Mythical Chamonix Zermatt
Chamonix - Zermatt is one of the most beautiful ski touring classic routes, connecting two mountaineering capitals : Chamonix & Zermatt.
From Mont Blanc to Matterhorn, it is the most magnificent 4000 that we'll see during our six unforgettable steps. The High Mountain ambiance is incredible, landscapes are superb and refuges are Swiss authentic and comfortable mountain huts. A must do !
Planned : astonishing panoramas and pass crossing over 3000m. Every pass reveals a new spectacular and striking vision of mountains.
The first evening, the hallucinating North face profile of the Argentière basin haunts our dreams. The next day, we'll turn our backs to Mont Blanc to socialise with wide glaciers, far away from pistes... Prafleuri hut, Dix cabin, Vignette mountain lodge : our adventure follows its way paced by steps in comfortable refuges in altitude.
The highlight of our trip will be the Pigne d'Arolla and its 3796m altitude before finishing on an anthology step to Zermatt.
Itinerary
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Day 1 Chamonix - Argentière refuge
We meet early in the morning in Chamonix with the group and our guide. he will brief us on our raid and check our personal equipment (renting is posisble).
We start by a short personal car transfer to the village of Argentière. We will then take the Plan Joran cable car, and gently descend to Lognan before climbing back up on the glacier with our skins on to the Argentière refugePositive difference in altitude : around 850m | Negative difference in altitude : around 150m | Altitude Max : 3233m | Accommodation : Argentière refuge
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Day 2 Argentière refuge - Champex
According to weather & mountain conditions, we'll climb to the Chardonnet pass (3323m) or to the Passon pass. Today's step is magnificent, in a very "High Mountain "environment. We'll then join the Fenêtre de Saleina (3267m). To pass the Ecandies pass, we'll take our skis off and climb on foot on a short but steep snowy corridor. Then, by the Val d'Arpette, long and beautiful hilly descent to the Swiss village of Champex.
Positive difference in altitude : around 1150m | Negative difference in altitude : around 2535m | Altitude Max : 3323m | Accommodation : Lodge
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Day 3 Champex - Prafleuri hut
The connection with Verbier is assured in vehicule to Châble, then by the Jumbo cable car to the Gentianes pass. We'll cross the chaux pass (2940m), the Momin pass (3003m) and ascend Rosablanche (optional). We will then rejoin the Prafleuri hut at 2622m.
Positive difference in altitude : around 990m | Negative difference in altitude : around 1150m | Altitude Max : 3336m | Accommodation : Prafleuri hut
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Day 4 Prafleuri cabin - Dix hut
Roux pass, the Barma (2458m) dominates the Dix lake. After crossing over the lake, we climb to the Dix hut (2928m) by the Pas du Chat.
We spend the night in the Dix mountain hut, at the bottom of the impressive North face of Mont Blanc (3870m).Positive difference in altitude : around 850m | Negative difference in altitude : around 500m | Altitude Max : 2928m | Accommodation : Dix mountain hut
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Day 5 Dix hut - Pigne d'Arolla - Vignettes hut
Nice path on the very glacial terrain with the crossing of Serpentine. Pigne d'Arolla ascent (3796m), classic belvedere but the extraordinary view will amaze us. Beautiful descent towards the Vignettes mountain hut (3158m).
Positive difference in altitude : around 1030m | Negative difference in altitude : around 750m | Altitude Max : 3790m | Accommodation : Vignettes hut
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Day 6 Vignettes hut -Zermatt
Very nice step today, even one of the most charming of this raid. We'll cross the Evêque pass (3392m), the Mont Brûlé pass and the Valpelline pass (3568m). Superb view on the Matterhorn. We will then descend to Zermatt and return to Chamonix in a minibus.
Positive difference in altitude : around 1290m | Negative difference in altitude : around 2770m | Altitude Max : 3568m
ITINERARY CHANGE
Please note that although the itinerary presented here is the one we intend to follow, there is a high chance that changes may be necessary. Many factors can affect climbing in high mountains. Mountain adventures depend on weather conditions, individual member's abilities vary, as does their ability to assimilate the skills needed. The guide's main aim will be to ensure your safety and the success of the trip. Please use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of roads / activities that you will attempt. For security reasons and to ensure a consistent level corresponding to the one announced, the organization board gets the right to discontinue your participation if your technical and / or physical conditions do not match those required. In no case the interruption shall give right to a refund or compensation payments.
