Zermatt Itinerary For 1 to 4 Days (Summer Edition)
Are you looking to spend one to four days in Zermatt, Switzerland? Let us help you plan your trip! Our Zermatt itineraries will show you how to hit all the best highlights and sights of Zermatt in just one to four days, including the famous Riffelsee Lake, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and more. Plus, we’ll give you all our best tips for planning a Zermatt itinerary, like when to go, what passes you’ll need, and more!
A visit to Zermatt is a must for any Switzerland itinerary! This small and picturesque mountain town tucked in between the Swiss Alps is known for its incredible views of the famous Matterhorn, but there’s so much more to it than that!
Zermatt is home to the highest cable car station and viewing platform in Europe, the highest restaurant in Europe, and the highest open-air cogwheel train in Europe! Between these, and all the scenic cable car rides, epic hiking trails, and unique mountain adventures, Zermatt should definitely be high up on the Switzerland bucketlist for anyone who loves hiking and some fun outdoor adventure.
But how many days do you need in Zermatt? And how should you plan your time there?
With so many different cable cars, hikes, and viewpoints, it might seem a bit overwhelming to figure out how to put together a perfect Zermatt itinerary. And we know that Zermatt will probably be just one part of your larger Switzerland itinerary, so your time will be limited. But we’re here to help!
In this guide, we’ll share with you how we would plan a perfect Zermatt itinerary for one to four days based on our own experiences in this epic Swiss town. We’ll include all the best highlights of Zermatt, like Gornergrat, Riffelsee, and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, as well as some of the best Zermatt hikes, and some unique adventures as well. We’ll give you hour-by-hour game plans for each day, include a map of everything we share in our Zermatt itineraries, give all our best tips for planning a Zermatt itinerary, and provide links to all our other helpful Zermatt guides that will be useful for learning about all the amazing places we talk about in our itineraries.
Are your ready to plan your perfect Zermatt itinerary? Let’s get to it!
In this Zermatt itinerary and guide:
How Many Days Do You Need in Zermatt, Switzerland?
You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of time in Zermatt to go on some epic hikes and take in all the Matterhorn views!
We know that Zermatt will likely be just one part of your larger itinerary through Switzerland or the Alps, so you won’t have a ton of time here. But the good news is that you don’t need a ton of time. You just need to plan it well (and keep your fingers crossed for good weather!).
We’d recommend spending 4 days in Zermatt if you can. There are three main cable car lines/alpine excursion sites in Zermatt that we’d consider must-dos for your Zermatt itinerary, and while theoretically you can fit it all into two very well-planned and jam-packed days in Zermatt, we recommend giving yourself more time.
For one, you don’t want to feel rushed through everything. Lift tickets in Zermatt are expensive, so it’s good to make the most of each one of them. With four days, you can dedicate a full one to each of the excursion sites.
But more importantly, you’ll want some contingency time for bad weather. Weather in Zermatt’s mountains can be all over the place, and often, the Matterhorn is hiding behind a thick veil of clouds. Having more days in Zermatt gives you a better chance of getting good clear days where you can actually see the Matterhorn (because that’s the whole reason you’re here, right?!).
Matterhorn views in Zermatt!
We spent 4 and a half days in Zermatt and we absolutely needed all that time to do everything we wanted to do and get the views we wanted, since only half of that time gave us good weather. If we didn’t give ourselves that much time, we definitely wouldn’t have been able to see everything we wanted to see (at least with the Matterhorn in view). While in Switzerland, we heard stories of people who spent several days in Zermatt only to see the actual Matterhorn for about 20 minutes in total- the rest of the time it was hiding.
It really comes down to luck, and the more time you can spend in Zermatt, the more chances you’ll give yourself to see the mountain from several of the different viewpoints and hikes across the valley.
That said, we know that not everyone has that much time to spare, as Zermatt is often one part of a larger itinerary through Switzerland or the Alps. So in this guide, we give itinerary suggestion for one to four days in Zermatt to help you plan your time. With those shorter itineraries, you’ll just have to keep your fingers crossed that the weather cooperates!
About This Zermatt Itinerary
Before we dive in, here are a few things to know when planning out your Zermatt itinerary.
Best things to do in Zermatt and Zermatt travel passes
There are three main mountain excursion sites in Zermatt- The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and Rothorn. From Zermatt, you’ll take separate cable car routes to get to each one, and along the way, the cable cars stop at various mountain stations with their own collection of things to do, hiking trails, and views of the Matterhorn.
The cable car rides in Zermatt are epic and bring you to all the best things to do in Zermatt!
Many of the best things to do in Zermatt are found along these cable car routes, and our Zermatt itineraries focus on these mountain excursion sites.
Each of these Zermatt cable car routes require tickets. You can buy these tickets ahead of time online, or you can simply go to the bottom station of each cable car route in Zermatt and buy them there before heading up.
We found the latter option the best- we never had an issue with buying in person and hopping on the next lift up. Plus, staying flexible and waiting to buy any tickets will help you work around any unfavorable weather. Weather in Zermatt can be unpredictable, and forecasts change often. We often would check the weather the morning of and make plans from there, because we didn’t want to buy a ticket too far in advance and end up wasting our money on expensive cable car tickets because of bad weather!
