Aletsch Glacier

#249 among destinations in Switzerland

Nature, Natural attraction, Natural feature

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Facts and practical information

The Aletsch Glacier or Great Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about 23 km, has about a volume of 15.4 km³, and covers about 81.7 km² in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. The Aletsch Glacier is composed of four smaller glaciers converging at Concordia Place, where its thickness was measured by the ETH to be still near 1 km. It then continues towards the Rhône valley before giving birth to the Massa. The Aletsch Glacier is – like most glaciers in the world today – a retreating glacier. As of 2016, since 1980 it lost 1.3 kilometres of its length, since 1870 3.2 kilometres, and lost also more than 300 metres of its thickness. ()

Local name: Aletschgletscher Area: 45.41 mi²Length: 14.04 miMaximum elevation: 13648 ftMinimal elevation: 5413 ftCoordinates: 46°27'11"N, 8°3'52"E

Location

ValaisSwitzerland

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Day trips

Aletsch Glacier – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Fiescheralp, Märjelensee, Konkordia Hut, Aletschhorn.

4 miSE
Winter sport, Ski area
Fiescheralp
103 min walk • Nestled in the heart of the Swiss Alps, Fiescheralp is a winter wonderland that beckons ski enthusiasts from around the globe. This ski area, known for its breathtaking views and pristine slopes, offers a skiing experience that is both thrilling and serene.
1.6 miSE
Nature, Natural attraction, Lake
Märjelensee
40 min walk • Nestled amidst the majestic Swiss Alps, the Märjelensee is a hidden gem that beckons nature enthusiasts and adventurers alike. This serene glacial lake, located in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, is a spectacle of pristine natural beauty, offering breathtaking...
3.3 miN
Hiking, Alpine hut, Vernacular architecture
Konkordia Hut, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
85 min walk • The Konkordia Hut is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club, located north of Fieschertal in the canton of Valais. The hut lies above Konkordiaplatz, the point of convergence of several glaciers in the great Aletsch Glacier system of the Bernese Alps.
3.5 miW
Natural attraction, Nature, Mountain
Aletschhorn, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
90 min walk • The Aletschhorn is a mountain in the Alps in Switzerland, lying within the Jungfrau-Aletsch region, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The mountain shares part of its name with the Aletsch Glacier lying at its foot.
2.1 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Lake
Vordersee
54 min walk • The Vordersee is a reservoir located east of the Aletsch Glacier, between the Strahlhorn and the Eggishorn, in the Swiss canton of Valais. The lake has a surface area of 0.062 km² and is located at 2,360 metres above sea level. It is located in the municipality of Fieschertal.
2.8 miSE
Picturesque peak with a cable car ride
Eggishorn
72 min walk • The Eggishorn is a mountain in the southeastern part of the Bernese Alps, located north of Fiesch in the Swiss canton of Valais. A cable car station is located on a secondary summit named Fiescherhorli, 500 metres south of the main peak.
0.6 miW
Mountain
Olmenhorn, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
16 min walk • The Olmenhorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Aletsch Glacier in the canton of Valais.
2.9 miW
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Geisshorn
75 min walk • The Geisshorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Aletsch Glacier in the canton of Valais.
3.6 miS
Nature, Natural attraction, Mountain
Bettmerhorn
92 min walk • The Bettmerhorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located north of Bettmeralp in the Swiss canton of Valais. The summit can be reached with a 30-minute vertical hike after ascending most of the mountain by cable car from the car free village of Bettmeralp.
3.2 miNE
Natural attraction, Nature, Mountain
Grosses Wannenhorn, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
82 min walk • The Grosses Wannenhorn is a 3906-metre mountain in the Bernese Alps, in the Swiss canton of Valais near the village of Fiesch. It is part of the Walliser Fiescherhörner.
3.2 miSW
Mountain
Rotstock, Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
83 min walk • The Rotstock is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Aletsch Glacier in the Swiss canton of Valais. It lies on the range between the Oberaletsch Glacier and the Aletsch Glacier, south of the Geisshorn.