HAUTE ROUTE, TREKKING CHAMONIX-ZERMATT

CROSS THE GLACIERS FROM FRANCE TO SWITZERLAND SURROUNDED BY THE GREAT MOUNTAINS OF THE ALPS

The Chamonix-Zermatt is the iconic route that connects on foot two of the most famous towns in the Alps at the base of the two most emblematic mountains of the Alps, Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.

On this trek you will leave, the French town of Chamonix, to enter the forests and alpine landscapes surrounded by the great peaks of the area.

We have prepared a route in 7 trekking stages; where you will cross the Alps from France to Switzerland passing through peaks close to 4000 meters and crossing different glaciers.

This route is not to be confused with the Walker’s Haute Route, as this one take a direct route through the glaciers. It is more technical and requires crampons to cross the glacial terrain. In the other hand, the longer Walker’s Haute route is ideal if you wish to make a non-technical hike going from town to town and sleeping in Gite Etape between Chamonix to Zermatt.

Our high mountain guide will evaluate the level of the group and at all times will seek, apart from the safety of the group, that all participants feel comfortable and see their expectations fulfilled, as well as transfer their knowledge in the mountains and progression on glacial terrain.

Every night we will sleep in mountain refuges where we will rest with a good dinner, remembering the moments lived in each stage and preparing the next one. Some of this mountain huts are over 3000 meters!

The trek starts in Chamonix and ends in Zermatt, there is always the possibility of extending your stay and why not, climb the Matterhorn or enjoy the Swiss landscapes.

You need a minimum level that allows you to do a mountain route with a gradient of 1200m in one day and some experience in progression with crampons and ropes. The guide will go over all the key concepts before entering glacial terrain. The route can be shortened or lengthened by using different cable cars and/or routes. The mountain guide together with the group will look for the best route to meet the group’s expectations. For those who always want more, we have several extensions to do during the afternoons from the shelter.

Our trainer Mr. Pablo Ral,  graduate in Physical Activity Sciences, Master in High Performance, Chilean Ski Mountaineering Coach and specialist in endurance sports… can make you a specific personal training plan for this trip.

• Standard training plan (one-time payment): 99€ (Fill out online form, 30 min personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan)
• Premium training plan (monthly): 130€ (Fill out online form, 1h personal interview (to adjust the plan and resolve doubts), Receive your personalized plan. Weekly monitoring of your progression and monthly readjustment of the training plan)

You can request your training plan at the time of booking your trip or later. (Standard training plans are valid for a maximum of 3 months)

FUNCTIONAL CLOTHING:
● Gore-Tex or waterproof and breathable jacket
● Waterproof rain pants
● Warm jacket – down jacket or preferably primaloft (as they can handle water)
● Lightweight fleece lining
● Breathable, easy-drying short-sleeved T-Shirts
● Stretch pants, a little thicker, days or nights colder
● Trekking pants
● Shorts
● Thermal pants and t-shirt set
● Undergarments (non-cotton recommended)
● Swimwear
HEAD
● Lightweight running cap
● Wool beanie
● Neck Gaiter
● Sunglasses.
HANDS
● Thin fleece gloves.
● Walking poles (Recomended)
FEET
● Thin socks (non cotton)
● Thick, warm socks for the night (non cotton)
● Lightweight trail shoes or hiking boots (what you usually wear in mountain)
● Hiking sandals with heel strap (Optional)
BACKPACKS
● Mountain backpack 20/35 liters
● Rain backpack cover
● Small travel bag (for documentation and wallet)
● Duffle bag (better than suitcase)
LODGE MATERIAL
● Sleeping bag (3 seasons)
● Hut sleeping bag made of silk (optional)
● Earplugs
ACCESSORIES
● Headlamp and battery or spare batteries
● Sun cream, lip cocoa and after sun
● Mosquito repellent.
EAT/DRINK:
● Hydration System minimum 1l (Camelbag, canteen or flexible bottle)
● Thermo Flask (optional)
● Snacks, nuts, gels, hydration and sufficient power bars, protein bars, trail mix, magnesium tablets and recovery supplements
TRAVEL EQUIPMENT
● Casual clothes
● ID or passport, Visa, cash, insurance documentation, vaccination card.
● Microfiber towel
● First aid and medication kit
● Thermal blanket
● Mobile phone and watch with the route track
● Powerbank, camera, charging cables, headphones, selfie stick…

Other things recommended on this trips, in addition to travel equipment:

• Crampons
• Ice axe
• Climbing helmet
• Harness + 2 biners + leash (1,5-2mts)
• Ski goggles

*In case you are missing some personal climbing equipment can be rented in Chamonix. Take a look into this rental shop.