There are also a few money-saving travel passes you could consider getting. There are quite a few of them relevant for travel in Switzerland and it can get a bit confusing trying to figure out which ones will be actually cost-efficient, but the ones most relevant specifically for a Zermatt itinerary are:
The Peak Pass: This pass is a one-time purchase that gives you unlimited access to all three of Zermatt’s cable car routes. You buy it based on the number of days you’ll be using it. For us, we found that it wasn’t quite worth it after we added up the costs of all the lifts we’d be using. Plus, if you buy it too far in advance and end up having bad weather, it’s probably not very cost-efficient. So again, if you’re thinking of getting this Zermatt pass, try to wait until at least a few days out, when you can get a better idea of the forecast for the next dew days.
The Peak2Peak Pass: This pass is good for people who have one or two days in Zermatt. The Peak2Peak Pass gives you access to two of the Zermatt cable car routes- The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat- for one day at a discounted price. It’s good for those on a tight timeframe in Zermatt and who need to visit both sites in one day…but keep in mind that this pass is only available in July and August in the summer season.
The Swiss Travel Pass: The Swiss Travel Pass is a general Switzerland Pass that gets you unlimited travel on all the trains and buses in the country. You buy it based on the number of days needed, and it is quite pricey, so may not be the most cost-efficient option unless you plan on doing a lot of train travel in a short amount of time. It does also give you half off most Switzerland lifts, including the cable cars in Zermatt, and gives additional discounts on the Peak Pass and Peak2Peak Pass.
The Swiss Half Fare Card: The Swiss Half Fare Card gives, as the name suggests, half off all Switzerland bus and train travel, plus half off most cable cars, including those in Zermatt (as well as discounts on the Peak Pass and Peak2Peak Pass). It’s a lot less expensive than the Swiss Travel Pass and is good for an entire month, so this pass is often more cost-efficient for people traveling short term through the country.
Planning out your Zermatt itinerary in advance is super helpful (and if you’re reading this, you’re already ahead of the game!) because it will help you estimate costs and help you figure out which travel passes might save you a bit of money. While planning your Zermatt itinerary, be sure to check out our complete Zermatt guide for more info about these different passes and how to choose which ones might be best!
Best time to visit Zermatt
Our Zermatt itineraries are designed for visiting in the summer, as they focus on hiking and sightseeing. For this, we recommend visiting Zermatt sometime between late June or early July to mid- to late September. This is when the high elevation trails tend to be snow-free (though any given year can differ for when the snow melts and when it starts up again!).
Snow-free trails in Zermatt in the summer!
July and August are the peak months in Zermatt, as the days are longest and the weather is warmest. But there are a few other pretty important benefits for visiting Zermatt in the peak months despite the higher crowds- and they have to do with the lift schedules.
In July and August, the lifts tend to have longer daily operating schedules- meaning they tend to start a little earlier in the morning and run a bit later into the afternoon versus spring, winter, and fall months. This is important for those with only a few days in Zermatt because it means you could potentially squeeze more things into each day and make the most of your time.
If you only have one or two days in Zermatt, July and August are the months we recommend visiting Zermatt not only for these longer lift times, but because these are the only months that the Riffelberg Express (the cable car that connects Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with Gornergrat) operates, and it makes it much easier to visit the two sites in a single day. These months are also the only time the Peak2Peak Pass is available, which will allow you to save money on visiting these two peaks in the same day as well (don’t worry, we’ll go over all of this in the itineraries below!).
September is a shoulder season month that typically sees fewer crowds but still has historically decent weather, so it’s often recommended to visit then. We visited Zermatt in early September and didn’t get quite so lucky. We saw the whole gamut of weather in just a short amount of time, including days of rain, freezing temperatures, early snowfall, and also hot sunny days. All this to say that you just never really do know what the mountain weather will bring, so come prepared for anything!
And even if you do come in those peak summer months, keep in mind that temperatures can still get quite cool in the evenings and up in the mountains, so be sure to pack layers!
Freezing temperatures up at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in early September!
Have flexibility in your Zermatt itinerary
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again (and again and again because it’s so important!)… the weather in Zermatt is unpredictable, and the Matterhorn specifically is particularly moody- it can be out one minute and hiding the next, and you never really know what she’s gonna do.
On this particular day, afternoon clouds quickly formed around the Matterhorn, which hid for the rest of the day!
While we do outline specific Zermatt itineraries here, likely you won’t be able to follow them to a T unless you have perfect weather each day (which, by the way, is highly unlikely).
Use these Zermatt itineraries as a guide for planning your trip, but we don’t recommend making any concrete plans (i.e. buying lift tickets or Zermatt-specific passes) too far in advance. Forecasts change frequently, so we recommend waiting a day or two in advance at most to check the weather one last time and decide whether or not it’s worth it to purchase any passes. Or if you’re really flexible, you can use our strategy: wake up each day, check the weather, check the webcams, and make a plan from there!
The webcams around Zermatt are super helpful when it comes to making plans. They are placed at many of the mountain stations in the area and allow you to see the kind of views you’d get if you were to head up there. You can’t see the Matterhorn from everywhere in town, but even if you are somewhere where you can see it, it might not be totally representative of what things look like higher up. Sometimes Zermatt Valley was in an inversion, so while the day looked gloomy and viewless from below, the webcams showed clear skies and views of the Matterhorn from the higher mountain stations! Or depending on where the clouds lie between all the different valleys in the area, the Matterhorn might be visible from Gornergrat, but not Rothorn, for example.
