180km of Epic Views on the Haute Route! Full Story, Kit List & Advice. ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏

Chamonix to Zermatt is known as the Walker’s Haute Route and is an amazing journey of around 180km across some of the most beautiful passes in Switzerland. I completed the route in 2006 but wanted to experience it again in 2025, nineteen years since my first crossing and at the advanced age of 64. The traditional way to make the crossing is to use mountain huts and valley hotels, but for me backpacking is the way to get the most out of the environment. Despite Switzerland being less than enthusiastic about wild camping, I managed to camp for all eleven nights of the trip using a mixture of wild camping spots and campsites.

Day 1 The official Day 1 route is a hike along the Chamonix valley to the end before climbing out (below a cable car) to the Col de Balme followed by a descent into Trient where there’s a place to camp. My idea was to use the Balcony du Sud path instead which contours along the Chamonix valley on the opposite side to Mont Blanc, about mid-way up the mountain side. It’s a superb path which gives extraordinary views across to the Mont Blanc massif. It’s actually part of the Tour du Mont Blanc route and infinitely better (in my opinion) than the suggested Day 1 route in my guidebook.

I caught the cable car up to Planpraz from the centre of Chamonix at 8.40am which gave me access to the Balcony du Sud which I followed North East for 5 hours until I reached the Col de Montets at 13.30 and stopped for lunch. The weather was lovely and the path everything I remembered, it was a superb mornings walking. A fit walker could continue over the Aguille de Possettes to the Col de Balme but that was going to be too much for me and I picked up a path between Montets and Le Tour and arrived at 3pm.

Day 2 Up at 6.15 and away by 7.45 after a hearty breakfast. I takes just over an hour to descend to the Chalet du Glacier which is a small café on the path to the Fenetre d’Arpette (the highpoint of Day 2) and arriving there meant I was back on the official route. There’s a lower level variant for Day 2 but I’ve never done it, the Fenetre d’Arpette is such a good place that anything else would be an anti-climax. It’s on both the Chamonix to Zermatt Haute route and the Tour of Mont Blanc so this was my fifth time going over it...

Read Mark's Full Trip Report Here

Total Cost of Trip The cost of the trip depends very much on whether you camp every night or use accommodation, and how much you use campsites and restaurants for meals. View the Total Trip Cost here. Getting There & Back Easyjet flies direct to Geneva from Manchester so this was the preferred option, don’t be tempted to go via Schipol, it’s a nightmare. Geneva is the gateway airport for Chamonix so there are loads of options for transfers. I got caught out though, I booked a bus for an hour after the flight was due to land so this is what happened... Read here.

View Mark's Full Detailed Kit List Here

Mid 1 Tent
£689.99
Weighs: 450g (ex pegs/bags)
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Enigma 950FP 30F Down Quilt with Draft Collar
£449.99
Weighs: 480g (Regular), Comfort Limit: -1°C
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Tensor Elite Regular Mummy Sleeping Mat
£214.99
Weighs: 268g (ex bag)
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Gorilla 50 Ultralight Rucksack
£299.99
Weighs: 893g (Medium)
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Challenger ATR 7 GTX
£134.99
Weighs: 268g (per UK8 shoe)
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Women's Challenger ATR 7 GTX
£134.99
Weighs: 216g (per UK6 shoe)
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Fusion Flex 6 Portable Solar Power Panel
£79.99
Weighs: 115g
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Alpenblow Micro Inflator
£59.99
Weighs: 7g (ex bag)
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