Arrive in Italy, and transfer either by taxi or by train and bus to Macugnaga, a small village tucked against a cirque of ginormous mountains with plenty of trails to explore.

There is a train station in both the Zurich and Geneva airports, and the trip to nearby Domodossola only takes about 3 hrs by train, then taxi or bus from there.  If you fly to Milan, taxis are available for the full trip. Enjoy your first views of Monte Rosa and enjoy the peaceful ambiance of Macugnaga.

Arrival: Zürich, Geneva or Milan. Plan to arrive by the day your tour starts. Contact us if you need help with arrival plans.

Your first hike of the tour leads to the Monte Moro pass separating Switzerland and Italy, and along the Mattmark reservoir, with sweeping views of the Monte Rosa massif and surrounding mountains

Start with a convenient cable car up to a hut near the Monte Moro pass, where the Golden Madonna della Nevi watches over the region from her perch above.  Crossing the pass, you’ll descend to the remote mountain reservoir of Mattmark, with views of cascading waterfalls coming off the glaciers to the west. Looping back to the pass, a clear day rewards you with awesome views of Monte Rosa at the back the valley before descending to the valley floor.

As an alternate hike, you might decide on a more moderate day to the back of the valley and the rifugio Zamboni Zappa, a pretty hut with great food and even greater views.

We warned you this was a strenuous trip, and it starts today. After passing through several small settlements you’ll trade quaint trails for meticulously built stone “roads” once used to transport goods during medieval times. The Quarazza valley is both quiet and epic in scale.

Once on the other side of the Colle de Turlo, take a series of meandering switchbacks down to the rustic Rifugio Pastore, a simple mountain inn with fantastic food and 5-star views of the Monte Rosa.  After a stop to recharge and refresh, continue down to the small town of Alagna and your 4-star hotel.

Today can be a big day, but there are also gondolas on either side that can shorten your hike.  For a bigger day, we’ll walk through the Valle d’Otro and its quaint Walser stone buildings. Following switchbacks through the shade of larch pines and past the hamlets of Scarpia and Pianmisura, you’ll climb up and then up, through the high alpine meadows leading to Passo Foric and the Col d’Olen.

From the pass, enjoy sweeping views of the valley below before beginning your descent toward Lago Gabiet and a welcome gondola ride into Stafal in the Gressoney valley where you’ll sleep in a comfortable and friendly hotel for the night.

Nestled just on the slopes just above treeline and the villages Champoluc is tonight’s stop, the gorgeous 5-star Hotellerie Mascognaz.

Start with a short cable car, then take a scenic route up past a series of small lakes and hanging meadows towards the Colle de Rothorn. Once here, you’ll follow the trail through a maze of boulders above an open and grassy trail below. Contour around a series of small slopes towards your destination for the evening, the wonderfully atmospheric Hotellerie de Mascognaz, a luxury hotel built upon an historic farming hamlet.

Mascognaz is a great place to slow down, and if you’d like a day off, they have a beautiful spa and there are many short relaxing walks you can take from your hotel.

For a full day, we love the quiet loop high above the inn to the lonely and beautiful Perrin lake. Bring a picnic to enjoy at the lake, then loop back down through the small Walser hamlet of Cuneaz before returning to your hotel for a 2nd night.

Leaving Mascognaz, a taxi takes you to the trailhead, where you start up through past bubbling streams and rocky overlooks towards the picturesque Ventina Valley.

Following a wide and softly trodden path through this lush and grassy valley, you’ll gradually gain altitude until you’re rewarded with views of the Grand Lake. This hanging glacially fed lake has a deep emerald color from the water draining off of the high peaks of the Monte Rosetta and Grand Tournalin above. After following a set of steep switchbacks above the lake, reach the Nord des Cimes Bianches pass to be met with a stunning view of the Matterhorn perched above the town of Cervinia.

Taking a rocky trail down towards the Lago Cime Bianche we’ll hop on the gondola and down to your hotel, the deluxe 5-star Hotel St Hubertus in Cervinia.

The Matterhorn, Monte Cervino, dominates the landscape above Cervinia, rising over 6500 ft seemly straight up above town. This hike gets you nice and close, leading up to the Orionde hut, high on the mountain, nestled next to pair of small lakes.

For a longer day, you can continue above the hut to the Croce da Carrel, a small memorial and beautiful viewpoint. Either way, return on a looping traverse around the valley to the gondola at Plan Maison, where you ride back down to town for another luxurious night.

Today you’ll get a bit of a break from hiking, but still breathtaking views and new modes of travel as you cross from Italy to Switzerland.  Hop on the new Matterhorn Alpine Crossing cable car and gondola up to Testa Grigia then across the border to Klein Matterhorn.

We’ll enjoy ever changing views of the Matterhorn and have a chance to spend some time exploring the glacier world at Klein Matterhorn before taking the cable car all the way down to Zermatt.  Spend the afternoon exploring this atmospheric mountain town.

In Zermatt, you’ll enjoy a couple luxurious nights at one of our favorite hotels, the 4-star Hotel Europe.

Zermatt is absolutely gorgeous. The village itself is dense and atmospheric, and there are a ton of unforgettable hikes to choose from.  One of our favorites is the Trift valley. We like to get off the beaten path on this tour, and the Trift valley is ideal for quiet trails and sweeping views. If you’d like a big hike today, the views from the Hohbalmen ridge are truly unbeatable, your own private Matterhorn soaring above it all. Unbelievable!

Or for a more moderate day, you can take a secret trail to a favorite viewpoint above town (not quite so high as Hohbalmen), then enjoy a refreshing stop at the Trift inn, known for their fruit tortes and homemade ice tea made from local alpine herbs. Why not? Afterwards, enjoy a final evening of exquisite food and great Matterhorn views from your hotel..

After breakfast at your hotel, depart for your post-trip destination.

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.