Once we checked the forecasts and webcams, we had no problem simply heading to the bottom lift stations in Zermatt, buying our lift tickets, and heading up on the next set of lifts.
Check all timetables carefully
Each of the three main cable car routes in Zermatt have their own set of daily timetables, and they all change depending on the time of year.
As we said above, the peak summer months usually have the longest running cable cars each day, so you can really make the most of your time in Zermatt.
Be sure to check each of the cable car timetables (for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and Rothorn) before you head out, and to help you plan out your day! Because of these timetables, Zermatt is one place where making an itinerary in advance and planning out your days is critical so you can ensure that you can fit in everything you’re planning to do before the last cable car of the day (and since you’re already here doing just that- go you!). If you miss that last cable car down, you’ll be hiking some long, steep trails back to Zermatt.
Storing luggage in Zermatt
If you arrive to Zermatt earlier in the day and can’t check into your hotel or Airbnb quite yet, but you want to explore or take advantage of nice weather while you can, you do have the option to store your luggage at the train station for a fee. The lockers are located downstairs in the station, and they have all different sizes that range in price from about 5 CHF to 13 CHF for the day.
Luggage lockers in Zermatt’s train station
Some of the lockers take credit card, but some are cash only, and when we arrived midday all the credit card-based lockers were taken, so we suggest having some cash on you if you plan to store any luggage.
Zermatt Itineraries: One to Four Days in Zermatt
Okay, now we can get to the good stuff! Here, we’ll go over how we would plan our time in Zermatt based on our own experiences and favorite things to do!
While we mention all the great things to do throughout our Zermatt itineraries, be sure to check out the links to our other guides that will give a ton more information about each of the mountain excursion sites in Zermatt.
Four day Zermatt itinerary
Four days is an ideal amount of time to spend in Zermatt. There are three main mountain excursion sites in Zermatt, so having four days allow you to spend a day at each one, plus have a contingency day for bad weather. Now, you don’t absolutely need a full day for each of these sites, but having a full day will make it so that you don’t feel rushed, you can work around clouds and weather, and you can have some extra down time each day to explore around town.
Having four days in Zermatt is also good because it will give you some contingency time in case of bad weather on one or two of your days. If that is the case and you get washed out for a day or two, then you can simply follow the 2 and 3 day Zermatt itineraries we list below for the good weather days you do end up getting.
But, if you do happen to have four good days in Zermatt, consider yourself lucky (and maybe go buy a lotto ticket or something), and use this Zermatt itinerary to guide your planning!
Day 1: Visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Views from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise- Europe’s highest viewing platform
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise makes its way onto most Zermatt itineraries. This alpine destination high above Zermatt has Europe’s highest cable car station and viewing platform, with absolutely stunning views of the Matterhorn and surrounding Alps across three different countries (Switzerland, France, and Italy). Up here, you truly feel like you’re in the heart of the Alps, but without the need for intense mountaineering, or even any hiking (though we do suggest adding some hiking into your day, which we’ll get into in just a second…).
To get to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you’ll take a series of 3 to 4 cable cars from the town of Zermatt. There are several mountain stations in route that have their own collections of trails and Matterhorn views, so you can really make a whole day out of this cable car route if you want, and with four days in Zermatt, we really suggest taking advantage of the full day you have here.
Riding the cable car to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is at the top of the Klein Matterhorn, and here you can take in the amazing mountain views, visit an underground ice palace, have a bit to eat, and even go summer skiing!
The stations in route to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise include Furi, Schwarzsee, and Trockener Steg.
Furi is a small mountain village with restaurants and hiking trails- we particularly recommend the short hike to Hangebrucke, a suspension bridge dangling over the Gorner Gorge. From Furi, you can also hike back to Zermatt and visit the Gorner Gorge- a series of elevated walkways through the narrowest parts of a scenic gorge (this has a small fee associated with it so bring cash!).
Schwarzsee is the closest cable car station to the Matterhorn, so you can bet the views here are phenomenal. Schwarzsee is also one end of an incredible point-to-point hike, the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. This relatively short and easy trail takes you through an alien-like landscape of glacial retreat and past some of the most breathtaking up-close views of the Matterhorn you can possibly get. Schwarzsee is also a starting point for the hike to the Hornlihutte- a quite challenging climb to a mountaineer’s hut at the foot of the Matterhorn. We recommend both of these hikes with a full day in the area!
Trockener Steg is the cable car station just before the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and is the common starting point for the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. But we recommend simply getting off at this station to enjoy the views even if you don’t plan on hiking!
A popular photo point near the Schwarzsee cable car station
Epic Matterhorn views along the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, which can be started at either Trockener Steg or Schwarzsee
Hiking to the Hornlihutte at the base of the Matterhorn
For everything you need to know about the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and Hornlihutte hikes, check out our comprehensive trail guides!
HOW TO HIKE THE MATTERHORN GLACIER TRAIL IN ZERMATT
HOW TO HIKE TO THE HORNLIHUTTE IN ZERMATT
Here’s how we would plan our day on Matterhorn Glacier Paradise:
Note that the daily cable car start and end times vary depending on the time of year, so be sure to check the timetables. We suggest getting the earliest start you can, and keep an eye on the clock so that you don’t miss that last car down!
8:00 am: Take the cable cars from Zermatt straight through to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at the summit.
