Hiking in the Swiss Alps near Matterhorn Cervin - From Arolla to Zermatt
The high route to the Matterhorn
Impressive alpine peaks, great hiking and hiking-style accommodation sets the scene for this self-guided walking tour, where you'll walk at your own pace, along one of the most famous hiking routes in the Swiss Alps. The High Route or Haute Route goes all the way from Chamonix to Zermatt, and on this trip you will jump on the route from Arolla, where the views are magnificent towards the Valais peaks of Pigne d'Arolla, Mt. Collon, Dent Blanche (4,357 m), Weisshorn (4,505 m), Zinalrothorn, the Mt Rose massif and of course the picturesque toblerone mountain Matterhorn. The scene is certainly set for an unforgettable holiday.
The route
The tour is a high alpine hiking route, with some hiking at +2000m. The route is mainly on mountain tracks and gravel roads, and is a difficulty level 3-4 with ascents of 1,000 vertical metres per day. The hike requires good hiking shape, surefootedness and good footwear. The hikes on days 2, 3, 6 and 7 follow the Haute Route. The walk on day 4 is a circular walk, and day 5 is an alternative and beautiful route to the Haute Route.
Highlights
- High alpine hiking in spectacular surroundings
- The high route (Haute route) One of the most beautiful hiking routes in the Alps
- You hike in the heart of the canton of Valais
- Views of impressive mountain peaks including the Matterhorn.
- Half board and luggage transfer
Great things about this tour
Photo gallery from the tour
Here you can see the stunning scenery and some of the views that come with a hike between Arolla and Zermatt.
See more pictures »
Itinerary See all daysClose all days
Check-in at the first hotel is from 15.00. Arolla is the highest village in the canton of Valais, and is reached via a series of hairpin bends on the edge of the last sparce Arolla pine- and larch forests, which only thrive in this high altitude area, at the foot of Mt. Collon (3,637m.) From the town there is also a view of the Pigne d'Arolla (3,796m).
Hotel (example) 2* hotel in Arolla.
You start with a very beautiful hike from Arolla up to the abandoned village of Pra Gra at 2,480 metres.
From here you can enjoy a fantastic panoramic view, and from here you follow an old irrigation channel through a moraine landscape with gravel slopes, indicating that the glacier "Aiguilles Rouges" ran here just a few decades ago. When you arrive at the refuge of the same name, you have the choice of hiking or taking the bus down to the village of Haudères (1450 m), where you spend the night in a hotel in the centre. The village is beautifully situated here at the foot of the "white tooth" Dent Blanche.
Distance: 5.5 hours
Altitude: + 850/ - 850 m, (if you take the bus).
Hotel (example) Haudères in a 3* hotel
Today's stage goes up through the Torrent Pass via the rustic village of Villa (1,742 m). Today's views are exceptional over the Grands Combin massif with Mount Fort and Pigne d'Arolla. After visiting the very beautiful mountain village of Grimentz, built entirely of larch trees, you will take the post bus to Zinal.
Distance: 5.5 hours
Altitude: + 950/ - 950- 1 350 m (It is possible to book a local taxi to take some of the altitude of the descent - to be paid locally).
Hotel (example) A simple hotel in Zinal, with shared bathroom/toilet in the hallway.
Today's hike takes you up to the majestic viewpoint "Roc de la Vache" (2,581 m). From here there are stunning panoramic views unfolding both below and above you. You can see the Moming glacier, the Zinalrothorn (4,221 m) and the north-east side of the Dent Blanche, among other things. The tour is worth all the effort before spending another night in Zinal.
Distance: approx. 5-6 hours
Altitude: +900m/ -900m.
Hotel (example) A simple hotel in Zinal, with shared bathroom/toilet in the hallway
You will hike along trails that offer panoramic views of the Anniviers Valley, while behind you you will see the peaks of the Matterhorn and Zinal. You hike up over the Forcletta Pass at 2,874 m and continue down through green pastures with meadows and larch forests until you reach Grüben Meiden (1,822 m). This cottage village is only inhabited in summer and you will stay here in a rustic hotel.
Distance: 6.30 hours
Altitude +1,200 m/ -1,100 m.
This stage leads you through forests of larch and arolla pines. You pass Lake Augstbord and continue up over the Augstbord Pass at 2,894 metres. This pass acts as a natural border between the valleys of Turtmanntal and Mattertal. Here you have the option of extending the hike with a route to the summit of the Schwarzhorn (3,201 m). Here there is a unique panoramic view stretching from Mont Blanc to Monte Rosa. From here you hike down to the hanging hamlet of Jungu (1,955 m). The hamlet only features a few houses, and it is built into the mountainside, giving the place phenomenal views of the Nadelhorn and Monte Rosa, among others. You continue the hike down to St. Niklaus (1,127 m).
Here the hike ends with a transfer by train to Täsch, where you spend the night in a hotel.
- It is possible to shorten the descent by taking a cable car in the middle of the descent In this case the descent is 1,000 metres instead of 1,800 metres.
Distance: 7.5 hours
Altitude +1.100m/ -1.800 m
Hotel (example): 3*hotel in Täsch.
From here you hike up to Täschalp (2,214 m), from where you take the high route to Zermatt: this is a balcony route with views of the 4,000-metre-high mountains, including the toblerone-peak Matterhorn, with its spectacular profile.
The hike finishes in Zermatt, where you have time to enjoy the charming little town.
