We will be in Zermatt for a couple of days and only have time for 2 mountain excurstions. We have 2 children (11&8). Which 2 of these would you choose? Our trip is at the end of July.
1. Matterhorn glacier paradise
2. Rothorn paradise
3. Sunnegga paradise
4. Schwarzsee paradise
5. Gornergrat

Also, we will not be arriving until around 12:00. Is there one that would be better in the afternoon and one that would be better if we had a full day? Thanks for any suggestions.

Tina

Hi tina,

My 13-year-old and I enjoyed the Gornergrat a few weeks ago. It's about a 45-minute trip up. Great views of the Matterhorn. Can't compare to the others though since we only did the one.

gruezi

Hi Tine,
I can only comment on the one trip we took, Gornergrat. We thought it was fantastic and would do it again. We spent an hour or two walking down from the top station to an intermediate one (can't remember the name) before heading back down to Zermatt. Gorgeous scenery with glaciers, Alps and great Matterhorn views.

Paul

Tina,

We were in Zermatt this summer with our family and friends (kids age 11 and 13). We loved Zermatt. One of the favorite activities for the kids (and for me) was the Forest Fun Park. It is a 5 minute walk from the center of the village and a ball!

Here is some info on the experience:

Zermatt Forest Fun Park:

http://www.zermatt-fun.ch/picture.html

We had a ball with their version of via ferreta. ANYONE can do it

Check out our pictures:

http://www.pbase.com/jazzdrew

Another plug for the Forest Fun Park in Zermatt:

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lESRfpL1wqI

I wanna go back

I've only been to the Glacier Paradise. It's basically a cave with a lot of ice sculptures in it. Interesting to look at, but maybe not very exciting for kids. It can also be quite slippery. Outside of the cave is a huge open, fairly flat area of snow. Lots of young people were heading off to the tow ropes with snowboards and skis (this was mid August).

Unfortunately, the Matterhorn got fogged in as we arrived, so we didn't get an upclose view of it. Mum and I both felt a little bit of altitude sickness too (slight light-headedness) as did a few others who were not used to it. My mother had never seen snow before, so that is why we went.

If you can only do two, it's got to be the Gornergrat and the Matterhorn - with a bit of extra time on the Matterhorn Paradise day, you can also go to Schwarzee as the change is on the Matterhorn lift system. You can do the Gornergrat the afternoon you arrive - head up immediately and have lunch at one of the stops.

As a side note, find the cemetary in Zermatt and wander around -- there are many interesting graves and tombstones. Many different languages, pictures, and relics collected from the mountain. Makes you appreciate the enormity of the mountain above you.