A Tourist’s Guide to The 5 Lakes Walk from Zermatt, Switzerland
- Amelia Barlow
- Aug 3, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 4, 2022
No time for a siesta in Switzerland, there's a whole mountain of walking to do!
In this post, you'll discover the details of the infamous Five Lakes Walk starting from the town of Zermatt in Switzerland. You'll find tips to maximise your day, as well as highlights not to be missed out on.
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IN BRIEF
The 5 Lakes Walk, starting from Zermatt in Switzerland, has got to be the most rewarding hike I’ve ever ventured out on, with views of the famous Matterhorn mountain at every turn. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular hikes in the world! However, I will preface that contrary to what various other websites and travel blogs will tell you, it definitely is not a 6 mile walk! In fact, upon checking my health app after the hike, it turned out we had totalled a staggering 13 miles, and we had followed all the footpath signs religiously! The walk was also coined ‘moderate’ in terms of agility and ability, and ‘for all ages’, which is also something I might contest. If you’re an acclimatised hiker, it may seem moderate, but to the average tourist, I would be leaning towards categorising it as ‘difficult’ due to its length and its ups and downs. Despite all of this, I couldn’t recommend the hike enough; you’ll never be in want of better views throughout, you’ll have the chance for an alpine swim, as well as the added thrill of the cable car rides at the very beginning of the adventure!
TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY
Start early- the walk takes a good five hours or more, and you’ll want to make the most of every opportunity!
Don’t weigh down your back pack with numerous water bottles; fill up a re-usable bottle at the alpine water points and various rivers and streams you’ll pass along the way. It’s cleaner and fresher than you’ll ever get from your tap and completely free!
Bring sunglasses- it’s a very bright environment!
Pack your bathing suit- you have the choice of several alpine lakes to dip into when you’re in need of a cool down!
Check when the final funicular departure to Zermatt is- you don’t want to be adding on an extra two hours onto your hike at the end of the day to get back down to the town!
THE DETAILS
You’ll start your day by taking the funicular from Zermatt to Sunnegga, and from there, a cable car ride to Blauherd summit. From here, you’ll start the hike, which will eventually lead you back down to the Sunnegga station (so you’ll only need to take the cable cars once if you choose to start from Blauherd). You can prebook tickets for both the funicular and cable car online (and don’t forget that if you have purchased a Swisspass, you will benefit from a reduction) however it might be easiest when at the ticket booth in Zermatt to simply explain that you’re embarking on the 5 Lakes Hike, so they can select the appropriate tickets for you. Essentially you’ll be given tickets from Zermatt to Blauherd on the way up, but from Sunnegga to Zermatt on the way back down (you finish the hike at Sunnegga, so no need to pay for the cable cars from Blauherd to Sunnegga on the way down). My partner and myself paid around 80 Swiss francs for this combination for the two of us, without the Swisspass (which we shall definitely invest in next time!)
It’s best to start the hike earlier rather than later, particularly if you want to make the most of photo opportunities and lunch.
When you exit Blauherd station, the 5 Lakes Walk will be signposted on the iconic yellow way markers, but it’s often written as ‘5 Seenweg’. However, don’t make the mistake that we did immediately upon leaving the cable cars in which we walked straight past the heart-shaped photo point of the Matterhorn that led up a very steep hill. This was a completely different hike altogether, and added on a good hour to our journey once we realised where we went wrong!
Once on the right path, and after a short walk down a narrow and fairly level trail, you’ll reach the first lake. It was very windy at this point, so we didn’t stay for long, but avid fans of photography, this is where you’ll benefit from capturing the Matterhorn’s reflection in the water, so factor in this extra time into your day if you’re thinking of pausing here to do this.
Then you’ll start more of an uphill walk on a wider dirt track, that leads you near to a restaurant perched at the summit. We decided not to stop here, but there are both lunch and drink options if you’re looking for a refreshment. The walk then turns on itself and you begin descending. This part of the walk does drag a bit, and we couldn’t help thinking to ourselves, “how can we possibly fit in seeing 4 more lakes?”, but then you glimpse the shimmering glassy surface of the second lake, and determination to reach it refuelled us. I will also preface that there are some rather narrow, windy and elevated paths down to this lake, so make sure you have on sturdy footwear and mind where you’re stepping; it’s best to look straight ahead if you’re a little afraid of heights like me!
The second lake was truly my favourite of the five: banked by sturdy pines on one side, the clear blue ripples are fed by a glacial stream on the other, encapsulating what it means to truly be in an alpine environment. There is a phenomenal chance for a photo here, on a rock that juts out on the opposite side of the lake, so think to bring your tripod. We sat and had our lunch here on some protruding rocks, but I also think it would be appropriate to eat at the third lake, as it had more open space to spread yourself out. The hike to the third lake involved wider tracks, and a few uphill scrambles, but a lot shorter in time and distance compared to the hike to the second lake.
This third lake is perhaps more subtle in its elegance, but comes ready with a mini beach of sorts, in which many tourists were stripping off to make the most of the cool alpine water. There is a water source here as well for those water bottle refills. Because this lake boasts more space, I would suggest this is a good stop for a picnic, but it depends at what time you reach this point on your walk (and when you’re hungry!)
The fourth lake is perhaps the most memorable due to its stunning blue hue. Although this ‘lake’ is more of a reservoir than a natural water point, it owes its lustrous colour to the purity of the glacial water that supplies it. Again, the walk to this point is also quite a long one, but as this lake is considered the star of the show whenever The 5 Lakes Walk is mentioned, it’s definitely worth the wait. Bear in mind swimming is strictly prohibited in this lake, and there is a scarcity of lunch spots.
The last leg of the hike involves making your way up a steep incline to the final lake. Admittedly, we were feeling quite exhausted at this point, and were conscious we didn’t want to miss the last funicular down (remember to check the times before you go!) so this part did seem like a slog, but we were thoroughly rewarded upon arrival of the final lake. Racing against the clock to allow myself a dip in the lake before the last funicular departure, I allowed myself just to float in the water and alleviate my aching bones; this made it SO worth the 13 miles. The lake is more ‘commercialised’ if I may say (infrastructure for children, picnic benches etc) as lots of people just come to this lake for the day to swim it seems, but the water was cool and lovely, and the lounge-style benches allowed us to catch five minutes of peace before making our way back up to the funicular.
At this point, you’ll notice there is a funny looking cable car on a rail that chivvies between the lake and Sunnegga station: this is the shuttle and it is free (I would highly suggest you use it, otherwise you’re in for another sharp hike up to the station). This leads you directly to the funicular, and remember to hold onto your funicular tickets as you’ll need to scan them when you exit at the bottom in Zermatt.
HIGHLIGHTS
The cable car ride from Sunnegga to Blauherd: you could choose to skip this part and hike to Blauherd from Sunnegga instead, but it will be a leg-burner and you’ll miss out on the spectacular views offered from the cable car itself. At a gentle speed, and a steady incline, the mountain-scape will open itself around you, and you’ll be able to spot the fifth lake below you!
The colour of the fourth lake- it looks like someone has thrown a bunch of blue food colouring into the water, but its completely natural glacial water, and it looks just as good as the photographs.
The wildlife- you might be thinking it’s too sparse of an environment to encourage wildlife, but it’s quite to the contrary; not only will you see swathes of delicate alpine flowers if you come late Spring/early summer, you’re in for a chance of seeing marmots, Switzerland’s famous burrowing rodent. If you hear a high-pitched squeak, you can be sure you’re close by to these relatively unafraid creatures.
did you hike any mountains?