How to Visit Rothorn, Blauherd and Sunnega in Zermatt, Switzerland
The Rothorn cable car route is one of the best things to do in Zermatt. It’s filled with endless views of the Matterhorn, scenic hiking trails, and unique experiences like go-karting down a mountain and fine dining along a trail. In this guide, learn everything you need to know to visit Rothorn in Zermatt, including how to get there, when to go, costs, things to do, and more!
Zermatt is famous for its views of the Matterhorn, epic hiking trails, scenic cable car rides, and unique outdoor adventures, and on a trip to Rothorn, you’ll get all of this!
Rothorn is one of Zermatt’s three main mountain excursions (the other two are Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat).
To get to Rothorn, you’ll ride a series of different lifts from Zermatt- a funicular, a gondola, and a cable car- that travel to three different mountain stations: Sunnegga, Blauherd, and Rothorn. Each of the stations has their own unique collection of views, hikes, and activities, making it possible to spend a full day on this cable car route and never get bored!
While it seems to be the least popular of the three peaks, Rothorn is definitely worth a visit. In one day, you can see the Matterhorn’s reflection in a scenic alpine lake, hike to an alpine hut for lunch, ride a mountain kart down the peak, dine at gourmet restaurants in a small mountainside hamlet, and relax at a small lake-side beach with Matterhorn views.
Sounds like a pretty perfect day, right?
In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to visit Rothorn, Blauherd and Sunnega in Zermatt. We’ll tell you how to get there, how to get tickets, the best time to go, things to do at each cable car station, and share all our best tips along the way.
In this Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga guide:
How to Get From Zermatt to Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga
The large cable car that goes to the Rothorn summit in Zermatt
Sunnegga, Blauherd, and Rothorn are three mountain stations along a cable car route near Zermatt, Switzerland. The route ends on the summit of a peak called Unterrothorn.
As you leave Zermatt, Sunnegga is the first station at 2,288 meters, Blauherd is the second station at 2,571 meters, and Rothorn is the final summit station at 3,103 meters.
To get to each of these stations, you’ll take a combination of different types of lifts, including a funicular, a gondola, and a large cable car, so it’s definitely not a boring journey!
It is possible to hike from Zermatt all the way up to Rothorn, and each station in between, but this certainly is not the most popular way to get to these stations- this would require several hours of steep uphill hiking.
If you do want to hike in Zermatt, the better option is to take the lifts up to Rothorn at the top, and then hike back down to each subsequent station. This way the hiking is much easier, and the views of the Matterhorn will be mostly in front of you!
We’ll share our favorite trails on the Rothorn cable car route in just a little bit, but first, let’s go over the different cable cars to get to each of these mountain stations.
Zermatt to Sunnegga
The first mode of transportation you’ll take is a funicular from downtown Zermatt to Sunnegga.
The bottom station for the funicular is on the northeastern end of town, called the Sunnegga, Blauherd, Rothorn Funicular and Cable Car Station on Google Maps and it’s easy to walk to from anywhere in town.
The bottom station for the Rothorn cable car route in Zermatt (there was a lot of construction going on when we visited!)
Once in the station, you’ll walk through a long tunnel to get to the funicular, where you can walk up the steps along either side of the funicular and hop in. If it’s busy, you might have to stand, but the ride is very short- it takes just 5 minutes. The funicular stays in a tunnel the entire time, so there are no views from this ride.
The Sunnegga funicular
Sunnegga to Blauherd
Once at Sunnegga, step outside of the station to explore the area, or follow signs that lead to Blauherd/Rothorn to find the gondola station.
The gondola ride from Sunnegga to Blauherd takes about 5-6 minutes.
The gondola from Sunnegga to Blauherd- the Mattherhorn is trying to peek out here!
Blauherd to Rothorn
In Blauherd, you’ll exit the gondola and walk through the bottom floor of the station, past the mountain karts (more on those later!). Follow signs to Rothorn, which will require you head up the stairs or elevator to the top floor of the station. Here, you can exit the station to explore Blauherd, or follow signs for Rothorn to continue up the mountain.
