The Stelisse Lake and Rifelesse Trek for that Perfect Matterhorn View

Like everyone else, we had also read rave reviews of the 5 Lake Trek (the 5-Seenweg). Amazing Matterhorn views, 5 gorgeous lakes, a mostly downhill scenic walk . . .sounded just perfect. Our fate was almost sealed for the day, but just the day before driving to Zermatt we chanced upon another blog that gave an alternate review. It said that the first lake Stelisse was indeed gorgeous but the other lakes  were just a drag and that neither the lakes, nor the gravely routes or the hidden Matterhorn did justice to the extent with which the trek is hyped.

For us it was a tug of war between the mind and the heart. The mind wanted to stick to the original plan and to avoid last minute changes in a foreign land. The heart was convinced with the justified arguments telling us to do otherwise. Finally, after much deliberation, the heart won, and we chalked up our own plan.

The Early Morning Rush

It was pretty difficult to get out of our snuggly comforters early in the morning, but we wanted to catch the sunrise at the iconic Stellise Lake alongwith the perfect Matterhorn reflection. From our cottage window, we could see tiny flakes of snow unevenly dispersed in the patio of our cottage porch. Half Sleepily, we each poured ourselves a steaming cup of hot Expresso, got dressed in our warm trek jackets, double socks and sturdy hike shoes.

90 Minutes to Sunrise – View of the Matterhorn from our Chalet with a lit up Zermatt in the backdrop!

How to get to the Trek

The Trek starts from Blauherd.

The 5 -Lake Trek Map starting from Blauherd

We took the Funnicular to Sunnega and then the gondola to Blauherd.

In the town of Zermatt, the Sunnegga funicular station is located next to the Vispa River. On Google Maps, it is called Sunnegga Blauherd Rothorn Funicular. We rode the funicular to the Sunnegga station (about 8 minutes). Once we deboarded at Blauherd, we immediately caught sight of a trail-sign board. ‘Way to 5-Seenweg’ it said.

The Stellise Trek and the Accompanying Views

The walk to Stellise was gorgeous. For the most part, it was almost a no-effort downhill trek.

It was 15 minutes to Sunrise when we finally reached the lustruous lake. We walked a little farther to the other end of the Lake to get a better view and buoy did we witness a miraculous spectacle!!

10 minutes to Sunrise – The First Rays of the Sun touching the Glorious Mountain!!! Spectacular!

The first rays of the sun bring a red glow to the imposing mountain peaks, the Matterhorn stretching up to meet the glorious sun and how peacefully and quietly the alpine pastures spreading out in between. We took in the spectacle from the lake which harboured an unblemished clear and life-like reflection of the Mighty Matterhorn. Then we spent some time sitting by the lakeside watching the game grazing peacefully. Soon enough our tummies rumbled and at the break of dawn we proceeded for a wholesome breakfast spread in a nearby restaurant.

We gorged on a hearty breakfast buffet in the Fluhalp Mountain restaurant and then retraced our steps to Sunnega.

Hot Coffee with a View, Courtesy Fluhalp Mountain Restaurant. . .

This gorgeous sunrise, the multicoloured skies and the wonderful reflection of the coveted lone mountain (Matterhorn) will be etched in our memory forever. Indeed, waking up early brings in wonderful rewards.

The Matterhorn Reflection in all its Glory at Stellise Lake! 75 minutes post Sunrise View. . .

The entire exercise took around 3 hours and then we had the whole day to ourselves. So that means we could comfortably sneak in another trek – the Gornegrat to Rifellese Trek

Train to Gornegrat

The train journey from Zermatt to Gornergrat is regarded as one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The journey takes around thirty minutes, stopping at a few places in the mountains along the way. We timed our trip for first light, and enjoyed some incredible window views of The Matterhorn illuminated by the sun. 

Train to Gornergrat for the onward Trek to Riffelberg. . .

We were mesmerised by the incredible view of The Matterhorn, barely taking our eyes off it! As you climb up the mountain you have the opportunity to see it from different angles, admiring its impressively sharp angles.

Hike Gornergrat to Riffelberg

This short hike blew our minds away. The hike from Gornergrat to Riffelberg is packed with jaw dropping views of the Matterhorn.

The thing that makes this hike so special is that you are always walking towards the Matterhorn. It’s right there in front of you, and since Gornergrat is closer to the Matterhorn than the Five Lakes Trail, it almost looks like you can reach out and touch it.

That’s the Closest we could get to the Matterhorn. . .

On this hike, you get to visit two alpine lakes. This hike is 5 km (3 miles) long and mostly downhill.

The Remaining Day

We took to the streets to explore the bits and pieces of this ethereal place. Dotted with tonnes of gorgeous cafes serving everything from coffee and indulgent hot chocolates to apple pie lattes, we surely did not run in short of options. We settled for a medieval themed café and ordered fondues and latte. We were treated to complimentary Croissants. Cafes around the area are always super cosy with their alpine décor, furry rugs and plenty of candles. Once the wine and coffee are flowing, you’ll forget that temperatures are in the minus numbers.

Finally we returned to our cottage and pampered ourselves to an elaborate early evening dinner and watched the twinkly stars turn on the evening.

Parting Thought

Zermatt is a Hikers’ Eden in summers and a Skiers’ paradise in the winters. But what if you weren’t born zipping down the slopes? What if you are a bambi on ice than a pro and have never put on a ski or a snowboard ever? You would still have plenty of dainty options to choose from. You are sure to run out of time but never out of options!