Trip Report: Swiss Alps in Autumn - October 2025

As we slowly climbed up the hillside above Zermatt after walking through an underground tunnel and then riding an elevator, I was giddy with excitement and anticipation. We had captured quick and fading glimpses of it on the train ride up through the valley and while walking through town, but we were about to get our first clear view of one of the most famous, iconic, striking, and downright beautiful mountains on earth – The Matterhorn.

As the elevator doors opened, our group of 11, including 9 guests, myself, and our local guide Suzanne, filtered out onto an elevated platform. We all immediately looked to our right and there she was. We were all enthralled as we gazed directly at the Northeastern ridge of this towering peak rising high above the valley below. We had a quick discussion on what camera settings and focal lengths to use to capture the scene before us, and before long all we could hear was the clicking of shutters, a faint breeze moving through the trees, the white noise of the village of Zermatt below, and every now and then the “oohs” and “aahs” from excited photographers capturing the Matterhorn in the evening light.

This moment is just a small glimpse into the inaugural ‘Swiss Alps in Autumn’ workshop with Backcountry Journeys. I had the privilege and pleasure of leading this trip last October alongside Suzanne Witmer, our absolutely wonderful, professional, and incredible local guide.

With a group of passionate photographers and exploders we made our way throughout the topographically rich and culturally diverse Swiss Alps. over the course of 10 days, we charted our way through the country in a large counterclockwise circle visiting some of the most breathtaking and photogenic landscapes I’ve ever seen.

As Su would say, we travelled “the Swiss way” throughout our journey utilizing electric trains, cable cars, gondolas, private buses, cogwheel trains, and more. The transportation infrastructure in Switzerland features some truly impressive feats of engineering and it was the perfect way to explore the country and travel over, under, around, and through the mountainous landscape. We encountered a wide variety of weather, environmental conditions, and light from bright sunshine, to fog, rain, and even snow.

In this trip report, I’ll dive into a day-by-day overview of our Swiss Alps adventure and highlight some of the best and most memorable moments and scenes from the trip. Let’s get right into it!

Day 0 – October 14th 

By the time I arrived in Switzerland, I had already been in Europe for about a week exploring the country of Croatia. It was nice exploring a new place; venturing into historic and beautiful cities, trekking through beautiful national parks, and driving along the Adriatic Sea, but I was ready to return to more familiar ground and get back into the mountains!

I arrived late in the evening after a delayed flight and took the train from the airport into downtown Zurich. I had heard about the incredible network of railways throughout Switzerland and the Alps and was immediately impressed on my first ride. The trains here are always on time, they are fast and efficient, and overall, they are a joy to ride. We would ride many more trains and a wide variety of transportation methods throughout the trip.

I hopped off the train, walked several blocks to the hotel, checked in, and hit the hay in preparation for the following day. I was so excited to be in Switzerland and couldn’t wait to meet the group and get this trip started.

 

Day 1 – October 15th 

The following day, I rose early, grabbed some breakfast at the hotel and met a few of the guests on the trip. After that I headed out to explore the surrounding city for a few hours. Zurich is an immaculate and beautiful place to explore on foot, and it was nice to breathe in the fresh autumn air while I explored. After that, I met up with our local guide Su and we went over some trip details.

I have to say that Su is an absolutely wonderful guide, she is incredibly welcoming, helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. As our local guide, being from Switzerland, this trip simply wouldn’t be the same without her and it was a joy leading this trip alongside her.

After going over some info, we met up with the group and officially started the trip with orientation. In addition to getting to know one another, this is an important time to go over important trip information and logistics. Su and I each gave a presentation providing a glimpse of what our guests could expect on the adventure ahead and answering questions.

After this we all enjoyed a lovely meal at the hotel dinign room and then retreated to our rooms in preparation for the adventure ahead. Our journey into the Swiss Alps was about to begin!
 

Day 2 – October 16th  

On the first official day of our adventure we all met up for breakfast and then made our way to the train station. Our destination was Kandersteg, a wonderful little village in the Bernese Highlands. As we slowly rose from the large valleys of the Northern lowlands up into the foothills and then the towering alps, we watched the landscape transform all around us. As the Deciduous trees slowly started transitioning from green to yellow, orange, and red they were eventually replaced by coniferous trees including the iconic larches that also change color at this time of year.

