The long-distance hike follows hiking trails of the red-white and blue-white categories. Sure-footedness is required.
Hiking from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn along the Walker’s Haute Route is on many people’s bucket list – and rightly so. It is one of the most demanding and most impressive long-distance hikes in Europe, taking you over rocky passes, past snow-covered mountains and through pretty alpine meadows, with the high peaks of the Alps constantly in view.
Many people rave about the exciting finale on the Europaweg, the last two days to Zermatt. Just as popular are the stages to Champex through the Fenêtre d’Arpette, a high rocky pass, and to the Cabane de Moiry, which involves a demanding climb. A shared long-distance hike for ambitious trekkers between Chamonix and Zermatt, among endless passes, glacier views and alpine valleys.
CHF 3'500.00
The Walker’s Haute Route, which links Chamonix and Zermatt, is one of the most impressive trekking trails in Europe. The route stretches over roughly 200 km, gains around 12’000 metres of ascent and can be completed in 14 daily stages. It leads hikers through the majestic alpine landscape, past some of the most striking summits, including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
The hike starts in Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc, and first takes us through the beautiful Chamonix valley. From there it continues over high passes and through remote valleys that offer the panorama of the Alps in all its splendour. Highlights include the crossing of the Col de Balme, which separates the French Chamonix valley from the Swiss Valais, and the passage at the foot of the mighty Matterhorn, before the route ends in Zermatt.
Along the way we cross varied landscapes, from flower-rich alpine meadows to icy glaciers and quiet mountain lakes. The stages to the Cabane de Moiry, known for its spectacular setting with views of the Moiry glacier, and the demanding crossing of the Fenêtre d’Arpette offer unforgettable nature experiences.
The Walker’s Haute Route is an adventure that demands both physical endurance and a deep love of the mountains. It promises an incomparable experience amid the breathtaking scenery of the Swiss Alps. The best time for this shared trekking tour is from mid-June to mid-September, when the trails are free of snow and the weather conditions are most favourable. Are you ready for a long-distance hike of the very highest calibre?
The long-distance hike follows hiking trails of the red-white and blue-white categories. Sure-footedness is required.
Fitness for walking times of up to 7 hrs/day and 800 to 1200 m of elevation gain
We start in Chamonix at around 1000 m. On this first stage we can take two routes. Our main route leads us onto the slope opposite Mont Blanc, where we have the option of using a cable car to reach the picturesque mountain lake Lac Blanc at 2352 m. We then descend steeply to Argentière, our destination for the night. The alternative route stays in the valley and offers us a steady, scenic climb through forests and meadows to Argentière. The higher alternative lets us admire Chamonix before we set off on the Haute Route into Switzerland; the lower route takes us there more directly, but presents a greater challenge.
From Argentière the Haute Route takes us over the Col de Balme at 2131 m. This is a gentle pass, with grassy slopes on the French side that form a busy ski area in winter. On the other side the descent becomes steeper, but this stage is a moderate introduction to the theme of pass crossings on the Haute Route. We arrive in the hamlet of Trient in Switzerland for our first night.
The next stage again offers a choice of routes. Our route maps describe the main line over the famous Fenêtre d’Arpette at 2665 m as well as the alternative over the alpine pasture of Bovine at 1987 m. Both routes are demanding, but the Fenêtre (literally ‘window’) in the rock is an experience that foreshadows the challenges still to come. We arrive in Champex, a small Swiss holiday resort, beside its emerald-green lake.
Today’s destination is the small village of Le Châble in the Val de Bagnes. This fourth stage contrasts with the mountain sections so far. It runs largely in the valley: first down through forests and fields to Sembrancher, where you meet the railway from Martigny, and then across the fields on the valley floor to Le Châble. This is a chance to recharge before three strenuous stages, all of which involve a great deal of ascent!
Setting off from Le Châble, we prepare for a 1700-metre ascent to today’s destination, the Cabane du Mont Fort at 2457 m. A steady rhythm carries us past the chapels on the hillside, through wooded clearings, along roads and tracks, while we steadily gain height above the valley. In clear weather we can catch sight of Mont Blanc. This is a stage of great transition, from everyday rural Switzerland to the edge of the high mountains.
After a night in the hut in its magnificent setting, surrounded by jagged rocky peaks, it is time to set off on one of the most demanding stages of the Haute Route. Bad weather can be a real challenge even for experienced groups. Two passes are available to reach the high basin above the Lac de Louvie: Col de la Chaux or Col Termin. Chaux is wild and rocky, Termin is somewhat more accessible, and both offer their own particular selection of scenic views. Once this first pass is behind us, the route leads to two more: Col de la Louvie and then Col de Prafleuri at 2987 m, the highest point on the Walker’s Haute Route. A final descent to the Cabane de Prafleuri rounds off this remote and rocky stage. Our knees will welcome a break after kilometres that are almost entirely pathless and often rocky.
