Haute Route Guides: Verified Reviews for the Chamonix to Zermatt Ski Tour and Trek

By Blake Penson · Updated 2026-10-24

Blake Penson has climbed Everest twice and has 20 years in the mountains.

The Haute Route is the classic hut-to-hut journey through the high Alps from Chamonix in France to Zermatt in Switzerland, passing beneath Mont Blanc, the Grand Combin and the Matterhorn. It comes in three main forms: the ski tour, usually six or seven days on glaciers in spring (about mid-March to early May); the summer glacier trek on a similar high line; and the Walker's Haute Route, a non-glaciated trek of about two weeks through the valleys and over passes, from about July to mid-September. The glacier versions need a mountain guide and alpine skills. On ExpedReview, as of 23 October 2026, 1 operator has 1 verified client review for the Haute Route: Mountain Tracks (1.8★, September 2019). Below are the ranking and the review, then a guide to choosing and preparing for the Haute Route.

Haute Route: key facts | | | |---|---| | Start and finish | Chamonix (France) to Zermatt (Switzerland) | | Countries | France and Switzerland | | High point (ski route) | Close to 3,800 m in the Pigne d'Arolla area, depending on the variant | | Ski tour | About 6–7 days, mid-March to early May | | Walker's Haute Route | About 12–14 days, about July to mid-September | | Nights | Mountain huts, plus valley hotels on the trek | | Nearest airport | Geneva, about 1–1.5 hours from Chamonix | | Operators reviewed on ExpedReview | 1, with 1 verified review (as of 23 Oct 2026) |

Haute Route guides ranked by verified reviews

Rankings use each operator's verified ExpedReview client reviews for the Haute Route: the star rating, adjusted so that one or two reviews, or only old ones, count for less than many recent ones. Every review is checked by hand before it is published, critical reviews stay up, and operators cannot pay for a better position. Data as of 23 October 2026.

One review from 2019 is not enough to judge an operator, and Mountain Tracks has not claimed its ExpedReview profile. Many guiding companies and independent IFMGA guides in Chamonix, Verbier and Zermatt run the Haute Route, and we will add them as verified reviews come in.

What clients say

The only review is negative, and it is a useful warning about matching a trip to your experience. The reviewer, filed under the ski tour but describing a summer trek, said they had told the company they had no alpine or climbing experience, only trekking, and were told the trip was suitable for beginners. On the trip, they were joined by two more experienced clients and felt the guide walked at the faster clients' pace and paid too little attention to their safety. On the second day the guide suggested one of them take public transport to the next hut, and later discouraged them from the climb to the Bertol hut; they ended the trip early. They also said the guide gave few briefings about the route and the next day's plans. We have not been able to hear the operator's side, but the lesson applies to every Haute Route booking: be clear about your experience, ask how mixed-ability groups are handled, and get the requirements in writing.

Three ways to do the Haute Route

The ski tour

The Ski Haute Route is one of the most famous ski tours in the world. It links glaciers and high cols between Chamonix and Zermatt over about six or seven days, staying in mountain huts such as the Argentière, Trient, Prafleuri, Dix, Vignettes and Bertol huts, depending on the variant. Many groups use the Verbier variant, and some routes go over or near the Pigne d'Arolla. Days involve skinning uphill for four to eight hours, with some steep bootpacking, short ladders or fixed chains and long ski descents, finishing with the run down past the Matterhorn to Zermatt.

The summer glacier trek

In summer, guides lead a similar high route on foot, crossing glaciers with crampons and ropes and staying in the same huts. It is a mountaineering trip, not a hike: you need to be comfortable on glaciers, steep snow, scrambling and ladders, and you will be roped to your guide. The review above concerns this kind of trip, which shows why the skill level matters.

The Walker's Haute Route

The Walker's Haute Route avoids glaciers. It runs for about 180 km over about 12 to 14 days, crossing high passes such as the Col de Balme, the Fenêtre d'Arpette and the Col de Prafleuri, and staying in huts, gîtes and valley hotels. It is a demanding trek with big daily climbs but no technical sections, and many people walk it without a guide.

Season and weather

The ski tour season usually runs from about mid-March to early May, when the days are longer and the snowpack is more stable than in winter. The glacier trek and Walker's Haute Route run in summer, from about late June or July to mid-September, when the huts are open. Alpine weather can change quickly in any season, with storms, whiteouts and new snow, and good guides keep spare days for bad weather. In the valleys, summer temperatures are usually mild, but the high passes and glaciers can be below freezing, and summer storms are common.

Skills and fitness

For the ski tour, you need to ski confidently off-piste in all snow conditions, including steep, icy or crusty snow, with a pack. Most guides expect experience of ski touring with skins, ski crampons and kick turns, and ideally a few days' touring at altitude before the trip. For the glacier trek, you need experience of walking in crampons and of scrambling, and good fitness for long days at 3,000 m and above. For the Walker's Haute Route, you need very good fitness for daily climbs of 1,000 m or more for two weeks.

