Man sits on a rock overlooking the Alps
5.0

Trek the Haute Route in a Week

Head to Switzerland to hit the highlights of one of the most famously challenging routes in the High Alps, from Verbier to Zermatt

What's Included?

  • Activities & Certified Guides

    All itinerary activities with experienced, English-speaking, IML-certified guides
  • Guesthouse & Mountain Hut

    4 nights in guesthouses and 2 nights in mountain huts
  • Meals

    All your meals are included – 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners
  • Transfers & Lifts

    All local transfers by public transport and gondola lifts
  • Equipment

    Pillows and blankets are provided at the refuges
  • Small Like-minded Groups

    Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From
excluding flights

What's it like?

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Hike among the incredible landscapes of the Swiss Alps, including remote valleys, majestic peaks, and serene mountain lakes

Challenge yourself with diverse, demanding trails over a mix of rugged paths, steep ascents and technical sections – avoiding the busier trail stages

Bask in picture-perfect views of the mighty Matterhorn, one of the most recognisable peaks in Europe

Got more time? Try our full-length trek of the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt

Day 1
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 3 – Day 4
Hotel · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 5
Hotel · Mixed dorm

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 6
Guesthouse · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 7

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

Mountain snack

Breakfasts and dinners will be served at the refuges and guesthouses. Breakfasts always include coffee, bread, jam and butter. Depending on the refuge, they may also include orange juice, cereal, yoghurt, fruit, cheese and meats. Dinners are hearty and served in large portions – just what a hungry hiker needs! Typical meals include a soup starter, a main course of meat and veggies with a side of grains or pasta, and a dessert like vanilla pudding or creme brûlée. Picnic lunches will be provided each day, featuring a large main item like a sandwich or wrap, a salad, and a selection of fruit, muesli bars, chocolate, nuts, etc.

Vegetarian, vegan and most other dietary requirements (including gluten-free) can be catered for with advanced notice. Just let your host know when booking. Whilst dietary needs are sent to each refuge with the group reservations, please consider that the mountain refuges will have a limited range of choice to offer guests due to their remote locations. People with very specific dietary requirements typically choose to also bring some of their own snacks with them, to ensure they have sufficient fuel for hiking up and down the beautiful mountain trails.

What is the accommodation like?

Hotel du Glacier, Haute Route
The Alps

On three nights, you'll stay in simple guesthouses and B&Bs in twin-share rooms. On two nights you'll stay in remote mountain huts (Cabane Mont Fort and Cabane du Prafleuri) in multi-share dormitories. In Gruben, you will stay in a traditional mountain hotel in mixed dorms, which feels somewhere between a hotel and a mountain hut.

Each accommodation is unique but you can usually expect it to be simple, clean and comfortable. In the mountain huts, groups typically sleep in mixed-sex dormitory rooms of up to 20 people, usually in bunk beds or single beds. They feature hot showers, running water, pillows and blankets, and a bar serving cold drinks. Most refuges also have outlets for charging your electronics, and some even have WiFi. Some refuges are more modern in style, others have a more traditional heritage, most are busy throughout the hiking season; it's the refuge's location and its remoteness that largely decides what comforts and conveniences are available. It's best to keep your expectations simple and enjoy the time on the trail to unplug from everyday life.

Upgrades

Unfortunately, single room upgrades aren't available on this trip as some of the hotels are very small and have a limited number of rooms.

Larry F.(September 2025)
Verbier to Zermatt

Fantastic week of hiking the iconic Haute Route. Highly recommend this shortened route from Vierbier to Zermatt, Ollie the guide was great - good balance of keeping everyone informed, safe and fed! Helping everyone achieve this challenge. Extremely blessed with the group on my trek, all supper friendly. likeminded and great fun to be with.

