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Hiking the Haute Route - Spectacular High Alps Traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt 12 Days
From $6095 USD
Trip URL: www.adventurelink.com/
Highlights
- Duration: 12 Days
- Comfort: 66.6666666666667%
- Language: English
- Rating: 80.0%
- Trip ID: 88685
- Start Location: chamonix-mont-blanc-france
- End Location: zermatt-switzerland
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Guaranteed:
Yes
Your Satisfaction is Guaranteed!
- AdventureLink has carefully handpicked the tour operators in our portfolio to give you the best possible selection and experience
- AdventureLink does not pay the operator until your trip completes in order to ensure the highest possible standard of care
- Primary Activities: Hiking
- Other Activities: Local Culture & Cuisine
- Activity Level: Advanced
The Haute Route is the celebrated high-level hiking traverse across craggy mountain passes from Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland. This route is where the sport of mountaineering was born in the 19th century and just a glance at the 360-degree panorama explains why: 10 of the 12 highest peaks in the Alps, including Mont Blanc and the crooked spire of the Matterhorn, rise along this magnificent “high route.” Our spectacular hike crosses 11 glacier systems and 10 alpine passes, yet we never climb above 10,000 feet as we follow this famous trail below some of the most spectacular peaks in the Alps. Overnights are in small hotels, with two nights in hike-in lodges to feast our eyes on sunset panoramas of alpenglow on the high peaks.
Accommodations are in comfortable small hotels and inns, some with shared bath. A support vehicle will transport the group's luggage from day to day. We use many forms of transportation as we travel during the trip, so we ask that you restrict your luggage to one piece, plus your daypack/rucksack.
You’ll carry just a daypack on most days, but on one three-day, two-night stretch, it is impossible for our support vehicle to reach our mountain refuges at night. For this period, you must carry in a daypack/rucksack the clothing and toiletries you need for those three days. There is no “group” gear to carry, and most medium-sized daypacks have enough room for extra belongings (a toothbrush, soap, and a fresh t-shirt will suffice for most people).
What the Trip is Like:
The trip is rated Level 5+, Strenuous. Good hiking experience is essential. Most hiking is between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, and the maximum elevation reached is 9,700 feet. There is a good bit of up-and-down during the 6-8 hours of daily hiking, with 3,000- to 4,000-foot elevation gain and loss per day. These are challenging hikes, so all participants must be in top physical condition. Of course, trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle.
Accommodations are in comfortable small hotels and inns, some with shared bath. A support vehicle will transport the group's luggage from day to day. We use many forms of transportation as we travel during the trip, so we ask that you restrict your luggage to one piece, plus your daypack/rucksack.
You’ll carry just a daypack on most days, but on one three-day, two-night stretch, it is impossible for our support vehicle to reach our mountain refuges at night. For this period, you must carry in a daypack/rucksack the clothing and toiletries you need for those three days. There is no “group” gear to carry, and most medium-sized daypacks have enough room for extra belongings (a toothbrush, soap, and a fresh t-shirt will suffice for most people).
We strongly urge you to “train up” for your trip. The best training for hiking is hiking, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling or other sports exercise (stair-climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill). It’s important to take time to build up muscle and endurance prior to your trip. Try to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule at least a couple of months before departure. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy and thoroughly broken-in.
Altitude is not usually a problem for people on these trips. The itineraries are worked out to take you gently to higher altitude, giving you plenty of time to acclimatize. However, some people still find they get a few problems when they first reach high altitude. Slight headache and sleeplessness in the huts are the most common problems.
The hotels we stay in are rustic, well located for hikers, and continuously busy in the summer hiking season. Please note that these are hikers’ hotels, not five-star resorts. The rooms are clean and comfortable, but are not always of uniform size or amenities. Our Trip Leaders try their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. In a few of the hotels, there are shared bathrooms (no private baths). Single rooms are offered when possible, but those who pay the Single Supplement may have to share a room for up to four nights during the trip.
Flawlessly operated and run. This trip is obviously very well thought out.
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80%Everything clicked smoothly to make this the best vacation I've ever had. This was my first trip of this kind and I could tell early on that WT is a well-oiled wheel—a very smooth operation.
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80%Five stars for trip design and quality of Trip Leaders. So fantastic I doubt that any other trip could match it. Every day was special—even the rest days!
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90%This was an experience of a lifetime. The scenery is mind-blowing. Outstanding Trip Leaders, hard-working, meticulous, good fun.
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90%I love the hiking and the scenery, but I particularly appreciate the feeling on WT trips that I am traveling with friends—both the Trip Leaders whom I have now known for years in some cases, and the new friends I’ve made along the way.
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80%We enjoyed our experience immensely and have taken away many fabulous memories. One of the highlights of the trip for us was the fabulous group of people -- and the many laughs we had along the way.
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80%"This was my first Wilderness Travel adventure and I thought it was fantastic. It clearly met and exceeded my expectations!"
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