WALKERS HAUTE ROUTE (FULL TRAVERSE)

Guided long-distance hike from Chamonix to Zermatt

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Trip type: Long distance hike, hut to hut trekking
Duration: 14 days
Distance: 221 Km, 15200 Hm ascent
Country/Region: France, Haute Savoie – Switzerland, Valais
Price: from 3900.- CHF p.P.
Participants: 3-8
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Hiking from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn along the Walker’s Haute Route is on many people’s bucket list, and rightly so. It’s one of the most challenging and impressive long-distance hikes in Europe, taking you over rocky passes, past snow-capped mountains and through pretty alpine meadows, while you constantly have a view of the high mountains of the Alps.

Many rave about the exciting finale on the Europaweg, the last two days to Zermatt. Equally popular are the stages to Champex through the Fenêtre d’Arpette, a high rocky pass, and to the Cabane de Moiry, which includes a challenging mountain ascent. A long-distance hike for ambitious trekkers between Chamonix and Zermatt, between endless passes, glacier views and alpine valleys.

Requirements:

vier-quellen-weg-anforderungen

Condition

Schwierigkeit 3 5 1

Walking time of up to 7 hours/day and 800 to 1200 m difference in altitude

Technique

Schwierigkeit 1 5 1

The long-distance hike follows hiking trails in the red-white and blue-white categories. Sure-footedness required.

The Walkers Haute Route: a classic long-distance hike on the most unique passes of the Alps.

The Walker’s Haute Route, which connects Chamonix and Zermatt, is one of the most impressive trekking trails in Europe. This route stretches over around 200 km, overcomes around 12,000 meters of ascent and can be covered in 14 daily stages. It takes hikers through the majestic alpine landscape, past some of the most impressive peaks, including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.

The hike begins in Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc, and first takes us through the beautiful Chamonix Valley. From there, the route takes us over high passes and through remote valleys, offering panoramic views of the Alps in all their splendor. 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.

On the way, we cross a variety of landscapes, from flower-filled alpine meadows to icy glaciers and tranquil mountain lakes. The stages to the Cabane de Moiry, known for its spectacular location overlooking the Moiry glacier and the challenging crossing over the Fenêtre d’Arpette, offer unforgettable nature experiences.

The Walker’s Haute Route is an adventure that requires both physical endurance and a deep love of the mountains. It promises an incomparable experience amidst the breathtaking scenery of the Swiss Alps. The best time for this guided trekking tour is from mid-June to mid-September, when the trails are free of snow and the weather conditions are at their most favorable. Are you ready for a long-distance hike in a class of its own?

Guided Walkers Haute Route long-distance hike

The Walker’s Haute Route crosses the majestic landscape of the Swiss Alps and connects Chamonix with Zermatt. On this trail, walkers experience the diversity of the Alpine landscape, from deep valleys and dense forests, to snow-capped peaks. Our trail takes us past some of Europe’s most iconic mountains, including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, and offers an unforgettable adventure in the breathtaking scenery of the High Alps.

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Your benefits with Exped Tribe:

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Local and multilingual mountain guide

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Support member

who will document the trip with professional recordings and look after your well-being. You will receive drone videos, photos and much more as a souvenir of your adventure.

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Small groups

of max. 8 participants. Increased flexibility, familiar atmosphere and harmonious get-together. We do our best to ensure that all participants have an incredible adventure! We conduct expectation phone calls and pool participants who have similar expectations and abilities. We are happy to accept special requests!

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Vegetarian friendly

We offer Alpine gourmet cuisine, completely without meat/fish!

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Co2 compensation

Planting of several trees per participant. You will receive a certificate of your trees and will be able to follow their growth.

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Rental materials

Cost-effective rental materials such as sleeping bags, climbing equipment and much more are available.

Walkers Haute Route

Planned itinerary of the guided long-distance hike of the Walkers Haute Route

Day 1

Chamonix, let’s go!

