IT · Jun–Sep
Dolomites Alta Via 1
24 operators · 61 tours · 50 departures with space
8–13 days · 125 km · 3/5 Challenging
From $112/day Next with space 13 Jun 2027
Walker's Haute Route hiking tours
25 operators run 67 Walker's Haute Route tours on Tripperoni. 59 fixed departures still have space for summer 2027, and 25 self-guided tours start on dates you choose. Dates for 13 tours from 6 operators aren't tracked here: we list them from their public details. Per-person prices run from $1,013 (self-guided, 6 days) to $11,635 (private, 12 days), a median of $370 per day.
- Days
- 12–14
- Distance
- 215 km
- High point
- 2,965 m
- Total ascent
- 13,800 m
- Difficulty
- 4/5 Strenuous
Why 4/5?
Per day the route is level 3 on numbers alone: the 14-stage table gives about 15 km and 990 m of ascent a day (about 18 km and 1,150 m at the 12-day pace). But five of the 14 stages climb more than 1,200 m (up to 1,680 m) and several run 7 to 7.5 hours, there are no real rest days, the paths are graded up to T3+ with chains, fixed cables and steep loose descents, and passes reach 2,965 m, so the scale's "long days, over 1,200 m ascent" clause fits level 4. It is harder than the TMB (3) on every measure, but not 5: no glacier, no ropes, and nothing above 3,000 m. Owner may prefer 3 to stay level with the TMB and Alta Via 1. How we grade difficulty
- Season
- Jul–Sep
- Route
- Chamonix-Mont-Blanc → Zermatt
- Stay
- Mountain huts, hotels and inns & guesthouses
- Permit
- Not required
Departures with space
Guided group departures by start month. Self-guided tours start on flexible dates and aren't counted here.
Jun 2027
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Jul 2027
92 with space
- Available
- 91
- Limited
- 1
- Sold out
- 1
- Guided group
- 20
- Self-guided
- 72
Aug 2027
120 with space
- Available
- 119
- Limited
- 1
- Sold out
- 1
- Guided group
- 27
- Self-guided
- 93
Sep 2027
35 with space
- Available
- 34
- Limited
- 1
- Sold out
- 1
- Guided group
- 11
- Self-guided
- 24
Jun 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Jul 2028
3 with space
- Available
- 3
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Aug 2028
4 with space
- Available
- 4
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Sep 2028
1 with space
- Available
- 1
- Limited
- 0
- Sold out
- 0
Compare Walker's Haute Route tours
| Tour | Format | Days | Difficulty | Group | Stay | Price from | Per day | Next with space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker's Haute Route WHR-2 Trailwise Travel · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 19 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Moderate to Strenuous” | — | Huts & hotels | £2,690≈ $3,587 | $189 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| Walker's Haute Route WHR-1 Trailwise Travel · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 16 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “Moderate to Strenuous” | — | Huts & hotels | £2,290≈ $3,054 | $191 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Trailwise Travel |
| Walker’s Haute Route Self Guided Hut To Hut Hiking Switzerland · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 14 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “5/5” | — | Huts & hotels | €2,995≈ $3,370 | $241 | Flexible start |
| Walker's Haute Route Self-guided walking holiday Alpine Exploratory · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 16 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Black” | Up to 10 | Huts & hotels | £2,940≈ $3,921 | $245 | Flexible start |
| Walker's Haute Route Macs Adventure · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 15 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Strenuous” | — | Huts & hotels | £3,140≈ $4,187 | $279 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Macs Adventure |
| Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route Trek Guided 11 Days Adventure Base · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 13 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Level C” | — | Huts & hotels | €3,735≈ $4,203 | $323 | 11 Jul 2027 |
| Walker's Haute Route (Guided) Guided walking holiday Alpine Exploratory · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 16 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Black 4” | Up to 8 | Huts & hotels | £3,980≈ $5,307 | $332 | 14 Aug 2027 |
| Full Guided Trek Mont Blanc Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) New | Guided group | 13 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Grade 4 - Toughest” | Up to 10 | Huts & hotels | £3,395≈ $4,527 | $348 | 26 Jul 2027 |
| Haute Route Chamonix to Zermatt, Group guided Alpine Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Suitable for mountain walkers with a high level of fitness and stamina and an adventurous spirit.” | Up to 8 | Huts & hotels | £3,295≈ $4,394 | $366 | 12 Jul 2027 |
| Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route Self Guided in 11 Days Adventure Base · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 11 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Level C” | — | Huts & hotels | €3,645≈ $4,102 | $373 | Flexible start from 8 Jul 2027 |
| Self-Guided Haute Route (Chamonix-Zermatt) Alpenwild · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 12 | 3/5 Challenging Operator: “strenuous” | — | Huts & hotels | $5,495 | $458 | Flexible start |
| Chamonix to Zermatt Walker's Haute Route Trek Life Happens Outdoors · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 10 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Difficult” | Up to 10 | Huts & hotels | £4,500≈ $6,001 | $600 | 16 Jul 2027 |
