Vier Quellen Weg: In Five Days Through the Gotthard Massif

The Vier Quellen Weg, or the Four Springs Trail was introduced in Switzerland in 2012. This route crosses as many as four cantons: Uri, Graubünden, Ticino and Valais. Compared to established tours such as the Tour du Mont Blanc, the route markings are excellent, making it almost effortless to follow. Andermatt serves as the starting point, easily accessible by car or public transport.

During the Vier Quellen Weg you will discover the sources of four rivers, the most famous of which is the Rhine. The Rhône is also well known, mainly for its wine, of course. The Ticino merges into the Po and the Reuss eventually rejoins the Rhine via the Aare near Koblenz. But you don't notice much of that at the springs. You pass enchanting blue lakes and pass the Gotthard Pass and Furka Pass. With 5 stages, this trek is challenging. Although children walk these trails, some sections contain technical sections and longer stages. Accommodations range from mountain huts to local hotels, allowing you to both enjoy the authentic hut-trekking experience and occasionally experience more comfort.

The Vier Quellen Weg is not an easy trek and the stages are at least 5 hours each day. As such, it is advisable to already have some Alpine experience. Basically, the hiking trails are well-trodden and marked, but there are several technical sections that require some mountain experience.

If you have little experience with hut-hiking, take a look at our blog on the Kesch Trek in the slightly more easterly Graubünden region of Switzerland. Slightly less challenging and with the Kesch Hütte, you immediately have one of the most popular huts in the Swiss Alps on your hands.

The most difficult sections on the Vier Quellen Weg are T3. The narrowest passages have extra support in the form of cables or chains.

The official season runs from mid-June to mid-September, but if you hike the Four-Quellen Way between mid-July and late August, the chances of good weather and snow-free mountain passes are higher. It is high season, so make sure you book as far in advance as possible. If you decide to hike the Four-Quellen Way in September, it is still enjoyable and the trail is not as crowded. But in this case, the days are shorter, the weather is colder and there is a chance of snow.

July and August are the best months for this trek in Switzerland, but are also the high season so it can be busier. However, the Alps are unpredictable and the weather can easily change. When one day you can fully enjoy the bright sunshine, the next day it can rain litres.

The starting point of the Vier Quellen Weg is in Andermatt, a small town towards the border of Italy. It is easy to reach by car and public transport.

By Car:

You can travel to Switzerland by car and mostly drive through Germany. The best place to head to in Switzerland is Basel and continue towards the town of Andermatt.

By Plane:

The nearest airport is Zurich. From here it is about 2 hours by train including a transfer, to the starting point of the trek. You can also consider flying into Bern and traveling to Andermatt from there. This is a long ride of about 3/3.5 hours with some transfers, but definitely with beautiful views.

Public Transport:

Your best option is to take the train to Zurich (via Germany). From there, you can go by train via Göschenen to Andermatt which is about an extra 2 hours.

There is an emergency situation when a human life (yours or someone else's) is in danger and you cannot do anything to solve the situation. You should call for help if there has been an accident, someone is stuck, you are lost or in trouble and cannot continue due to the time of day or weather conditions, or if you are stuck due to technical climbing challenges beyond your capabilities.

The most important thing to do in an emergency situation is to remain calm and assess the situation. Do not panic and do not take pointless risks if the people in need are difficult to reach. In case of emergency, first and foremost, call for help. When calling for help, make sure to provide your location and the number of victims and type of injuries. Then, protect the victim from cold and other environmental threats and provide first aid, if you are capable.

Useful emergency phone numbers

144 (General) / 1414 (Mountain Rescue)

A hut trek really doesn't have to be expensive. Huts are usually simple, but offer everything you need to recharge your mental and physical batteries for the next hiking day(s). For 5 days on the Vier Quellen Weg, you can expect to pay around CHF 110 per hiking day. This includes route description, navigation aid, your accommodation in a mountain hut and local hotels, and half-board/breakfast where possible. For hut tours in general, we recommend bringing CHF 40-60 pocket money, this is for lunch and your drinks. Note that you stay overnight in Swiss huts and they pay with Swiss Francs there.