1 Main Title

La Haute Route guided hiking tour

2 Abstract
La Haute Route, one of the best treks in the world, from Mont Blanc
(Chamonix) to Matterhorn (Zermatt), admiring every day stunning
scenery of the Alps, guided by Emma, UIMLA mountain leader.

3 Photos
4 Description
The Classic Walker's Haute Route, linking the famous
mountaineering capitals of Chamonix and Zermatt, is one of the
best multi-day trekking journeys in the world. Our adventure begins
at the foot of Mont Blanc in the Chamonix Valley.
En-route from France into Switzerland, the lower sections of the trek
take us through green alpine valleys, pretty mountain hamlets and
flower-strewn
meadows.
The higher sections of the trek take us across high alpine passes,
with spectacular views over 10 of the 12 highest peaks and glaciers
in the Alps.
Throughout this 180km (111 miles) trek, we follow good paths and
tracks, travelling through picturesque valleys and crossing over
several
3000m
(10,000
ft)
passes.
Our trek ends in Zermatt, beneath the Matterhorn, one of the most
iconic mountains in the world.
This trip combines luggage support and good quality hotels, with
just 2 nights in mountain huts, making for a very comfortable trip.
We've also chosen to stay in the wonderfully-located Cabane de
Louvie, perched above the Lac de Louvie, off the beaten track and
away from the ski lifts. There is no need to carry a sleeping bag or a
camping mat, and we have access to luggage on all but 2 nights. A
superb trek, and a must-do on any hiker's tick-list.
The highlights of this 11-day hike from Chamonix to Zermatt
- One of the best treks in the world
- Trek from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn
- View 10 of the highest peaks in the Alps

Stunning scenery every day

Fully guided trip with luggage support

This is a classic Alpine walking route on mostly good trails. The

average distance covered each day is around 16 km (10 miles) and
there is a considerable amount of ascent and descent, with several
passes close to 3000m.
All meals are included in the holiday price from dinner on day 1 to
breakfast on day 13. For lunch we provide a large sandwich and 2
trail bars.

Data:
Period
Duration
Technical
Level

Fitness Level
Language
Level
Previous
Experience
Guide Ratio
Climate

Insurance

June - September
11 days 12 nights
Although demanding at times (and slightly harder
than the Tour du Mont Blanc), the Walker's Haute
Route is a non-technical trek from Chamonix to
Zermatt and is suitable for regular hill walkers.
There are a couple of passages where it is
important to take care, but in general the walking
is straightforward and shouldn't pose any
problems.
This trip is suitable for people with a good level of
fitness.
Be able to understand instructions such as stop,
rest, start and be able to communicate when
you have having problems.
It is not really a trek for first-time hikers, and I
would recommend tackling something slightly
easier first if this is you.
4 to 10 persons
In mountainous terrain the weather can vary.
Temperatures can reach to over 30C in the
height of summer (July/August), but can be as low
as 5C on the passes. It is often sunny with good
weather, but it can rain, and even snow (even in
July or August) so you should be prepared for any
eventuality. The average temperatures range
from 15- 25C in the valleys, to 5-15C on the
passes.
It is a condition of booking this holiday that you
must be insured against medical and personal
accident risks (this must include helicopter rescue
and repatriation costs). You may find that your
annual multi-trip insurance covers this trip, but

you should check that you are covered for

trekking up to 3000m. We would also recommend
that you take out holiday cancellation insurance,
as your deposit is nonrefundable.
1795GBP per person
What is included in cost:
All accommodation
All breakfasts & evening meals
Transfer between Sembrancher and Fionnay
Luggage transfers on all but 2 nights
Qualified & experienced International Mountain
Leader
What is not included in cost:
Flights
Airport transfers
Personal drinks or snacks
Bottled water when needed in the huts
Travel insurance

Cost

Itinerary:
Day Details

Day
1

Arrive in Chamonix
Our trip begins in the famous
mountain town of Chamonix, at the
foot of Mont Blanc. We meet the
group at 6pm for a trip briefing
followed by our evening meal.

