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Aletsch Glacier

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

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Practical info — Aletsch Glacier

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

Start your trip early in the morning. The light is best then, and you'll avoid the biggest crowds, especially at viewpoints like Eggishorn or Bettmerhorn.
Access is via the car-free resorts of Riederalp, Bettmeralp, or Fiescheralp. Park your car at the cable car stations in the valley (e.g., in Mörel, Betten Talstation, or Fiesch).
For a spectacular perspective that many tourists miss, hike to Belalp and cross the suspension bridge to admire the glacier's mass from below.
The weather in the Alps can change extremely quickly. Wear layers of clothing and be sure to bring sunscreen and sunglasses, as the snow is highly reflective.
Buy a combination ticket for the cable cars, which is often cheaper than single journeys, especially if you plan to visit multiple viewpoints in one day.

🍽 Food

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Valais Platter

Try a platter of local dried meat, bacon, and alpine cheese in one of the mountain restaurants with a view of the glacier.

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Cholera

Don't miss this hearty Valais vegetable tart with potatoes, apples, and cheese. Look for it on the menus of traditional inns in the villages.

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Raclette

An authentic Valais experience. Enjoy melted cheese with potatoes and pickles in a cozy hut after a hike.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

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Alpine Cheese

Buy a piece of flavorful alpine cheese as a souvenir directly from an alpine dairy or in the village shops of Bettmeralp or Riederalp.

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Valais Dried Meat

A local specialty that you can find in the best quality at butcher shops in the valleys (e.g., in Brig or Fiesch).

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Aletsch Forest

Take a walk through this protected Swiss stone pine forest, one of the oldest in Europe. The silence among the gnarled trees is magical.

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Lake Bettmersee

A quiet walk around this small alpine lake gives a relaxing break from the busy viewing platforms.

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Lake Märjelensee

A longer hike takes you to this lake on the edge of the glacier. There are significantly fewer people here, and nature is untouched.

The Great Aletsch Glacier stretches over 23 kilometers and covers an area of about 80 square kilometers, making it the largest ice flow in the Alps. This massive field consists of approximately 11 billion tons of ice, with a maximum thickness of 900 meters at Konkordiaplatz. Since 2001, the Jungfrau-Aletsch region has been a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, representing a unique high-alpine landscape with rare flora and fauna. Visitors can reach the best viewpoints such as Eggishorn, Bettmerhorn, or Moosfluh via cable cars from the car-free villages of Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiescheralp. From these points, guided glacier tours are available, providing safe access to the eternal ice. The Aletsch Forest at the glacier's edge is home to stone pines up to 900 years old, some of the oldest trees in Switzerland. Culinary highlights include typical Valais specialties like raclette and air-dried beef served in mountain huts. The best time for hiking is from July to September, while the observation platforms offer spectacular photo opportunities year-round. Access is typically via the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway to Mörel or Fiesch, followed by a cable car ride up to the plateau.