| The Hikers Haute Route in Switzerland International Alpine Guides · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 10 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “good physical condition, up to 11 miles a day” | Up to 8 | Huts & hotels | $6,175 | $618 | 10 Jul 2027 |
| Hiker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt), guided group Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 12 | Not graded | — | Huts & hotels | $8,950 | $746 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures |
| Ultimate Haute Route Wilderness Travel · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Level 5+, Strenuous” | Up to 14 | Huts & hotels | $9,795 | $816 | 16 Jul 2027 |
| Hiker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt), private guided Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Private | 12 | Not graded | Private | Huts & hotels | $11,635 | $970 | Dates aren't tracked here · check Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures |
| Full Self-Guided Trek Mont Blanc Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) New | Self-guided | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Grade 4 - Toughest” | — | Huts & hotels | Not published yet | — | No priced dates yet |
| Haute Route Chamonix to Zermatt, Private guided Alpine Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Private | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Suitable for mountain walkers with a high level of fitness and stamina and an adventurous spirit.” | Private | Huts & hotels | Not published yet | — | No priced dates yet |
| Haute Route Chamonix to Zermatt, Self-guided Alpine Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Suitable for experienced, independant mountain walkers with a high level of fitness and stamina and an adventurous spirit.” | — | Huts & hotels | Not published yet | — | No priced dates yet |
| Hiker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt), self-guided extended (12 days) Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Self-guided | 12 | Not graded | — | Huts & hotels | Not published | — | Dates aren't tracked here · check Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures |
| Hiking the Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt Tracks and Trails · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) | Guided group | 12 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Expert” | Up to 10 | Huts & hotels | Not published yet | — | No priced dates yet |
| Refuges Self-Guided Trek Mont Blanc Treks · Classic Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt, 12 to 14 days) New | Self-guided | 13 | 4/5 Strenuous Operator: “Grade 4 - Toughest” | — | Huts & hotels | Not published yet | — | No priced dates yet |
Trail status
Season, permits, fees and closures, checked against official sources.
Closures & advisories · Europaweg municipal notice
The municipality of Randa published the partial-opening notice for the Europaweg on 26 June 2026: the path is only partly passable and the Springelboden to Eggenstadel section is closed.
Closures & advisories · Europaweg springelboden
Europaweg (Grächen to Zermatt, the last two stages): the section Springelboden to Eggenstadel between Randa and Täsch is closed (notice dated 26 June 2026). The detour goes from Springelboden via Attermenzen to Täsch, then the marked trail to Täschalp; a taxi can be booked from Attermenzen to Täschalp. Zermatt Tourism also shows a separate rockfall diversion at the Täsch ravine.
Closures & advisories · Europaweg tasch ravine
Zermatt Tourism's Europaweg page carries a standing notice that, because of rockfall, there is a diversion at the Täsch ravine: from Bärgji in Randa you walk down to Täsch and back up to Täschalp. The Grächen to Europahütte stage was reopened in July 2021 after the original path was closed for rockfall.
Closures & advisories · Pas de chevres
The Pas de Chèvres (2,855 m, between the Val des Dix and Arolla) has two near-vertical metal ladders on its Dix side. The Cabane des Dix, run by a Swiss Alpine Club section, shows a banner on its home page saying the pass is closed until further notice, and Wikivoyage reports the ladders permanently closed because of rockfall; the Col de Riedmatten (2,921 m) is the walkers' way between the Dix valley and Arolla. No dated official notice from the commune or the SAC was found, and the banner itself is undated, so confirm locally.
Closures & advisories · Pas de chevres · Ladders
The SAC route portal describes the Pas de Chèvres west side as two near-vertical metal ladders in a row, and lists no closure or warning on that page (the portal text is undated).
Fees · Hut half board
SAC guidance: a dormitory night costs CHF 25 to 50 for an adult and half board (dinner, bed, breakfast) CHF 70 to 100 in the Club's huts; SAC members get a discount on the night on showing the card. Private huts and valley hotels set their own prices.
Huts & refuges · Where to book refuges
There is no single booking system for the Walker's Haute Route. The Swiss Alpine Club recommends booking every hut night by phone, e-mail or its route portal (portail des courses / Tourenportal); each hut sets its own dates and terms. Private huts such as Cabane de Prafleuri use their own online form or e-mail.
Huts & refuges · Cancellation
Free cancellation within the deadline applies in all SAC huts and most other huts, but a hut may charge a no-show fee if you do not cancel in time; the SAC says to see each hut's terms. Cabane des Dix, for example, bills the full half-board for a no-show and CHF 40 for a cancellation under 48 hours.
