Chamonix-Zermatt: Part 2
Activity
Difficulty
Duration
Dates
Price
From 970.00 €
About the Chamonix-Zermatt trek : part 2
This trekking route between Chamonix and Zermatt is surely one of the most spectacular and remarkable alpine hikes linking two mountaineering capitals.
From Mont-Blanc to the Matterhorn, this itinerary takes you through a formidable stretch of the Alps, dotted with over 40 peaks over 4,000 metres in altitude, alternating between lush alpine meadows, typical villages and daily pass crossings, all set against a backdrop of glaciers and the highest Alpine peaks.
Here’s the second part, from Arolla to Zermatt!
You will leave with :
Pierrick
Trekking Guide
“Every journey should be an out-of-the-ordinary adventure, guiding walkers to hidden treasures beyond the known paths.”

The Chamonix-Zermatt trek route: part 2
Upcoming departures
What's included in the formula
- Supervision by a qualified mountain leader.
- Overnight stays as indicated in the program.
- Half-board in the accommodation indicated in the program.
- Picnic lunches.
- Luggage transportation on the evenings of D2, D3 and D5.
- Transfers as indicated in the program.
What's not included in the package
- Cancellation and repatriation assistance insurance to be taken out on registration.
- Soft drinks in general.
- Personal hiking and travel equipment (shoes, poles, personal first-aid kit).
- Transport to the meeting point on D1. Transfer from Geneva airport or Chamonix town center available at extra cost.
- Any private transfers or gondolas not included in the program.
- Return transfer from Zermatt.
- Everything not indicated in the price includes.
Day 1: Arolla to Lac de Moiry
6 hours’ walk – Overnight in hostel with luggage – D+ 1250 m / D- 700 m
You meet at 9am at the hamlet of Villa just after La Sage in the Val d’Herens. Departure briefing and loading of your personal belongings, which you will return to during your stay.
You’ll then set off at a leisurely pace in the direction of the Col Torrent at 2916 m. From the pass, the view of the Valais Alps is breathtaking! You then begin the descent to Lac de Moiry via Lac des Autannes.
Day 2: Arrival at Turtmannhütte
30-minute transfer – 8-hour walk – Overnight in refuge without luggage – D+ 1700 m / D- 700 m
After an early-morning transfer to the Zinal valley, you set off to climb the Col de la Forcletta at 2874m, which marks the entrance to the Val Turtmann: unquestionably the wildest in the Valais.
Then it’s back down to the alpine pastures for a final, timeless ascent to Turtmannhütte.
Day 3: Beyond 3000!
6-hour hike – Overnight in huts without luggage – D+ 900 m / D- 700 m (Barrhorn: +/- 300 m)
Today you set off for the highest pass on this trek from Chamonix to Zermatt: the Schöllihorm pass at 3343m in a mineral world at the gateway to the high mountains.
Conditions permitting, you may be lucky enough to climb the Barrhorn at 3610m on a return trip from the pass. This pass will allow us to switch to the Zermatt valley to reach the Topalihütte. The Matterhorn is getting closer!
Day 4: Topalihütte - Randa
Today you’ll cross the valley, staying high above the Bishorn and Weisshorn peaks which tower over us at over 4000m, before descending to Randa where we’ll spend the night.
Day 5: Ascent to Taschhütte
Today you’ll cross the valley to join a magnificent balcony trail offering fabulous panoramic views of the 4000s in the area, and begin the climb to Taschhütte for a final night in grandiose surroundings.
Day 6: Zermatt, here we come!
On the last day of this magnificent journey, we retrace our steps to the Europaweg Hütte and begin the journey to Zermatt via a traversing route surrounded by the area’s 4,000 inhabitants in grandiose surroundings.
You’ll arrive in Zermatt on foot in the early afternoon to enjoy the surroundings and organize your return.
Highlights of the trip
General information
SAFETY
You can find the Quai d’Orsay’s position on these countries on the official website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: diplomatie.gouv.fr in the “Conseils aux voyageurs” section.