To get from Blauherd to Rothorn, you’ll ride in a giant cable car. These aren’t continuous- there are only two of these trams that run back and forth between the stations, so you might have a bit of a wait before the cable car leaves the station.
There are a few benches in the cable car, but it’s mostly standing room only if it gets really busy.
This cable car takes about 5-6 minutes to get to Rothorn.
Waiting for the Rothorn cable car to head up the mountain
How long does it take to get from Zermatt to Rothorn?
If you are going straight through, plan for about a half hour to get from Zermatt to Rothorn, which accounts for travel time on each lift, time navigating each station, and a little bit of potential wait time for the Rothorn cable car.
When are the Rothorn cable cars open?
The Rothorn cable car schedule changes depending on the time of year. In the peak of summer, the cables cars run generally start at 8 pm, with the last descent to Zermatt from the Sunnegga station at 6 pm. Check the most up-to-date Rothorn timetables here (click on the Summer Timetable button) and be sure to read it carefully as each of the different parts of the cable car route has its own set of times. Also check any footnotes carefully for more specific opening and closing dates and planned maintenance closures.
How Much Does it Cost to Visit Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga?
You’ll get awesome views of the Matterhorn from the Rothorn cable car route on a clear day!
You can buy one-way or roundtrip tickets from Zermatt to any of the mountain stations, or between any of the two stations (for example, Sunnegga to Blauherd).
Prices change depending on the time of year. It’s cheapest to visit in the winter months between November and April. Highest prices are the peak months of July and August, while midrange prices are in May, June, September, and October.
For the most up-to-date prices, be sure to check the official website here.
You can buy tickets for Rothorn in advance at the link above, but we didn’t find this to be necessary. It’s super easy to just arrive at the Zermatt station and buy tickets either at the service desk or a self-service kiosk right inside the station.
And that’s exactly what we did- we bought tickets right inside the station and then took the lifts up right after without any issues or any lines. This cable car route definitely seems to be the least popular in Zermatt and crowds weren’t an issue here. To give you an idea, we showed up at the station mid-morning on a day the Matterhorn was actually out, and we were able to just hop right on all the lifts easily. In fact, the final tram up to Rothorn was basically empty!
In general, we don’t recommend buying any Zermatt lift tickets too far in advance. Weather in Zermatt is pretty fickle and unpredictable, and the forecasts change often. We’d recommend waiting one or two days beforehand, if not the day of, before making any concrete plans and buying tickets. If the weather is bad and the views aren’t out, it’s pretty hard to justify the high ticket prices of these lifts!
An important note about Rothorn cable car tickets:
If you buy individual tickets like this, you are free to hop off at any intermediary station to explore before hopping back on and continuing on the journey. So for example, if you bought a ticket for Zermatt to Rothorn, you are able to hop off in Sunnegga to explore and get back on, and you can then hop off at Blauherd to explore before getting back on and continuing up to Rothorn. At each station, you scan your lift ticket to get both on and off the lift, which is how the system tracks where you’ve been.
But this is the important part- you cannot re-ride any portion of the cable car route in any given direction. So for example, let’s say you bought the one-way ticket from Zermatt to Rothorn. You decided to get off at Blauherd and then hike down to Sunnegga. To get back on at Sunnegga would mean that you would re-ride the lift between Sunnegga and Blauherd, which you can’t do- you’d have to buy a new one-way ticket between Sunnegga and Blauherd to do this.
For this reason, it’s definitely helpful to have a plan and know how you want to explore this cable car route and which exact tickets you might need. If you’re budget-conscious, you’ll want to plan out the most efficient route so that you don’t have to buy extra tickets between stations.
In just a bit, we’ll go over all the awesome things to do on the Rothorn cable car route and give you ideas for how to best plan your time!
How to save money on the Rothorn cable cars
Switzerland is an expensive place to visit, and Zermatt is no exception! The lifts in Zermatt come with a big ticket price, but luckily there are a few different ways to save a bit (and sometimes a lot!) of money.