Huts & refuges · Europahutte · Capacity
Europahütte (2,220 m, above Randa; overnight stop before the Charles Kuonen suspension bridge): 42 beds. Opening dates and booking were not stated on the Grächen tourism page; book with the hut.
Huts & refuges · Louvie · Season
Cabane de Louvie (about 2,250 m, side trip from Le Châble / Mont Fort): summer 2026 opening was 23 May to 8 October (Verbier Tourisme, page updated 13 August 2026). Verbier Tourisme lists it as a stop for the Chamonix to Zermatt route. No closure notice was found.
Huts & refuges · Moiry · Season
Cabane de Moiry CAS (2,825 m, CAS Montreux, Col de Torrent variant): staffed July and August, partly open June and September, closed October to May according to the SAC portal; 96 beds, winter room for 20 (open year-round in part). Phone +41 27 475 45 34.
Huts & refuges · Mont fort · Season
Cabane du Mont Fort (2,457 m, above Verbier): summer 2026 opening was 27 June to 21 September (Verbier Tourisme). The SAC portal lists it as open July and August, partly open June and September, closed October and November, with 58 beds. The hut's own site says winter 2026-27 opens on 12 December 2026. The 2027 summer dates and booking opening were not published on 18 October 2026.
Huts & refuges · Prafleuri · Booking
Cabane de Prafleuri (2,657 m, between Mont Fort and Arolla): online booking is mandatory for nights and half board while the hut is staffed. Staffed March to April and mid-June to October (the SAC portal lists the hut as open July to September, partly open in June, closed in October); 59 beds in collective dormitories; bring a silk sleeping-bag liner. Phone +41 27 281 17 80.
Huts & refuges · Prafleuri · Rooms
Cabane de Prafleuri has no private rooms: 59 places in collective dormitories (6 dormitories for 4 to 17 people per Hérémence Tourisme). Any itinerary on the standard line has a dormitory night here unless it uses a different line or valley transfers.
Season · Early-season snow
In June and early July, snow can linger on the high passes and an ice axe and crampons may be needed; check conditions in advance.
Season · Main season
Mid-July to mid-September. Mid-August to mid-September is described as the sweet spot, combining settled weather with good bed availability. Most huts close by the end of September.
Official source wins. Permit and fee rules can change at short notice. If the official source says something different, follow it, and tell us so we can fix it.
Guided or self-guided?
Most people walk it self-guided, because the route is a network of established, signed paths with no glacier crossings. What a package really sells is logistics: beds in small villages and a handful of huts that fill early, luggage moved between valley stops, and help when closures bite. Those closures are real. The Pas de Chèvres ladders are reported shut, and parts of the Europaweg are on detours, so route-finding and current information matter. A guide or leader helps in early-season snow and in fog on the high stages, especially Mont Fort to Prafleuri. Be wary of anything called "Haute Route" with skis, skins or ropes: that is the glacier or ski version, a different trip.
Medians are per person, per day, land only, twin share, in USD at today's rate.
About the Walker's Haute Route
The Walker's Haute Route is the summer walking version of the old Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route: about 215 km over 14 stages, from the foot of Mont Blanc to the foot of the Matterhorn. It follows ordinary waymarked paths, with no glaciers and no ropes, but it is a hard fortnight. Eleven passes reach 2,965 m at the highest, and the total climb is roughly 13,800 m. You share the first days with Tour du Mont Blanc walkers, then turn south-east over the Fenêtre d'Arpette, cross the empty Grand Désert above Verbier, drop into Arolla, climb past the Moiry glacier or the Col de Torrent, and finish on the Europaweg balcony path above the Mattertal, with the Charles Kuonen suspension bridge and the Matterhorn ahead.
When to go
Plan for mid-July to mid-September. Mid-August to mid-September is usually the sweet spot, with settled weather and easier bed availability, while June and early July can leave snow on the higher passes and some huts not yet staffed. The Swiss Alpine Club lists Cabane de Moiry as open July and August and only partly open in June and September, and Cabane du Mont Fort ran 27 June to 21 September in 2026, so late-season trips need every night checked. Afternoon thunderstorms are common on the high passes, so cross them early. By October most huts are closed and the high stages are not realistic without winter gear.
Permits and booking timeline
No permit is needed on the French or Swiss sections, and access is free; the constraint is beds. There is no central system. The Swiss Alpine Club advises booking each hut by phone, e-mail or its route portal, and Cabane de Prafleuri requires an online booking for every night. Guidebook advice is to book ahead, especially in Trient, Champex, Louvie, Prafleuri, Moiry, La Sage and Gruben, where beds are few. We found no published 2027 opening dates for the huts on 18 October 2026, so start with the huts and the limited valley stops, and check cancellation terms: huts may charge no-show fees.