Day
2

Montroc to Col de la Forclaz via the

Aiguillette de Posettes
We start with a beautiful train
journey on the famous Mont Blanc
Express. We start our trek in the
hamlet of Montroc, and begin with
a climb up the stunning Aiguillette
de Posettes. Most other treks then
head for the Col de Balme, but we
stray from the standard route and
take a quiet, and beautiful variant
through the meadows of Les
Tseppes and into Switzerland as it
offers fantastic views.

Lodgin
g

Vertical
Ascent /
Hours of
Activity
0m / 0hrs

3* hotel,
dinner i
ncluded
(Luggag
e
access)
Hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
approx 78 hrs
Distance:
14 km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+1100m /
-1100m

Day
3

Day
4

Day
5

Trek from the Col de la Forclaz to

Champex via the Fentre d'Arpette
Today we start with an easy stroll
along the bisse (Swiss irrigation
system) to the Chalet des Glaciers,
a small caf next to the impressive
Trient glacier. Here we begin a long
and sometimes steep ascent
through spectacular scenery up the
high pass known as the Fentre
d'Arpette, from which we have
wonderful views of the Trient
Plateau. Next we have a steep
descent through the Val d'Arpette
to our accommodation in Champex.
Champex to the Cabane de Louvie
We leave the picturesque village of
Champex to meander through
summer meadows in the Val
de Bagnes, to reach the village of
Sembrancher. Here we take a
short taxi ride to Fionnay. We have
chosen to deviate from the
standard Haute Route and head for
the Cabane de Louvie as it offers a
truly remote setting next to a high
alpine lake, and our route steers
clear of the ski lifts of Verbier. We
finish our day with a steep ascent
to the Louvie hut: it's tiring, but we
are rewarded with fantastic views
of the Grand Combin and the Mont
Blanc Massif.

Familyrun
hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
Approx 7 hrs
Distance: 16
km
Altitude
gain / loss: +
1411m /
-1200m

Mountai
n
refuge,
dinner
included
No
luggage
access

Walking:
Approx
8 hours
Distance: 20
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+1350m /
-1300m

Trek from the Cabane de Louvie to

the Cabane de de Prafleuri
This is one of the most spectacular
days of the trek, crossing 2 cols
with dramatic views throughout.
After climbing the Col de Louvie,
we make a steep descent at the
edge of the Grand Dsert glacier.
We then traverse the aptlynamed Grand Dsert and make our
way up to the Col de Prafleuri
(2987m) then descend to the
Cabane de Prafleuri (2642m) for
the evening.

Mountai
n
refuge,
dinner
included
No
luggage
access

Walking:
Approx 8 hrs
Distance: 18
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+820m /
-550m

Day
6

Trek from the Cabane de Prafleuri

to Arolla
A short, steep climb greets us this
morning as we quickly summit the
Col de Roux, overlooking the milky
waters of the Lac de Dix. A gentle
descent then takes us to the shore
of the lake, which we follow to
its end, in the shadow of Mont
Blanc de Cheillon and the Pigne
d'Arolla. Next we make a steep
ascent to the base of the Col de
Riedmatten, where we have the
option of either climbing the col or
taking the Pas de Chvres ladders
to a nearby col. The leader will
decide which route we take, based
on the weather and the group.
There are more spectacular views
of the Dix glacier, then it is all
downhill to Arolla and our bed for
the night.

Hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking: appr
ox 6-7 hrs
Distance: 16
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+735m /
-1360m

Day
7

Arolla to La Sage
We are now approaching the
halfway point of the trek and today
is something of a recuperation day,
involving a leisurely walk through
woodland (although there are 1 or
2 chains!) to the Lac Bleu,
a favourite local beauty spot. From
here, there is an easy descent
through a beautiful gorge to Les
Haudres where we have lunch. A
final short climb complete this
stage at the small farming hamlet
of La Sage.

