Five-Lake Hike at the Gotthard Pass

(This post created and published on January 30, 2026)

Thursday August 29, 2013 -- Back to Andermatt, but this time we took the Post Bus for another 20 minutes toward the Gotthard Pass (which lies at 2100 m). We got out just before the Pass (the bus driver made an exception and let us out near the dam, so we would not have to walk as far) to hike up to Lago di Lucendro which is a reservoir lake, and from there hiked up to just over 2400 meters above sea level, and in a loop back to the starting point, passing about five more mountain lakes along the way. It wasn't a strenuous hike, but was about four hours of climbing and walking. I was also pretty tired as I had actually just recently flown out from Canada, and we had done quite a few large hikes since then. So along the way, I also laid down among the rocks (in a depression protecting from the rather cold winds blowing this day), and had a nap. 

And once we got back to the dam after four hours of hiking, we would still have had to walk 30 minutes to the bus stop at Gotthard Hospiz, but ended up hitching a ride there from some people who just happened to be parked at the base of the dam, for some reason. 

Switzerland's longest railway tunnel, the Gotthard (15 km) lies just beneath here. They are currently working on a new tunnel, scheduled to complete in 2016, which will be the world's longest train tunnel at 57 km. (Wikipedia Link).  Just 2 days after we were there, the first train (test run) went through the new tunnel from one side to the other.

As the bus heads up toward the buildings at the Gotthard Pass, we get our first glimpse of the Lucendro dam. 

Normally the bus only stops at the Gotthard Hospiz further ahead, but as we had told the driver that we were hiking to the dam, he made an unscheduled stop here closer to the dam, so we didn't have to walk as far. This is actually at the highest point of the pass, about 2100 meters above sea level (the buildings further on are lower). 

Even though it wasn't on the official trail, we climbed up the south side of the dam planning to walk across it. But apparently you cannot walk on the dam! So we had to go back down and head toward the north end of the dam. 

Looking back toward where we came up with the bus, on the left side of the photo.

The regular trail is a zigzag road, and we saw this ladder, so we decided to take a short-cut up there!

After climbing for 100 meters, we reach the level of the trail. Normally people head out from here to the north, but we are doing the loop in the other direction, heading westward in the direction of Alpe di Lucendro at the far end of Lake Lucendro, but will head uphill before we get to the back of the lake. 

This is basically what the Five-Lakes hike looks like. Usually the hike starts and ends at the Gotthard Hospiz (Hotel) but we were lucky, the bus driver let us off at "San Carlo" to save us some walking. The entire loop walk takes about 4½ hours (13½ kilometers). We were also lucky to find a private vehicle at the base of the dam when we returned, and hitched a ride back to the bus stop at the Gotthard Hospiz. (That saved us another 30 minutes of walking).

This is where we will be returning, the end of the loop. This is looking northwards, and most hikers start the loop in that direction.  

Starting off now from the dam along the wide road parallel to Lago di Lucendro. "Alpe di Lucendro" is at the far back of the lake, but we are heading up the hill to the right about half-way there. 

Behind me to the left is the Lucendro Pass, a hike for another day!

VIDEO:

Panorama view of Lake Lucendro as we start on our hike up the hill.

From the base of the dam we had to climb 100 meters to the walking trail, and then walk along the north side of Lago di Lucendro to the trail which then climbs to the smaller lakes. This is the view back toward the dam, on the eastern side of the lake. 

Panorama view of Lake Lucendro

Made it to the top after a 250-meter climb, with the last view of the Gotthard Pass and the Hotel (Gotthard Ospizio) at the far side of the lake in the back (That's where the bus stop is). 

We then came to this very pretty moor landscape with lots of wool grass. 

This is the first of the additional five lakes we got to. Actually, there are two lakes behind each other, and officially called "Laghi della Valetta", i.e. "Lakes of the Valetta" because the large alpine area up here is called Valetta. 

At the shores of Lago di Valetta (the first one)

Panorama view as we now come near the next lake, the larger of two Orsirora Lakes. Before heading on our trail to pass that lake, we stopped here for our picnic lunch and for a nap.

Our picnic lunch! There was a bit of a cold wind blowing. 

Panorama view directly to the east from where we had our lunch break. This landscape is far above the tree line and just a mass of rock. 

Now we continue on to the next lake, the upper Orsirora lake. 

Panorama view of Lago d'Orsirora

Below us is the lower Orsirora lake. The trail does not go past that one. 

Now starts the downhill section to the final of the five lakes: Lago d'Orsino. 

I am taking a photo of Urs, as he takes a photo of me.

Urs photographing me on my way down to the final lake. 

Heading back now in the direction of the Gotthard pass.

Looking up to where we came down from. 

This is called a surge tank, used to control the water coming down behind it, like a mini-dam.

This is the trail back to the dam, the one we had seen when we started on our hike several hours before. 

Panorama view of the road up to the Gotthard Pass. This is the road where the bus travels between Andermatt and the Gotthard Pass. 

Final uphill section back to the dam, and then we walk back down to the road. 

Back at the trail signs again now, we still have 35 minutes to walk down to the bottom of the dam and to the bus stop at Gotthard Ospizio. I was so tired by now that I could not imagine having to walk another half an hour! Lucky for us there were people with a car below, who gave us a ride to the bus stop at the hotel. 

After walking for over four hours, I was glad to get to the Ospizio where we could head back to Andermatt on the bus. 

Ready to head home... the bus takes us back to Andermatt, and from there a train heads down to Göschenen. 

Passing the Devil's Bridge (Teufelsbrücke) on the train ride from Andermatt down to Göschenen. 

This aerial photo from the Internet (not my own photo), shows the trail along the north side of the lake where we walked, and the terrain higher up where the five lakes are hidden.  (Side note at time of publishing, I can no longer find the owner of the photo to give credit).