Europe | Switzerland | Trips
Complete Guide of the 5 Lakes Route (Switzerland)
In this post we want to give you all the details of one of our favourite routes in Switzerland, the 5 Lakes Route. It is a route that takes place in the mountains of Zermatt that runs between 5 different lakes and has an approximate duration of 8-9 kilometres, which would be 5 hours if you do it quietly.
We think it is a hike that everyone can do and that is super nice and pleasant, so we would recommend it 100% on a route through Switzerland or a visit to Zermatt, especially in summer, when the temperature is good and you can swim in the lakes.
If you want to discover our complete route in camper in Switzerland, don’t miss our super detailed post where you will see all the accommodations, plan per day and how we did it:
- Switzerland Campervan Trip – 10 Days Itinerary
- Stoos Route: From Klingenstock to Fronalpstock
- Detailed guide to visit the Gornergrat
Let’s go for it!
How to get to Zermatt?
Zermatt is the most famous village at the foot of the famous Gornergrat mountain, where you can see the most famous mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn, and it is the base village for the 5 Lakes Route. It is a village that serves every year as a base for many people who want to do activities in the mountains, both in winter and summer. If you go there, you will see that it is a very well prepared place for this type of tourism, as it has numerous restaurants, accommodation and shops to enjoy your stay there.
The only problem with this place is that it does not allow arrival by private transport, so you cannot get there by caravan or car. Therefore, we should distinguish the options of the two ways to get there:
- Private transport: If this is your case, the best option is to get to the nearest village before the road is cut, Tasch. In this village, you also have all kinds of facilities for travellers and even a large campsite where you can camp if you use this mode of transport. From Tasch, there is a train every few minutes to Zermatt, which costs between 3-4 euros and lasts 10 minutes.
- Train: In this case you will also arrive in Tasch and take the train mentioned above, so the idea is the same.
For us, it is much more cost-effective to stay in Tasch, as it is less crowded, quieter and you have everything you need.
Where to stay in Zermatt/Tasch?
As accommodation for the 5 Lakes route, we will distinguish between those who go in caravan or camper or car + tent and those who travel wanting to sleep in a hotel.
For the first case, we believe that the best option is to stay at Camping Alphubel in Tasch, which is a 2-minute walk from the station and is economical, so it is the option that will save you the most money. You can book with them directly on their website for around €20 a night.
For those of you who want to stay in a hotel, here are the best value for money options we have seen. Keep in mind that Switzerland is VERY EXPENSIVE, so the prices are already high:
- Hotel Alphubel (€ -> 169 night in October): One of the best value for money in the area. Hotel located in the town of Zermatt, perfect for the 5 lakes route and others in the mountains. It is not particularly nice, but it is one of the best locations you can find, it has storage for ski equipment and you have the necessary amenities to climb the mountain and be comfortable (restaurant, wifi, garden…).
- Zermatt Youth Hostel (€ -> 52 € in shared bed or 130 night in private in October): Probably the cheapest place in Zermatt. It is a very well equipped hostel in the centre of Zermatt, with all facilities. It has a very rustic and mountain atmosphere, we think it’s pretty cool. You can choose between different types of bathrooms (private or shared) and rooms (shared or single).
- Mountain Paradise (€ -> 160 night October): This is a typical mountain house, with wooden interiors and very authentic. Of the lower-ranked ones, it is probably the nicest and also the one with the best rating. It has excellent mountain views, is superbly located and has a sauna and steam room to relax after a long day in the mountains.
- Backstage Spa Boutique Hotel (€€€ -> 320€ night October): It is not one of the most expensive, but we are going to give you an option of a high price in Zermatt so that you can see the prices that are managed in the area. It is a PRECIOUS hotel, located right in the centre of Zermatt, with fireplaces in the rooms and full SPA services. It has a Michelin-starred restaurant that opens in the winter season, but you can imagine the level. A great accommodation for those who can afford it.
How to get to the start of the 5 Lakes Route?
Once in Zermatt, you have to head for a rack railway that will take you to the top of the mountain in order to climb to the start of the 5 Lakes Route. This train is located at this exact point in the village of Zermatt.