Accomm
odation:
3* hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking: appr
ox 4-5 hrs
Distance: 11
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+215m /
-550m

Day
8

La Sage to Zinal
No rest today as we have quite a
long day and 2 high passes to
cross! The first ascent to the higher
of the two, the Col de Torrent
(2912m), is long, but not too
difficult, and the path is in good
condition. We then descend to the
turquoise Lac de Moiry, a
great lunch spot. Ahead we can see
some of the giant peaks of the

Hotel
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
approx 89 hrs
Distance:
21 km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+2000m /
-1850m

Pennine Alps, including the Dent

Blanche and the Weisshorn. Of
more concern will be the imposing
Col de Sorebois, a climb which is
shorter but steeper than the ascent
of the Torrent, but again presents
no real problems. From here, we
have spectacular views of the
Weisshorn, the Dent Blanche and
the Zinal Rothorn. It's a steep
downhill from here, and the hotel
at Zinal is a welcome sight after
the hardest day of the trip so far.
For those whose knees are
suffering, there may be the
option to take the cable car from
the mid-station down (if it
is running, which it usually does in
the summer - this is not included in
the trip price).
Day
9

Zinal to Gruben
We start with a steep but pleasant
ascent through larch forest, before
a rising traverse takes us through
alpine pastures with excellent
views across the Val d'Anniviers.
We have a choice of 2 passes
today, the Forcletta (2874m) or
the Meidpass (2790m), but we
normally take the Forcletta as it
offers a more direct route, and
slightly better views. From here we
can see into the Turtmanntal, and
we enter the German-speaking part
of Switzerland. We often see
the rare edelweiss on our descent
of this col, if we can manage to
take our eyes away from the
incredible vista of 4000m peaks on
offer. Tonight we stay in the tiny
hamlet of Gruben.

Hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
Approx 7 hrs
Distance: 19
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+1200m /
-1165m

Day
10

Gruben to Saint Niklaus across the

Augstbordpass
A really superb trek today as we
start out through open woodland,
then across high pastures followed
by an alpine rocky wilderness. The

Hotel, di
nner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
Approx 7-8
hrs
Distance: 16
km
Altitude

trek soon opens up to some of the

most spectacular views in the
Swiss Alps. Our final pass is the
Augstbordpass (2894m), beyond
which we descend steeply to the
wonderful viewpoint known as the
Twra - and here is your first view
into the Matterhtal.. A steep
descent takes us to the hamlet of
Jungu, perched on the side of the
mountain. And from here there is a
steeper descent of a couple of
hours to take us down to Saint
Niklaus. No one will judge you if
you take the cable car down from
Jungu, as it will save your knees
around 1000m of steep downhill!
Day
11

Saint Niklaus to Zermatt

Today we make our way easily
along tte valley into Zermatt to
experience our first close-up
views of the Matterhorn. We have
chosen not to do the Europaweg
section of the Haute Route as the
path is becoming increasingly
hazardous, with regular rockfalls
wiping out sections of path along
with entire bridges. Some parts of
the path have been closed for
several years and show no signs of
reopening. Therefore we have
chosen instead to include 2 nights
in Zermatt, so that tomorrow we
can offer one of the most
spectacular walks in the world.
Please note that if the Europaweg
section between Tsch and Zermatt
does reopen, then we will take that
route into Zermatt. We would
prefer to be honest about the
Europaweg - many companies are
not.

Day
12

The Hhenweg and the Matterhorn!

We have included this extra day in
Zermatt firstly to maximise our
chances of seeing the Matterhorn,
but more importantly as it is one of

gain / loss:
+1070m /
-1765m

Hotel,
dinner
included
Luggage
access

Walking:
Approx 45 hrs
Distance: 13
km
Altitude
gain / loss:
+450m / -0m

the most spectacular walks in the

world! We climb from the centre of
Zermatt up through a gorge, to
Trift. We then climb on higher
towards the Matterhorn, along a
breathtaking balcony path, with
views of the Monte Rosa and the
glaciers which lie above Zermatt,
round a corner and the majestic
Matterhorn reveals herself. For the
rest of the day you will not be able
to put your camera down - a true
finale to your Walker's Haute
Route.
Day
13

Depart Zermatt
Our trip finishes after breakfast

Additional Information / Crux of the Route / Tips:

Please note that I specialise in Adventure Travel, the nature of which
means that I cannot always follow our itinerary for a variety of
reasons. All of my holidays can be subject to unexpected changes
and you should be prepared to be flexible to accommodate these
where necessary
Kit List:
Climbing Kit
Item Name
Rucksack
Hiking boots

Waterproof
jacket and
trousers
Socks
Underwear
Trekking

Description
approx. 30-40L
It is possible to do a lot of the
TMB in walking trainers, but
you should make sure they are
trekking specific trainers (or
trail-running trainers). For the
June trips, hiking boots are
definitely recommended as
there is usually a lot of snow
on the passes. Sandals are not
appropriate for mountain
walking so please do not bring
these for trekking.
both essential items, should
be as light as possible (not
insulated: your other layers
should provide the insulation).