Visit Rothorn in the afternoon
If you visit Rothorn in the afternoon (after 1:30 pm), you can buy discounted lift tickets! You can check the prices here, however you cannot buy these online- only at the ticket counter in Zermatt on the day of. This is a great option if you know the forecast looks good all day and the mountain is out. You don’t need an entire day to explore this cable car route, so starting at 1:30 pm will still give you plenty of time to do most of the awesome things to do on Rothorn.
Hike
As we said before, a great way to explore Rothorn is to take the lifts all the way to the top, and then hike part or all of the way back down. This will allow you to bypass some of the lifts back down the mountain to save some money.
There are hiking trails between each of the stations, so you can spend a full day hiking from Rothorn all the way back to Zermatt, or just hiking between one or two stations and taking the lifts the rest of the way down.
After planning out your day, you can then buy only the lift tickets you need rather than wasting money on unused portions of a full roundtrip ticket.
Hiking near Rothorn is a great way to save some money and experience more of the awesome views!
The Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card
If you plan on visiting a few different regions of Switzerland, it’s a good idea to purchase either a Swiss Travel Pass or a Swiss Half Fare Card. These travel passes get you discounts on train and bus travel throughout the country.
The Swiss Travel Pass is a one-time purchase that gets you free and unlimited travel on trains and buses throughout the country. You buy the pass based on the number of days you plan on spending in Switzerland. While it sounds like a good deal, this pass is quite pricey, so it might not be totally worth the cost.
The Swiss Half Fare Card is a one-time purchase that is good for one month and gets you half off all train and bus travel in Switzerland. It’s much cheaper than the Swiss Travel Pass, so this is the card that is often more worth getting.
Both passes get you 50% off most of the mountain lifts around Switzerland- including those in Zermatt! So with either the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card, each of the lifts to Rothorn is half off- quite a big savings!
To decide which of these passes would be more worth it for you, it’s really good to have a rough itinerary for your Switzerland trip. Figure out what trains, buses, and mountain lifts you’ll likely be taking and add the ticket costs up. Then compare that total to the discounted prices, plus the cost of the travel pass. This will give you a rough idea of whether one of these passes would be worth the purchase (it usually is!).
For more info on each of these passes and whether or not they might be worth it for you, check out our Zermatt Guide.
The Peak Pass
The Peak Pass is a local Zermatt pass that gets you unlimited rides on all the mountain lifts in Zermatt, including the Rothorn funicular and cable cars. It’s a one-time purchase based on the number of days you plan on using it. And if you have the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, the Peak Pass is 25% off.
While this seems like a no-brainer, it may actually not be the most cost-effective travel pass to get in Zermatt. If you didn’t buy a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, then the Peak Pass is definitely worth it, but if you already have one of these other travel passes, then the Peak Pass might not be the most cost-effective way to buy Zermatt lift tickets.
For example, we planned to only ride up to each of Zermatt’s three peaks (Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and Rothorn) once. When we added up the cost of each of the individual roundtrip tickets with the discounted half off rates using our Half Fare Card and compared it to the cost of the discounted Peak Pass, the individual tickets were actually cheaper.
In this case, the Peak Pass really only becomes worth it if you plan on visiting some of the peaks more than once, or you really want or need a lot of flexibility to ride and re-ride each of the lifts.
You can check out the most up-to-date prices and buy a Peak Pass here. Prices vary depending on the season.
One more piece of advice we have regarding the Peak Pass is to not buy it too far ahead of time. Again, you want to make sure you’re going to have a clear forecast to really make the most of this pass. Wait a day or two before your trip to Zermatt to have a good idea of the what the weather looks like before you commit to this pass. If you’re going to be rained out a majority of the days you’re in Zermatt and end up not going up the mountains, this pass would be kind of a waste! This is why we’d also really only recommend buying a shorter-term Peak Pass for 1,2, or 3 days. Anything more than that and you’re really risking it weather-wise.
Things to Do on the Rothorn Cable Car Route
Now that we’ve gone over all the important logistics of getting from Zermatt to Rothorn, it’s time for the fun stuff! Here, we’ll share all the reasons why visiting Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga in Zermatt should be on your to-do list!
Things to do at Rothorn
Rothorn is the highest station on this cable car route, so expect big views and epic trails!