Dates & prices
International departures:
No departure for now
Departures for French-speaking groups:
| From | To | Price per person | Guaranteed | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €1,550 | Yes | Fully booked |
Trip code: SRCZ
Included
The 30% deposit has to be paid when registering. The remaining balance will be paid 30 days before departure.
- The technical organisation of the trip
- A high mountain guide's supervision
- Cable cars and movements necessary to the normal progress of the program
- Accommodation in refuges half-board
- Lunch picnics
- Transfer from Zermatt to Chamonix
- The collective technical equipment (ropes, ice axes)
Not included
- Individuel technical equipment : harness, crampons, ice axe
- Safety equipment : DVA, shovel & probe
- Ski touring equipment : shoes, skis, skins, knives, sticks
- Registration fees
- Drinks & personal expenses
- Snacks (cereal bars, dried fruits, chocolate bars, etc.) according to your own convenience
- Insurance : helicopter research and rescue in high mountain in Switzerland is mandatory, hospitalization and repatriation
- Travel expenses to the meeting point and dispersion point
International flights
If you wish, we can take care of booking your international flights to the closest airport of your destination.
Terms and conditions
Subscription
Subscribe to one of our activities or travels means accepting general sales conditions. Each client must fill a subscription form, which will be accepted only after the payment of a deposit accounting for 30% of the travel’s price and according to the availability. If you subscribe less than 30 days before the trip, you must pay the whole price during the subscription. You can pay by bank transfer (SWIFT/IBAN) or with your credit card directly through our website (available soon). A booking confirmation will be sent to you be e-mail very soon.
Invoice procedure
Once your booking is registered, we will send you an email containing the invoice. Full payment is required at least 30 days before your arrival. If the customer does not settle the payment of the travel price within the period agreed upon, Altaï Alpes has the right to cancel the booking free of charge.
Cancellation policy
If for any reason, you decide to withdraw from a journey, the amount already paid will be refunded subject to the following exceptions:
- More than 30 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of 50€
- From 30 to 21 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of the deposit (30% of the trip’s price)
- From 20 to 14 days before departure, you will be charged for 50% of the trip’s price
- From 13 to 7 days before departure, you will be charged for 75% of the trip’s priceLess than 7 days before departure, you will be charged for the whole trip’s price
Particular case :
Whatever the cancellation or contract change date, the following fees will be added to the charges above:
- Airline fixed costs: plane tickets are bought in advance to avoid too high airline prices, however they are non refundable in case of cancellation or plan changes. In that case, the charges above apply to the price of your trip without the plane ticket’s price
- Ground fixed costs: you will be charged for the fees that were paid early
- Insurance fees: Insurance fees will not be refunded if you have subscribed to a multi-risk or cancellation insurance. The specific conditions will be written on your subscription confirmationIf you have no choice but to cancel your trip before departure, you must inform Montagne Expeditions and your insurance provider with a written statement as soon as possible, you will get a receipt.
The receipt date will be taken as the cancellation date to charge cancellation fees.
If Montagne Expeditions has no choice but to cancel a group travel due to an insufficient number of participants, the decision will be taken and the clients informed at least 31 days before departure. Altaï Alpes can also cancel a departure due to exceptional events threatening participants safety (social events, strikes, weather conditions). In that case, the trip’s price will be fully refunded but the participants will not get any compensation.
Changes to travel contract
If any change in travel contract is made at the customer’s request, the customer shall pay any fee that might arise from this change. In any case, every request for changes shall be notified in writing. In case of external events that could not be foreseen, Altaï Alpes might change some aspects of the travel contract. We will inform you of any changes as quickly as possible.
Pricing
All group travel prices on our website have been calculated for the indicated number of participants for each trip. The price list is confirmed after the booking. If the number of participants is lower than expected, an additional payment charge might be applied. For each travel and program, we mention the price per person – valid for the minimum number of participants – and we provide you with detailed explanations about the services included or not. Any change in the exchange rates or in the price of travel services in particular regarding the cost of the fuel, might entail price revision.
