Aletsch Panoramaweg

They are the two longest glaciers in the Alps: the Great Aletsch Glacier measuring around 23 km and the Fiescher Glacier 14 km long. Over thousands of years, they have shaped the majestic high-Alpine landscape of the Jungfrau, Bietschhorn and Finsteraarhorn. The region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. The Aletschbord at the Hotel Belalp and the Burghütte at the foot of the Fiescher Glacier are two classic vantage points from which the lower parts of the mammoth masses of ice can be viewed. Each offers an insight into the stunning, unknown world of the permanent ice.

The Aletsch Panorama Trail runs from Belalp to Bellwald in three daily stages, each of a comfortable length. Offering sensational views, the tour focuses in turn on the Aletsch and Fiescher Glaciers. The effects of climate change also have implications for hikers; the route once ran across the Aletsch Glacier, but this is no longer possible due to unstable moraine slopes. Today, a 124-metre-long suspension bridge over the Massa Gorge 50 metres deep provides a safe link on the path from Belalp to Riederalp, where the Villa Cassel houses the Aletsch Pro-Natura Centre, gateway to the World Heritage. The Aletschwald is under a conservation order and has many centuries-old Swiss stone pines and a wealth of flora and fauna to discover.

Spectacular views from the vantage points at Hohfluh, Moosfluh and the Bettmerhorn top station, set in the icy heart of the World Heritage. The ice stream winds elegantly past three- and four-thousand metre summits, while the path leads over stone steps and slabs down to the Märjelensee lake. The route runs gradually downhill on old Alpine paths. As you descend, the Fiescher Glacier reveals itself more and more. Your gaze wanders over the Burg rock massif in the foreground and the Goms mountains behind. Built in 2016, the Aspi-Titter suspension bridge is 160 metres long and marks another highlight on this unique tour.

Tip: for those who love suspension bridges, the Aletsch/Goms region has more really great hikes to suspension bridges.