Today may well bring the hardest stage of the Haute Route. This is the way to Arolla. First we climb over the Col des Roux to enter the impressive basin of the Dix reservoir. The route continues through the water, skirts the Glacier de Cheilon and then faces us with a choice between two difficult passes. There is the Pas de Chèvres with its formidable, almost vertical ladders, or the Col de Riedmatten with its loose stones and steep angles. After this section the descent to Arolla is child’s play. The village is tiny, but it offers everything we need, in one part of the Val d’Hérens.
The three hard stages that mark the climax of the Haute Route are behind us, so today brings a welcome easier day. The descent to Les Haudères and then the climb to La Sage take us forward in or just above the valley on decent roads and paths. It is also a good stage that allows us some time to recharge and relax. La Sage is a typical village in the Valais, a region of the Swiss Alps that stands out from the others for the heavy stone slabs on the roofs of its houses and for its pronounced agriculture.
Once again today it is back into the mountains! Our route takes us over the Col du Tsate at 2868 m and then down to the basin of the Lac de Moiry, before a second clear climb to the Cabane de Moiry. At 2825 m this is the highest overnight stop on our normal route; only the optional Cabane des Dix is higher. Our alternative route is just as scenic in a different way and crosses the similar Col de Torrent to the Lac de Moiry, before descending to the hut in the village of Grimentz.
From the Cabane de Moiry the Haute Route continues high above the Lac de Moiry and then climbs to the Col de Sorebois. At 2835 m this pass is grassy and easy compared with many others on the route! A long descent leads us into the village of Zinal, which lies in a side valley of the Val d’Anniviers. If we start from Grimentz we can choose different routes: back to the Lac de Moiry to continue on the normal path, directly to Zinal through the forests, or onward on various routes to St. Luc.
Via one of the two main routes we reach the next valley, the Turtmanntal. We are in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, on the rocky ridge that separates the Val d’Anniviers from the Turtmanntal. From Zinal we climb to the Forcletta at 2874 m, a rocky pass leading to new alpine landscapes. From this point there are plenty of views of the high mountains. If we come from the direction of St. Luc, the crossing is made over the similar Meidpass. Both routes lead down into the small village of Gruben.
Today we tackle the final stage with the classic up-and-down pattern of the Haute Route. From Gruben we climb steadily to the rocky but broad Augstbordpass at 2893 m. On the descent we enter the Mattertal… the valley we share with the Matterhorn. The famous summit stays hidden behind high rock walls. After the high alp of Jungen with its barns and houses, the path descends in switchbacks to St. Niklaus in the industrial part of the valley floor. Finally in the last valley, we are closing in on our goal!
Today we begin the two-day finale to Zermatt, the famous Europaweg. This section of the Europaweg was partly destroyed by a landslide in 2018 and reopened in 2022 after an extensive rerouting. The new path leads from Gasenried to Herbriggen in the valley, before a steep rocky climb awaits us. After that we reach the Europahütte on the old high path. Once up there, the route follows rocky ridges along the steep hillside. The Matterhorn is finally in sight. After rounding a spur, we reach the timber-built Europahütte at 2265 m. Our home for the night.
The Europaweg continues and the early sections of today keep up the characteristic challenge until we reach Zermatt. A final descent past the barns and huts of Findeln brings us into the small town, which is equally magical and rustic! We have successfully completed the Walkers Haute Route! Time to celebrate this incredible tour over a fondue!
Each day we stay at new mountain huts along the way or at mid-range accommodation in the valley.
You need outstanding endurance. Unlike the better-known Tour du Mont Blanc, the Haute Route is considerably steeper. Almost every stage demands a punchy 1’000 to 1’500 metres of ascent and then the same steep descent, often with 6 to 8 hours of actual walking time per day.
The logistics are excellent: because the route crosses a valley every day, you alternate between remote SAC or CAF mountain huts (e.g. Cabane de Louvie, Cabane des Dix) and cosy hotels in the small mountain villages. Because of its great popularity, booking early (months in advance) is essential.
Yes, this is possible in many places. Unlike other wilderness treks, the Haute Route regularly crosses civilisation. If you have knee pain or the weather is bad, demanding valley descents or long flat sections (e.g. in the Val de Bagnes or the Mattertal) can easily be shortened using postbuses, trains or cable cars.