We start in Chamonix at an altitude of around 1000 m. On this first stage, we can use two paths. Our main route takes us up 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 meters. We then descend steeply to Argentière, our destination for the night. The alternative route sticks to the valley and offers us a steady and picturesque ascent through forests and meadows to Argentière. The higher alternative allows us to admire Chamonix before setting off for Switzerland on the Haute Route; the lower route takes us there more directly, but presents a greater challenge.

Trient Wallis
Day 2

From Argentiere to Trient, Switzerland

From Argentiere, we take the Haute Route over the Col de Balme at an altitude of 2131 meters. This is a gentle pass, with grassy slopes on the French side that provide a busy ski area in winter. On the other side, the descent becomes steeper, but this stage provides a moderate introduction to the subject of Haute Route pass crossings. We arrive in the hamlet of Trient in Switzerland, for the first overnight stay.

champex 1
Day 3

Through the Fenetre D’Arpette or rather from  Bovine to Champex?

The next stage again offers a choice of routes. Our route maps describe the main route via the famous Fenetre d’Arpette at 2665 m and also the alternative route via the alpine pasture of Bovine at 1987 m. Both routes are demanding, but the Fenetre (literally ‘window’) in the rock is an experience that heralds the challenges that lie ahead. We arrive in Champex, a small Swiss resort next to its emerald green lake.

val de bagnes
Day 4

Through the valley to Le Chable

Today’s destination is the small village of Le Châble in the Val de Bagnes. This fourth stage contrasts with the previous mountain sections. It runs mostly in the valley, first descending through forests and fields to Sembrancher, where you meet the railroad from Martigny and then cross the fields on the valley floor to Le Châble. This is an opportunity to recharge your batteries before three strenuous stages, all of which involve a lot of climbing!

sicht aufs mont blanc
Day 5

From Le Chable to the Cabane du Mont Fort, 2457 m

Setting off from Le Châble, we get ready for an ascent of 1700 meters to the day’s destination, the Cabane du Mont Fort at 2457 m. A steady rhythm takes us past the chapels on the hillside, through wooded clearings, on roads and paths, as we steadily gain altitude above the valley. On a clear day, we can see Mont Blanc. This is a stage of the great transition from everyday rural Switzerland to the edge of the high mountains.

Walkers Haute Route 2 1
Day 6

A challenging stage: Col de la Chaux or Col Termin?

After a night in the hut in its grandiose surroundings, surrounded by jagged rocky peaks, it’s time to set off on one of the most challenging 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 Lac de Louvie: Col de la Chaux or Col Termin. Chaux is wild and rocky, Termin is a little more accessible and both offer a special selection of scenic views. Once this first pass has been conquered, 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 Cabane de Prafleuri rounds off this remote and rocky stage. Our knees will be glad of a break after the almost continuously pathless and often rocky kilometers.

dent dherens
Day 7

Through the Col des Roux to Arolla

Possibly the toughest stage of the Haute Route awaits you today. This is the route 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, bypassing the Glacier de Cheilon and we are then faced with a choice of two difficult passes. There is the Pas de Chevres 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’Herens.

La Sage
Day 8

The calm after the storm…

The three tough stages that mark the high point of the Haute Route are over, so today is a welcomed easier day for us. The descent to Les Hauderes and then the ascent to La Sage take us along decent paths and tracks in or just above the valley. It’s also a good stage, allowing us some time to recharge and relax. La Sage is a typical village in the Valais, a region in the Swiss Alps that stands out from the rest due to the heavy stone slabs on the roofs of the houses and a strong agricultural tradition.

Lac de Moiry
Day 9

Lac and Cabane de Moiry, Cabane des Dix

Once again, it’s off to the mountains today! Our route takes us over the Col du Tsate at 2868 m and then descends to the basin of Lac de Moiry before a second clear ascent to the Cabane de Moiry. At 2825m, this is the highest overnight stop on our normal route; only the optional Cabane des Dix is higher. Our alternative route is equally picturesque in a different way, crossing the similar Col de Torrent to Lac de Moiry before descending to the hut in the village of Grimentz.

