Are there food options for vegetarians and vegans?

Vegetarian meals are usually available in most accommodations. Vegan options are harder to be found in huts, but we're happy to let you know about them in advance so you can plan accordingly.

Walker’s Haute Route – East

7 days / 6 nights

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Spend a week on the eastern Haute Route, hiking through the Swiss Alps below sharp ridges and epic glaciers all the way to the foot of the iconic Matterhorn.

Starting point

Arolla

Finish point

Zermatt

Season

June - October

Technical level

3/5

Fitness level

4/5

Tour type

Hut-to-Hut

Spend a week on the eastern Haute Route, hiking through the Swiss Alps below sharp ridges and epic glaciers all the way to the foot of the iconic Matterhorn.

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Self-guided from 1.945 €/person

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Spend a week on the eastern Haute Route, hiking through the Swiss Alps below sharp ridges and epic glaciers all the way to the foot of the iconic Matterhorn.

Starting point

Arolla

Finish point

Zermatt

Season

June - October

Technical level

3/5

Fitness level

4/5

Tour type

Hut-to-Hut

Experience the Swiss Alps in all their glory
Hike across mountain passes between the highest peaks of Switzerland
Stand in awe of the majestic beauty of Matterhorn
Stay in lovely mountain huts and authentic inns
Let us plan your trek, so you can focus on the adventure

Itinerary of the trip

The hike starts off easy, without tackling the high mountains immediately. The route from Arolla to Les Hauderes takes you past typical Swiss villages and through lush forests; in between, you can detour to the fairytale-like Lac Bleu. The day ends at the tiny village of La Sage.

Hiking

9 km and 150 m of elevation gain / 720 m of elevation loss

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You’ll start by climbing up from the valley floor towards a ridge above Val d’Hérens, crossing it at its lowest point in Col du Tsate. After a descent to the small Lac Châteaupré, you’ll head up along the Moiry Glacier. After the terrain becomes rocky and you start to get a closer look at the glacier, switchbacks will take you to your goal and one of the best-situated huts on the route. The Cabane du Moiry has a great atmosphere and is for many people a destination on its own.

Hiking

12 km and 1825 m of elevation gain / 500 m of elevation loss

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After breakfast at the panoramic windows of the dining room at our hut, continue down the path you took yesterday to Lac de Moiry. The ascent then leads towards Col de Sorebois, an outstanding view over Val d’Anniviers and its iconic peaks like Weisshorn (4505 m). The descent to Zinal is steep and long but can be shortened about halfway by a cable car.

Hiking

16 km and 530 m of elevation gain / 1640 m of elevation loss

Gallery

Today, you'll be entering territory in Switzerland that's primarily German-speaking. The trail ascends high above the Zinal Valley and offers great views of the valley's head each time you look behind. The shortest route to the Turtmanntal Valley is across Forcletta Pass. If you have more time, you can extend the hike by staying overnight at the Victorian Hotel Weisshorn and then hiking across Meidpass the next day. Either way you the stage in Gruben, a small village inhabited only in the summer.

Hiking

17 km and 1200 m of elevation gain / 1040 m of elevation loss

Gallery

If you decided to stay the night at Hotel Weisshorn, you’ve made the right choice. The hotel interior is like from an old story, while the views are incredible. After the morning breakfast, you will make your way up alpine meadows to Meidpass. There, a gorgeous view will open up with the 4505 m tall Weisshorn dominating it. Descend down both rocky and green alpine landscape, pass some Swiss hamlets, enter the forest, and finally end up in the village of Gruben, richer for an extra day of beauty.

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Today’s walk is full of contrasts. From the green forests above Gruden, you’ll pass over the Augstbordpass, once a historical trade route used by traders carrying salt and cattle to Italy. After you come around the corner and see the Mattertal valley before you, your jaw will drop. Although you won’t see Matterhorn yet, you can admire the sight of Dom (4545 m), the highest peak entirely in Swiss territory. Past the lovely hamlet of Jungen, you then descend into St. Niklaus.

Hiking

18 km and 1100 m of elevation gain / 1780 m of elevation loss

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The last two-day stretch on the Walker’s Haute features one of the best hikes in the alp, the Europaweg. Redesigned in 2021, because of a landslide, its first part now takes you from Gasenried to Herbriggen at a lower altitude. But we suggest you skip this part, taking the valley route from St. Niklaus to Herbriggen. Otherwise, this stage is needlessly long without any extra great views. From Herbriggen, a long but grand ascent to the Europahutte begins. With epic views at every stop, including panoramas with Weisshorn, you’ll cross bridges and soon arrive at the hut.

