The Best Haute Route

Best Haute Route: Alpenwild’s Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route

Right off the bat, here are some reasons Alpenwild offers the best Haute Route trek (discover the difference between a hike and trek here):

• Trip cost includes trip transportation, accommodations, meals, deluxe excursions, luggage transfers (so you can hike light during the days) for guided tours
• Hut stays – Includes family style dinners and dorm style sleep arrangements, it really brings the group together. (Don’t want huts? Book the Deluxe Haute Route.)
• Fly into any Swiss airport, we’ll get you to the tour start point in Chamonix, France
• The best Haute Route starts in world-renowned, outdoor sports haven Chamonix, France, and ends at the base of the iconic Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland
• You have a personal Alpenwild trip specialist/tour point of contact who has actually done the tour – You can ask them all of your questions and they will have an answer for you, many companies can’t say that
• At Alpenwild, we offer public, guided, self-guided and private tour options
• We do the itinerary planning for you
• “Show up and go” tour style
• Optional luggage transfers for self-guided tours
• Expert, qualified guides with local “know-how” and “know-what” to keep you safe on the trail
• If you travel solo/self-guided, your Alpenwild specialist will be one call away
• Alpenwild has been around officially since 2003. We’ve withstood the 2008 crash and COVID-19. During which, we adjusted our cancellation policies, offered re-booking incentives and refunded cancelled tours. Again, not many companies can say that. You can trust us with your tour booking knowing you’ll get the best Haute Route trip.

My Take – The People

I personally loved the Haute Route. Not just because of the opportunities I had to meet the local hotel and inn owners, eating delicious meals after a whole day of hiking, luggage transfers and the deluxe excursion such as the Gornergrat train in Zermatt, but because of the people I met. When you book an Alpenwild tour, you get to be with Alpenwild-quality people. We came as complete strangers and left as good friends. The guides, Emily Geldard and Leo Claubaut laughed with us, taught us about the land, geography and tips. The Haute Route was like a behind the scenes tour of the Alps. 

The Guides

I also learned that a lot of the guides based in Chamonix, France love working for Alpenwild because Alpenwild trusts the guides. I experienced this as we woke up to snow on day four of the Haute Route trek. Emily and Leo knew from experience that the high pass scheduled for the day would not be wise to traverse in the present weather and they decided to reroute our day without needing to call the office for approval. When we got to the next hotel, news of other groups in white-outs and having to turn back made me so grateful for the guides’ expertise. Alpenwild guides are top tier. The majority of Alpenwild guides join the team via personal referral and the Chamonix guides are a tight-knit group.

All-in-All

Alpenwild offers the best Haute Route in my opinion because the experience from booking to the 12-day experience was planned every step of the way. Accommodation owners welcome us weary travelers with happy faces and open arms and at the end of the trip, I actually felt invigorated and ready to get back to normal life and attack the workload that had built up while I was gone. I had just hiked and trekked almost a hundred miles in 12 days to the Matterhorn, I now know I can do anything!

What are you waiting for?

Book the best Haute Route, Alpenwild’s Chamonix to Zermatt Haute Route, a.k.a. the trip of a lifetime, today. Alpenwild also offers a Deluxe Haute Route, which I’ve heard is heavenly – there are not huts and the rest day at the delightful Bella Tola Hotel in St. Luc becomes heaven on earth via its spa and laundry services. Discover the Deluxe Haute Route itinerary for yourself. 

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Emily Jones

Raised in Boise, Idaho, Emily has always loved being out of doors. Her summers have always been packed with hiking, fishing, and extensive family road trips throughout the Western United States. Emily is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in advertising. In her free time, she loves to paint shoes, make shirts, and exercise.

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