Mike B.(September 2025)
The planning of the trip

The planning of the trip was impeccable making each day interesting and manageable in an unhurried manner. The guide was always switched on and was both knowledgeable and approachable for information. The group worked very well and contained a kaleidoscope of varied life experiences which made walking a pleasure as there was much to discuss and entertain. Accomodation is important as sleep improves the whole experience and of course access to privacy is ideal but not always achievable on such a walk. We had a mixture of accomodation with 2 nights which were cramped in multiple bed dorms. Obviously reducing this where possible would lead to a better overall experience but would of course co. e at a cost. That is a business decision but at my age I am unlikely to baulk at the idea of a higher price in return for better accomodation. I can only speak personally but for me a very basic clean twin room with or without ensuite would ideally be the lowest level of accommodation when I am on holiday. If anything I prefer something with a little character and a space to chat with the group and others. Many thanks for you and yoyr team working to create amd maintain this experience it was a very interesting and worthwhile experience.

ashley l.(July 2025)
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with
WOW! Another amazing trip with

WOW! Another amazing trip with MBA. The Haute route was such an amazing experience with the most gorgeous scenery. The small group of 7 people was amazing and the week was filled with plenty of laughs to get us through the tough climbs! David our host was great and very knowledgeable on the local area. He made sure he kept us all safe and planned some cool alternative routes when weather prevented us getting as high in the mountains. In love with Switzerland after this trip 🇨🇭😍

Thanks MBA for another unforgettable experience. !

Itinerary Activities

  • 7 days of guided trekking along sections of the Haute Route between Verbier and Zermatt

Guides

  • Experienced, English-speaking, IML-certified guides (1:12 guide to customer ratio)

Accommodation

  • 2 nights in rustic mountain huts
  • 4 nights in cosy Alpine guesthouses

Meals

All your meals are provided for the duration of the trip. This includes:

  • 6 tasty breakfasts
  • 6 picnic lunches
  • 6 hearty dinners

Transfers

  • All required transfers by public transport
  • Uplifts via gondola where required to rejoin the trail

Equipment

  • Pillows and blankets are provided at the refuges

Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.

Travel to and from the trip

Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.

Airport transfers

This trip begins in Verbier and ends in Zermatt (a car-free town); airport transfers are not included. See the 'Getting There' section for details of how to get to the start point of this trip.

Tips

Tips are not included in the trip cost. Tipping is optional but definitely appreciated if you have had great service from your guide. As a rough guide we would suggest the following:

€25-30 per person

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures, and you'll need to provide your policy details before departure. Your insurance should offer adequate cover for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment, and the specific activities involved in your adventure. We also recommend ensuring your policy includes cancellation and curtailment cover, in case you're unable to join your trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness.

Standard travel insurance may not cover all the activities included in your adventure, so it's essential to check the details carefully. There are adventure-specific providers that many travellers have used in the past, such as True Traveller (for those based in the UK or Europe), or Rise + Shield, both of which offer cover for a wide range of adventurous activities.

Please make sure your chosen policy meets your individual needs and covers all aspects of your trip.

Visas

Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.

Personal Expenses

You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.

What do I need to bring?

You'll be carrying all you need for the seven-day trip on your back, so don't over pack but also don't skip the essentials. Hiking in the Alps even in the peak of summer you can have very mixed conditions, both hot and cold, especially when climbing over the high mountain passes.

KIT

  • 30-50L backpack with waist belt (plus a rain cover)
  • A pack liner or dry bag is also good protection in case of rain
  • Sleeping bag liner (cotton or silk). This is very important as it's a mandatory requirement at the mountain refuges. Pillows and blankets are provided by the refuges.
  • Hiking Poles (strongly recommended)
  • Sunglasses and sunscreen (SPF 50+ recommended due to altitude)
  • Preferred snacks for the trail
  • Hydration/Electrolyte tablets
  • 2L water bottle(s)
  • Hand sanitiser gel
  • Toiletries and personal first aid items
  • Towel
  • Swim suit
  • Earplugs and eye mask (recommended)
  • Cash (CHF) for drinks, snacks along the trail, tips etc.
  • Plug adaptor and/or battery pack to charge electrical devices (note Switzerland uses a different standard to the rest of Europe)
  • Headlamp

