The Matterhorn – arguably one of the 5 most famous mountains in the world. Seeing this majestic mountain is one of the most striking and memorable things you can do on a trip to Switzerland. Zermatt, the town closest to the Matterhorn, is itself full of typical Swiss charm and well worth visiting too. So the question becomes, how can I visit this surreal landscape tucked deep into the Swiss Alps?
One of the most challenging parts of seeing the Matterhorn is the weather. Despite Zermatt being dubbed the “sunniest town in Switzerland” with over 300 days of sunshine per year, the Matterhorn itself is another story. Even on a completely clear day all around, the Matterhorn may still be covered because it can create its own weather – a process known as orographic lift. Before travelling to Zermatt, it can be helpful to check the Matterhorn webcams to see if it is clear or not that day!
What Makes the Matterhorn so special?
The Matterhorn is not one of the tallest mountains in the world (it’s the 10th tallest in Switzerland itself), yet it is easily one of the most recognizable and iconic peaks that entices more than 3000 people to attempt the climb each year. Some of the Matterhorn’s fame is owed to it’s almost perfect pyramid shape, but what really put it on the map was Emil Cardinaux’s 1908 tourism poster for Zermatt which prominently featured the Matterhorn.
Today, no visit to Switzerland is complete without making the long trek to visit the Matterhorn. From any angle (and there are many vantages to choose from), even a glimpse of the Matterhorn will leave you in awe.
first ascent was July 14, 1865 (4 of 7 climbers died)
General Info about Zermatt
Sitting at more than 5,000 feet above sea level, Zermatt is a charming and quintessentially Swiss town with a permanent population of 5800. Prior to the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn on July 14, 1865, Zermatt was an agricultural community. News of the first summit spread rapidly (in fact, the Swiss and Italians were competing with one another to be the first country to reach the peak. The Italians reached it 3 days after the Swiss in 1865), and Zermatt was transformed into a hub of tourism. Today, people come from all over the world to attempt the climb or just stand in awe of the Matterhorn.
Getting to Zermatt
Zermatt is a 100% combustion free town, and individuals generally cannot drive their own vehicles into Zermatt. Getting to Zermatt involves taking the iconic Glacier Express Train which operates between Zermatt and Chur (we highly recommend getting the Swiss Travel Pass as this train is very expensive and all the gondolas/lifts in Zermatt are discounted at 50% with the pass). In most cases you will probably catch the Glacier Express in Visp after transferring from a different train. The route into Zermatt is beautiful and your anticipation will build as you slowly make your way to this famed destination.
Now that you know what makes the Matterhorn so special and how to get to Zermatt, the question becomes: what is the best way to visit?
Option 1: Stay in the Fluhalp Mountain Hut in Suneegga
The absolute best way to visit Zermatt is to spend at least one night at the Fluhalp Mountain Hut. Located in the Suneegga-Blauherd-Rothorn area, this mountain hut offers spectacular views of the Matterhorn. Nightly stays are available throughout Summer, which gives you the best chance to see the Matterhorn as the weather can rapidly change and there may only be a small window where the Matterhorn is visible.
The most difficult challenge when trying to see the Matterhorn is the “weather system” it creates where clouds seem to hug the mountain preventing a clean view. While some days can be crystal clear, on many others the full Matterhorn may only be visible early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Since the gondolas and mountain lifts in the area generally operate from ~8am-5pm, staying at the Fluhalp will remove this restriction from the equation. You’ll be able to wake up and look out your window to see if it is clear – if not, you’ll have opportunities throughout the day to see it!
Option 2: Stay in one of the towns short of Zermatt
While we would recommend staying in Zermatt, it can be very expensive. For a cheaper option that still provides great access to the town, opt to stay in one of the towns along the Glacier Express outside of Zermatt. For a small, intimate experience consider the towns of St. Nicklaus or Tasch, or Visp for a larger city. Staying just outside of Zermatt is likely going to be cheaper, but crucially you are still quite close to Zermatt so you can still get there early in the morning for the best chance to see the Matterhorn.
While staying in Zermatt is likely the best option, these towns along the Glacier Express might also appeal to you.
Option 3: Day trip from Interlaken
The last option for visiting Zermatt – and the one we did ourselves – is to day trip from Interlaken. The best part about this option is that, if you were already planning to visit Interlachen, you don’t have to switch hotels just to see Zermatt. The downside is that it takes more than 2 hours and 2 train transfers to get from Interlachen all the way to Zermatt.
When we visited by the time we made it up the gondolas the Matterhorn was already shrouded in clouds for the rest of the day. We talked to several people who said that was the pattern – clear in the morning, then by ~9/10 clouds began to obstruct the view of the Matterhorn, even if it was sunny everywhere else. Once the clouds formed they were there to stay for the rest of the day.
However, this is still a great option to see the Matterhorn. Just make sure you plan to leave Interlaken really early for the best chance to see the Matterhorn! The train ride is simple and the views on the last leg are spectacular.
We hope you’re able to see the Matterhorn during your visit! It’s a magical mountain that is sure to leave a lasting impression. For more Switzerland inspiration, check out our itinerary from Geneva to Zurich!