Here’s a list of everything that can be modified for your group on our private custom Haute Route hike:

ITINERARY – OPTIONS

The Haute Route is traditionally hiked in about 9 days, but there are also several options to either shorten or lengthen the trek, such as hiking the Demi-Haute Route, starting in Verbier instead of Chamonix, and finishing in Zermatt, when time is of the essence. The minimum amount of hiking days should be about 6. Rest days can be added, as well as day-hikes in some of the areas if the group prefers to stay more than one night in a particular village and enjoy some of the classic hotels and mountain huts which make this hike one of the best in the world.

A: Demi Haute Route: Verbier to Zermatt

This eliminates 2 days from the traditional itinerary (Chamonix-Champex-Verbier) without detracting from the adventure. We feel that the Haute Route really starts above Verbier and you get the sense of the ‘High Level” route, skirting glaciers, hiking on scree and climbing above 3000m (10,000ft) to reach high passes.

Verbier-Cabane Mont Fort-Cabane Pra Fleuri-Arolla-Grimentz-Gruben-Zermatt

B: Cabane de Moiry to Hôtel Weisshorn:

From Arolla, this option allows for a night in one of the most spectacular Swiss Alpine Club huts or ‘cabanes’ of the entire Haute Route, followed by a classic 19th century hotel, the Weisshorn, perched high on a ridge overlooking the Rhône Valley. This option requires strong hikers as the hike up to Cabane Moiry is steep with about 600m (2000′) of vertical gain. Get ready for another big climb the following morning, as the trail leads us back to the valley bottom before climbing to the Col de Sorebois 2835M (9000′).

Optional cable-car ride down to Zinal saves knees and time. Lunch can be taken in Zinal before another long climb out of the Val d’Anniviers to the east side of the valley and a stunningly beautiful walk to the Hôtel Weisshorn and great views of the Matterhorn along the way.

C: Arolla to Grimentz: Rest day in Grimentz

Grimentz is by far the prettiest village of the entire Haute Route, with magnificently renovated homes dating as far back as 1529! The Hôtel Alpina, located at the entrance to Grimentz can be used as a base for several days of exploration around the Val d’Anniviers. Grimentz is ideal for a rest day, taking short walks in town or using the newly built (2014) cable car which links Grimentz to Zinal, an exhilarating ride that gets you high above the valley. The views are out to the “Imperial Crown” as the Zinalrothorn, Obergablehorn, Dent Blanche, Matterhorn and Weisshorn are known are second to none.

D: Zermatt-Hôtel du Trift-Schönbielhütte-Zermatt

One of our favourite variations to the Haute Route is Höhbalmen trail to the Schönbielhütte (CAS mountain hut). Ideally, upon arrival in Zermatt by train from St Niklaus, the group would hike up the Trift Gorge and spend the night in the Hôtel du Trift. This requires some stamina, as nearly 1800m  (5700′) of climbing is required to complete this day. Another option would be to spend the night in Zermatt, and then hike mid-afternoon to the hotel.

The Höhbalmen trail, possibly the most spectacular of all the hikes in the Alps, is not to be missed. The Schönbielhütte, used primarily during the spring ski traverse – the original Haute Route – is quieter in the summer and sees day-trippers and a few climbers, leaving the hut at partial capacity. The walk back to Zermatt under the massive North Face of the Matterhorn is well worth the detour, and the apple strudel and a coffee in Zmutt are the perfect end to a great day of hiking.

ACCOMMODATION

Our nights are generally booked in three-star hotels, and if the itinerary stays in the mountains, some nights are spent in mountain huts. Accommodation can be adjusted to the group’s preference, from mountain chalets, mountain huts all the way to four-star or five-star hotels, where available.
Five-star accommodation can only be found in Chamonix, Verbier and in Zermatt.

WHAT IS ALWAYS INCLUDED

• Hiking guide (we only hire certified International Mountain Leaders and IFMGA Mountain Guides)
• All accommodation
• All breakfasts
• Local transfers and lifts
• Detailed information package including day-to-day itinerary with elevation gains/descents, and hiking maps of the Haute Route.

OPTIONAL SERVICES

• Lunches, Dinners
• Luggage transfer where possible. Most mountain huts have no access roads so luggage cannot be delivered.

This trip is rated: DIFFICULT – STRENUOUS

Difficult walking on some well-marked trails, but also some cross-country hiking. Scree slopes, some boulder-hopping, minimal ridge-walking with occasionally some exposure. Possibly ladders and cables.
6-9 hours of daily walking, consecutively for 6-11 days.

1400m (4600ft) maximum elevation gain per day.
Day-pack and occasionally overnight pack.

Maximum altitude reached is about 3,000m (10,000ft)

HOW TO GET THERE:
The nearest airport for our private, custom Haute Route trip  is Geneva (GVA), but an alternative option would be Zurich (ZRH). Minibus shuttles exist from Geneva airport to the Chamonix valley, with transfer straight to your hotel. For more information on how to get there, hotel, restaurants, etc, please have a look at our travel resources.

If you have experience in backcountry travel or with thru-hikes, can use map, compass, GPS and can provide first aid, the Haute Route should pose few issues for you.

The Haute Route is probably the most technically challenging and difficult of all of our trips and does not necessarily lend itself to a self-guided option unless you fulfill the above criteria.
Due to the nature of the terrain, long stretches without mobile phone reception and difficult terrain choices make it somewhat complicated without a guide.

However, due to excellent Swiss signage, proximity to villages, popularity with other hikers, excellent guide books/maps and exceptionally accurate weather forecasting, the Haute Route rarely sees hikers getting into trouble. Please contact us in order to discuss if our private custom Haute Route hike would be well-suited for you as a self-guided option.