Self-Guided Walker’s Haute Route: Chamonix—Zermatt

Itinerary

• Day 1: Montroc – Trélechamp – Trient

  Begin your self-guided journey in the morning from the village of Montroc, just 20 minutes away from Chamonix. Start hiking to Aiguillette des Posettes, a ridge offering fantastic views. You’ll see the Mont Blanc range, its main summits, the Chamonix valley, and the alpine pastures of Posettes and Balme. You will soon cross the French-Swiss border and pass through the alpine pastures of Catogne. The village of Trient is your destination for the night.

  Meals: Dinner
  Distance: 11.5 km / 7 miles
  Elevation: +1,000 m / +3,280 ft | -1,200 m / -3,940 ft

  
• Day 2: Trient — Champex, via Bovine alpine pastures

  Hike up to the Col de la Forclaz. The trail will take you through a beautiful larch forest and reach the alpine pastures of Bovine, overlooking the upper Rhone valley and located upstream from Lake Geneva in the Swiss Valais. You’ll also be able to admire the range to the south as well as the peaks of Bernese Alps. Further east, the Pennine Alps (Valaisannes) welcome you with the Grand Combin massif. The Bovine route is used by farmers to guide their cattle through the mountains. The trail then goes down to Plan de l’Au and, finally, Champex le Lac.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 15 km / 9.3 miles
  Elevation: +850 m / +2,820 ft | -1,000 m / -3,280 ft

  
• Day 3: Champex — Mille Hut

  Departing from Champex le Lac, a lovely trail takes you down through the forest, hillsides, and small hamlets. Finally, you’ll reach Val d’Entremont and the village of Orsières located at the bottom of the Grand St. Bernard Pass. And then, the Valaisan Alps show up! A long climb on the western side of the Val d’Entremont is necessary to reach the crests of the Mont Brûlé which allows you to admire the summits one last time. The trail then leads you to the Mille Hut perched at 2,473 m above sea level, and this is where you’ll stay overnight.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
  Elevation: +1,700 m / +5,580 ft | -700 m / -2,300 ft

  
• Day 4: Mille Hut — Louive Hut

  A long and easy day starts at Cabane de Mille overlooking the Val d’Entremont. A very pleasant track takes you to the Brunet Hut, and then goes down into the Val de Bagnes. From the village of Fionnay, the path goes up towards the Cabane de Louvie and its magnificent lake overlooking the Val de Bagnes. From there, you’ll be able to see the reflection of the immense Corbassière glacier.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 18 km / 11 miles
  Elevation: +1,200 m / +3,940 ft | -1,400 m / -4,595 ft

  
• Day 5: Louvie Hut — Prafleuri Hut, via the Louvie and Prafleuri passes

  Two exciting passes today! First the Louvie pass at 2,921 m and then the Prafleuri pass at 2,939 m. You will marvel at the Grand Desert nestled between these two passes—this is a vast plateau punctuated by lakes, cairns, and beacons that will guide your crossing. From the Prafleuri pass, the trail goes down to the hut, where you’ll spend the night.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 14.5 km / 9 miles
  Elevation: +1,050 m / +3,445 ft | -1,150 m / -3,775 ft

  
• Day 6: Prafleuri Hut — Grande Dixence dam — Evolène via Col de la Meina

  For today’s itinerary, your guiding company prefers to skip Riedmatten or Pas de Chèvre, as they are very technical and not suitable for those uncertain of their footing in rocky, unstable terrain and for those with a fear of climbing high vertical ladders. So today’s trail leaves the Grande Dixence dam and descends into the Hérémence valley to Motôt. Cross the Merdéré torrent and reach the alpine pastures of Novèlé sometime later. Crossing of the Meina Pass allows the switch to the Val d’Hérens, and when you descend you will reach the pretty hamlet of La Meina. A chairlift will facilitate the descent to the Lannaz village.

  Meals: Breakfast
  Distance: 19 km / 12 miles
  Elevation: +1,050 m / +3,445 ft | -1,560 / -5,120 ft

  
• Day 7: Evolène / La Sage — Zinal, via Col de Thorens et Lac de Moiry

  From La Sage in the Val d’Hérens, head towards Zinal and first pass by the Col de Torrent. The view of the Moiry Lake dam with its piercing blue hues is a sight to behold. You will then hike down to the lake by crossing the alpine pastures of Thorens. From the dam, take the local shuttle service to Zinal where you will spend the night.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
  Elevation: +1,200 m / +3,940 ft | -700 m / -2,300 ft

  
• Day 8: Zinal — Gruben via Col de la Forcletta

  The climb to the Col de La Forcletta is a long one. A steep forest path will lead you to a long, pleasant balcony above the Val de Zinal, and then to a welcoming alpine pasture area on the final steep slope. You will go down to the wildest valley in the Valais, the Turtmanntal (Val Turtmann). In the background, you’ll get a glimpse of the Augtsbordpass that’s on tomorrow’s itinerary, as well as the Turtmann glacier surrounded by the Bishorn on one side and the Weisshorn on the other.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 24 km / 15 miles
  Elevation: +1,500 m / +4,925 ft | -1,350 m / -4,430 ft

  
• Day 9: Gruben — St Niklaus — Zermatt

  The day starts with a long ascent through forests, alpine meadows, grassy slopes, stones, and rocks to the Augstbordpass at 2,892 m. This is the final major push of the journey and the rewards are immense: Val de Zermatt and the Mischabels massif. The descent goes into the valley and then continues on the steep side of the Twära mountain in the direction of the suspended hamlet of Jungu at 1,954 m. From there, a cable car takes you down to St Niklaus, then a train to Täsch and then to your final destination of Zermatt.

  Meals: Breakfast
  Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
  Elevation: +1,100 m / +3,610 ft | -1,000 m / -3,280 ft

  
• Day 10: Zermatt — Fluhalp Hut

  A relaxing half-day hike will take you through the, once again, idyllic setting of the Alps. You will reach the Fluhalp Hut, allowing you to experience the romantic atmosphere of staying there. The sunrises and sunsets will stay with you forever.

  Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  Distance: 8.6 km / 5 miles
  Elevation: +1,200 m / +3,940 ft | -200 m / -660 ft

  
• Day 11: Fluhalp Hut — Gornergrat — Zermatt

  After a night spent at 2,606 m, you’ll hike even further up to the Gornergrat. At 3,090 m, you will enjoy panoramic views of the Monte Rosa range in the distance, the Pointe Dufour at 4,624 km (Switzerland’s highest mountain) and 29 other peaks over 4,000 m. Finish your adventure with a ride aboard the highest rack railway in Europe on your way down to Zermatt. Congrats! You’ve finished your epic 11-day hiking journey through the heart of the Alps!

  Meals: Breakfast
  Distance: 9 km / 5.6 miles
  Elevation: +970 m / +3,185 ft | -350 m / -1,150 ft

  
• Note

  The itinerary, distances, and altitudes may vary slightly for many reasons beyond your organizer’s control, including weather and terrain conditions.

  Accommodation prior to Day 1 and on Day 11 are not included in the self-guided tour. Your guiding company can arrange this for an additional cost.