Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt)
Self-guided walking holiday

+ The classic Chamonix to Zermatt trek in two weeks
+ High passes, rocky corries and verdant valleys
+ Complete the trek in your own style

Latest news July 2010
For 2010 we are enjoying booking the routes via Hotel Weisshorn or Cabane Bella Tola as options. We're looking forward to our first clients starting in mid-July.

Trek the Walker's Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, thus completing one of Europe's most challenging and thrilling treks.

The Walker's Haute Route is a trekking route, as opposed to the original, Classic Haute Route that takes to the glaciers and is often made as a ski tour. This trek calls for no rock climbing or technical skills but is nevertheless at the harder end of the spectrum of Alpine walks. Many sections call for self-reliance, strong fitness and good navigation. Passes at nearly 3,000m take much climbing to reach; the terrain is rugged and wild.

This being a self-guided holiday, you're free to complete the walks as you choose: we arrange everything for you, including booking accommodation and providing you with routecards for the walking, and then it's up to you to carry out the walks yourself.

We book your accommodation in an intriguing mix of hotels, auberges and mountain huts. The huts are high, remote, yet quite comfortable. Many tweaks to the itinerary are available.

Options

We can adjust your Haute Route in various ways, as follows:

Alternative starts
As normal, our schedule spends the first stage high above Chamonix in order to make the most of the walk to Argentiere. The direct walk to Argentiere is a half-day along the valley. If you'd like to skip a day, this can be added to the next stage so that you walk straight to Trient. Or, arrive early enough in Chamonix and walk to Argentiere for your first night. Please let us know if either of these appeals.

Alternative routings
The Haute Route lets us offer multi-day diversions. For example:

Via Hotel Weisshorn or Cabane Bella Tola (New for 2010)
From Grimentz the usual route goes to Zinal and then Gruben. Instead, cross the valley to St Luc and (perhaps with the aid of the funicular) climb to Hotel Weisshorn, a venerable old hotel in a hut's location. The Hotel can also be reached in a grand day from Zinal. Then cross to Gruben in a day. The result is either to keep to the normal number of days, or to add one day. Cabane Bella Tola is a mountain hut at a similar height to Hotel Weisshorn above St Luc; it fits into a similar schedule.

Via Cabane de Moiry (Planned for 2011)
This is an alternative to Grimentz for the night between La Sage and Zinal. We aim to offer it as an option for 2011. Please ask us for more details.

Via the Europaweg (Planned for 2011)
This is the high-level route from St Niklaus to Zermatt over 2 days, which we also plan to offer from 2011. Please contact us.

Rest days
The Haute Route has two relatively easy valley days which reduce the need for full rest days. However, rest days can be welcome, as can days at the end in Zermatt. Please contact us to discuss your approach.

Walked the Tour du Mont Blanc?
The first 3 days of the Haute Route are similar to 3 days of the TMB. If you'd like to skip these, please ask us about starting from Champex.

Accommodation
Please let us know if you fancy a more comfortable or a more basic trip. Our normal schedule is at the comfy end; at certain villages we can adjust your accommodation, booking more auberges or more smart hotels as you prefer.