Path of Silence from Gornergrat to Riffelalp

The hike starts at 3100 meters altitude at the Gornergrat. The Gornergrat railway takes you from Zermatt to the starting point of the hike in 33 minutes. The first part of the hike leads exclusively downhill along the Path of Silence. This is marked as Route no. 24. You pass 5 mountain lakes. The largest, the Gornergratsee, right at the start of the hike, is a reservoir lake used for winter snowmaking on the ski slopes. You are in the midst of the home of ibex and chamois. With some luck and a keen eye, you can observe them searching for food. Gradually, the rocky landscape gives way to lush alpine meadows until you reach the Grünsee and the Mountain Lodge "Ze Seewjinu." Here the former hut keeper of the Hörnli Hut serves you typical Valais dishes.

After a refreshment in the lodge or from your rucksack at the lakeshore, the hike leads through the stone pine forest up to Riffelalp. The knobbly trees are many years old. A stone pine starts to bear cones only after about 40 years.

The hike ends at the Riffelalp station, where the Gornergrat railway takes you down the last stretch to Zermatt.