Sources
Where our facts and descriptions for this trail come from. Official sources win if anything differs.
Show all 22 sources (11 official)
Official
- swisstopo (Swiss federal geoportal) height service at the swissNAMES3D point Col de Prafleuri api3.geo.admin.ch
- Hérémence Tourisme: Prafleuri hut heremence-tourisme.ch
- Verbier Tourisme: Cabane Mont Fort (2026 opening) verbier.ch
- Verbier Tourisme: Cabane de Louvie (2026 opening) verbier.ch
- Zermatt Tourism: Europaweg (route data, closed section and diversion notices) zermatt.swiss
- Gemeinde Randa: partial opening of the Europaweg, 26 June 2026 randa.ch
- Grächen tourism: Europahütte graechen.ch
- Zermatt Tourism: Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt (this is the ski tour; used to separate it from the walkers' route) zermatt.swiss
- Chamonix tourist office listing: summer Haute Route glacier raid (guides' company page; used to separate it from the walkers' route) en.chamonix.com
- Chamonix-Mont-Blanc tourist office: how to get here en.chamonix.com
- Zermatt Tourism: arrival and the Täsch shuttle zermatt.swiss
Trail associations
- Swiss Alpine Club (SAC/CAS): practical information on huts, booking and prices sac-cas.ch
- SAC route portal: Pas de Chèvres sac-cas.ch
- SAC route portal: Cabane de Moiry CAS sac-cas.ch
- SAC route portal: Cabane du Mont Fort CAS sac-cas.ch
- SAC route portal: Cabane de Prafleuri sac-cas.ch
Other
- Cicerone Press (guidebook publisher): Walker's Haute Route complete planning guide, last updated July 2026 (distance, stage table, season, variants, advice; not an official source) cicerone.co.uk
- Wikivoyage: Walker's Haute Route (community travel guide; secondary, used for the no-permit statement and cross-checks) en.wikivoyage.org
- Wikipedia: Haute Route (separates the glacier, ski and low-level walkers' versions) en.wikipedia.org
- Cabane des Dix (SAC hut): home page with the Pas de Chèvres closure banner cabanedesdix.com
- Visit Grande Dixence: Cabane de Prafleuri (opening, booking, dormitories) visit-grande-dixence.ch
- Cabane du Mont Fort: home page (winter 2026-27 opening) cabanemontfort.com
Walker's Haute Route FAQ
How long is the Walker's Haute Route and how many days does it take?
The Cicerone planning guide gives 215 km in 14 stages, with about 13,800 m of ascent and 13,220 m of descent, and says most people take two weeks while fit walkers can do it in 12 days by combining some short stages. Other sources round the distance to 180-225 km because of variants. Chamonix to Arolla and Arolla to Zermatt are each seven stages.
Is the Walker's Haute Route the same as the Haute Route ski tour?
No. The Haute Route ski tour (Chamonix to Zermatt in about six days, huts such as Trient, Mont Fort, Prafleuri, Dix and Vignettes) needs touring skis and crampons, and the summer glacier Haute Route uses glaciers and roped travel. The walkers' route stays on marked paths with no glacier crossings, and the two share only the name and the two end towns.
What is the highest point and how hard is it?
Using Swiss federal elevation data, the highest pass on the walkers' line is the Col de Prafleuri at about 2,965 m, ahead of the Col de Louvie and Col de Riedmatten (about 2,921 m) and the Col de Torrent (2,916 m). The guidebook grades it demanding but non-technical. Expect several days of 1,200 m or more of climbing, steep descents with chains, and exposed cable-protected stretches on the Europaweg.
Are the Pas de Chèvres ladders open?
The Cabane des Dix shows a banner saying the Pas de Chèvres is closed until further notice, and Wikivoyage says the ladders are permanently closed because of rockfall. The usual alternative between the Dix valley and Arolla is the Col de Riedmatten (2,921 m), which has a steep chain-assisted descent. We found no dated official notice, so check with a hut or local tourist office.
Do I need to book the huts, and is there one system?
Yes, book ahead, and no, there is no single system. The Swiss Alpine Club recommends reserving each night by phone, e-mail or its route portal. Cabane de Prafleuri requires online booking for every night it is staffed. Valley hotels in Trient, Champex, Arolla, La Sage and Gruben also fill, so reserve everything before leaving. Huts may charge no-show fees.
Can I walk it from Zermatt to Chamonix, or only part of it?
Yes to both. The guidebook describes and waymarks the route west to east, but nothing stops you walking it the other way, and it splits naturally at Arolla (Chamonix to Arolla, bus out, or Arolla to Zermatt, reached by bus from Sion or Sierre). You can also finish at St Niklaus and take the train to Zermatt instead of the Europaweg.
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