalls along one impossibly steep gorge. The classic walk: from Mürren, the cliff-hanging village on top, follow the path to Gimmelwald and down toward the valley floor, where the Trümmelbach falls thunder through the mountain — ten glacier-fed cascades inside the rock (entry around CHF 13). For the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, ride the cable car from Zermatt up to Schwarzsee (around CHF 50 return), then walk the 8-kilometre trail to the Hörnlihütte hut at 3,260 metres, where Matterhorn climbs are launched. In between: glacier views, marmot whistles, and a hut lunch that tastes like the best meal of the year.
Oeschinensee: a lake with no bad angle
Near Kandersteg, a short funicular ride (around CHF 20–25 return) lifts you to one of the Alps' great emerald lakes. The full loop around Oeschinensee is about 9.5 kilometres and takes 3–4 hours; the easy section along the west shore reaches the lake's crown viewpoint in forty minutes. Bring a swimsuit — the water is glacial and absurdly clear — and check the notice boards about rocky overhangs on the far shore. The mountain restaurant by the jetty is the best finish in the Alps.
Costs, passes and staying safe
| Trail | Distance | Time | Difficulty | Lift cost (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eiger Trail | 6 km | 2.5 h | Moderate | CHF 25–30 |
| Aletsch Panoramaweg | 8.5 km | 3 h | Easy | CHF 30 |
| Rigi Känzeli | 2–6 km | 1–3 h | Easy | CHF 30–40 |
| Zermatt Five Lakes | 9.5 km | 3 h | Moderate | CHF 40–50 |
| Matterhorn Glacier Trail | 8 km | 3–4 h | Moderate-hard | CHF 50 |
| Oeschinensee loop | 9.5 km | 3.5 h | Moderate | CHF 20–25 |
| Mürren–Gimmelwald | 3 km | 1 h | Easy | Covered by travel pass |
The Swiss Travel Pass — around CHF 240 for three days of travel — covers trains, buses and boats nationwide and gives half-price discounts on most mountain railways; if you're moving between regions, it usually pays for itself. The Half Fare Card (around CHF 120) is the better deal if you're staying in one valley.
In the Alps, the weather decides — not you. If thunder builds by noon, turn around. The mountain will still be there tomorrow.
Check the day's forecast in the valley before you go up, tell someone which trail you're taking, and remember that mountain rescue here is excellent — and billed to you if it was your fault. Walk in good boots, watch your step on the scree, and let the mountains do the rest. Seven trails, seven reasons Switzerland earns every franc.
