Zermatt - Gornergrat

At 7:30 a.m., I emerged from the hotel and captured a breathtaking photograph of the radiant Matterhorn illuminated by the morning sun, which you can find as the cover photo.

Today's plan was unanimously agreed upon: an expedition to explore the Gornergrat.

The most resilient hikers in our group, Peter and Bernhard, boldly embarked on the demanding 5-hour ascent from our hotel to the summit.

The rest of us chose a different path, opting to board the cog train, which took us to the third stop, Riffelberg, nestled at an altitude of 2,582 meters. From there, we embarked on a scenic 2-hour trek through enchanting alpine meadows to reach the fourth stop, Rotenboden, standing at 2,815 meters. Afterward, we hopped back on the train to reach the summit. It was there that we were taken aback by the considerable presence of Asian visitors, clearly awed by the unique Swiss mountain landscape.

The weather again favored us, without a single cloud in sight on this perfect, sun-soaked day. The Matterhorn remained a constant and captivating presence throughout our journey, its appearance ever-transforming as we ascended. I had anticipated witnessing fewer glaciers due to the impacts of climate change, but I was entirely unprepared for the staggering degree of their shrinkage.

Following a revitalizing shower at the hotel and a delightful happy hour drink, we are now preparing ourselves for a delightful dinner at the Restaurant Polliux.Read more