8:45- 10:00am: Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise by heading to the viewing terrace and walking through the Glacier Palace. When done, head back down to the cable car station just below- Trockener Steg.
10:15- 4:00 pm: Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. This will take about 2.5 hours depending on how long you linger to enjoy the views (we lingered a lot!). To make it a longer day on the trails and to get more epic views of the Matterhorn and Alps, add the detour to the Hornlihutte. This should take another approximately 3 to 3.5 hours of hiking- so just be sure to keep your eye on the time so you can be sure to get the last cable cars back to Zermatt (grab lunch at the hut or pack your lunch from Zermatt).
4:00 pm: Take the gondola from Schwarzsee back to Furi and then down to Zermatt.
If you want to skip the challenging hike to the Hornlihutte, this is what we recommend doing:
8:00 am: Take the cable cars from Zermatt straight through to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at the summit.
8:45- 10:00am: Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise by heading to the viewing terrace and walking through the Glacier Palace. When done, head back down to the cable car station just below- Trockener Steg.
10:15- 1:00 pm: Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. This will take about 2.5 hours.
1:00 pm: Take the gondola to Furi and spend some time in Furi by grabbing a bite to eat, hiking to the Hangebrucke, and then hiking down to Zermatt via the Gorner Gorge (or, you can simply take the lift back down to Zermatt and visit the Gorner Gorge from there- it’s usually open until 5:45 pm but check the most up-to-date information here.
4:30 pm: Arrive back in Zermatt.
Day 2: Visit Gornergrat
Gornergrat is the top station along one of the most scenic railways in Europe- the Gornergrat Bahn.
This cogwheel train travels from Zermatt, stopping at several stations along the way before arriving at its final destination at over 3,000 meters in elevation.
The Gornergrat Bahn with Matterhorn views
Riding the Gornergrat Bahn and visiting all the stops along the way is one of the most popular things to do in Zermatt. This rail line has some of the most iconic views of the Matterhorn and some of the most scenic trails in Zermatt. While you don’t need an entire day dedicated to exploring Gornergrat, it’s certainly nice to have- you can take your time and really soak in all the scenery without feeling rushed.
Some of the best things to do along the Gornergrat Bahn include:
Take in the scenery from Gornergrat: The top station, Gornergrat, is one of the most scenic places in Zermatt, and maybe even Switzerland! From here, you’ll get iconic views of the Matterhorn, and absolutely breathtaking views of the massive Gorner Glacier. There are a few viewing platforms up here as well as a short and easy scenic hiking loop.
The Gorner Glacier and Monte Rosa massif
Gornergrat also has an interactive exhibit called ZOOOM the Matterhorn, as well as shops and places to eat.
Visit Riffelsee: Riffelsee is probably the most iconic and picturesque place in Zermatt. This small lake is perfectly backdropped by the Matterhorn, and on a clear calm day, reflects the mountain perfectly on its surface. Chances are, you’ve already seen pictures of this gorgeous view, as it is one of the most photographed spots in Zermatt! Getting here is easy (it’s a quick ten minute walk from the Rotenboden station along the Gornergrat Bahn), but you can also include it as part of a larger hike, which we talk about next!
Matterhorn reflections at Riffelsee
Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelsee and beyond: Scenic hiking trails connect each of the train stations along the Gornergrat Bahn, so a great way to spend a day on your Zermatt itinerary is to take the cogwheel train up the mountain, and then hike as much as you want back down!
One of the best portions of trail to hike is the trail that connects Gornergrat to Riffelsee. Along here, you’ll continue to get great views of the Gorner Glacier, and the Matterhorn is ahead and in sight the entire time. You’ll end the hike at the iconic Riffelsee. From here, you can hop on the train at Rotenboden station to head back down, or continue hiking down to Riffelberg, Riffelalp, or even all the way back down to Zermatt! For tons more information about hiking around Riffelsee and Gornergrat, check out our complete guide to Riffelsee and the Gornergrat hiking trails.
Hiking from Gornergrat to Riffelsee
Here’s how we would plan our day on Gornergrat in Zermatt:
Note that the Gornergrat Bahn schedule changes depending on the time of year, so be sure to check the timetables. Luckily, this train starts fairly early and runs until later in the evening, so you should have plenty of time to fit everything into your Zermatt itinerary. We suggest getting the earliest start you can if avoiding crowds and catching reflections on Riffelsee are your priorities.
8:00 am: Take the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt to Rotenboden and walk to Riffelsee for early morning Matterhorn reflections.
9:30 am – 10:30 am: Take the train from Rotenboden up to Gornergrat. Take in the views at Gornergrat, walk the scenic loop, explore the shops, and experience the ZOOOM the Matterhorn interactive exhibits.
10:30 am and on: Hike! Start from Gornergrat and take the trail as far down as you’d like. It will take about an hour to hike from Gornergrat back down to Riffelsee. From there, you can continue all the way to Riffelberg, Riffelalp, or Zermatt, and spend up to another 3 hours or so on the trail. We recommend stopping in Riffelberg for lunch. When you’re done hiking, take the train back down to Zermatt.
Day 3: Visit Sunnegga, Blauherd, and Rothorn
The Sunnegga, Blauherd, Rothorn cable car route is the last of the three main mountain excursions in Zermatt, and while it seems to be the least popular of the three, there are tons of things to do on this mountain, and a couple of unique adventures, that make it totally worth putting on your Zermatt itinerary.
