Alps, Italy, Switzerland, hiking, Matterhorn

The iconic Matterhorn—or Cervino, as it's known in the German-speaking part of Switzerland—is a mountain that needs no introduction. From its 4,478-meter summit, it dominates the Zermatt Valley in Switzerland and the Breuil Valley in Italy. But on this tour, it's not just the Matterhorn that shines in all its splendor; many other four-thousanders, among the most beautiful in the Alps, will grace our landscape during the challenging hike of the Matterhorn Tour. From valley to valley, crossing passes and glaciers, we'll complete a nearly comprehensive tour of this magnificent mountain range. While no technical mountaineering skills are required, this tour is for experienced hikers who are well-trained and motivated to experience an exceptional week in the alpine mountains. For the crossing of the Arolla Glacier, we'll be accompanied by an Italian mountain guide.

Mountain with snowy peaks and a reflection in a tranquil lake, surrounded by arid land and rocks, at sunset with a sky of pink and blue tones.
Snowy mountain with a pointed peak in a clear sky, surrounded by green and rocky slopes.
Snowy mountains with high peaks and a clear sky in an alpine landscape.
Group of hikers walking along a trail in a mountain valley with snow-capped peaks and a turquoise lake under a clear sky.
Cows grazing in a green meadow with hills and mountains in the background under a clear sky.
Landscape of snow-covered mountains, a lake in the foreground, and a clear sky.
Panoramic view of mountains with snow-covered peaks and lakes in the lower areas.
Person in hiking clothes in a mountainous landscape with snowy peaks and green meadows.
Dirt path in a green field leading to snowy mountains under a blue sky.
Snowy mountain in a landscape with green trees and blue sky with some clouds.
A snow-covered mountain and an erupting volcano spewing ash and smoke at sunset or sunrise, with a clear sky.
A mountain with high peaks and snow on its summits, a clear sky with some clouds, and a meadow landscape with stones and some small flowers around.

8 days from €1,350 including flight

Confirmed from 4 people

Difficulty: 4/5

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The pluses of this program

  • Exploramunt guide certified in Medium or High Mountain.

  • High Mountain Guide for the crossing of the Arolla glacier.

  • Transporting luggage to some of the stages.

  • A tour through one of the most beautiful regions of the Alps

A mountain with snow-capped peaks and an erupting volcano spewing smoke and ash, during sunrise or sunset in an alpine landscape. Matterhorn

Program

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Program 〰️

  • Afternoon reception of participants at our hotel in Sant Niklaus, in the Zermatt valley, Switzerland. Explanation of the program by the guide.

    Night at the hotel.

  • Taking the small cable car from Sant Niklaus, we ascend the left side of the valley to the alpine summer village of Jungu, situated at almost 2,000 meters. Today we begin to discover the views of several four-thousand-meter peaks. Their snow-capped summits contrast with the green of the valleys and alpine forests. We climb to the Augstbordpass pass, at 2,893 meters, before beginning the descent to the remote Gruben valley, a village accessible only in summer. Dinner and overnight stay at the Gruben mountain lodge.

    6h of travel: +950m; -1075m.

  • We set off on foot from the hostel towards the alpine pastures of Masstafel and Chalte Berg, heading for the Forcletta Furggilti pass at 2876 m. We are now on the linguistic border of the Swiss Valais region. We have come from Saint Niklaus and Gruben, where a German dialect is spoken, and from this point on we enter the French-speaking valleys. We descend to the Anniviers Valley to the beautiful village of Zinal, overlooked by a stunning glacial cirque that includes the Zinalrothorn (4221 m) and the Obergabelhorn (4063 m).

    Dinner and accommodation at the Moiry hostel (where we retrieve our luggage) which we will reach after a short bus transfer through Grimentz.

    6h30 journey: + 1170; - 1220m.