Contract transfer
In case of contract transfer by the customer to an assignee, modification and cancellation conditions apply.
Insurance
We recommend you to get your personal insurance before your departure to cover the activities undertaken by Montagne Expédition. You can check the details of the offered insurances here.
If you have not purchased any of our insurances, we ask you to email us your insurance contract information (company, contract name, contract number, phone number) and bring those information with you on your trip.
Practical info
Staff
This trip is supervised by a qualified High Mountain Guide whose main objective is to train you in basic technics and to enable you to complete a safe and successful trip.
The guide might have to change the program to ensure your safety according to weather conditions and to the level & physical conditions of the group.
Food
Meals
- Lunch picnics
- Diners : meals prepared by shelter keepers
- Take some race food according to your own tastes (cereals bars, chocolate bars, dry fruits,…). You can buy some in Champex village if you need.
Drinks
- Water is not for free in refuges (from 5 to 8 euros one bottle). We advise you to bring some water purification tablets (Aquatabs or Micropur) in order to drink tap water.
- Bring some Swiss francs for coffees, fruit juices, coke or beers during breaks… Shelters usually don’t accept bank card payments and Euros.
Accommodation
- In refuges, dormitories are from 8 to 10 people and are equipped with blankets and duvets for the night (plan to bring your personal sleeping sheet for hygiene reasons).
- Slippers are at your disposal in refuges, it is thus not necessary to bring trainers.
- Plan to bring noise disturbances prevention : ear plugs, sleeping pills, etc.
- No showers except in the valley of Champex for the classic Chamonix-Zermatt : there is no running water in refuges except from the one coming from glaciers.
- A few electric plugs are available in refuges, but plan a second battery for your camera and switch off your phone during the day.
Transportation
During your trip, you will carry all of your belongings : make sure to pack your bag accordingly so that you're not overloaded and that you have the essential.
Your guide will check your equipment before departure : plan to bring a 50L backpack, and don't forget to keep some space for food and water.
Budget & exchange
Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). It is better to change money before departure, however euros are widely accepted in Switzerland.
Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances (but don’t forget to bring your PIN number!).
ATMs are available in most of the towns you will cross during your stay, but there are no guarantees that your credit card will actually work in Switzerland.
Also, refuges often don’t have EPT (Electronic Payment Terminal): it is best to bring cash.Be aware of the fees usually applied when purchasing products or services on a credit card.
Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spend your trip constantly feeling short on funds.
As currency exchange rates can often fluctuate, we recommend to check the following website for daily exchange rates: https://www.xe.com/
Tips
Clients usually pay for the guides’ drinks : you might find it practical to make a group kitty at the beginning of your stay (no obligation).
Supplied equipment
- Collective equipment (ropes) is provided
- Slippers, blankets and covers are at your disposal in refuges
- Individual safety equipment (DVA batteries not included, shovel, probe) : thank you for letting the agency know if you have your own.
Vital equipment
Skis
- A pair of sharpened touring skis with adapted fixations as well as a break or safety straps
- A pair of ski touring shoes with VIBRAM soles
- A pair of adhesive seal skins adapted to your skis
- Knives adapted to your fixations
- Large washer sticks
Other
- Safety equipment : DVA, shovel, probe
- Crampons with "Antibott" system
- Ice axe
- Harness and screw carabiners
- Survival blanket
- A head lamp with extra batteries and bulbs
- A pocket knife
- A thermos or a reusable bottle
Material
Head
- A bonnet
- A hat or a cap
- A scarf or a "buff" neck strap
- Sunscreen and lip protection
- Glacier sunglasses category 4 + ski goggles
Upper body
- 2 technical and breathable long sleeves underclothing type "Carline" : no coton that takes time to dry
- 1 technical and breathable undershirt
- 1 thick fleece jacket
- 1 down jacket
- 1 wind-stopper and waterproof jacket type Goretex
- 1 pair of mittens (fleece or wool)
- 1 pair of wind-stopper gloves (fleece or wool)
- 1 pair or under-gloves
Lower body
- 1 pair of technical and breathable tights type "Carline"
- 1 pair of comfortable mountain trousers
- 1 pair of wind-stopper and waterproof trousers type "Goretex"
- 1 pairs of socks : 1 thin and 1 thick
Other
- 1 sleeping sheet for nights in refuges
- 1 small toilet bag
- 1 small fast drying towel
- Biafine (for sunburns)
- Reusable toilet paper
- 1 or 2 100L plastic bags and a bag cover to protect your belongings and your backpack
- 1 waterproof folder in which you will put you identity papers, your phone, your money and your insurance contract with all of your emergency phone numbers
Luggage
- A comfortable mountaineering 40L backpack with attachments for your skis
- A second bag that will stay at the hotel with your replacement clothes
Medicine
You guide will be carrying a collective first aid kit. However, it is important for you to bring your individual pharmacy, checked with your general doctor :
- Personal medication
- Pain killers (preferably Paracetamol)
- Double skin
- Elastoplast (excellent to prevent blisters)
- Bandages
- Disinfectant
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antispasmodic
- Anti-diarrheal
- Anti-vomiting
- Intestinal antiseptic
- Eye drops
- Light sleeping pills
- Ear plugs
Non exhaustive list
Passport
Please make sure your passport and travel documents are valid.