Of particular note, Stellisee is found on this cable car route and is another famous Zermatt lake. Much like the famous Riffelsee found near Gornergrat, Stellisee is a small mountain lake that has perfect views of the Matterhorn and reflects the mountain on clear calm days.
Stellisee Lake in Zermatt
Stellisee is a bit further of a hike to get to than Riffelsee, though- it’s about a kilometer from the Blauherd station. But, it’s a pretty easy walk, and it’s definitely one of the highlights of this Zermatt cable car route.
There are also several great hiking trails that connect the three different mountain stations of this cable car route. The Crystal Trail runs from Rothorn (at the top) to Blauherd (the midstation), passing by Stellisee along the way. We highly recommend this trail for great views of the Matterhorn as well as the Findeln Glacier and surrounding peaks. It’s all downhill, but it can get quite steep at times.
Hiking on the Crystal Trail in Zermatt
Views of the Findeln Glacier from the Crystal Trail
Another very popular hike in Zermatt is the Five Lakes Trail, which connects the Blauherd station to the lower Sunnegga station, and on the way it goes by five scenic alpine lakes, including Stellisee. This one is a bit longer, at about 10 km (or 6.5 miles), so it will take several hours to complete.
And finally, if you want a unique hiking experience, check out the Gourmet Trail, which runs from Sunnegga all the way down to Zermatt. This trail leads to a few hamlets that have fine-dining restaurants, including one Michelin-rated restaurant. You can simply hike down to the hamlets for some lunch and then back up to Sunnegga, or you can continue your hike all the way back to Zermatt Valley. Either way, you’ll work off some of those delicious calories!
And lastly, one really unique activity on this cable car route is the mountain carts at Blauherd! That’s right- you can become real-life Mario Kart as you ride your way down the gravel roads between Blauherd and Sunnegga. This was definitely one of our favorite experiences in Zermatt. It’s a quick and fast ride, but it’s definitely more fun than taking the lift back down the mountain!
Mountain carting with the Matterhorn in view!
With a full day on the Rothorn cable car route in Zermatt, here are some options for how we would plan our time:
Rothorn Itinerary #1
8 am: Head up to Rothorn, the top mountain station. Enjoy the views and walk the Peak Collection Trail (a short and easy loop trail with interpretive signs).
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. To make the day longer, add on the Five Lakes Trail here. Take the lift back up to Blauherd and hike back down to Sunnegga via the 5 Lakes Trail, which will add about 3 hours or so to this timeline.
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.
As you can see, if you choose to hike all three trails- the Crystal Trail, the 5 Lakes Trail, and the Gourmet Trail- you can easily spend the entire day on this cable car route!
Day 4: Spend time in the town of Zermatt
Exploring the streets of Zermatt and catching Matterhorn views
Really, this fourth day on your Zermatt itinerary is here as a contingency day, because, well, inevitably you will get at least one crummy weather day.
However, if you did get lucky with weather and have this extra day, you can use it to explore the town of Zermatt!
Walk the streets and check out the small shops, bakeries, and restaurants. And be sure to check out great view points of the Matterhorn here and here.
You can also check out the Matterhorn Museum, which is fairly inexpensive and takes you through the history of Zermatt and early mountaineering on the Matterhorn.
You can also use this day to visit the Gorner Gorge if you haven’t already. It’s just about a 2 km (or 30 minute) walk from the train station area of town.
One of the Matterhorn viewpoints in Zermatt
Exploring the streets and shops of downtown Zermatt
If you’re looking for some more adventure, you can also use this day for a more exciting activity, such as paragliding or a helicopter tour (we don’t have experience with either of these but quick google searches will bring up lots of reputable companies).
You can also go summer skiing at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, or have a beginner mountaineering experience by climbing the Breithorn (the snow-topped mountain that sits right next to the Klein Matterhorn) with a guide. Keep in mind that both of these experiences will require you to buy another pass up the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lifts.
If you’re feeling adventurous and want a challenge, take a guided mountaineering tour up to the summit of the Breithorn- seen in this picture taken from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
As you can see, you’ll have no problem filling up your time with four days in Zermatt!
Three day Zermatt itinerary
Three days is a great amount of time to spend in Zermatt. With good luck (i.e. good weather!), this means you’ll have one day for each of Zermatt’s mountain excursions.
The train station and viewing terrace at Gornergrat- a must-see on your Zermatt itinerary!
Basically, we recommend following the first three days of the 4 day Zermatt itinerary above, focusing on each of the mountains. In short:
Day 1: Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Visit the viewing terraces and ice palace at the top, hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail (and hike to the Hornlihutte if you are up for the challenge), visit Schwarzsee, and stop at Furi for a bite to eat or to hike to the Hangebrucke suspension bridge. If you have time, hike back down to Zermatt from Furi, stopping at the Gorner Gorge along the way.
Day 2: Visit Gornergrat. Ride the Gornergrat Bahn to Gornergrat to take in the views, walk a short scenic loop trail, and experience the ZOOOM the Matterhorn interactive exhibit. Visit the famous Riffelsee. Hike the trails between Gornergrat, Riffelberg, and Riffelalp.
Day 3: Visit Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga. Take in the views, hike the Crystal Trail, Five Lakes Trail, and/or Gourmet Trail, and ride a mountain kart!