Our route took us close to Bern, the capital of Switzerland, and then eventually after a few hours we arrived in Kandersteg and dropped our gear off at the hotel. Now that we had arrived it was time to head out for our first photography objective of the trip: a wonderful alpine lake called Oeschinensee. We then enjoyed a short walk from the hotel through the village to the Gondola that would take us up the mountain.

Up to this point, the day had been overcast with a solid layer of clouds blocking the sun ever since Zurich. When we boarded the gondola, we were still beneath the clouds, but the ceiling was only a few hundred meters above us. As we slowly ascended the mountain things began to ger brighter and eventually we popped up above the inversion and into the sunshine.

For the rest of the afternoon, we explored the area around Oeschinensee while the weather was warm and fantastic. We photographed the lake and surrounding landscape form multiple perspectives and enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a nice restaurant with a wonderful view.

After a few hours of exploration and photography had passed we made our way back down the mountain and checked into our hotel. A few of us head out to capture some sunset shots from the village and then we all met up for another delicious meal in the hotel dining room.

The first official day of the trip was a pleasant surprise with the exceptional weather, and we were all eager for what lay ahead.
 

Day 3 – October 17th 

The following morning, we met up for an early breakfast and quickly set out for our morning shoot. We rode a bus from the hotel through the village to the base of a tram, this time on the other side of the valley. Once again, as we climbed up the mountain we punched through the veil of clouds and entered a bright, open, and wonderful world. We emerged at the base of a large sub-alpine valley just below tree line in a place called the Sunnbuel Plateau.

Over the next couple hours, we hiked through this valley on well-maintained trails. We photographed the colorful larch trees all around us, the frost on the ground, the peaks surrounding our meadow, and more. Eventually the sun popped out from behind the mountains, and we stopped to enjoy a nice sack lunch on the trail. We eventually made our way back to the tram and descended back into the valley below the clouds.

We gathered our luggage from the hotel and boarded a train to head to our next destination, one that I was personally very excited for! The place we were headed was the village of Zermatt located directly below the iconic Matterhorn.

This village is entirely car free and it’s a truly remarkable place. Imagine tons of traditional Swiss chalet-style buildings stacked atop one another in a steep valley only accessible via train with towering peaks on either side covered in golden yellow larch trees, and the image that comes to mind still won’t do Zermatt justice.

Once we arrived, we checked into our hotel, settled into our rooms, and then set out for our evening shoot. This would be the first time we would get a clear, unobstructed view of the Matterhorn and the entire group was very excited. We popped out of the elevator, walked out on an elevated platform, and began to photograph what is one of the most iconic mountains on earth.

After the light had faded and everyone was satisfied with the images they had captured, we retreated for the evening and enjoyed yet another lovely dinner at the hotel.
 

Day 4 – October 18th 

The group met up for an early breakfast the following morning and then set out for our sunrise shoot. We ended up heading to nice spot in the village right next to the creek and found a clear view of the Matterhorn. We arrived well before sunrise so that everyone had plenty of time to set up their tripods, find a nice composition, and dial in their camera settings.

After a bit, the first rays of light hit the very top of the mountain illuminating a small triangle on the very top of the East face. The triangle slowly grew in height as the sunlight fell down the mountain and eventually the entire East face was glowing bright orange beautifully contrasting the dark blue shadows of the North face. This was a stellar sunrise and everyone managed to capture some nice images.

After our early morning shoot we went back to the hotel and eventually set out for the day’s main objective. We walked through the village towards the Matterhorn and arrived at the base of the main tram. We all hopped on and started to climb high up into the mountains.

We rode to the top of the first tram and then boarded a second that took us even higher until we were well above tree line. Even though it was mid-October, there were still people skiing on the glaciers that remain all summer long. The glaciers throughout the alps are all retreating at alarming rates but here, near the base of the Matterhorn, there was snow and ice all around us. We headed down a rocky slope on a gravel road to our first shot location: A beautiful alpine lake surrounded by  rocks and ice-covered ponds.  

The group explored this area and we all captured a ton of images for about two hours. Before we knew it, it was time to head even higher up into the mountains to a cable car station that sits at over 13,000 feet. This would be our highest elevation of the entire trip.

This location, known as Klein Matterhorn, provided not only stunning views, but it was also where our lunch restaurant was located. Su had reserved a private dining room for us at the top of the mountain looking directly west at Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks. I have to say this was probably the most incredible view I’ve ever seen while eating a delicious meal in the comforts of a restaurant. It was absolutely spectacular

After lunch a few of us explored the ice cave that had been constructed underneath the glacier and enjoyed some beautiful ice sculptures and even a slide made entirely of ice. Before long it was time to head back down into the valley and the village of Zermatt.

