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Autumn view from the Furka Pass, Switzerland.

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Furka Pass

Top choice in Valais


Marking the cantonal frontier with Uri is the vertiginous Furka Pass (2431m), the run up to which offers superlative views over the fissured Rhône glacier. From the tiny Valais village of Gletsch (1762m) the road climbs almost continuously for 10km to the pass. Generally opening about 1 June each year (depending on snowfall and weather conditions), the Furka Pass is the gateway into southeast Switzerland. From the pass it's 21km jaw-dropping drive down countless hairpin curves to Andermatt (1437m).


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby Valais attractions

1. Rhône Glacier

1.02 MILES

Coming from Valais, the mesmerising Rhône Glacier is first seen from the tiny hamlet of Gletsch. This glacier is the source of the Rhône River, which…

2. Grimsel Pass

2.76 MILES

From the tiny Valais village of Gletsch (1762m; 10km to the Furka Pass), a steep 6km hairpinned road climbs north to the mighty Grimsel Pass (2164m),…

3. Furka Base Tunnel

3.63 MILES

This 15km-long tunnel, opened in 1982, plays an important part in the history of the Furka Pass. It runs from Oberwald in Valais to Realp, 8km short of…

4. Nufenen Pass

6.43 MILES

At Ulrichen, 21km on the Valais side of the Furka Pass, a clearly marked road turns southeast and twists its way south out of the Valais and into the…

5. Museo Nazionale San Gottardo

8.36 MILES

Once at the top of the St Gotthard Pass, visit the Museo Nazionale San Gottardo, which covers the commercial, political and cultural significance of the…

7. Robiei Dam

10.52 MILES

At the end of the Val Bavona, just after San Carlo, a cable car rides up to Robiei dam and its startlingly turquoise reservoir, tailor-made for a day’s…

8. Gemsstock

10.64 MILES

This 2961m mountain, reached by cable car, attracts hikers in summer and skiers coming for the snow-sure slopes in winter. The region is also beloved of…