Canyons in Valais

Illgraben is a bowl-shaped, steep-sided mountain basin that towers over the Rhone Valley. It is also one of the key starting points for debris flows in Switzerland.

In the olden days, the road through the Twingi Gorge could be deadly in winter. Before the tunnel between Ausserbinn and Binn was built, the self-sufficient valley would be cut off from the outside world for weeks.

There is quite a contrast between the southern village of Martigny at the elbow of the Rhone and the wilderness of Durnand Gorge, or the Gorges du Durnand as it is called in French.

The Schöllenen Gorge is to the Gotthard Pass as the Gondo Gorge is to the Simplon Pass.

The Trient Gorge was carved out of the Mont Blanc massif by the wild river of the same name. The 200-metre deep gorge is a paradise for both climbers and botanists.

The Gorner Gorge is one of the most fascinating scenic attractions in Zermatt. It is an easy 20-minute walk from the south end of the village of Zermatt.

As visitors enter the Valais, they are greeted by impressive mountain cliffs and a waterfall that is, unfortunately, smaller than it used to be.

Less than one kilometre from the village square, a thermal source footbridge crosses the Dala Gorge at Leukerbad.

A circular trail leads from Tête-Noire to the tantalisingly named Gorges Mystérieuses – mysterious gorges.

While in the past it was only courageous crystal hunters who braved the Massa Gorge, it is now accessible to the general public thanks to the building of the Gibidem Dam.