Take in the view
As soon as you step off the cable car at Rothorn, you’ll walk onto a wide open summit with panoramic views over the Swiss Alps, and an incredible shot right towards the Matterhorn. Below, you’ll see the valley between the Rothern and Gornergrat peaks, with various lakes and hiking trails weaving through the landscape (some of which we’ll mention in just a bit!).
You’ll likely be entranced by the view, but don’t forget to wander to the other side of the summit for awesome views of the Findeln Glacier.
The view of the Matterhorn from the Rothorn station
More Rothorn summit views. In the valley below you can see lots of hiking trails weaving across the slopes- these are primarily part of the popular 5 Lakes Loop Trail which we talk more about below.
The beautiful Findeln Glacier
Walk on the Peak Collection Trail
The Peak Collection is a short half kilometer trail that wraps around the Rothorn summit. It’s an easy and quick walk, and along the way you’ll find 18 signs, or “sculptures” with information about all the peaks you can see from Rothorn.
The Peak Collection Trail on Rothorn
Grab a bite to eat
Have lunch with a view at the Rothorn Restaurant.
The Rothorn restaurant
Go for a hike
A few different hiking trails start from the Rothorn summit.
One is the hike to Oberrothorn, the tall peak sitting just behind Rothorn on a trail called the “Path to Freedom”- which is actually the highest maintained hiking trail in Europe! A steep and rocky trail leads up to higher panoramic views over Rothorn, Zermatt, and the Alps.
Roundtrip, the hike from Rothorn to Oberrothorn and back is about 6 km and will take around 3 hours. Or, you can hike from Rothorn to Oberrothorn and on the way down, combine it with another Rothorn hike- the Kristallweg trail.
The Kristallweg trail is an approximately 5 km hike that connects Rothorn to Blauherd (the next station below), and it does so by going past a scenic mountain hut (Fluhalp) where you can stop for a rest and a bite to eat, and the famous Stellisee Lake.
Views from the Crystal Trail of the Findeln Glacier and Fluhalp mountain hut
Matterhorn views from the Crystal Trail near Rothorn
We loved the Kristallweg trail in Zermatt- it was quite the unexpected surprise! It has great views of mountains, glaciers, and the Matterhorn the entire way, and it was virtually empty! We saw maybe 5 other people the entire time up until Stellisee Lake.
While the hike is pretty straightforward, it does get steep and rocky, like most trails in Zermatt, but overall it’s a great hike to do if you have a few extra hours in your day.
Go mountain biking
There are lots of mountain biking trails around Zermatt, and Rothorn is no exception! Wide gravel tracks lead from summit all the way down the mountain. It’s pretty common to bring bikes up via the lifts and then ride back down. Visit the Zermatt site for more information about mountain biking trails at Rothorn and beyond.
A gravel mountain bike path winding off the Rothorn summit
We saw several mountain bikers heading down from the Rothorn summit, as well as from Gornergrat, one of Zermatt’s other peaks. But just be careful! These trails can get rocky and steep, and we even hiked right by a man who was being rescued via helicopter due to a mountain bike accident.
Things to do at Blauherd
Blauherd is the mountain station just below Rothorn, sitting at 2,571 meters above sea level, and there are a surprising number of things to do here!
Take in the views
Of course, the most obvious thing to do at Blauherd is to enjoy the views of the Matterhorn! Exit the station and wander around the different paths to get a straight shot of the mountain.
As you pass by the restaurant and look ahead, you’ll also notice a wooden heart-shaped sign. Head up here to get a great picture of the Matterhorn perfectly framed by the heart!
Matterhorn views from Blauherd
You can also have lunch with a view from the restaurant right outside the station.
Visit Stellisee
One of the best things to do at Blauherd is to hike to Stellisee- one of the most famous lakes in Zermatt! Much like the equally iconic Riffelsee Lake on Gornergrat, Stellisee is perfectly backdropped by the Matterhorn, and on a clear and calm day, the Matterhorn reflects perfectly off the lake’s surface.
The Matterhorn’s reflection in Stellisee
Compared to Riffelsee, Stellisee is quite a bit larger, and it’s further away from the Matterhorn so the mountain may not feel quite as imposing from here, but it’s still an amazing view and worth a visit while you’re in Zermatt.
