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Gemmi Pass

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

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Practical info — Gemmi Pass

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🌤 Weather — 5 days

📍 Nearby

Sights nearby

💡 Tips

The cable car from Leukerbad is the main access. Be sure to check the timetable for the last descent, especially outside the high season.
The path along the Daubensee lake on the pass is almost completely flat and suitable even for inexperienced hikers. In winter, the lake is frozen and often covered in snow.
The weather can change very quickly at this altitude. Even on sunny days, a windproof jacket and a hat should be in your backpack.
The historic pass trail down to Leukerbad is very steep and requires sure-footedness and good footwear. Plan at least 2-3 hours for the descent.
The impressive vertical rock face is a highlight. The best perspective on it is from the viewing platform near the mountain station of the cable car.

🍽 Food

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Valaisan Platter (Walliser Teller)

Try this platter of local dried meat, bacon, sausage, and cheese at the mountain restaurant on the pass. It's the first-rate refreshment with a view.

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Raclette

After returning to Leukerbad, treat yourself to an authentic Valaisan Raclette, where the cheese is scraped directly from the wheel. Look for a traditional restaurant.

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Fendant Wine

Order a glass of Fendant with your meal. This dry white wine from the Chasselas grape is the most famous wine of the Valais and pairs perfectly with cheese dishes.

🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots

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Valaisan dried meat

Buy genuine Valaisan dried meat (PGI) at a butcher's shop in Leukerbad. It's an excellent, durable souvenir and a snack for further hikes.

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Wines from Valais

Visit a wine shop in Leukerbad to discover wines like Fendant, Petite Arvine, or Cornalin. Valais is Switzerland's largest wine-growing region.

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Shore of Daubensee Lake

Walk a little along the shore of the lake, away from the cable car station. You will quickly find peace and can absorb the barren beauty of the high plateau.

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The viewing platform

Although it is easily accessible, you can experience moments of silence here in the early morning or late evening when there are fewer day-trippers.

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Path to Hotel Schwarenbach

The relatively flat path towards Kandersteg takes you deeper into the pass landscape, offering solitude and wide views.

The Gemmi Pass is one of the most historic Alpine crossings, connecting Kandersteg in the north with Leukerbad in the south. The most spectacular feature is the hiking trail carved into the vertical Gemmiwand cliff, descending in tight serpentines towards Leukerbad. At the summit sits Lake Daubensee, the site of a traditional shepherds' festival held every summer. The pass is easily accessible by cable car from both sides. The Wildstrubel mountain hotel at the top provides overnight stays with views of the Valais 4000-meter peaks, including the Matterhorn. For adventurers, the Daubenhorn via ferrata, the longest in Switzerland, starts here. In winter, the high plateau is a hub for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The best time to visit is July for the shepherds' festival or late autumn for clear long-distance views of the High Alps.