Summer is just around the corner in Zermatt. With nice warm weathers, many visitors go to Zermatt to enjoy summer skiing, which is one of the most popular things to do in Zermatt in summer. With the warm weather and beautiful alpine flowers, summer skiing isn’t the only popular thing to do in Zermatt during summer. Hiking and walking is another popular things to do. One of the excellent hiking trails in summer is 5 Seenweg or Five Lakes Walk. Zermatt actually has many beautiful mountain lakes and in summer, since it is nice and warm outside, visitors can not only watch the beautiful alpine mountain’s reflection on the water but can also swim in it. Cooling your body in the cool mountain water after a good hike with the view of the gorgeous alpine mountains is one of the excellent ways to enjoy summer in Zermatt.
The 5 Seenweg or Five Lakes Walk is in a class of its own among hikes in the Zermatt mountains. The views of the mountain lakes are superb with the Matterhorn reflected in two of them, and the trail is full of variety! This wonderful and exciting walk starts from Blauherd and ends at Sunnegga with the total distance of 9.26 kilometers taking approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. The highest point on this trail is at 2578 meters with an ascent of 310 meters and descent of 599 meters. The difficulty on this trail is medium therefore people with families can also enjoy this lovely trail. The path leads past the lakes of Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grunsee, Moosjisee and Leisee. Each of these mountain lakes is very different in terms of shapes, colors, characters and sizes and has its own special attraction.
Stellisee is among the most famous lakes in Zermatt. The sight of the Matterhorn reflects on its mirror like surface and is breathtakingly beautiful and is an excellent place for magnificent photographs. Pictures of the Stellisee can be seen all over the world. It’s hardly surprising because the reflection of the Matterhorn on its still surface has been photographed millions of times. The panoramic vies of towering peaks, well over 4000 meters high, are among the most dramatic in the Zermatt region. This lake is the first of 5 lakes and is a 20 minute walk from the Blauherd summit station. If you go early in the morning, the sunrise at this place is particularly the most romantic spot with cotton grass growing along the lake shore, providing splashes of white among the green-brown hues of the meadows. For those who love to fish, you can stop here for a little to do fly fishing.
Grindjisee is a lake of mysterious beauty. Its still surface mirrors the Matterhorn and a pair of larches. The area is heaven for alpine flower enthusiasts. The Grindjisee is one of the highlights of the Five Lakes Walk. This small stretch of water with its abundance of moorland flora is a magnet for biologists and botanists and a treat for all nature lovers. The lake lies behind the former lateral moraine of a retreated glacier, and its shores offer a habitat for many rare plants. At the beginning of the 19th century, English botanists came to Zermatt specifically to study the wealth of alpine flora around the Grindjisee and at other key sites. At this beautiful lake, you can spot Starry saxifrage, Mountain arnica, Glacier wormwood, Yellow alpine pasueflower, Sandy spurry, Haller’s pasqueflower and Black vanilla orchid.