The hike from Blauherd to Stellisee is short and easy- only 1 km each way. It’s a gradual downhill walk that will take about 20 minutes or so.
From the Blauherd station, follow the wide dirt road and you’ll soon start to see trail signs. These can be a bit confusing since there are so many leading to a bunch of different places, but you’ll want to follow signs to Stellisee, or the 5-Seeweg (5 Lakes Trail). As you pass by the restaurant and approach another ski lift station (Hublot Express), you’ll notice you can either head right down the wide gravel path, or head uphill and right (past the wooden heart sign).
The trailhead to Stellisee- you can go either way here to the lake.
Either way leads to Stellisee. The upper path is more of a hiking trail (a bit more rugged), while the lower path is more of a wide gravel road and is a bit flatter. If you take this lower route, just be sure to follow signs towards Stellisee, as this path branches a bit.
As you start the hike to Stellisee, you’ll round a corner and the mountain views start to immediately open up. Stellisee isn’t immediately visible, but you’ll see the Findeln Glacier with the scenic Fluhalp Hut in the distance. Below is a valley filled with a complex network of trails and some smaller lakes, and behind you will be the epic Matterhorn.
The hike to Stellisee- this is the upper path. You can see the Findeln Glacier in the distance awll as the Fluhalp Hut right beneath it.
Looking back up the trail towards the Blauherd station
As you get closer, Stellisee will come into view. It doesn’t look like much from the trail, but trust us- it gets better.
From this end of Stellisee, you get a scenic view of the Findeln Glacier and Fluhalp hut.
Approaching Stellisee. You can see both trails converging at the lake here.
But be sure to head around the paths to the far end of the lake to get the iconic views of the Matterhorn behind Stellisee, and with any luck, its reflection on the surface.
There are lots of places to sit around the lake and take nice pictures, and we actually didn’t really find this lake to be too busy at all, even midday, which was pretty surprising! Lots of people were coming and going, but no one really lingered too long so this kept crowds pretty reasonable.
Catching those Matterhorn reflections
From Stellisee, you can continue hiking to the Fluhalp Hut to relax, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy the views of the glacier and the Matterhorn. It’s another roughly 2 km roundtrip between the hut and lake with very minimal elevation gain, so it’s a popular detour from Stellisee!
As we mentioned above, you can also hike to Stellisee from Rothorn via the Kristalwegg Trail, which we highly recommend! Check out our Complete Guide to the Kristalwegg Trail for tons more information about how to hike to Stellisee from either Rothorn or Blauherd!
Sunrise at Stellisee
If you want to experience Stellisee at sunrise, which is the best time to see the lake at its calmest (great for reflection shots!) and to beat the midday crowds, then there is an option to take a sunrise tour to Stellisee. The tour includes a one-way or roundtrip ride between Zermatt and Blauherd, as well as breakfast at the Fluhalp hut. You’re free to hike to the lake and hut at your own pace- the purpose of this “tour” is really just to get up to the lake before the lifts start officially running for the day!
The tours are offered Saturday mornings from July through September, with varying start times depending on the sunrise time. Check out the Zermatt site to find tour times and buy a ticket!
Hike the 5 Lakes Trail
The Five Lakes Trail is one of the more popular hikes in Zermatt. It connects Blauherd to Sunnegga, and in the process goes by five scenic lakes, including Stellisee.
In fact, from both Rothorn and Blauherd, you can look down into the valley below and see the trails weaving across the landscape- many of these are actually part of the 5 Lakes Loop!
A view from Blauherd looking down into the valley with the paths of the 5 Lakes Trail
The 5 Lakes Loop is a 10.5 km (6.5 mile) point-to-point trail, so it will take about 3 hours or so to hike. From Blauherd, you’ll start by hiking down to Stellisee lake as we described above, which is the first of the five lakes on this trail (and probably the best!). From Stellisee, follow signs for the 5-Seenweg, which will take you by the Fluhalp Hut and then four more lakes, including Grindjisee, Moosjisee, Grunsee, and Leisee.