CLOTHES

  • Waterproof jacket (with hood) and waterproof trousers
  • Primaloft or down jacket
  • Fleece or merino pullover or sweater
  • Synthetic or merino wool base layers
  • Warm hat and gloves (really important in mixed weather conditions)
  • Sunhat or cap
  • Synthetic shirts and trousers (zip-off preferable) for hiking
  • Comfortable shirt and trousers for the refuges
  • 2+ pairs of hiking socks, wool or synthetic
  • Sturdy hiking boots or shoes (worn in)
  • Comfortable, light shoes for around the refuge

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Join the Haute Route and hike to Cabane Mont Fort (2457m)

    Hiking
    1.5 hrs · 3.5km · 260m up
    Mountain hut
    Mixed dorm
    Dinner included
    Show Day 1 detail

    Make your way to Verbier's main gondola lift station, at the bottom of the Médran Gondola, to meet your host in the afternoon. Together with the rest of your group, catch the cable car up to Les Ruinettes, where you join the Haute Route on Stage 3 of the full route, at a point beyond the busier trails (which are shared with the Tour du Mont Blanc). You can read more about the trail in our guide to hiking the Walker’s Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. Your first day of walking is a short one, to warm up the legs and ease yourself into life on the trail. You'll cross the grassy slopes of La Chaux, with great views of the Petit Combin, Grand Combin and Mont Fort. In under two hours, you'll reach the Cabane Mont Fort for your first night in an Alpine mountain refuge.

  2. Day 2

    Hike the Col de Prafleuri (2987m)

    Hiking
    6-7 hrs · 14.5km · 990m up · 790m down
    Mountain hut
    Mixed dorm
    All meals included
    Show Day 2 detail

    Today you venture into the rugged high mountains the 'Haute Route' is named for. Leaving behind the easy grassy slopes, pick up a rocky trail through the remote peaks found in this corner of the Alps. After a couple of steep climbs separated by the crystal clear Petit Mont Fort Lake, reach Col de Louvie in time for lunch. Descend steeply and carefully cross the otherworldly rocks of the 'Grand Desert', gradually ascending to Col de Prafleuri (2987m). After a big day, tonight's cosy hut comes into sight (Cabane de Prafleuri) on the Letio d’Allèves Plateau below, reached via a short but steep technical descent.

    Day 3

    Lac des Dix and Col de Reidmatten

    Hiking
    6hrs · 18km · 790m up · 1360m down
    Hotel
    Twin share
    All meals included
    Show Day 3 detail

    Hike to Col des Roux for views over the impressive Grand Dixence Dam and descend to follow the trail along the lakeshore. Climb to the lower end of the Dix Glacier, where the final section demands careful navigation over the steep gradient and very rocky ground to the Col de Reidmatten. This is a highlight of trip and the tough climb up to the col will be well worth it for the views! Follow a gentler trail from the pass down to the picturesque alpine village of Arolla (2000m) for the night.

  3. Day 4

    The big 4000s

    Hiking
    7-8 hrs · 16km · 1500m up · 1010m down
    Hotel
    Twin share
    All meals included
    Show Day 4 detail

    After a short taxi ride to the village of La Sage, set off on one of the toughest days so far as you hike toward the high point at Col de Torrent, with spectacular views over the 4000m peaks of the Alps. Descend to the Val de Moiry, passing the Lac de Moiry, where you'll stop for a well-deserved rest before continuing down the track to the Col de Sorebois. From there, take the gondola down to Zinal, where you’ll lay your head for the night.

  4. Day 5

    Col de Forcletta

    Hiking
    7 hrs · 17km · 1120m up · 1060m down
    Hotel
    Mixed dorm
    All meals included
    Show Day 5 detail

    Meander through farms and meadows on a gentle trail overlooking neighbouring villages, before ascending the Forcletta Pass (the boundary between the French-speaking and the Swiss-German speaking parts of this area). Descend into the rural Meid-Valley on an isolated path which leads to a guesthouse in the village of Gruben.

