Trek the Aletsch Glacier, Alps’ largest, and stay overnight at the Konkordia Hut

If you’ve been searching for the best glacier trek Switzerland has to offer, look no further than a trip across the Aletsch Glacier. This two-day trip occurs in the heart of the Jungfrau region and offers endless views of the stark, wintry beauty of the Swiss Alps. 

Hiking in Switzerland allows visitors to celebrate its monolithic mountains up close, including three of the tallest peaks in the area: Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger. There are several villages that provide access to the Jungfraujoch railway station, although most visitors choose to stay in Interlaken. Interlaken is located south of the glacial region and is a well-known haven for outdoor enthusiasts and tourists.

To begin your journey across the turquoise ice, you’ll need to book a mountain guide or a trip offered by an operator and a train ticket to reach the starting point of your trek. If boarding in Interlaken, you’ll pass through either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen village on the train; each embodies traditional Swiss architecture and charm, and both are nestled in the lush green valley tucked below the mountains. Your next train will deliver you at the Jungfraujoch rail station.

Jungfraujoch is located at roughly 3400 meters above sea level, making it the highest railway station in all of Europe. It’s located in a saddle between the skyscraping peaks of Mönch and Jungfrau. From here, you can marvel at the mountain tops which tower an additional 600 meters overhead. Then you’ll meet your guide, perhaps at a small shop or other predetermined location, and your hike begins.

Aletsch Glacier

To ensure safety while trekking across the icy glacier, you’ll need to equip yourself with some gear. You can expect to wear crampons (long spikes that strap to the soles of your boots) and a safety harness to link all travelers together via a rope. On the first day, you’ll begin trekking across the turquoise ice and frosty snow drifts that cover the Aletsch Glacier.

The Great Aletsch is the largest glacier in the alps. Several smaller glaciers comprise the Aletsch, which covers an entire mountain valley. In total, it spans roughly 23 kilometers in length, and is fed by several firns. In summer, snow can rapidly melt, move, and recrystallize, which adds to a glacier’s height and length. Currently, the Aletsch glacial ice is an astounding 900-meters-thick. However, due to global climate change, this massive glacier is rapidly shrinking and melting, occasionally losing multiple meters during warmer days. 

Although the glacier’s decline is a tragedy, such rapid melting does provide striking views to those venturing across the glacier. You can see multiple glacial lakes, filled with crystal-clear, turquoise colored melt. The frozen wonderland that you walk upon is striated by rocks from the peaks, which mingle with the ice in the valley. You can expect striking views that stretch as far as the eye can see, in front of and above you. 

The largest glacier in Alps: Aletsch Glacier

On this first day, you’ll cross 8.5 kilometers of the glacier, which will take roughly 4 hours. Even from a long way off, you’ll spot your resting place for the evening: the Konkordia Hut. The Konkordia Hut is a homey, pleasant cottage that provides warm beds and hearty meals to those who stay here—after a 500-stair climb on a steel ladder. This comfortable cabin is far away from any form of transport or village; the only other folks you will encounter there are the family members who manage the Hut and a few other travelers. In the evening, you’ll see stars scattered across the sky while you’re wrapped in peaceful stillness and silence.  

In the morning, the family who staff the hut will provide you with an early breakfast; most groups leave the cabin by six in the morning. On the second day, you’ll trek an additional 12.5 kilometers, totaling another six or so hours of activity. Finally, you’ll reach Fiescheralp. Fiescheralp is a mountain peak that lies above the village of Fiesch. You may take a gondola down into the village before heading back to Interlaken. 

If you’re looking for even more adventure, considering staying in Fiesch for a while. This small town of less than 1,000 people is another popular launching point for outdoor exploration. Paragliding and hiking trips frequently leave from Fiescheralp, offering visitors endless ways to enjoy the beauty of the Swiss Alps.