Gornerschlucht


Useful Information

Location: House Gornergorge Zermatt.
(46.0092744541817, 7.7398769068468)
Open: End-MAY to mid-OCT daily 9:15-17:45.
[2020]
Fee: Adults CHF 5, Children (6-16) CHF 2.50, Children (0-5) free.
Groups (10+): Adults CHF 4.50.
[2020]
Classification: GorgeGorge
Light: n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Gornerschlucht, Family Cornelia Schmidt, Juonweg 18, CH-3900 Brig, Tel: +41-78-773-54-98. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1886 gorge developed for the public.
1887 gorge opened to the public.

Description

The Gornerschlucht (Gorner Gorge) is a narrow gorge ofr the Gornera brook or Gornervispe. It is located at the southern end of the town Zermatt. If you take the cable car to Furi, it is right below, and you can have a look into the gorge from above. But the best way to visit the gorge is by foot on the elevated wooden trail through the gorge. The trail starts below the Gornergorge appartment house. The landlord of this house, Cornelia Schmidt, is also operator ofthe gorge.

The gorge was formed by the melting water of the glaciers at the end of the last ice age 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The enormous amounts of water cut deep and fast into the rock, creating a narrow and deep gorge. The rock is 220 million years old greenish serpentinite. The trail was built high above the water at the vertical wall of the gorge. You can see the impressive colours of the rock and the blue-green of the water. This sight is especially beautiful on a sunny day between 3 and 4 in the afternoon, as this is the time when the sun normally shine into the gorge.

The entrance to the gorge is only a few minutes from the valley station of the cable cars Matterhorn-Glacier-Paradise and Gornergrat. Zermatt is vehicle free, to get there you must park at Täsch 5 km from Zermatt. From here a shuttle-train to Zermatt starts every 20 minutes. In Zermatt you must take a taxi to your accommodation, the luggage is typically transported for you. To reach the gorge you must walk or take a taxi.