A short history

The route began in summer. In the 1860s, members of the Alpine Club in London pieced together a high-level walking and climbing route between Chamonix and Zermatt, which they called the High Level Route. In the early 20th century, as ski mountaineering developed, skiers took up the idea; the first ski traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt is usually dated to 1911, and the French name Haute Route came to refer mainly to the ski tour. Today, thousands of skiers and walkers complete one version or another each year, and the route is one of the best known in the Alps.

A typical ski tour, day by day

Itineraries vary, but a classic guided ski tour looks something like this. On the first day, you take the Grands Montets lift above Argentière, when it is running, or skin up from the valley to the Argentière hut. Next, you cross high cols such as the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre de Saleina to the Trient hut, on the edge of the Trient plateau. From there, groups descend to Champex and travel to Verbier or Bourg-St-Pierre, before heading on through the Mont Fort or Prafleuri area to the Dix hut, below Mont Blanc de Cheilon. The following days cross the Pas de Chèvres, with its ladders, and the Pigne d'Arolla area to the Vignettes hut, then the long final stage over a series of cols to Zermatt, with the Matterhorn ahead. Many guides build in a spare day for bad weather, and routes are often changed to suit the snow and the forecast.

Huts

The huts on the Haute Route are run by the French and Swiss Alpine Clubs or privately, and are busy in the main season. They offer dormitory bunks with blankets, a hot dinner and breakfast, and drinks for sale; you bring a sleeping-bag liner and slippers are usually provided. Book well in advance, especially at weekends in April and in July and August; guided groups have their bookings made for them. Water is often melted from snow and costs money to buy, so carry cash in euros and Swiss francs, although many huts now take cards.

Avalanches and other hazards

On the ski tour, the main hazards are avalanches, crevasses, falls on steep icy slopes, and getting lost in whiteouts. Guides decide each day's route based on the avalanche forecast, the snowpack and the weather, and may change or cancel stages. Every skier must carry an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe and know how to use them, and many guides run a short rescue practice at the start of the trip. On the summer glacier trek, crevasses, rockfall, and storms are the main risks. On the Walker's Haute Route, the risks are lower but include steep, exposed paths, snow on high passes early in the season, and summer thunderstorms.

Gear

For the ski tour, you need touring skis with bindings, skins and ski crampons, touring boots, poles, a helmet, a harness, crampons, an ice axe, an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and warm and waterproof layers, all in a pack of about 30 to 40 litres. Most guides provide ropes and group gear. For the summer glacier trek, you need mountaineering boots, crampons, an ice axe, a harness and a helmet. For the Walker's Haute Route, you need good walking boots, rain gear and warm layers. Keep your pack as light as possible, since you will carry it every day.

Cost

The cost of a guided Haute Route depends on the version, group size, and what is included. Most packages include the guide's fees and expenses, half-board in huts, and some lifts and transport; you usually pay extra for travel to Chamonix and from Zermatt, drinks and water in huts, equipment rental, and insurance. A private guide costs more per person than a group with a fixed ratio, but allows the trip to suit your pace. Insurance must cover off-piste skiing or mountaineering, and mountain rescue in France and Switzerland.

Getting there

Most people fly into Geneva, about 1 to 1.5 hours by road from Chamonix, with frequent shuttle buses. From Zermatt, which is car-free, trains run to Visp and on to Geneva or Zurich airports. If your trip ends early, as in the review above, Swiss and French public transport can take you back to the valleys from most points on the route.

Preparing for the trip

Start training at least three months before the trip. For the ski tour, the best preparation is time on skis: several days of ski touring, ideally at altitude and with a heavy pack, plus off-piste skiing in variable snow. Many guides offer a preparation week or a shorter tour, and some will not take clients without one. Build your endurance with long hill walks, running or cycling, and practise kick turns and skiing with a pack. For the summer glacier trek, a mountaineering course on glaciers before the trip is very useful. Arrive a day or two early, sleep high if you can, and use that time for a final gear check with your guide.

How to choose a guide

Choose a guide who is fully qualified, ideally an IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide, since only fully qualified guides can lead glacier and ski mountaineering trips in France and Switzerland. Ask about the group size and the guide-to-client ratio, which for the ski tour is often around one guide to six clients or fewer; how the operator checks clients' skiing or climbing level before the trip; what happens if a client is too slow or too inexperienced; what the plan is for bad weather or avalanche danger; and what is included in the price. Read our Chamonix page for more operators in the area.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Haute Route?

The ski tour usually takes about six or seven days, and the Walker's Haute Route about 12 to 14 days over about 180 km.

When is the best time to do the Haute Route?

For the ski tour, about mid-March to early May. For the summer glacier trek and the Walker's Haute Route, about July to mid-September.

Do I need a guide for the Haute Route?

For the ski tour and the glacier trek, yes, unless you are an experienced ski mountaineer or alpinist. Many people walk the Walker's Haute Route without a guide.

How hard is the Haute Route?

The ski tour needs strong off-piste skiing and fitness; the glacier trek needs crampon and scrambling skills; the Walker's Haute Route needs very good fitness but no technical skills.

Which operator is ranked first for the Haute Route on ExpedReview?

As of 23 October 2026, Mountain Tracks is the only ranked operator, with 1.8★ from 1 verified review from September 2019.