Fly to Zurich, Geneva or Milan, and take the train and bus to Arolla.  The trip is scenic and adventurous, and our cozy mountain hotel is a great hiker’s haven surrounded by majestic mountains.  Welcome to the Alps!

You’ll meet your group, many of whom have hiked here from Chamonix, and talk about the hikes to come.

Arrival: Zürich or Geneva. Plan to arrive by the day your tour starts. There is a train station in both the Zürich and Geneva airports, with hourly departures for Arolla.  The final leg of the journey, from Sion, is by bus. Travel time, 3:30 hrs (Geneva) or 4:30 hrs (Zürich)

After a morning transfer across the valley, a long, steep climb leads up and over a pass and down into the beautiful Val d’Anniviers and more stunning mountain scenery.

We’ll descend to the Moiry reservoir and then up to the newly renovated Moiry hut, a comfortable base surround by a sea of ice. It’s a bit of a detour but worth it. This is always one of our favorite huts, with thoughtful 4-person dorms, and one of the most beautiful picture windows imaginable.

A slightly easier day leads us over a minor pass and gives us a chance to further explore the Val d’Anniviers, an unforgettable valley with a great blend of ancient villages, quiet trails, and breathtaking views.

Descend to the village of Zinal, a postcard-perfect village of dark timbered houses bursting with colorful geraniums. There is an optional cable car from Sorebois to Zinal that can shorten this to a relatively moderate day.

You’ll get a good workout today crossing another high pass, as our Haute Route itinerary continues over the Meidpass to the Turtmann valley.  This is also a linguistic border, as we cross from French-speaking Valais to German-speaking Wallis.

Capped by the stunning Weisshorn mountain, this is a quiet, gorgeous valley, worth exploring on side trails to the back of the valley if you have the time. We’ll stay at a hiker’s inn at the base of the valley in a small settlement called Gruben.

Our final pass brings us up to more gorgeous views of the Weisshorn, Dom and more. Often we’ll pass herds of Ibex as we descend to the tiny hamlet of Jungen before dropping down to the valley where we catch a short train ride to Zermatt.

Zermatt is a lively village, filled with energy and history, and dominated by the towering presence of the Matterhorn. It also retains its alpine charm, with quiet back alleys, scenic nearby hamlets, and classy shops. Check out the town, take a short walk around Zermatt, or enjoy the local Matterhorn museum or the spa at our hotel, before settling in at the very friendly Hotel Europe.

Zermatt is so nice, we like an extra day here to explore.  There are a ton of great options.  If you’re excited for more hiking, the hike up to Hörnli hut is a classic.  This hut is perched high on the Hörnli ridge of the Matterhorn and serves a sort of Matterhorn base camp for climbers, as well as a stunning destination for hikers.  We’ll use a gondola to keep it manageable.  It’s a fitting finish to a mountain-filled tour.

If you’d rather slow down, the train to Gornergrat or cable car to Klein Matterhorn are both beautifully scenic, or the easy walk to Fluhalp hut passes by many beautifully reflective lakes.  Or you can choose to spend the day in this very walkable, car-free village, book a massage, take in the sights, and simply relax.  We’ll have a final celebratory dinner at our hotel tonight.

After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll say our good-byes and leave for our post-trip destinations.

Departure: Zürich or Geneva. It is 4 hrs from Zermatt to Zürich or Geneva by train.  Trains start at 6 am if you need an early start, and leave frequently throughout the day.