Zinal
Day 10

From the Lac de Moiry to the Val d’Anniviers

From the Cabane de Moiry, the Haute Route continues high above the Lac de Moiry and then climbs up to the Col de Sorebois. This pass at 2835 m is grassy and easy compared to many others on the route! A long descent takes us to the village of Zinal, which is located in a side valley of the Val d’Anniviers. If we start from Grimentz, we can choose different routes: Back to Lac de Moiry to continue along the normal path, directly to Zinal via the woods or onwards via various routes to St. Luc.

Zinal
Day 11

From Zinal to Gruben

We reach the next valley, the Turtmantal, via one of the two main routes. We are in the German-speaking part of Switzerland on the rocky ridge that separates the Val d’Anniviers and the Turtmantal. From Zinal we climb to the Forcletta at 2874 m, a rocky pass to new alpine landscapes. From this point, there are plenty of views of the high mountains. If we are coming from the direction of St. Luc, the crossing is via the similar Meidpass. Both routes lead down to the small village of Gruben.

Matterhorn
Day 12

Off to the Mattertal!

Today we tackle the last stage with the classic up-and-down pattern of the Haute Route. From Gruben, we climb steadily up to the rocky but wide Augstbord Pass at 2893 m. On the descent, we enter the Mattertal… the valley that we share with the Matterhorn. The famous summit remains hidden behind high mountain walls. After the Hochalm Jungen with its barns and houses, the path descends in serpentines to St. Niklaus in the industrial part of the valley floor. Finally arriving in the last valley, we approach our destination!

Matterhorn
Day 13

Off to the Mattertal!

Today we start the two-day finale to Zermatt, the famous Europaweg. This section of the Europaweg was partially destroyed by a landslide in 2018 and reopened in 2022 after extensive rerouting. The new path leads from Gasenried to Herbriggen in the valley before a steep, rocky climb awaits us. We will then reach the Europahütte on the old high trail. Once at the top, the route leads along rocky ridges on the steep side of the slope. The Matterhorn is finally in sight. After circling a ledge, we reach the wooden Europahütte at 2265 m. Our home for the night.

zermatt
Day 14

Zermatt, we are coming!

The Europaweg continues and the initial sections of today maintain the characteristic challenge until we reach Zermatt. A final descent past barns and huts in Findeln brings us to the small town, which is magical and quaint in equal measure! We have successfully mastered the Walkers Haute Route! Time to celebrate this incredible tour with a fondue!

Important information about your long-distance hike on the Walkers Haute Route

Clothing
  • Hard shell jacket
  • Down jacket
  • Long hiking pants, quick-drying
  • Long and short shirts, quick-drying
  • Soft shell or fleece jacket
  • Hat, gloves
Miscellaneous
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun and lip cream
  • Water bottle and thermos flask
  • Camera and power bank
  • Backpack (60-80l)
Technical equipment
  • Trekking poles
  • Mountain boots or high hiking boots
  • Gaiters
For the overnight
  • Hut sleeping bag
  • Headlamp
  • Toiletries (reduced to a minimum)
Included

  • Exped Tribe hiking leader or mountain guide

  • Support member who documents the trip photographically

  • Overnight stay in huts and hotels

  • Half board

  • Group equipment

  • Co2 compensation with the planting of 10 trees/participant

Excluded
  • Travel to and from the destination country
  • Private insurance with repatriation costs covered
  • Beverages
  • Everything not listed under “Included”
Catering
  • Snack (not included, serves to replenish energy levels): This is eaten between breakfast and dinner and taken with you for the appropriate number of days. Dried fruit, chocolate, cheese, wholemeal bread and energy bars are all suitable. Remember that your rucksack should not be too heavy.
  • Half board (included): Out of commitment to animal welfare, we do not offer fish/meat on our tours. Nevertheless, you can of course order what you like best at the restaurants on site, whether vegetarian or of animal origin. You are also welcome to bring and eat your own food of animal origin at any time.
Rental material
  • Trekking poles, CHF 35.00
  • Expedition backpack (90-110l), CHF 60.00

WALKERS HAUTE ROUTE

Guided long-distance hike in the Alps, between Chamonix and Zermatt
Book now

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