  • From Lake Moiry, the trail climbs towards the Torrent pass at 2916 m. From here, we descend towards the Val d'Hémerence, where Evolène and Haudères are located. At the bottom of the valley rises the silhouette of another of the most famous four-thousanders in the Alps, the Dent Blanche. From the small village of Villa, a minibus takes us to Arolla, at 2000 m altitude... Overnight at the Arolla hostel. Tonight we retrieve our luggage and pack our backpacks for the next three nights when we won't have access to our bags or suitcases.

    The guide will help you pack your backpack with only the essentials.

    5h journey: +800m; -1220m.

  • We started walking early to comfortably complete the longest stage of the week. A path led us to the foot of the Arolla Glacier, where we met our mountain guide for the glacier crossing. While not difficult, the crossing did present several crevasses that we had to avoid. We ascended the glacier to the Colomb Pass at 3082 m. Here we crossed into Italy and began our descent through a beautiful valley to the Prarayer Refuge at 2005 m. We spent the night at the refuge.

    7h of travel: + 1175m; - 1190m.

  • Another beautiful stage takes us through the rugged and remote valleys of the Italian Alps towards the Val Cournera pass at 3066m. From here, we begin a short but steep descent (using fixed ropes installed by local guides) to the Perucca refuge, located at 2900m among several glacial lakes. Overnight at the refuge.

    5h tour: + 1130m; - 220m.

  • Today, finally, the Matterhorn will reveal itself from its Italian side. Indeed, we descend from the Perucca refuge towards Cervinia, and suddenly the pyramid of the great mountain that gives our tour its name appears. We take part of the climb to the Theodule refuge by cable car to shorten what would otherwise be a very long ascent. We walk with the Matterhorn always present in the landscape. You can just imagine what the view is like from the windows of the refuge's dining room...

    Night at the Theodulo refuge, at 3317 m altitude.

    6h journey: +775m; -1150m.

  • From the refuge, our route takes us back towards Switzerland. We begin the descent towards Zermatt in a high mountain environment, surrounded by many peaks exceeding 4,000 meters. We are between Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn, the silhouette of which changes as we enter Switzerland. Now we see the mountain as it appears in almost all the photos and advertisements that depict it. We cross the meadows of Furi and finally arrive in lively Zermatt around 1 p.m. Here, at the station, we retrieve our luggage. Dispersal. For those not heading to Geneva today, we can book a room in Zermatt (not included in the price).

    5h30 journey: - 1700m .

    The guide may change the itinerary for safety reasons (e.g., bad weather)

Important information

  • Sant Niklaus: 2-star hotel (double room)

    Gruben: Mountain lodge (6-8 bed dormitory)

    Moiry: Mountain hostel

    Arolla: Hostel or hotel

    Prarayer: Refuge

    Perucca: Refuge

    Theodulo: Refuge

  • A certified mid-mountain guide + a high-mountain guide for the Arolla glacier crossing

  • Several days with more than 6 hours of walking and over 1,000 meters of elevation gain. Good to very good physical condition. Regular practice of some endurance sport.

  • Between 4 and 14 people

  • For the first few days – the first four nights, up to Arolla – we'll travel with only the essentials for the day, and each night we'll retrieve our luggage, which will have been transported by taxi. From Arolla to Zermatt – three nights – we won't have our luggage. In our backpacks, we should only carry a lightweight sleeping bag, a few changes of clothes, a very lightweight quick-drying towel, and a toiletry bag with the bare essentials. The guide will help you pack your backpack in Arolla so you don't carry more weight than necessary. A list of the required equipment will be sent to you upon registration.

Prices and conditions

PRICE FROM €1350

Included in the price: Accommodation from day 1 to 8 (7 nights) as per the program. Breakfast and dinner at hotels or hostels, from breakfast on day 2 to breakfast on day 8. Picnics prepared by the guide. Certified mid-mountain and high-mountain guides. Transportation of people and luggage as described in the program. VAT.

Not included in the price: Transportation (flights, train, bus, etc.) to or from Saint Niklaus in Zermatt. Cable car up to Jungu, cable car up to Theodulo (€35). Dinner on day 1. Drinks. Gratuities.

Airline tickets and single room supplement: please contact us

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