Matterhorn, Switzerland 🇨🇭 2023

Date: 8-9th September 2023

Travelled: 110 kms from Grindelwald to Visp in Switzerland  

Visited: Visp, Zermatt and the Matterhorn  

Stayed: Camping Visp, €33, N46.29760, E07.87350  

Budget: 110 days @ €96 per day

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After four nights in the campsite at Grindelwald it’s time to say goodbye to our Kiwi neighbours and make for the road. Setting the GPS for a campsite in Visp we drive back down the valley for Interlaken and the A8 motorway.

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An hour later without warning we arrive at a toll booth, where the lady asks for €29 for our trip through the Lötschberg Tunnel whatever that is. Sounds a little stupid by we had no idea what this tunnel was. She explains you put your camper on the train and it takes you to the other side of the mountains. So the tunnel it is.

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After a slow trip down the mountain behind a caravan (bloody tuggers) we roll into Visp and the campsite. Our Kiwi friends recommended Visp rather than Täsch as it’s significantly less expensive and you need to catch the train to Zermatt anyway.

They’ve kindly given us there travel pass, which has an un-used day of train travel and 50% off other travel in the area.

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Visp, Wallis, 3930, Switzerland

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Once we’ve settled we walk into Visp to check out the railway station and the options for our visit to the Matterhorn tomorrow. We find our way to the pedestrian mall and a little cafe, settle in to watch Visp walk by, lets be truthful most are tourist just like ourselves.

Suddenly we find ourselves amongst a group of people carrying long timber horns, obviously some traditional musical instruments, which a quick Google confirms as Alphorns.

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Next morning it’s a bright and early start to the station and the train to Zermatt. The train is packed like a sardine can. As our tickets were free thanks to our Kiwi mates we cough some extra shillings and transferred to the first class cabin. A very comfortable way to enjoy the Swiss scenery going by.

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We planned to do the two gondola trip to the Matterhorn Glacier, but the train’s conductor gives us the run down on the gondola versus the cog railway to Gornergrat. So we decide on the cog railway. At Zermatt we cough €110 for the tickets and off we go.

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The cog train takes 25 minutes to reach Gornergrat Bahn. The views are spectacular.

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We have the worst coffee of our 2023 trip to date before starting our walk to Rotenboden.

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The walk down to Rotenboden takes an hour, 20 minutes, of which most is taking photos or going wow. From there we take the cog railway down to Zermatt for some more exploring and a very late lunch.

The are no cars in Zermatt so it’s a very relaxing walk, the place has a friendly vibe, but it’s very upmarket in a snow town sort of way.

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Then it’s back on the rattler to Visp. An hour or so later we are relaxing back at the campsite enjoying a drink after one of the best days we’ve had this year.

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Michael + Pam