Day 1 at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise will be a pretty full day, especially if you hike to the Hornlihutte. Day 3 on Rothorn can be a pretty full day as well if you plan on doing all three main hikes down the mountain.
If you want to spend time in town walking the streets, visiting the Matterhorn Museum, or checking out Gorger Gorge, we recommend doing this in the afternoon of day 2. A visit to Gornergrat can be done in a half day, leaving your afternoon free to explore town.
Two day Zermatt itinerary
Matterhorn views along the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route!
If you only have two days in Zermatt (or, at least two good weather days), don’t worry- it’s still possible to visit all three mountain sites in Zermatt. You’ll have to squeeze two into one day, but this is definitely doable, and there are a few ways to do it depending on what your priorities are.
If you are really interested in hiking around Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (hiking the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and the Hornlihutte Trail), then we recommend dedicating one entire day of your Zermatt itinerary to this cable car route. Then, your second day will be split between Gornergrat and Rothorn. You’ll have to make some decisions here on which hikes you want to do, but you’ll still be able to fit one or two good ones in.
If hiking isn’t a big priority to you and you just want the most efficient way to explore all three peaks in two days, then the best way to spend your two days in Zermatt is to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat on one day, and then Rothorn on the next. This is because a cable line connects the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat cable car routes and cuts out quite a bit of travel time between the two (which is good for those on a tight schedule!).
We’ll go over each of these Zermatt itinerary options now.
(And of course, you can always just pick two of the mountain excursions that interest you most and stick to those, visiting one each day and following the daily itineraries for those mountain sites above!)
Two day Zermatt itinerary option 1
This Zermatt itinerary option is for those who want to spend more time hiking around Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
Day 1: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
If you’re an avid hiker, we highly recommend dedicating one full day of your Zermatt itinerary to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route. The hiking here is some of the best we’ve ever done in terms of scenery! And the trails range from easy-going and straightforward to more exposed and challenging.
Essentially, you’ll follow Day 1 of the four day Zermatt itinerary above. In short:
Take the early morning cable cars from Zermatt up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Spend about an hour taking in the views from the terraces and walking through the Glacier Palace.
Take the cable car back to Trockener Steg and hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail towards Schwarzsee
If you’re up for it, take the detour to the Hornlihutte (this will add about three more hours to your day on the trails).
From Schwarzsee, take the cable cars back to Zermatt. If you have time (for example, if you didn’t do the Hornlihutte hike), stop in Furi for a bite to eat or an extra short hike to the Hangebrucke or Gorner Gorge.
Hiking on the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
Hiking to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt
Hiking above Schwarzsee, with views over Zermatt Valley
Day 2: Gornergrat and Rothorn
On this day, you’ll visit two mountain excursion sites. You won’t have time to hike everything we mentioned above so you’ll have to pick and choose, but the good news is that no matter what trail you decide it, it will be absolutely epic.
Here’s how we would plan this day:
7:00 am: Get the first train up to Gornergrat to make the most of your day.
7:30-8:30 am: Take in the views from Gornergrat, walk the scenic loop, and explore the exhibits and shops.
8:30-10:00 am: Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelsee and spend some time at the lake.
10:00-11:00 am: Make the short hike from Riffelsee to Riffelberg and then take the train back down to Zermatt.
You can have a quick lunch in Zermatt now, or bring a packed lunch up to Rothorn (or you can eat at one of the restaurants along the Rothorn cable car route).
12:00 pm: Head up to Rothorn. Take in the views from the top. Eat lunch if you haven’t eaten in Zermatt already.
1:00 pm: Pick one hike by following one of the options below:
Crystal Trail- Hike from Rothorn down to Blauherd, stopping at Stellisee along the way. Then take mountain carts from Blauherd to Sunnegga. From there, take the funicular back down to Zermatt.
5 Lakes Trail- Take the lift from Rothorn back to Blauherd. Hike the Five Lakes Trail via Stellisee down to Sunnegga. From Sunnegga, take the funicular back to Zermatt.
Gourmet Trail- Take the lift from Rothorn to Blauherd and do the short walk to Stellisee and back (it’s worth the short walk just to see this lake!). Then take the lift from Blauherd to Sunnegga and hike the Gourmet Trail. You can choose to hike to the hamlet of restaurants (which will take about an hour) and then back up to Sunnegga to take the funicular down, or you can just hike the rest of the way down to Zermatt.
Exploring Riffelsee
Make sure a trip to Stellisee is on your Zermatt itinerary!
Matterhorn views from the Crystal Trail on Rothorn
Two day Zermatt itinerary option 2
This Zermatt itinerary is for those who want the most efficient way to visit the three Zermatt peaks.
Day 1: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat
On this day, you’ll combine the two most popular cable car routes for one epic day in Zermatt. You really can squeeze in a lot into this day (like us!), but you really have to be cognizant of the time to make sure you can make the last lifts of the day back down to town. To make this day work, it’s especially important to really plan everything out so you know you can fit everything in that you want before the cable cars stop running for the day.
If you want to follow this Zermatt itinerary, we highly recommend visiting Zermatt in July or August. This is because the Zermatt lifts have longer daily operating times, meaning they start earlier in the day, and run a bit later in the afternoon than other months. So, you can make the most of your short time in Zermatt by getting the first lifts up and the last lifts down.