Hiking

11.5 km and 1220 m of elevation gain / 75 m of elevation loss

Gallery

The end of your journey will be marked with a crossing over the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world, high above the valley floor, with a view of the imposing Matterhorn at the end of the valley. After Sunegga, descend down into Zermatt — the end of your Haute Route.

Hiking

22 km and 750 m of elevation gain / 1400 m of elevation loss

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What’s included in the price?

Self-guided

4 nights in 3-star hotels with breakfast

3 nights in (mountain) huts with half-board

Digital guidebook with itinerary, route instructions, and practical information

GPS navigation with an easy-to-use app

Tour design and organization

Service and support during your hike

NOT INCLUDED

Tourist tax

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Airport transfer

Extra nights

Hotel upgrade

Private room (if available)

Single supplement

Transfer from Zermatt

Transfer to Arolla

What to bring to the tour

Hiking shoes/boots
25 to 45-liter backpack
Base layer
Sports T-shirts
Hiking shorts
Hiking water-repellent pants
Waterproof jacket
Midlayer
Sports socks and underwear
Leisurewear for evenings
Down jacket
Gloves
Shade hat/cap

Warm headwear
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Headlamp
Hiking poles
ID card or passport
Snacks
Cash
Water bottles or hydration pack
Sleeping liner
Toiletries
Toilet paper
Small first aid kit

If you are short on time and cannot hike the full length of the Walker’s Haute Route, this is its perfect short version, covering the stages on its eastern half on a week-long journey.

It leads from Arolla, a lovely Swiss village in the middle of the Pennine Alps, to Zermatt, a world-renowned mountaineering center at the foot of the Matterhorn pyramid.

This route is slightly easier than its western counterpart but arguably more scenic – with many highlights such as the Cabane de Moiry or the final two days on the Europaweg. A typical day of hiking will take you 5-7 hours, whether to a cozy mountain hut up high in the mountains or an authentic inn in the valley.

We'll handle all the details so you can focus on your adventure. We'll book your accommodations and other services, and a few weeks before setting off, we'll send you a detailed digital guidebook with the planned GPS route for your Walker's Haute Route East trek.

Map

Frequently Asked Questions

The summer season for hiking is usually from mid-June to mid-October. Its start depends on the amount of snow left on the high mountain passes from the winter. The Walker’s Haute Route and Via Alpina have some high passes, which are usually free of snow only in July. Hiking before that could be dangerous without proper skill and equipment. In October, there is usually the first bigger snowfall, and the huts close to prepare for the winter ski season.

Read more about the hiking season in the Swiss Alps here.

We've rated our tours on a difficulty scale from 1 to 5 — with 1 being the easiest and 5 the most difficult.

The difficulty level of a tour tells you how fit you need to be and how much hiking is involved. Most of our tours are appropriate for people who are regularly active and can hike for about five to seven hours per day.

Technical difficulty means how skilled you need to be to hike on the path. Level 1 means the trail is smooth and wide (like a gravel road), while 5 means the surface is uneven and exposed, and you have to use your hands to help yourself move forward. In practice, that means that the higher the level, the more surefooted and skilled in scrambling you need to be.

It is best to book your tour early because most accommodations along the trail fill up quickly. That way, you can ensure that you have a place to stay.

Even though the routes are usually quite close to at least a farm or a small village, they also feature lots of wild and remote sections where you cannot just stop. In case of injury, it’s best to call the local emergency services.

On the other hand, if you just feel that you cannot hike anymore, you can always stop in any of the towns and villages along the way and use public transport to get to a bigger Swiss city.

Showers in Swiss mountain huts are rare and are only offered for an extra charge. That’s why it’s wise to bring wet wipes with you for the days that you are staying in one of them.

No, because the huts provide their blankets and pillows. Still, you should bring a sleeping liner instead.

Cell connection is very changeable in the mountains. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see a town, you’ll have a reception. Mountain huts are the same — the signal usually doesn’t reach the insides, so try catching it outside. Wifi is available only in some huts, while most don’t have it.

If you dress accordingly, most stages can be done in light rain. However, do not hike if a storm is forecasted. In that case, you can take public transport to the next point when possible to make up for the lost time.