Discover Zwischbergen

Between the Simplon Pass and the Italian border

Zwischbergen lies south of the Simplon Pass, right on the border with Italy. The Zwischbergental is considered a wild valley stretching 16 kilometres and is surrounded by mountain peaks reaching up to 4,000 metres. Old smugglers’ paths shape the routes through the valley; cross-border day hikes to Italy and back are also possible. Zwischbergen thus combines alpine excursions with its history as a border region.

Hikes and old paths

The Zwischbergen–Tschawinersee–Monscerapass circular hike is 13.03 kilometres long and rated difficult. It starts at the Gondo post bus stop. The old smugglers’ path crosses two alpine pastures before reaching the clear waters of Lake Tschawinersee and continuing to Monscerapass. Seven mountain lakes lie along the route to the lake. As route conditions can change with the weather, check them before setting out.

Depending on the season, you may be able to watch Waira alpine cheese being made on the hike to Lake Tschawinersee. This opportunity depends on when you visit. For a different perspective on the paths through the valley, the Furggu variant of the ViaStockalper runs along the right-hand slope past the gold mines. It passes through a beech forest and then descends to Gondo along the original mule track. A marked ViaStockalper hiking trail climbs from Zwischbergen to Monscerapass over numerous natural steps.

Gold mining and panning

The gold mines at the entrance to the Zwischbergental have been known since Roman times and have now been developed as a visitor mine. The historic gold-mining era of Gondo-Zwischbergen ended on 17 May 1896 with the bankruptcy of the Société des Mines d’Or de Gondo. An exhibition at the Stockalperturm in Gondo features contemporary and current photos, documents and plans of the mine, as well as rock samples. It can be supplemented with an additional programme featuring gold panning and guided tours of the gold mines; check the programme details before your trip.

Gold panning in Zwischbergen is available individually or in groups. At Gondo Goldrush, a gold-panning instructor shows you how to find gold; participants scoop gravel into their gold pans for the first time. The route leads from Gondo to the Zwischbergen Hof, then continues on foot through the alluvial forest to the gold claims. As programme details may change, it is advisable to confirm them in advance.

Chapels and historic sites

From Restaurant Bord, you can reach Maria Bru Chapel via the Jordiweg in about 30 minutes. A circular route from Bord first follows the Stockalperweg to Chatzhalte and then branches off to the chapel. Check trail conditions before your visit. The chapel on Alpjen dates back to the 16th century: at that time, it served as the church and centre of the “Bergstatt uff den Alpjen”.

The chapel at Bord was built around 1642 on the site of a small wayside shrine. It is in the Zwischbergental, on the road to Furggi, near Restaurant Bord. Another historic site is Gsteihuis: it stands on private property and can only be viewed from the outside. Originally, it was a residential tower or fortified house and belonged to the Laquenessa family, a local noble family. Laquenessa am Gstein had been the seat of the Zwischbergen district court since 1291.

Climbing, canyoning and getting there

The 500-metre-high Volluzwand in the Gondo Gorge offers challenging climbing. Check route information and conditions locally. Canyoning in the Zwischbergenschlucht involves slides, jumps and abseiling. With a canyoning guide, the descent takes about three hours and ends at the starting point of Gondo in Valais. The activity is seasonal; confirm guide availability and water conditions in advance. Do not enter the gorge without a qualified canyoning guide: rising water levels can be life-threatening.

In summer, the PubliCar service in the Gondo–Zwischbergen area operates only with advance reservations. PubliCar Zwischbergen is a flexible on-demand bus service where you can choose your departure and destination stops within the designated service area. Check the timetable and book before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Naters, Simplon, Rosswald, Rothwald, Mund, Simplon Hospice, Belalp, Brig.

Return to the main travel overview: Brig.