The information contained on the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is subject to change and is given for guidance only. Please note that no region of the world or country can be considered safe from the risk of terrorism.
REGISTRATION
By post:
Ask us for a registration form
- by phone: 06 65 93 29 29
- or e-mail: contact@watse.fr
Send us your registration with a copy of your passport, your postal address, telephone number and e-mail address, together with a deposit of 35% of the cost of the trip.
Also, if you wish to take out a Comfort or Comfort Multirisk cancellation insurance policy, this must be paid at the same time as the deposit when you register. You can consult our insurance contracts on our website.
By internet:
Book your holiday directly on our website: directly on the holiday page, choosing your dates and insurance options.
ATTENTION: air fares will be maintained until 3 months before departure and may be readjusted if necessary if you book during this period.
ASSISTANCE AND SAFETY
We strongly advise you to take out assistance insurance for the duration of your trip.
We offer two different types of insurance: Comfort Cancellation and Comfort Multirisk, to be taken out when you register for your trip.
Details of this insurance are available on request or can be viewed by by clicking here.
Other offers include Mondial Assistance, your own insurance company or Club Alpin Français. Check that your trekking activity is covered.
Make sure your insurance covers all medical expenses in the event of an accident.
You must make sure that you are covered for mountain rescue costs. If this is the case, you must provide us with the following information before you set off on your trek:
- a certificate from the insurance company covering mountain rescue costs.
- the contract number and telephone number of the assistance center
Beware of restrictive clauses in certain insurance policies (particularly those linked to Visa Premier, Gold or other cards), such as mountain insurance limited to snow activities, or altitude sickness not recognized as an illness requiring repatriation, which will be refused.
Please check the actual content of your insurance and take the necessary steps if necessary.
Health & climate
JET LAG
No time difference.
CLIMATE
Temperatures vary according to altitude. In summer, it can be hot in the valleys and cold at higher altitudes. The wind can also make it feel colder.
HEALTH AND VACCINES
No vaccinations required.
We strongly recommend that you are up to date with the usual vaccinations: diphtheria-tetanus-poliomyelitis, whooping cough, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B.
We recommend that you have a check-up with your dentist before you leave.
IFREMMONT
No specific indications.
Transport and conditions
Meet at 9am at the hamlet of Villa just after La Sage in the Val d’Herens.
Transport to and from the meeting point on the first and last day is not included. We can organize your return transfer from Zermatt: optional and on request.
AIR
No specific indications.
LUGGAGE
Luggage transfer on days 1 and 4.
The stay
MEALS
Picnics for lunch. Morning and evening meals are taken in the accommodation or prepared by our team. Snacks are provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own.
ACCOMMODATION
2 nights in a hostel and 3 nights in a refuge.
TRAINING
Supervision by a state-qualified French mountain leader.
Practical info
ELECTRICITY
Some (but not all) refuges offer charging facilities for small electronic devices (smartphones, cameras).
FORMALITIES AND VISA
No visa required for French nationals and citizens of bordering countries.
BUDGET, CHANGE AND TIPS
Meals not included (cold drinks, snacks, etc.) and accommodation are included in the price of the stay. Showers are included in all accommodation. At Täschütte and the Topali hut, bottled water is available at an additional cost. We provide 1 bottle of water for 2 people in each of these accommodations. Tipping is not compulsory and should reflect your satisfaction with the team.
Watse added value
A COMPLETE ITINERARY
BETWEEN CHAMONIX AND ZERMATT
Our trekking guides have imagined this itinerary between Chamonix and Zermatt as a complete and uncompromising route to give you the chance to discover all the most beautiful places along the way. No transfers, no dead ends – you’ll see everything there is to see!
A NEW AND VARIED CIRCUIT
This trek between Chamonix and Zermatt is one of great diversity. Balcony paths, wild valley crossings, distant aerial panoramas: there’s no room for fatigue on this trek. Atmosphere, scenery, fauna, flora… everything changes with every step!
A WATSE EXCLUSIVE
Watse’s trekking guides know the Northern Alps inside out and have devised an exclusive route that you won’t find anywhere else.