  5. Day 6

    Augstbord Pass

    Hiking
    6hrs · 14km · 1120m up · 960m down
    Guesthouse
    Twin share
    All meals included
    Show Day 6 detail

    Time for one of the most epic sections of the entire trip as you enter the Matterhorn Valley. Climb through sparse forest to the Augstbord Pass before descending into the Augstbordtal. Traverse a rugged trail built into a steep slope to the Jungtal. Ride the cable car from Jungu to reach the quintessentially Alpine village of St. Niklaus, where you'll check into a warm and cosy guesthouse.

    Day 7

    Finish the Haute Route at Zermatt

    Hiking
    6hrs · 16km · 900m up · 700m down
    Breakfast and lunch included
    Show Day 7 detail

    Set off on your last day on the Haute Route by taking the local train from St. Niklaus a couple of stops to the village of Randa. From there begin your hike up the eastern side of the valley, on a steep switchback trail to connect to the Europaweg Trail, near the start of the legendary Charles Kuonen suspension bridge. At 500m it’s the longest suspension bridge for pedestrian use in the Alps. Stand in the middle of the crossing and take in the jaw-dropping panoramic mountain scenery. After the bridge, continue on the famous Europaweg, a trail cut into the mountainside (with a few exposed sections). After 5km of hiking, at Springelboden (2209m), you'll descend down a partially forested trail to the village of Täsch. Follow a riverside trail up the valley all the way into Zermatt, finishing at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn.

Getting There

Nearest airport
Milano Linate Airport (LIN)
Pick up
Médran Gondola Station, Verbier, Switzerland
14:00 on Day 1
Drop off
Zermatt, Switzerland
14:00 on Day 7

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DEPARTURE DATES

  • Sunday 2nd August 2026

    to Saturday 8th August 2026

    Hurry; only 3 spaces left

  • Sunday 16th August 2026

    to Saturday 22nd August 2026

  • Sunday 23rd August 2026

    to Saturday 29th August 2026

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GOT A GROUP OF 6 OR MORE?

Book the whole trip privately. We sort the details, you split the cost. Pure adventure, zero faff.

FAQs

As you're meeting your guide at Médran Gondola Station in Verbier, your host is unable to offer a luggage storage option. However the ever reliable Swiss Rail does have an inexpensive service offering luggage transport from Geneva to Zermatt from as little as 12 CHF. This would allow you to leave your main luggage at Geneva train station, do the trip with just your hiking backpack, and then conveniently collect your main luggage at Zermatt station at the end. Visit the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) website for more details. Feel free to ask your host any packing-related questions via your booking pre-departure. You'll be carrying your own gear during the trek, so we recommend packing light but not skimping on the essentials. Our Kit List section provides a good starting point on what to pack for this trip.

Drinking water is available at each accommodation and there are also places to refill on the trail most days. You may want to carry a portable water filter or filter bottle for when filling up on the trail. The guide will advise how much to carry each day.

Occasionally things might not go to plan due to snow or landslides blocking parts of the route or bad weather forcing a change. Your host will keep you up to date with local trail and weather conditions and has planned alternative lower routes as a contingency. Public transport can also be used to avoid higher sections of the trail if required.

For this itinerary there is 1 guide to 10 hikers. The guides this host works with are all International Mountain Leader certified (as a minimum), First Aid trained and are highly experienced at leading groups in the Alps.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Summer in the Alps is generally warm and fair, but the weather can change very quickly in the high mountains, bringing cold rain and wind. Average temperatures range from 6 to 26°C. It rains roughly half of the days each month, but storms generally pass through quickly. Even in the peak of summer you can have very mixed conditions, especially when climbing over the high mountain passes above 2000m. Heatwaves have also been a feature of recent European summers. Our kit list is intended to guide you on what to pack for this trip.

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

What's the number?
It works out on average at 102kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.

The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.

But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:

  • Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.

Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.

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