Food:
The Itinerary explains what meals are included each day according to the program. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know on the registration form and we will take it into account.

We always recommend that you bring your own energy bars, nuts… so that you can eat while doing the activities.

Accommodation:

The program provides accommodation in shared rooms. If you want a single room, please indicate this at the time of booking.

In case you wish extra nights in Chamonix you can add to the package either a bunk bed in dormitory style hostel or twin room in 2* or 3* hotel. You can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip.

In case you wish that we can look for the best flight combination tickets from your nearest airport to the destination you can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. This service includes monitor the flight prices over time to get the best deal when prices are low and check in of your flight. The administrative fee for this service is 35€ + the flights cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

This tour is to be done with a minimum of 6 pax and 1 guide.
In case you wish to do smaller private group with no other clients and 1 guide the rates are:

2 pax: 3.450€/person
3 pax: 2.550€/person
4pax: 2.090€/person
5 pax: 1.850€/person

We believe solo travelers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travelers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travelers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Visas, and Entry Requirements
Certainly! It is important to have a valid passport with at least 6 months validity when traveling to any country.

To know the specific visa requirements for your trip, it is recommended to contact your local embassy or consulate, or consult with your travel agent. Remember that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct travel documentation. Visa requirements can vary based on your nationality and your destination. While we strive to keep our information updated, visa rules can change unexpectedly. Therefore, it is crucial that you verify the information yourself and understand that you are accountable for meeting your own visa requirements.

Vaccines
For each trip, clients are solely responsible for having the mandatory and/or recommended vaccines required in each region or country. Consult with your doctor to have all vaccinations before the start of the trip.

We offer you a 5% discount on your IATI travel insurance. The discount is just valid if you buy the travel insurance policy after clicking on the link.

In case you wish that we can look for the best travel insurance that covers the trip destination/activity with your nationality. You can add this service in “extra services” on the checkout before booking the trip and will give you the best proposal beforehand and once accepted buy it for you. The administrative fee for this service is 15€ + the insurance cost that will be invoice to you afterwards.

The client is informed that B4Experience will issue the trip without including a cancellation, repatriation or accident policy, unless it is explicitly included in the trip contract and paid in the first payment. During the trip contracting, you will be offered how to contract it if you wish.

Rescue insurance: Mandatory. 
Rescue in the Swiss Alps can be very expensive (above 10k eur), you should take and insurance that covers helicopter rescue for this specific activity. If you have doubts regarding rescue insurance that cover the activity contact us for advise.

The user is informed that the GUARANTEE COMPANY that covers the risks of contractual liability and guarantee against insolvency is MARKEL INSURANCE SE

The client can take out trip cancellation insurance to be able to obtain payment of the entire amount paid (according to its conditions).

The end user may withdraw from the contracted trip, having the right to a refund of the amounts paid, except for the indicated penalties, but must also satisfy the Agency in the amounts indicated below once the trip has been confirmed. If it is not carried out due to not reaching the minimum necessary places, the client can save the credit for future trips or request a full refund of the reservation.

Cancellation Policy 3:

• • FULL REFUND UP TO 24H AFTER PURCHASE
  • Up to 60 days before the trip 100% refund of the trip amount.
  • Up to 45 days before the trip Refund of 50% of the trip amount.
  • For terms shorter than those described in the cancellation policy, the amount already paid will not be paid.
  • *€250 management fees apply.

* Cancellation fees will not be paid for reservations already issued. If there are other non-refundable expenses already issued, these will not be paid either and will be deducted from the amount to be paid.
* The cost of cancellation of issued flights is 100% of the amount.

EXEMPTION OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK
B4Experience offers active trips for different sports and Outdoor activities, as well as information related to these activities through our web platform www.b4experience.com and other channels.

The practice of any activity in nature carries a risk for those who do it, with most of these activities being considered high-risk sports. Each one must know and apply their limits and be aware that regardless of the technical training and physical level one has, their practice can lead to accidents or even death.

The in-person activities and trips offered by B4Experience are carried out on land and activities that may inherently involve risks for those who carry them out and thus clients are informed that they contract them.

DOSSIER DISCLAIMER:

The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.

VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print/ download a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER:

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. On all Outdoor trips, the routes will be adjusted depending on the weather, the level of the group participants and the risks assessed by the guide/trip leader.

Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.