DAY 3, SWITZERLAND: TRIP TO ZERMATT

AUG 31, 2014:

DAY TRIP TO KLEIN MATTERHORN

From Vevey we made a day trip to Zermatt on Aug 31^st and had awesome weather there on Kleine Matterhorn.

Checked the weather in www. meteocentrale.ch and found it was going to be a sunny day through out in Zermatt

Set off at 7am and reached Visp by 8.24

8.30AM by the station clock in Visp

Platform 3 in Visp to catch the Zermatt train

View from the train

Transferred and reached Zermatt by 10.

Bahnhof Platz--Zermatt train station square

We bought combo tickets for cable and Matterhorn paradise from the girl at the train station and were at the cable station by 10.30 walking through the town.

10.15 by the church clock

Ibex, mountain goat statue

View of Matterhorn...

View of Matterhorn...

10.45 at the cable station

Lovely cable car ride.

AT SCHWARSEE

We got down at Schwarsee, walked around a bit,

Had our lunch in the scenic surroundings with the Matterhorn looking down on us

Lunch at Schwarsee, with Matterhorn view and cable cars whizzing above

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Matterhorn view at Schwarsee

Then we resumed our cable car ride up to the peak via Trockner Stegg!

Had a lovely time on the viewing platform which is 12000 ft high, saw some 40 peaks above 4000 m towering in clear visibility around us.

Steps to viewing platform

Whizzed on the slopes in the snow tubes there and had loads of fun. It’s free and the guy who operates it is the nicest one can hope to meet! We tipped him well though there is no compulsion to give any!

Snowtubing

Whizzing down the slopes

Skiers returning...

The glacier palace there is better than the one at Jungfraujoch which we visited later!

Tunnel below the glacier

Sitting on snow benches

Matterhorn Ice Sculpture

On the way back, walked over to the observation platform  and had great closeup views again.

Then we passed by the restaurant 

Went to the restaurant terrace and enjoyed the terrific views.

Restaurant Terrace... awesome Matterhorn view

Eating with Matterhorn hovering over us

Got down at Furi and roamed around a bit.

In Furi

Reached Zermatt at 4.30pm and walked through the town to the station.

4.30... back at Zermatt cable station

walking through the town

Filling up water from the Marmot Fountain

Want to take this marmot back home with us!

Swiss knives!

Overall a terrific day! 

For the Gornergrat option we should have taken the train from the Gornergrat station opposite the main station and gone to the top. On the way back, may be walk down to the station either at Rotenboden [20 min walk] or Riffelsee [1 hour walk]  Or just take the train to Rotenboden and get off there then the walk to the Riffelsee is easy. (and lovely). Riffelsee/Riffelberg also very nice. Or get down at Riffelsee to see the famous lake reflection of Matterhorn. The train runs later then the cablecar, so we went to the cablecar station first as the train station girl had suggested. We had also  considered the 5 lakes hike [9 km loop; 3-4 hours]. For that we should take the funicular to Sunnegga from Zermatt and then a cablecar to Blauherd. We did not have time left. Anyway no big regrets. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/108910506663540711253/6272982759068429265#6276348913277405842

has the video of Matterhorn cable car ride and glacier paradise.

http://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2016/04/sep-1-2014-day-4-switzerland-trip.html
covers our trip on the Golden pass panoramic train to Lauterbrunnen, our checkin there and a hike to Murren.