We actually opted out of the 5 Lakes Trail despite its rave reviews. The trail did look quite crowded when we were there, and the pictures we saw of the trail and the lakes didn’t really spark our interest enough to feel it was worth it, as we had stellar views from Rothorn and the Kristalwegg Trail already. Plus, Stellisee seems to be the most scenic lake on the route, with the best views of the Matterhorn.
So if you’re like us and don’t really feel like doing the full 5 Lakes Loop, at least head to Stellisee, which isn’t a huge time commitment and gives big bang for your buck.
That said, this trail must be popular for a reason, so we can’t say you should entirely discount it. If you do decide to hike it, let us know what you thought in the comments below!
Ride a mountain cart
Ok, this was definitely one of the most fun, and most unique, things to do in Zermatt!
At Blauherd, you can release your inner Mario Kart by renting a mountain kart and riding down to Sunnegga- but with the added bonus of the Matterhorn backdrop!
Mountain carting in Zermatt!
These little carts are so cute! But they are also super fast, and you’ll be going down a bumpy and steep gravel road down to Sunnegga, so it’s definitely an interesting ride.
You can buy a ticket online but we’d recommend just buying it at the service counter found on the top floor of the Blauherd station.
Once you have your ticket in hand, head down the elevator to the floor below to get geared up!
The ride down to Sunnegga is fast and bumpy, so expect to get rattled around a bit, but after a few minutes, you’ll get the hang of it. It certainly provided a lot of laughs.
Mountain carting with Matterhorn views
The ride is quick- about 15 minutes depending on fast you go, but we thought it was worth it! It’s a little bit more than the price of the gondola ticket between Blauherd and Sunnegga but it will be a unique memory and a more fun way to get down to the next station.
Things to do at Sunnegga
Sunnegga is the lowest mountain station on the Rothorn cable car route, at 2288 meters above sea level, but just because it’s the lowest station doesn’t mean the views aren’t as good or there isn’t as much to do!
Take in the views from Sunnegga
Right as you get off the funicular and step outside of the station, the view of the Matterhorn will dominate. Wander around and enjoy the views!
There’s also a restaurant here where you can eat lunch outside with a view.
Views of the Matterhorn from Sunnegga
Hike the Gourmet Trail from Sunnegga to Zermatt
One of the most popular reasons to visit Sunnegga is to walk the Gourmet Trail. This hiking path connects Sunnegga to Zermatt via the hamlet of Findeln. The reason that this small picturesque hamlet with views of the Matterhorn is such a hotspot is because it’s home to several high-end restaurants serving up gourmet food and drinks, and these restaurants are considered some of the best in Zermatt!
Of course, you’ll have to put some effort to get there, but luckily from Sunnegga, it’s a downhill walk. From Sunnegga, it’s about a one-mile walk to Findeln down straightforward, but relatively steep, wide gravel paths, along which you’ll loose about 240 meters of elevation (or 800 feet).
There are a few different restaurants in the hamlet to choose from, such as Chez Vrony and Findlerhof, so just browse the menus to see what strikes your fancy.
When you’re done, you can burn off the calories by tackling the one mile uphill walk back up to Sunnegga, or you can continue down to Zermatt on one of several trails back to town.
If this is something you’re really interested in, consider buying the Findeln Gourmet Pass, which is a one-time purchase that includes the one-way trip up from Zermatt to Sunnegga, and then 4 courses- one at each of 4 different restaurants along the Gourmet Trail. Check out the prices and buy your ticket here.
We aren’t big foodies so didn’t really have the desire to do the Gourmet Trail, but if you want to experience some fine dining with Matterhorn views, we definitely recommend checking this out.
Ride a kickbike
The Sunnegga kickbikes
Just like you can ride a mountain cart from Blauherd to Sunnegga, you can ride a kickbike from Sunnegga down to Zermatt!
The kickbike is basically an off-road scooter that you can rent right at the Sunnegga station. Check here for prices and to buy a ticket online (or just buy them in person right at the station).
Visit Leisee and the Wolli Fun Park
This Sunnegga experience is definitely geared more towards families! Just below the Sunnegga station is Leisee, a small lake (and the last of the lakes on the 5 Lakes Trail!).