We also recommend visiting Zermatt in July or August because this is when the Riffelberg Express is open. This cable car runs between Furi and Riffelberg, serving as a shortcut between the two cable car routes and saving you the time it would take to head back to Zermatt and walk all the way across town to get between the bottom cable car stations. It’s a big time saver, which is super helpful with a limited time in Zermatt!
Another advantage to visiting in July and August is that you can buy a Peak2Peak Pass, which we mentioned briefly earlier in this guide. This is a money-saving Zermatt pass that gives you access to all the lifts of both the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat cable car routes for one day at a discounted price. This pass is only available in July and August for the summer season when the Riffelberg Express is running, and it’s a great way to save a little bit of money.
That said, it is still possible to follow this Zermatt itinerary outside of these months. We visited Zermatt in September and in one super jam-packed day, we visited the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, hiked the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, hiked to the Hornlihutte, ran across town to the Gornergrat station, took the train up to Rotenboden, and hiked to Riffelsee and Riffelberg before catching the very last train back to Zermatt. It was a lot- but so worth it!
Because the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lifts start running pretty early, and the Gornergrat Bahn runs pretty late into the evening, we recommend visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise first and then Gornergrat to maximize your day. Evening lighting at Riffelsee on the Gornergrat route isn’t the best, but it’s a great time for low crowds and Matterhorn reflections, so it’s still a win in our books!
Evening lighting at Riffelberg on the Gornergrat Bahn line
Here’s how we would recommend planning your day. In this Zermatt itinerary, we show you how to fit in as much as possible, so we have you going up the first lift of the day (assuming you are visiting in July or August). Double check the timetables to confirm when lifts start running based on when you’re visiting. If you don’t plan on doing everything on this itinerary, it’s fine to get a later start.
7:00 am: Take the series of cable cars from Zermatt to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
8:00- 9:00 am: Spend some time taking in the views and visiting the ice palace at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
9:00 am- 2:30 pm: Take the cable car back down to Trockener Steg and hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail towards Schwarzsee. Take the out-and-back detour to the Hornlihutte. Finish the hike at Schwarzsee.
2:30 pm: Take the cable car from Schwarzsee to Furi, and then take the Riffelberg Express from Furi to Riffelberg.
3:00- 4:30 pm: Take the Gornergrat Bahn from Riffelberg to Gornergrat. Take in the views, walk the short scenic trail, and visit ZOOOM the Matterhorn if you have the time and interest.
4:30-5:30 pm: Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelsee and spend some time at the lake.
5:30 pm: It’s been a long day so if you’re tired, simply walk to Rotenboden and take the train back to Zermatt. Or, you can continue the hike to Riffelberg. Grab dinner here, keeping an eye on the time and then take the train back to Zermatt.
As you can see, this is a long and busy day in Zermatt! The hike to the Hornlihutte isn’t for everyone, so skipping this will give you three hours back into this schedule. With this extra time, you can go at a more relaxed pace, or you can continue hiking from Riffelberg down to Riffelalp at the end of the day.
Also keep in mind that if you are doing this Zermatt itinerary outside of the peak months of July and August, you won’t be able to take advantage of the Riffelberg Express, or the earlier start times for the cable cars, so be sure to plan out your day carefully to know what you can fit in. If you need to cut the above itinerary even shorter after removing the Hornlihutte hike, you can skip the hiking on Gornergrat altogether. Simply take the train up to Gornergrat for the views, and then take the train back down to Rotenboden for the short out and back hike to the lake.
Day 2: Visit Rothorn, Blauherd, and SunnegGa
Matterhorn views from the Rothorn route
This day of your Zermatt itinerary will be a bit more relaxed than the previous day!
Basically you’ll follow Day 3 of the four day Zermatt itinerary above. In short, take the lifts from Zermatt to Rothorn to take in the views, hike the Crystal Trail, Five Lakes Trail, and/or Gourmet Trail, and ride a mountain cart!
Because this is a shorter day than yesterday, use the late afternoon and evening to explore the streets of Zermatt.
One day Zermatt itinerary
So, you only have one day in Zermatt? It’s not a lot of time, but you can make it work…just cross your fingers you have great weather!
While the overly ambitious might be able to squeeze in all three mountain excursions sites into one day in Zermatt, we don’t recommend this strategy. You’ll feel super rushed and spend lots of money to not get a full experience on any one cable car route. We recommend picking two sites at most.
If we had to pick two excursion sites for one day in Zermatt, we’d pick Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat. These have the best views and hiking trails in our opinion, and, if you are visiting in July and August, they can be easily connected via the Riffelberg Express as we explained above in our two day itinerary.
And again, if you only have one day in Zermatt, we highly recommend visiting in the peak months of July and August. There will be more crowds, but this is far outweighed by the benefits of longer cable car operating times and the Riffleberg Express.
Hiking towards Schwarzsee at the end of the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and Hornlihutte hikes on the Matterhorn Glacier route
Admiring the views of the Matterhorn from Gornergrat
Here’s how we would plan one day in Zermatt
This is the exact same itinerary we outlined above with the 2 day Zermatt itinerary (Option 2), but we’ll repeat it here. Keep in mind that this assumes you’re visiting in July or August and can take early cable cars up and can take the Riffelberg Express to maximize your limited time.
7:00 am: Take the series of cable cars from Zermatt to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
8:00- 9:00 am: Spend some time taking in the views and visiting the ice palace at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
9:00 am- 2:30 pm: Take the cable car back down to Trockener Steg and hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail towards Schwarzsee. Take the out-and-back detour to the Hornlihutte. Finish the hike at Schwarzsee.
