A Destination Inspection That Will Have You Dreaming!

It’s 1:00pm, the smell of bratwurst and sausage fills the air.  I’m sitting on a park bench in the middle of town just watching.  Actually more like gazing happily.  It’s 75 degrees and the sun is just pouring into town.  A young looking couple wearing shorts, t-shirts, and hiking boots just walked by with large backpacks on.  They must be heading out on a trek.  The town is buzzing with energy.  It is one of the first truly marvelous days of summer.  A group of mountain bikers are now navigating through the crowd.   Heading in the opposite direction (away from the mountain) is a group with skis flung over their shoulders, in shorts of course and large grins plastered across their faces.  Where am I, I think to myself?   Zermatt, Switzerland!

One of the perks of working in the travel industry, and also one of the ways Epic Adventures ensure your adventure with us is first rate, is a destination inspection.  I know, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Nestled in the Matter Tal (Matt Valley), Zermatt is a sleepy town of just under 10,000 German, Italian, French, and Romanch speaking Swiss.  Zermatt is a motor-less town.   Imagine that!  No gas powered cars or buses, only electric!  We parked our car in the town of Tasch and took the Gotthard Bahn (an electric train) the final few miles into town.  The streets are equally shared by pedestrians and electric cars, mainly taxi drivers and city workers.  While expensive, many outdoor and gadget shops such as the North Face, Swatch, and Swiss Army, line the main street.  But the main attraction of Zermatt is it’s wealth of outdoor lovers’ activities.  In fact, Zermatt is an adventurer’s dream.  In early summer you can ski the high alpine terrain in the morning, and whitewater raft the glacial run off in the afternoon. Summertime activities include hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, paraglide, and trail running.  In the winter it’s all about skiing; all you have to decide between is how you want to get to the top of the mountain....heli or lift!  And if you’re looking for the ultimate challenge, they have that to.  Summiting the world famous Matterhorn is on par with the great challenges of the world!  Measuring in at 14,777ft, Matterhorn towers over town and provides the ultimate sunrise backdrop...yes I was awake to see it!

So there you have; a short introduction to Zermatt Switzerland to get you dreaming.  I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story!  Enjoy...and don’t be surprised if you see Epic Adventures headed to Alps sometime in the near future!

Sunrise on Matterhorn 

Downtown Zermatt

Not a bad yard

The Swiss Alps

Matterhorn!