Here, you’ll find a playground for the kids, picnic areas, and even a small beach area for relaxing and swimming.
To get to Leisee, you can walk the wide gravel paths or take the Leissee shuttle, which is a tiny gondola on a rail system that brings you down to the lake fast!
How Much Time Do You Need for Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga?
Taking in epic views of the Matterhorn from the Rothorn cable car route!
This really depends on what you’re looking to do!
A visit can be as short as just a couple of hours if all you’re looking to do is sightsee. Take the lifts up to Rothorn, enjoy the views from each station, and do the short walk from Blauherd to Stellisee and back.
If you want to add on a longer hike, such as the Kristallweg Trail or the 5 Lakes Loop, then add another 2-3 hours to your day, making the trip up to Rothorn a nice half-day excursion.
Or, you could spend your entire exploring the Rothorn cable car route, taking your time, hiking from station to station, eating lunch, and riding a mountain cart.
We personally spent five hours exploring the Rothorn route in Zermatt. We started at the summit, admired the views, hiked to Blauherd on the Kristallweg, picnicked at Stellisee, and go-karted down to Sunnegga before returning to Zermatt.
Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga itinerary: how to plan your time
If you’re looking for a way to plan a half or full day on Rothorn, here’s exactly what we would recommend!
Rothorn Itinerary #1
8 am: Head up to Rothorn, the top mountain station. Enjoy the views and walk the Peak Collection Trail.
8:30- 10:30 am: Hike the Kristallweg Trail to Stellisee and then to Blauherd
10:30- 11:00 am: Rent a mountain cart and ride to Sunnegga
11- 2 pm: Walk the Gourmet Trail to Findeln for lunch and then continue back to Zermatt.
OR
11 -12:30 pm: If you don’t want to hike the Gourmet Trail, just have lunch at the Sunnegga restaurant and take the funicular back to Zermatt.
Rothorn Itinerary #2
8 am: Head up to Rothorn, the top mountain station. Enjoy the views and walk the Peak Collection Trail.
8:30- 12:00 pm: Take the cable car back to Blauherd and hike the 5 Lakes Trail (including Stellisee) to Sunnegga.
12:00- 3:00 pm: Enjoy lunch along the Gourmet Trail and hike back down to Zermatt
OR
12:00- 1:30: Eat lunch at Sunnegga before taking the funicular back to Zermatt.
To make a full day on Rothorn, hike all three trails back to Zermatt: The Kristallweg Trail, the Five Lakes Loop, and the Gourmet Trail!
Best Time to Visit Rothorn in Zermatt
This guide focuses on visiting Rothorn in the summer. If you’re looking to hike, we’d recommend visiting Rothorn between July and mid-September.
July and August are peak months so it will be a bit more crowded, and more expensive. However, trails should be snow and ice-free and temperatures will be at their warmest.
July through September is the best time to visit Rothorn if you want to hike!
Another big plus to visiting in peak season is that the lifts throughout Zermatt tend to have longer daily operating times, meaning they tend to start earlier in the day and stop later into the evening so that you can make the most of your days in Zermatt.
By September, the weather in Zermatt can start getting fickle. Typically September is known to have pretty good weather, but when we visited the French and Swiss Alps in September, we experienced all kinds of weather, from heat waves, thunderstorms, and rain to freezing temperatures and snow- so just be prepared for anything!
But, no matter when you visit Zermatt, just know that the weather is often unpredictable, and it’s really a game of luck for when the Matterhorn will be out. Even if it’s a clear and sunny day otherwise, the Matterhorn might be hiding behind a veil of clouds- it tends to make its own weather.
With that said, the morning does tend to be best for viewing the Matterhorn, as clouds tend to roll in by the afternoon. So we definitely recommend planning a visit to Rothorn in the morning if you can.
This was our view of the Matterhorn from Rothorn between morning and mid-afternoon
This was the view of the Matterhorn later that same day
Morning is also a great time to visit Rothorn because it’s when you’ll have your best chance at Matterhorn reflections on Stellisee, and a chance to visit before things get more crowded by midday.