Visa
- Up to 90 days visit in Switzerland : citizens from most countries do not need a visa to visit Switzerland.
- Over 90 days visit in Switzerland : non-EU or non-EFTA citizens must have a visa to visit Switzerland over 90 days.
For further information, please check the following website : https://www.swiss-visa.ch/
Identity card
For EU and EFTA citizens, you can use your identity card to travel to Switzerland.
Mandatory vaccines
No required vaccination.
Health information & recommendations
- It is important to consult your doctor for medical travel information well before departure.
- We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements. Please keep in mind that we are often in remote areas, away from medical facilities.
- Please carefully read the brochure and itinerary when selecting your trip, to make sure our style of travel suits you.
- Please note you will travel to high altitude. Most people can travel to 2 500m with minimal effects. However, everyone reacts differently to altitude and altitude sickness can occur.
For details on how to best prepare your trip, please consult your physician.
Weather
The Swiss climate is moderately continental in the plateau, Alpine in the mountains, and more temperate in the Canton of Ticino. In the mountains, the climate varies with altitude and slope exposure, but in winter, they are located above the blanket of fog and low clouds that often covers the plateau, so they are also sunnier in this season. The cold wind, which in Switzerland and in central France is called Bise, blows from the north-east and is more frequent in winter and spring.
Late winter and early spring (February-March) are recommended for a ski holiday, since the days are longer than in December and January.
For further information on the wether during your trip, please check the following website : https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/
Electricity
The electrical current in Switzerland is 230V, 50Hz. Swiss sockets are recessed, three-holed, hexagonally shaped and incompatible with many plugs from abroad. They usually, however, take the standard European two-pronged plug.
Most refuges have electric plugs, but some haven't. If you are scared of running low on battery, bring an external battery with you.
Local time
Switzerland is in the Central European Time Zone (CET). Central European Standard Time is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).
Sustainable tourism
We do our best to offer trips subscribed to the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Our aim is to allow visitors to discover the many facets of the Mont Blanc massif by taking you off the beaten path and getting you in touch with its nature and residents, while ensuring that your visits do not have a negative effect on its natural environment and people.
- Most of our accommodations are run by locals, thus ensuring that the largest part of the revenue generated through your trip will stay within the region.
- France is known for its exquisite cuisine. The art of cooking and the joy of eating are part of everyday life. Each region has its particular foods and flavors which we would like you to explore and appreciate.
- Water is a precious and rare good. Our team and those travelling with us are thus advised to use it with consideration and avoid excessive water use where possible.
- Please try to recycle your waste whenever possible, even though recycling may not be a well-known concept in all areas.
- Be cautious and respectful when hiking. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and avoid picking flowers, moving stones or lighting fires.
My local agent
Marie
- Originaire de Chamonix et depuis toujours passionnée de montagne et de grands espaces, Marie n'est jamais bien loin des sommets. Elle saura vous aiguiller dans vos choix d'aventures pour une expérience inoubliable.
- Region
- France Switzerland
- Activity
- Ski Ski-Touring
- Duration
- 6 days
- Group
- 4 to 6 people
- Code
- SRCZ
- Price
- From €1,550
- Level
- 4/5
- Comfort
- 3/5
- Language(s)
- English / French