2:30 pm: Take the cable car from Schwarzsee to Furi, and then take the Riffelberg Express from Furi to Riffelberg.
3:00- 4:30 pm: Take the Gornergrat Bahn from Riffelberg to Gornergrat. Take in the views, walk the short scenic trail, and visit ZOOOM the Matterhorn if you have the time and interest.
4:30-5:30 pm: Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelsee and spend some time at the lake.
5:30 pm: It’s been a long day so if you’re tired, simply walk to Rotenboden and take the train back to Zermatt. Or, you can continue the hike to Riffelberg. Grab dinner here, keeping an eye on the time and then take the train back to Zermatt.
As you can see, this is a long and busy day in Zermatt! The hike to the Hornlihutte isn’t for everyone, so skipping this will give you three hours back into this schedule. With this extra time, you can go at a more relaxed pace, or you can continue hiking from Riffelberg down to Riffelalp at the end of the day.
Also keep in mind if you are doing this Zermatt itinerary outside of the peak months of July and August, you won’t be able to take advantage of the Riffelberg Express, or the earlier start times for the cable cars, so be sure to plan out your day carefully to know what you can fit in. If you need to cut the above itinerary even shorter after removing the Hornlihutte hike, you can skip the hiking on Gornergrat altogether. Simply take the train up to Gornergrat for the views, and then take the train back down to Rotenboden for the short out and back hike to Riffelsee.
Can you do a day trip to Zermatt?
People with a very limited time traveling through Switzerland often wonder if it’s possible, or even worth, making a day trip to Zermatt from other popular destinations like Interlaken, Zurich, or Lucerne.
It’s certainly possible, but expect to spend a lot of time on the train, and of course we’d only recommend it if you have a super clear day in Zermatt and great weather, so you’ll just want to have enough flexibility built into your Switzerland itinerary to be able to visit during a clear weather window. If you can swing it, then we think a Zermatt day trip is absolutely worth it for those on a tight schedule- I mean, when else will you be back to see the iconic Matterhorn?!
You’ll have to pick just one of the mountain excursion sites and make the most of your time there (we’d recommend either Gornergrat or Matterhorn Glacier Paradise).
Trains run into and out of Zermatt regularly throughout the day. To get to Zermatt from Zurich or Lucerne, it’s about a 3.5 hour train ride one-way, and Interlaken to Zermatt is about 2.5 hours by train one-way.
Plan to start your day early! Realistically, the earliest you’ll arrive in Zermatt is about 9 am or so if you get one of the first trains out of Interlaken, Lucerne, or Zurich.
Once in Zermatt, the easiest thing to do is visit Gornergrat, as the bottom lift station is literally right across the street from the main train station.
To get to the bottom station for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise it’s about a 20 minute walk from the train station.
Here are ways we would plan a day trip to Zermatt.
Zermatt day trip option 1 (Gornergrat):
Hiking near Gornergrat
9:30 am- Arrive in Zermatt by train. Walk across the street to the Gornergrat Bahn station and take the next train up.
10:30 am- Arrive at Gornergrat. Take in the views, explore the terraces, walk the short scenic loop, browse the shops, and visit ZOOOM the Matterhorn.
11:30 am- Hike From Gornergrat to Riffelsee and spend some time at the lake.
1:00 pm- Hike from Riffelsee to Riffleberg. Grab lunch.
2:30 pm- Either take the train back to Zermatt and spend some time wandering the streets and viewing the Matterhorn, or hike to Riffelalp and take the train to Zermatt from there.
5:00 pm- Grab an early dinner in Zermatt before taking the train back to your hotel.
Zermatt day trip option 2 (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise):
Views from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
9:30 am- Arrive in Zermatt by train. Walk across town to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise station and take the next set of lifts up to the top.
11:00 am- Arrive at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Take in the views and visit the ice palace.
12:00 pm- Take the lift down to Trockener Steg and hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail to Schwarzsee.
2:30 pm- Take the lift from Schwarzsee to Furi. Make the short walk to the Hangebrucke suspension bridge.
4:00 pm- Take the lift from Furi back to Zermatt. Spend some time strolling the streets of Zermatt and grab an early dinner before taking the train back to your hotel.
Zermatt Itinerary Map
Below we’re sharing a map for our four day Zermatt itinerary. Each day is represented by a different color and points out the key places we mention in our itinerary above. You can use this map as a reference for any of our Zermatt itineraries.
More Zermatt Guides
This guide gives a rough overview of how to plan out a Zermatt itinerary for one to four days, but if you’re looking for much more detailed information about each of the places and hikes we mentioned here, then be sure to check out our other Zermatt guides to help you plan!
Complete Guide to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: How to Get There and Things to Do
Complete Guide to Gornergrat: How to Get There and Things to Do
Complete Guide to the Rothorn Cable Car Route: How to Get There and Things to Do
Best Things to Do in Zermatt + Complete Summer Guide
How to Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
Hiking to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt: The Complete Trail Guide
How to Visit Riffelsee: Zermatt’s Famous Lake (Plus How to Hike the Nearby Trails!)
The Crystal Trail in Zermatt: The Complete Trail Guide
We really hope this guides helps you plan out your perfect Zermatt itinerary no matter how much time you have. Let us know if you have any questions and as always, happy travels!