Evenings are also a good time for reflections off the lake and to avoid higher crowds, but evening light is a bit harsh since the sun tends to set behind the Matterhorn. Plus, the lifts back to Zermatt don’t run too late into the evening, so if you want to stay after 6 pm, you’ll have to hike back down to Zermatt.
Rothorn weather and webcams
Before visiting Rothorn and making concrete plans, be sure to check the forecasts- we recommend checking a day or two in advance max (if not the day of) as forecasts change often leading up to the day- that’s mountain weather for ya!
It’s best to be flexible and try to pick a day when the weather is good- these lift tickets are expensive and you’ll want to make the high price tag worth it!
Weather and clouds can change quickly in Zermatt!
We also loved checking the webcams around Zermatt before making any decisions as well. It can be hard to see the Matterhorn from town depending on where you’re staying, but there are webcams at most of the mountain stations around Zermatt so that you can see what your view will be like and if the Matterhorn is out.
This came in handy for us particularly on our visit to Rothorn. That morning, Zermatt was in a foggy cloud, with zero visibility of the Matterhorn or the surrounding mountains. But, checking the webcams showed that we were actually in an inversion, and the mountains were visible from most of the mountain stations above Zermatt!
Also, depending on how any low-hanging clouds sit in each of the valleys around Zermatt, some mountain stations may have Matterhorn views while others don’t, so checking webcams can help you plan out your day ahead.
When we visited, Blauherd station was in a cloud in the morning, but the cable car to Rothorn brought us above the clouds to gorgeous Matterhorn views!
Is Rothorn Worth Visiting?
With three popular mountain excursions in Zermatt- Rothorn, Gornergrat, and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise- you might be wondering if a visit to Rothorn is worth it, particularly if you have a limited time in Zermatt.
For us, it totally was. We loved that the whole route felt a little bit quieter than the other Zermatt peaks, we thought there were great views, we loved Stellisee, and we loved the unique experience of mountain carting down a mountain! There’s a lot of opportunities for hiking here, and a lot of places to eat with a view.
With that said, if you did only have time for one or two peaks in Zermatt, we would recommend Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat before we recommend Rothorn.
While the views of the Matterhorn are great from Rothorn, this peak is the furthest from the famous mountain so it doesn’t feel quite as imposing or in-your-face here.
Our favorite hikes and views of the Matterhorn were on the other two peaks, including the Gornergrat hike to Riffelsee, and the Matterhorn Glacier Trail.
Views from Gornegrat in Zermatt
Incredible close-up views of the Matterhorn on the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
THINGS TO DO AT GORNERGRAT (+ Complete Travel Guide!)
HOW TO VISIT MATTERHORN GLACIER PARADISE (+ Things to Do!)
But it does really all depend on what you’re looking for. If you’re a foodie looking to dine in a unique setting, visiting Sunnegga and hiking the Gourmet Trail should probably be on the top of your Zermatt to-do list before anything else.
If you do have the time in Zermatt to visit all three peaks, though, Rothorn is definitely worth it without a doubt.
Tips for Visiting Rothorn in Zermatt
Here are a few extra tips for having the best experience on your Rothorn visit.
Wear a good pair of hiking shoes- The hikes around Zermatt are pretty rugged, so make sure you have the proper footwear with good traction and stability.
Wear sunscreen- You’ll be constantly exposed to the sun here and at high altitude, so sun protection is a must.
Hang on to your lift tickets- Once you buy your lift tickets, keep them in a safe place! You have to scan them each time you get off and on each of the lifts up to Rothorn.
More Zermatt Guides
Looking for more info to help you plan your Zermatt vacation? Be sure to check out all our Zermatt guides!
Things to Do in Zermatt, Switzerland + Complete Zermatt Summer Guide
Best Zermatt Itinerary for 1 to 4 Days
How to Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
How to Visit Gornergrat in Zermatt
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail: The Complete Guide
How to Hike to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt, Switzerland
The Kristallweg Trail in Zermatt (+ How to Hike to the Famous Stellisee Lake!)
How to Visit Riffelsee- Zermatt’s Famous Lake
Are you planning a trip to Zermatt and want to visit Rothern, Blauherd and Sunnegga? Let us know what questions you have below!