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The Haute Route,
Chamonix to Zermatt 10 days hiking
ITINERARY - difficulty grade C ( height gains of up to 1,200m, 4,000 ft a day )

Day 1

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 Arrive at Geneva airport. You are met at the airport and transferred ( just 1.5 hours) to your CHAMONIX hotel. Settle into the valley hotel with time for sightseeing before the welcoming meal and evening briefing for the Haute Route.
Our hotel is the central 2* Hotel Richmond, Chamonix.
Day 2 Lac Blanc: We ride the Flegere lift to 1,872m (6,140ft) and from there we hike up through open pasture to the photogenic Lac Blanc (2,352m, 7,715ft). From here we have marvelous views of the whole Mt Blanc range. After our picnic lunch by the lake we continue our traverse of the Chamonix valley to descend steeply to the Col de Montets and return to our hotel in Chamonix (5 hrs hiking).
Day 3 The Aiguilette des Posettes: Starting from the Col de Montets we climb the lovely ridge of the Aiguilette des Posettes. Our high point is the grassy Col de Balme (2,204m, 7,230ft). From there we descend through alpine meadows and shady forests to the Swiss village of TRIENT and our hotel. We'll have spectacular views of the Aiguille Verte, the whole Massif du Mt Blanc, Mt Ruan and Le Cheval Blanc. This day gives us some of the best viewpoints in all of the European Alps (6 hrs hiking).
Our hotel is the friendly Hotel du Col de la Forclaz, Trient.

Day 4

 

The Bovine Way: From the door our hotel at the pass, we climb up gently to the high alpine pastures of Bovine with expansive views of the Rhone Valley. On a clear day we can see the Bernese Oberland range and as far as Lake Geneva. We descend through spruce forest to the lovely lakeside village of CHAMPEX . From here we transfer to the remote village of FIONNAY, at the head of the Valle de Bagnes. (5 hrs hiking)
We stay in the family-run Hotel du Grand Combin, Fionnay.

Day 5
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 Cabane Louvie: A "rest day"! After a lazy start we climb, from the door of our hotel, up to Lac Louvie with great views of the Grand Combin (4,135m, 13,645ft). Here we find our mountain refuge with a beautiful alpine backdrop. A relaxing day and a nights rest in a mountain refuge.
(2 hrs hiking).
We stay in the new and friendly Cabane Louvie at 2,207m (7,240ft).
Day 6 Col de Louvie: A big day with our 2 highest passes!. From our hut we climb steadily, and then have a high-level traverse to cross the high Col de Louvie (2,921m, 9,580ft ). The other side of the pass we traverse across the "grand desert", the remains of the glacier, before ascending the Col du Prafleuri (2,965m, 9,725ft) and then dropping steeply into the Val de Dix.
We are now half-way along the Haute Route in Switzerland.(7 hrs hiking).
We stay in the new and friendly Cabane Prafleurie at 2,660m (8,725ft).
Day 7 The Pas des Chevres: We hike along the Val des Dix and its huge reservoir lake. As we start to climb we should find edelweiss along the trail. Then through rocky moraine before climbing the ladders of the Pas de Chevres (2,855m, 9,365ft). We should have views of the tips of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, Mont-Blanc de Cheilon and more. Our downhill trail passes below tumbling glaciers and enters the pine forest that gives Arolla its name. From AROLLA our minibus takes us to LES HAUDERES, a typical Swiss wooden village (7 hrs hiking)
Our hotel is the family-run Hotel les Melezes, Les Hauderes.
Day 8 The Col de Torrent: Our highest day. Our minibus takes us to Villa, renowned for its pretty wooden chalets, to start hiking up the easy track to Col de Torrent (2,919m, 9,575ft). The views on a clear day range from Mont Blanc to the Dent Blanche and the OberGabelhorn. The descent down to the emerald lake of Moiry is straight out of "The Sound of Music" as we listen to the cowbells in the meadows. We hike down to GRIMENTZ in the Val d'Anniviers and our hotel. (6 hrs hiking)
Our hotel is the comfortable 3* Hotel Alpina, Grimentz.
Day 9 The Forcletta Pass: We have reached the linguistic divide between French and German which historically has always been an area of conflict. Nowadays the two communities live at peace. It is only a short uphill to the Forcletta Pass (2,874m, 9,427ft) and, as usual, we are rewarded with a magnificent panorama of the Brunegghorn and the Bishorn. Tonight we are in the village of GRUBEN in the Turtmantal, a very narrow valley habited only in summer (5 hrs hiking).
Our hotel is the traditional Hotel Schwarzhorn, Gruben.
Day 10

The Augsbord Pass: The trail starts right in front of the hotel. We climb up into the larch woods and then through high pastures to reach the Augstbord Pass (2,894m, 9,490ft), one of the narrow gates that give access to the hidden valleys of Mattertal and Saastal. So many high mountains appear on this hike that it is hard to keep them in mind. A tiny cable car saves our knees down to the valley floor to meet with our bus for the transfer to ZERMATT. Zermatt is combustion engine-free and we will stop at the edge of town to transfer to an electric taxi (6 hrs hiking).
Our hotel is the friendly 3* Hotel City, Zermatt.
Day 11 Zermatt: is one of the best known towns in the whole world. It owes it's fame to the impressive Matterhorn and to a fantastic ring of peaks from the Mischabel to Monte Rosa, most of them over 4,000m, (13,000ft). Today we hike a scenic traverse above the town, along a balcony trail with the Matterhorn almost constantly in view. We will be back in time to enjoy some free time in this historic town before our celebratory evening meal with the Haute Route completed.(5 hrs hiking).
Day 12 Your journey home. Transfer to Geneva airport (3hrs) for your afternoon/evening flight.

Based on:
2 people sharing a twin room in 2-3* hotels (9 nights) and in a mountain refuge (2 nights).
A single-room supplement is readily available if you prefer.

What is included:
All inclusive, Geneva to Geneva i.e. airport transfers, bed and breakfast (nights 1-11 inc), big picnic lunches (days 2-11), all cable cars and lifts, minibus transport and 2 guides.

What is NOT included:
Insurance, alcoholic drinks and your postcards and obvious personal spending, including medical supplies. Lunches on travel days (days 1 and 12).

Key points:
* Everything is included in the price, there are no "local payments" and your picnic lunches are included.
* We have time to enjoy the scenery, in comfort, with good quality accomodation and food.
* We have minibus support throughout the trip too.

Trip Facts:
Total Distance - 177 km (110 miles)
Average height climbed a day - 1,000m (3,500ft)
Highest pass - Col du Prafleuri (2,965m, 9,725ft) - day 6
Languages - French, Swiss-German.
Difficulty - For strong hikers
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