Bring something lightweight.

Photo

trousers
Shorts
T-shirts
Mid layer
Warm jacket

Warm hat
Gloves
Sun hat
Sunglasses

Wicking t-shirts are better

than cotton as they are lighter
and dry faster.
fleece jacket is good
We recommend brining a
really lightweight synthetic
belay jacket (eg. Rab Photon /
Arcteryx Atom / Patagonia
Nano) just in case it gets
cold. Remember, you are
carrying this in your rucksack
so it should be as light as
possible. You dont normally
need to bring a down jacket
because it wont be much use
if it gets wet.
(lightweight woolly hat is fine)
(a light pair of gloves is fine)
(essential as we will spend
some time walking on snow)

Suncream

(small bottle to save weight)

Lip protection

(with sun protection)

Water
bottles /
camelback

you should have the capacity

to carry at least 2 litres of
water I normally take a 2L
camelback plus a 1L Nalgene
(for rehydrating in the
evenings).

Sheet
sleeping bag

only needed for the

mountain refuge. All of the
accommodation is high
standard with freshly made
beds, so no sleeping bags are
needed. There is just one night
where we stay in the Bonatti
hut where the sheet sleeping
bag will be needed. Silk is
best, its lighter than cotton.

Travel towel

again, only needed for the

mountain refuge everywhere
else provides towels

Wash kit

Bring whatever you like for

wash kit - but for the 3 nights
in refuges where you have to
carry your wash kit, I normally
just take a toothbrush, travel
size toothpaste, mini contact
lens solution, a couple of wet
wipes and a tiny travel soap.

Head torch

just a lightweight torch, such

as a Petzl Tikka / Zipka is fine
for this trip.

Plastic bags /
dry sacks

to keep essentials dry.

Passport

to be carried whilst trekking.

Make sure you keep it dry

Cash

around 200 CHF and 50 euros

Basic first aid

kit

your leader will carry a large

first aid kit, but you should
bring a small first aid kit
containing plasters, blister
treatment, painkillers &
diarrhea treatment
(rehydration sachets &
immodium)

Thermal base
layer
Long johns /
thermal
leggings
Buff

can be useful for extra

warmth if its cold, or sun
protection for your neck on a
hot day

Camera
Book
Lightweight
sandals / flip
flops

Trainers

Mobile phone

whilst these are provided at

the mountain refuges, they
arent provided in the nicer
hotels, so its really nice to
have footwear to change into
in the evening, especially if
you want to have a wander
round the villages we visit.
it can be nice to give your feet
a break from your walking
boots on some days. Your
leader can advise on which
days this might be suitable,
and if you are thinking of
doing this, your shoes must be
suitable for trekking in!
there is phone reception for
the majority of the trip. It is
not essential to bring a phone
but I like at least 1 other group
member to have one in case
of emergency.

Earplugs
Snacks

not essential as we do go
past shops most days so you
can top up your supply of
snacks fairly regularly

Antibacterial
handwash
Insect
repellant
Walking poles

These hover close to the

Essential items they are not
obligatory but most people
find them helpful. The leader
doesnt carry spare poles in
case you decided you did want
them after all!

5 Guides

Name - EMMA
Stars - /
Certification - UIMLA
Photo - Enclosed
Location of residence - Chamonix
Translation of his/her profile :

I'm a qualified International Mountain Leader (IML) and I have

been leading expeditions for the last 15 years. I have led the Tour
du Mont Blanc over 40 times, the Everest Base Camp trek 27
times, Kilimanjaro 10 times, and I have also led trips in Nepal,
Peru, Cuba, India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Thailand, the Alps, the
Pyrenees, Russia, Uzbekistan and Madagascar, amongst others.
I'm a passionate skier, in 2009 I made the first ski descent of
Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world (8156m).
Fluent in French, Russian and Spanish, I also work as an
interpreter and love to chat.