We enjoyed some down time at the hotel, and then another delicious dinner before hitting the hay.
 

Day 5 – October 19th 

The following day a few of us set out to photograph the sunrise while the rest of the group caught up on some sleep in preparation for the day ahead. After our sunrise shoot near a lovely church in the village, we all met up for breakfast at the hotel. We packed up our luggage and camera gear, and then set out for the next hotel.

We boarded the iconic cogwheel train in the middle of Zermatt, and starting to climb up high into the mountains once again. Cogwheel trains are impressive machines, and it was quite a unique experience to ascend over such steep terrain in the comforts of a train. This was another very impressive feat of engineering and transportation infrastructure that I would come to find is completely normal in this part of the world.

After climbing up a few thousand feet we had reached the end of the line at a stop called Gornergrat. This place, which would be our lodging for the night, was truly remarkable. Perched on the top of a bald mountain, surrounded by glaciers, and high above the trees and valley below, is a large building that houses a hotel, multiple restaurants, gift shops, and two space observatories on the roof. Gornergrat is a place unlike anything else I’ve ever witnessed, and I couldn’t believe that we would be staying here for the night!

We dropped our baggage at the hotel reception and started exploring the area while photographing our surroundings. Just above the hotel is a lovely viewing platform with 360-degree views showing the peaks and glaciers all around us.

After checking into our rooms and getting settled, we hopped back on the cogwheel train and took it one stop down the mountain to a beautiful little pond called Riffelsee. We followed some short but steep trails down to the pond and managed to capture some nice images of the Matterhorn in its reflection.  

After enjoying Riffelsee for a while we rode the train back to Gornergrat and enjoyed a lovely dinner at one of the restaurants. We talked about the extraordinary day we had all enjoyed and chatted about all sorts of things as we at another delicious meal.

That night, well after I had retired to my room and read multiple chapters of my book, I decided to peek out my window which faced directly at the Matterhorn in the distance. There had been quite a few clouds earlier in the afternoon/evening but now the clouds had dissipated, and I could see a relatively clear sky filled with stars. I knew that I had to get my camera out and capture the night sky.

Normally, when I shoot astro I have to leave the comforts of the lodge behind and head out into the cold night in hopes of escaping any light pollution that might be present. In this instance however, because we were isolated on top of a mountain in complete darkness, I was able to capture some nice images from my hotel room. I simple set up my tripod on the windowsill and started shooting.

Eventually the clouds returned and I decided to call it a night and get some rest. It’s not every day that you can capture crisp and clear night sky images from your hotel room. That was a really special shoot to say the least.
 

Day 6 – October 20th 

We awoke the following morning to a very pleasant surprise on top of the mountain. As I peered out my window all I could see was white. While we were surrounded by thick clouds the ground was also white, covered in a fresh blanket of snow. The forecast had called for precipitation so we skipped a sunrise shoot, and because we were so high the rain had turned to snow. As I stepped outside into the while world it was if we were in a snow globe, a miniature world with no awareness whatsoever of anything beyond a 500-foot radius.

We all enjoyed a nice breakfast, explored the snowy world, retreated to the comforts of the hotel whenever necessary, and before long it was time to head back down the mountain to Zermatt.

As we descended on the cogwheel train, the snow began to fade, the yellow larch trees returned before fading to green, and after about 40 minutes we arrived in the village. We had some tom to kill before the next phase of the journey so several of us explored the town and captured images of the fog dancing amongst the trees and ridgelines above. This is one of my favorite things to photograph and we all managed to capture some nice images.

We then regrouped at the main station, climbed aboard a train, and said our goodbyes to Zermatt. We made our way down the valley, and onto our next destination.

After riding multiple trains, a bus, and another cable car we had arrived at our next hotel in a small village high up in the mountains called Bettmeralp. This quaint, and quiet settlement is the quintessential Swiss mountain village, and it’s located right next to the longest glacier in the Alps.

We checked into our cozy hotel, settled in, and enjoyed a nice dinner that evening before heading to bed.
 

