Matterhorn: Photo tour in the evening light

The 5 Lakes Trail is no secret. Every travel guide mentions it, and at midday, it feels like everyone is crowded around Lake Stellisee at the same time, trying to capture the same shot—under flat lighting and with wind rippling the water. We do things differently: we start in the early afternoon, visit the lakes in reverse order, and save Lake Stellisee for last. **The Afternoon: Four Lakes, Four Colors** From Zermatt train station, we take the funicular to Sunnegga at 2,288 meters. Directly below lies Lake Leisee, a daytime swimming spot that’s already tranquil by late afternoon. Next, we head to the milky turquoise Lake Moosjisee, fed by the Findel Glacier, followed by the Green Lake with its ancient Swiss pines. From here on, the crowds thin out noticeably. Hidden behind a moraine lies Lake Grindjisee, framed by larch trees, with the Matterhorn perfectly framed in the gap. Many walk right past it—we don’t. **The Highlight: Lake Stellisee in the Evening Light** In the late afternoon, we reach Lake Stellisee at 2,537 meters. The crowds have dispersed, the water is usually still, and the light slowly moves across the east face of the Matterhorn. We stay as long as it’s beautiful. No scheduled photo stop—this is the real reason for the whole day. **The Way Back: Findeln in the Twilight** When the light fades, we descend through the hamlet of Findeln, with its sun-bleached barns, into the village. The last stretch is walked with headlamps on a wide, well-marked path, with Zermatt glowing in the blue hour below us. **Photography Without a Technical Lecture** It’s not about menus and focal lengths—it’s about being in the right place at the right time: reading the light, finding a foreground, creating a reflection. Whether you’re using a smartphone or a DSLR, those who want to dive deeper get more input; those who just want to enjoy the view can do that. And since you should be in the photos too, you’ll get five to eight edited images of you with the Matterhorn—no awkward selfie arms required. **Requirements** A long but easy day on marked mountain hiking trails (T2): about 13 km, 450 meters uphill, 1,000 meters downhill, 6 to 7 hours with plenty of breaks. Nothing exposed, nothing technical. If you regularly do day hikes, this won’t be a challenge. **Good to Know: The Tour Ends Late** In July, we’re back in the village around 9 PM; in August, around 8:30 PM; in September, around 7 PM. So an evening departure isn’t usually possible. Plan to stay overnight in Zermatt or Täsch. **Prices** CHF 350 per person in a small group of two or more, including train ticket to Sunnegga and your edited photos. Going solo? That’s a private tour for CHF 790. With a Swiss Travel Pass, you get CHF 25 back. **Your Guide** Falko Burghausen of beAnywhere is an internationally awarded landscape photographer and aspiring mountain hiking guide. You can find his fine art prints and other photography workshops at beanywhere.ch.