Valais with Aletsch Arena - Zermatt - Leukerbad and Rhone Valley

Day 1 Stockalper Castle in Brig is considered Switzerland’s most significant Baroque secular building and impresses with its striking granite towers and a magnificent Renaissance-style arcaded courtyard. Inside the historic complex, opulent halls and the “Passage Simplon” museum bring the history of its builder, Kaspar Stockalper, to life. Complementing this, the nearby World Nature Forum in Naters serves as a modern visitor center for the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site. Through interactive exhibits and state-of-the-art technology, this award-winning museum brings the world of Alpine glaciers and the challenges of climate change to life.

Day 2 The panoramic trail from Moosfluh to Riederfurka runs directly alongside the Great Aletsch Glacier and connects the eternal ice with the protected Aletsch Forest and interactive nature stations. The hike’s destination is the historic Villa Cassel on Riederfurka, a Victorian-style building constructed around 1900 that once served as Winston Churchill’s summer residence. Today, this striking villa houses the Pro Natura Center Aletsch, Switzerland’s first environmental education center, which offers fascinating exhibitions on Alpine nature. The ultimate panoramic view is provided by the Eggishorn, at nearly 3,000 meters, which is easily accessible by cable car and offers a breathtaking panorama of the entire glacier as well as over 40 four-thousand-meter peaks.

Day 3 Opened in 1898, the Gornergrat Railway was Switzerland’s first electric cogwheel railway to reach an altitude of over 3,000 meters, making the world-famous, picture-perfect scenery of the Matterhorn easily accessible. From the Gornergrat, a breathtaking panorama unfolds, featuring 29 four-thousand-meter peaks, including the mighty Monte Rosa massif with the Dufourspitze as the country’s highest point. As the perfect contrast to the high-Alpine peaks, the subsequent hike from Riffelalp down to Zermatt offers an idyllic nature experience for families and leisure seekers alike. The well-maintained trail winds through shady Swiss stone pine forests and across alpine meadows, ending—with the majestic Matterhorn always in view—right in the lively village center of Zermatt.

Day 4 The impressive Thermal Springs Boardwalk in Leukerbad follows a sturdy steel structure for about 600 meters into the rugged Dala Gorge, where the roaring water plunges into the depths. In addition to bubbling thermal springs right against the rock faces, a suspension bridge spanning a 35-meter-high waterfall is the highlight of this roughly one-and-a-half-hour loop hike. In the afternoon, the Torrent Panorama Trail, starting from the Rinderhütte mountain station, offers a varied and relaxing hiking experience for families and leisurely hikers. During the gentle descent to Torrentalp, the route captivates with spectacular views of the mighty Daubenhorn wall, the Rhone Valley, and the Valais four-thousanders.

Day 5 This varied loop hike begins at the Tignousa mountain station after taking the funicular from St-Luc and leads through sparse larch forests up to the historic Hotel Weisshorn. Along the way, nature lovers can also hike along a fascinating “Planet Trail” that depicts our solar system on a scale of 1:1 billion. The venerable mountain hotel owes its name to the majestic, 4,505-meter-high Weisshorn, which towers directly behind the building and can be admired from the panoramic terrace. The return trip to Tignousa ultimately rewards hikers with spectacular views down into the valley as well as sweeping vistas of the Bernese and Vaud Alps.

Day 6 The Barryland Living Museum in Martigny is entirely dedicated to the legendary St. Bernard rescue dogs of the Great St. Bernard Pass and allows visitors to experience the animals up close in spacious enclosures. With its combination of interactive exhibits and a real breeding facility, it is an ideal destination for families, complemented by guided walks and encounters with the dogs. South of the city, the Gorges du Durnand offer a spectacular natural spectacle, with a wooden walkway leading through the gorge via 330 steps and numerous bridges. Along the steep rock faces, hikers experience the elemental force of the Durnand River, which here plunges thunderously into the depths in 14 successive cascades.