It cost us €21 return with the Half Fare Pass, which we highly recommend if you’re going to be doing a lot of mountain hiking in Switzerland or taking a lot of trains.
Once you get to the top, you have to take a cable car which can drop you off at two different points, Sunnega or Blauherd. In the description section, you will find details of the difference between the two places.
What should I bring for the 5 Lakes Route
As it is not an extremely difficult route to do, we would recommend the basic mountain equipment that you would take with you on any excursion. It all depends on the time of year when you do the 5 Lakes Route, but in our opinion, the route is more suitable for summer, so we would recommend:
- Comfortable hiking boots (Goretex if possible).
- A waterproof jacket in case it rains
- Water (basic)
- Food (basic)
- Comfortable sports/mountain clothes
- Small backpack to carry everything
5 Lakes Route Description
As we have said, to start the Swiss 5 Lakes Route you have to take the cable car up and you can stop at Sunnega or Blauherd.
If you stop at Sunnega, the route is uphill and the sections are quite complicated, so a certain level of physical fitness is required as it is of moderate-high difficulty. On the other hand, if you stop at Blauherd (cable car stop after Sunnega) you will have an easy route, with most of the way down and without great difficulties, suitable for everyone. We, as a family, chose to stop at Blauherd and do the 5 Lakes Route in a simpler way.
We did the route in approximately 5-6 hours, as we stopped for breakfast, lunch and to see the lakes at our leisure. The total distance would be about 8-9km and is perfectly signposted from any of the stations, just follow the 5-Seenweg signs.
The lakes you’ll pass if you choose the easy route are, in order, Stellisee, Grinjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee, while the more difficult route takes you in the opposite direction.
Stellisee Lake
This lake is the first of the 5 Lakes Route that you come across after leaving the cable car and walking for about 15 minutes. It is the highest of the 5 lakes and, for us, has the best views of the mountain and the surrounding area. This place is beautiful, as it gives you incredible views of the mountains and is quite big. Very TOP.
Grindjisee Lake
You will reach this lake after a long descent from the Leisee. You have to return along a path that runs parallel to the one you used to get to the Leisee, but which leads you down the mountainside. This is probably one of the toughest parts of the route as you have to descend for 30-40 mins.
Once you get to the lake, you’ll see that it’s quite pretty and there’s plenty of room to sit around it, so it’s a good place to stop for a snack.
The path to the next lake, Grünsee, runs right next to it.
Grünsee Lake
The most beautiful in our opinion. It has an amazing colour and beautiful views of the mountains in the background. It is a lake where we saw quite a few people bathing, so it is a great option if you like swimming and bathing in mountain lakes.
It also has some channels where water flows down, so you can easily cool off with mountain water, which is always appreciated in summer.
Moosjisee Lake
It is a style of lake that looks like a dam. It is the most artificial of them all and we would say the least beautiful of the 5 Lakes Route as it is not very attractive visually or in terms of surroundings. However, it is a good place to stop for lunch as there is room to sit around it and it is not as crowded as some of the others, so we would recommend it for lunch or a snack.
Leisee Lake
This is the busiest lake on the 5 Lakes route as it is right next to one of the stops to climb up to this area and is quite suitable for swimming and for children’s activities, so you will probably see it full of people. Many times people come up here just for this lake and without doing the route.
We didn’t find it the most spectacular either, although we were probably already tired from the whole route and didn’t feel much more like appreciating the beauty of the lakes 🙂 The most complicated part of the route is the lake.
The most difficult section of the route is from Moosjisee to Leisee, with a fairly steep but not too long uphill section, which should be suitable for almost everyone.
Right at that lake, you have the cable car ride down to Zermatt, so it’s the perfect place to finish.
Route Map
Our podcast about Switzerland
If you want to know more about our adventure in Switzerland in Camper, we dedicated a chapter of our podcast to talk about it. We leave it here for you 🙂 . It’s in Spanish, sorry!
For us, the 5 Lakes Route in Switzerland is one of the most beautiful we did on our route in the country and it was a real delight to walk in the mountains of Zermatt, one of the best areas in Switzerland.
If you have any questions about this route or about our trip, do not hesitate to contact us and we will give you more details 🙂
