Aletsch Glacier — UNESCO World Heritage★★★
The Great Aletsch Glacier is the longest glacier in the Alps at 23 kilometers and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch since 2001. A natural wonder that is, however, shrinking: In the last 150 years, it has lost over 3 kilometers in length and 300 meters in thickness — climate change is visible here to the naked eye.
★★★ Eggishorn Viewpoint
The cable car Fiesch → Eggishorn (2,927 m) offers the best overall view of the glacier: From above, you can see how the gigantic ice stream winds through the valley in an S-curve — the medial moraine (dark debris stripes) draws perfect lines on the ice. The sight is both awe-inspiring and cautionary.
Cable car Fiesch → Eggishorn: 56 CHF return (with Swiss Travel Pass 50%). Season: June–October. From the mountain station, a 10-minute ascent to the viewpoint.
★★ Aletsch Forest
At the edge of the glacier stands the Aletsch Forest — one of the oldest and highest stone pine forests in the Alps. The gnarled Swiss stone pines are up to 900 years old and create a mystical landscape between ice and rock. Hike from Riederfurka (1.5 hours, easy) through the forest with glacier views.
★ Bettmeralp & Riederalp
The car-free villages of Bettmeralp and Riederalp on the sun terrace above the Rhone Valley are the starting points for Aletsch hikes. Quieter and more authentic than Zermatt, with panoramic hiking trails right on the glacier's edge. Ideal for 2–3 days of unwinding.
Achtung
The Aletsch Glacier loses about 50 meters in length annually. What you see today will be significantly less in 20 years. Scientists predict that the glacier could shrink to a fraction by 2100. A visit is also a call to action: Protecting this nature is urgently needed.