When you're ready to head to the hotel, the journey is by train back to Täsch (about 20 minutes) for a final night before your return journey.
Distance: 5 hours (+ train ride approx. 20 min).
Altitude +950m / -750m.
Hotel (example): 3*hotel in Täsch.
After breakfast, check out and return home on your own.
Price includes
- 7 nights in double rooms
- Half board all trip
- Luggage transfer
- Welcome package with roadbook, maps and other important information
- App for Navigation and GPS-data available
- Transportation to/from destination
- Drinks during meals
- Lunch
- Possible entrance to Visits of sites etc.
- Internal transfers (cable car, trains, bus)
- Insurance
- Administration fee (20€ pr. booking)
Practical info
Notice: for safety reasons we do not sell this tour for solotravelers. You need at least two people to confirm at booking.
The price is based upon two people sharing.
Check the price quickly
You can quickly check the price of your desired trip without having to fill in anything. Here's how:
- Choose your desired start date
- Click on the green button "See price and reserve your holiday" and go to the booking form
- Select number of people, add any optional extras and see the price at the bottom of the page (you don't have to fill in anything on the form).
Get a quote
For example, if you want a flight included or changes to the trip, you can order a quote for this using the "Get a quote" button. Remember to describe in detail what, if anything, you want changed.
The process of your booking
When you book, we will start booking hotels and arranging all the practical details of the trip. On this particular tour this process can take 2-3 weeks, but some bookings may take longer. If you are arranging your own transport, we recommend that you wait until we have confirmed your booking before arranging this.
Dates
If you can select the date in the tour calendar at the top of this page, this is a possible start date. We continually update the tours with sold-out dates, after which those dates will turn red and cannot be selected.
Important: Please note that transportation to Arolla and from Täsch in Switzerland is not included in the package, and that you have to make sure to book your own flight that matches the holiday start- and end date. This is easily done online or by contacting us for an offer.
There are direct flights to Geneva from most of the European airports.
From Geneva there are 1-3 direct trains per hour most of the day to Sion (1,5-2 hours). See trains here: www.sbb.ch
From Sion train station to Arolla Poste, there is a post bus via Les Haudères - centre (3-6 departures daily and a total of about 1.5 hours by bus).
You go out through the main entrance of the train station and find the post bus station (big yellow buses) a few hundred meters on the left.
See bus timetables and prices here: www.postauto.ch
Alternatively, you can take a taxi from Sion (about 40 km).
The return journey from Täsch is by train. The journey to Geneva is about 3.5 hours, typically with a train change in Visp.
Important: We recommend that you book the trip with us before you buy your plane tickets.
Drive on your own car
Depending on your departure location, it can also be a solution to drive to Arolla, where there is parking at the hotel (or close by) for a small fee.
To return from Täsch to Arolla, take the train to Sion, typically changing in Visp. From Sion you take the post bus to Arolla, changing at Les Haudères, Centre. The trip takes about 3 hours.
The tour is arranged with overnight stays in double or triple rooms. The standard goes from a quite simple hotel up to 3* hotel. There will be 1 night in a rustic hotel in Grüben. In Zinal and Grüben there is only the possibility of shared toilet/bath in the hallway.
There are very few single rooms at each site. We try to book them, but usually we end up with a combination of triple rooms and single rooms. The price is adjusted according to possibilities.
The tour includes half board (breakfast and dinner).
It is possible to buy a packed lunch at all accommodation sites, but you will also find small kiosks/supermarkets in the villages (except Grüben).
If you have allergies or special dietary requirements, please inform us when booking. Then the accommodations will do their best to adapt your meals.
Luggage transfer is included on this trip. This is done in such a way that on arrival at the first hotel you will receive your luggage tag in the welcome pack. You fill in the luggage tags and put them on your bag, where it will stay for the whole trip.
The luggage is collected around 9am each morning and arrives at the next hotel by 6pm (usually well before). If there are any special exceptions to the luggage transfer, you will be informed of this on arrival.
NOTE: One bag per guest is allowed and bags must not weigh more than 15 kg.
The hike around to Zermatt is a grade 3-4. The daily treks are 6-8 hours, on tracks that leads you through ascents and descents of about 1000m/3,280ft of altitude a day. The trip requires good physical condition and we strongly recommend that you bring one or two telescopic hiking poles, for the steeper or possible icy parts. Read more about our grading system here.
We highly recommend that you are covered by a good travel insurance covering at least Medical Expenses, Illness, Personal Accident, Baggage and Repatriation. The customer is responsible to take the necessary travel insurance that covers these costs. Mountain Adventures, or our local partners, do not have any responsibility for our customers not being covered by a necessary travel insurance. You have to arrange your insurance in your home country.
This tour is only available from July to mid-September.
Even in early July there may be snow patches left in the high passes and on the trails, which may lead us to change the route for you. From mid-July onwards there is usually no snow. August is the busiest time on the trails. In September, the number of hikers drops and the temperature may drop a few degrees, but hiking is still good. This hike is at altitude, and surrounded by mountain ranges. The weather is changeable and temperatures rarely rise above 20 degrees C.
It is difficult to plan your trip according to the weather, but to help you get an average picture of the climate at Zermatt, you can see data from climatestotravel here:
We are members of the Travel Guarantee Fund (nr. 2529) and have all available insurances. This covers you regardless of your nationality. Read more about that here.
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Phone: +44 20 3936 1208
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