This insider guide will help you plan your visit to Gorner Gorge and what to expect!

Here is a quick glimpse of the Tips that are posted and soon to come!

• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 1 Train or Car?
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 2 Lunch on the Ski Slopes
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 3 Après-ski
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 4 Night Out
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 5 Gorner Gorge
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 6 Sunnegga Hike
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 7 Edelweiss (Höhbalmen) Hike
• Zermatt Insider Guide Tip: 8 Italy Day Trip

Gorner Gorge

Gorner Gorge is one of the more unique and natural attractions in Zermatt but if you want to sound like a local, then its more known as Gornerschlucht. Gornerschluct, is a rock formation with a turquoise river flowing through, is definitely a site to see. The pathway is elevated with stairs and pathways that wrap around the gorge itself, this way anyone visiting can have the chance to enjoy the view from up close. The Gornera River, is sourced from the Gorner Glacier up in the mountainside in Zermatt. This river has continuously formed the natural rock formation for over thousands of years with the flowing water. The rock itself is called serpentinite, which is over 200 million years old! While the gorge has been around for a long while, it wasn’t made accessible until 1886. Throughout the gorge there’s a 200 meter (650 foot) wooden pathway that has been built alongside the rock, along with a couple staircases and lookout points.

HOW TO GET THERE

Getting to the Gorner Gorge is very simple once you’ve made it to Zermatt. While many of the top hikes and other scenic attractions require cable cars, this is within walking distance of the village center. From the train station it’s about a 25-minute walk to the entrance of the gorge. For the simplest and most scenic directions to the gorge, I would recommend heading to the river and then just walking the path right alongside it. As you get further away from the village, you will pass by the Zermatt cable car station followed by the Forest Fun Park.

TICKETS

In order to take part of the walk along the Gorner Gorge, you should buy your ticket from the booth which is located at the entrance of the pathway. However, if you want to go on an actual hike, you can hike along the other side where there isn’t necessarily an entrance fee. So my insider tip, is if you want to save a fee francs then you could enter on the other side as it isn’t patrolled or checked. If not the ticket prices are as followed:

Adults: 5 CHF

Children (up to 16): 2.50 CHF

Children (up to 6): Free

If you are a group of 10 or more, tickets cost 4.50 CHF per person.

Note that this is a cash only attraction

HOW LONG IS GORNER GORGE

The walkway is quite short at just 200 meters / 650 feet in length. It usually takes around 20 minutes to walk, however if you want to stop to take photos at the various lookout points then it could take longer.

If you are just interested in visiting the gorge, you can just walk back and forth along the pathway, walking around 400 meters altogether before heading back to Zermatt.

(Click the photo to watch a video)

There you have my tips for  visiting the Gorner Gorge! Even if you’re only visiting Zermatt for a weekend, its a great scenic activity that is worth it. I hope that when you come to visit Zermatt. I hope you keep this guide and tips in mind the next time you’re in Zermatt, I promise you won’t regret it!

PS – If you liked this post, stay tuned for more helpful tips traveling to Zermatt!