Day 7 – October 21st  

Now that we had made it to Bettmeralp, it was time to start exploring. The main objective of the day was to take a gondola up above the village to a prominent ridgeline overlooking the Aletsch Glacier. On our way to the gondola station we took our time walking through the village and captured some nice intimate scenes of Swiss life high in the alps.

We then rode the gondola up high to a nice station that has a small restaurant and some walkways allowing you to walk over the rocks and scree. We were once again above snowline, so we had to walk with caution over about 2 inches of snow.

We spent the next two hours exploring the area photographing the glacier, and the mountains all around us. Every now and then the clouds would open up and we could see across the main valley. We could even see the Matterhorn far off in the distance. The icing on the cake, was an impromptu chocolate tasting. Su had brought some of her favorite local chocolates along and we all got to indulge and enjoy some delicious treats.

After this, we grabbed some warm drinks and snacks at the restaurant and then headed back down the cable car to explore the neighboring village of Reideralp. We explored the village and then retreated to the hotel for the evening.
 

Day 8 – October 22nd  

Our time at Bettmeralp had come to an end and after a nice breakfast, we packed out things and set out for the next phase of our journey. We rode back down into the valley on the cable car and were greeted by Beat (pronounced Bay-At) who was the driver of the private bus Su had chartered for the remainder of the trip.

We loaded up our luggage, spread out in this spacious and comfortable bus, and set out for our next destination. Due to the recent snowfall that had covered a lot of the country, several passes were closed to car travel. Because of this we took a slight detour and ended up driving into Italy for a bit. We enjoyed this beautiful ride through mountains and valleys, along rivers and massive lakes, and stopped a few times to snap a few images and stretch our legs.

Before arriving at our final destination of the day, we stopped at a lovely lake to capture sunset. We had a nice evening shoot enjoying some lovely light and some waterfowl floating near the shoreline.

After this we had a quick drive to Zernez and checked into the hotel. We enjoyed a really nice meal in a lively restaurant connected to the hotel and before long the day was over. We had covered a lot of ground and had finally made it to our last hotel of the trip where we would be staying for the next two nights.
 

Day 9 – October 23rd  

On the second to last full day of our trip we set out for Switzerland’s one and only national park. It was a mostly cloudy day but we still managed to find some nice shot locations and enjoy the natural beauty and serenity of this incredible place. We explored the park for a couple hours and then headed to another lake to get some extra shooting in.  

We were treated to some really nice cloudy and moody conditions at this lake and once again were visited by some curious little coots. I really love these birds and the wildlife photographer within me couldn’t resist capturing some nice images of them infront of the fall colors.

After our time at the lake we ventured off the main roads and into the woods. You would think that there was nothing of interest where we were headed but before long we arrived at a lovely little tucked away restaurant where we would be eating lunch. The food was great and we all enjoyed exploring the area.

After this, we headed back to the hotel for a post procession session. The group enjoyed some down time and then we were off to dinner and eventually off to sleep. Another great day had concluded and before we knew it our trip had almost come to an end.

Day 10 – October 24th 

On the last full day of our trip we woke up quite early and grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel. We had a big day ahead of us with lots to see, therefore we wasted no time getting things started. We checked out, loaded the bus, and we were off.

As we made our way through the Engadin Valley we managed to catch an unexpected and beautiful sunrise. We hopped out of the bus at a nice viewpoint and started to capture the wonderful light all around us.

After this we continued our journey and departed the main valley before driving up a steep mountain pass that had recently been covered in snow. On the way up we stopped a few locations and captured some beautiful images of the golden larch trees contrasting the fresh white snowfall.

After cresting the pass and driving through a landscape that appeared to be stuck in the middle of winter, we descended to lower elevations and warmer temperatures. We drove through the wine country of Switzerland and stopped for lunch at a lovely little restaurant with immaculate views of vineyards, lush forests, and towering peaks in the background.

After this all we had to do was make our way back to Zurich, driving through even more beautiful and awe-inspiring landscapes, and before long we had arrived at the end. This incredible journey into the heart of the Swiss Alps with a really great group of guests had now concluded and it was time for us all to go our separate ways and return home.

It’s always sad concluding such a fun and enjoyable trip like this, but we were all going home with minds full of fond memories and cameras full of great images. The first ever Backcountry Journeys Swiss Alps workshop was a total success and I can’t wait to head back again next year!

This trip really was one for the books and I can’t thank our local guide Su enough for making this experience everything it was. If you’re in search for your next mountain landscape photography adventure, then be sure to check this one out!