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Grade
This
trip is "Challenging", and is a trek, which involves much daily uphill and
downhill walking. It is only suitable for fit walkers who can readily
manage days with more than 1000m/3300 feet ascent and descent in a day.
Those in good physical condition, who take regular exercise and who have
recent hill-walking experience, will find this a trip whose exciting
challenges are equally matched by its rewards. You will not be with
your main luggage on Nights
5 and 6, you will therefore need to carry enough clothing for these
nights. On other days only a daypack need be carried. The highest
point on this tour is the Col de Torrent (2918m) on Day 4. Almost as
high is the Augstbordpass (2894m) on Day 7. General mountain walking
skills are required; the route is not generally vertiginous, although
there is a slightly exposed section on Day 7.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Luggage sent
between Grimentz and Zermatt takes 48 hours minimum by train/postbus.
This service no longer operates on a Saturday or Sunday, so you cannot
start this tour on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Keep this in mind when
organising extra nights. Transfer of luggage between Grimentz and
Zermatt is in excess of SFR300 by road.
Climate
Our
treks in the Alps operate during the European summer. In recent years,
temperatures have ranged from 15 C - 30 C during the day, with nights
from 15 C to below freezing. Although rain and snow is possible at any
time in the season, there are fortunately very few prolonged periods of
bad weather. Clear skies and spectacular sunsets are frequent.
New snowfall is possible in September.
Swiss Card
Includes
free travel from the airport to your first hotel and back from the last
hotel to the airport. In between you enjoy half price travel on trains,
postbuses and many cable cars. This is probably a good investment even
if you are only doing this walk in Switzerland. The current price is
£114. Consult your nearest
Swiss tourist office for full details. The Swiss Transfer Ticket is
similar, but only includes travel between the airport and your first and
last hotels.
General Information
Hotels:
The hotels described are our usual choice of accommodation, however if
these are not available then alternatives are used and if these are of a
different standard you will be informed at the time of booking.
Baths/showers: Many rooms with ensuite/private
facilities have a shower rather than a bath, usually because of limited
space. Some hotels/guesthouses may however have a separate room in the
house where a bath is available to guests.
Breakfast:
in countries such as Switzerland are usually buffet style, please
don’t offend your hosts by making up a picnic lunch from the breakfast
buffet unless it has been specifically organised for you.
Special
Dietary Requirements: It is
important for you to tell us if you have any dietary requirements when
you book your holiday so that we can inform everyone that you are
staying with.
Single
Supplements: are payable on most of
our tours. The single
supplement guarantees the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can
at times be small and in some places may not enjoy the same facilities
as double/twin rooms.
Language:
When
travelling in less frequented areas you will not necessarily come
across people speaking English. Remember you are experiencing a
different culture, buy a phrase book and try to learn a little of the
local language!
Luggage:
When staying in hotels, sometimes
your luggage will have been taken to you room awaiting your arrival.
However don’t be surprised if your luggage is waiting for you to take
it up to your room. Please politely ask someone if you need assistance.
Route
Notes: Please note that one set of
route notes per room booked is included in the cost of the holiday. If
you require more sets of notes then there is a charge of £25 per set
ordered.
Route notes are not issued to clients booking escorted departures.
Insurance:
All clients must have appropriate cover for the activities included for
the duration of our trip.
Equipment & Clothing
If
you are a hiker or backpacker you will probably already have much of the
clothing and equipment required. A detailed list of personal equipment and clothing will be sent with
confirmation of reservation.
There
is 1 night of the tour where you maybe in dormitory accommodation (night
6), we will let you know on confirmation of your booking if we have
secured a private room or if you are in the dormitory. If you are in the
dormitory then you will need to bring with you a sheet sleeping bag
liner for this night only.
How the trekking is organised
You
will not be with your main luggage on Night 5 and Night 6; you will
therefore need to carry enough clothing for these nights.
Some light backpacking is involved, see above. A pack between 40 and 50
litres is probably most suitable to carry some clothing, washing kit and
sleeping bag liner (if required). Average walking time is about six hours per day,
although this will obviously vary according to the terrain, conditions,
group progress and weather. In the unlikely event of extreme bad weather
necessitating a change to the itinerary, clients are expected to bear
the cost of transport to the next night's stop.
What's Included
Return
flight London/Geneva (except for ‘land only’ clients); all
accommodation (6 nights hotels, 2 nights inns); all breakfasts from day
2 onwards, 6 dinners; services of leader (escorted tour only); baggage
movements where specified.
Not Included
Train
and bus transfers (see Swiss Card), allow approx £114 for these.
Passport, insurance, personal clothing and equipment, breakfast on the
first day, lunches, 2 dinners, gratuities, drinks and souvenirs. We
suggest you budget a minimum of £95 for these.
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Food & Accommodation
4
nights are in 3* hotels, 1 night in a 2* hotel, 1 night in a 1* hotel
and 2 nights in mountain inns. Accommodation
is in double/twin rooms except on some occasions at the Schwarzhorn which is
a mountain hut and has just a few twin-bedded rooms. If these are not
available dormitory-style accommodation is the only alternative. If
necessary we will discuss this with you before accepting and confirming
your booking to make sure that dormitory accommodation is acceptable. At
The Schwarzhorn mattresses, blankets and pillows are
provided but you must have a sleeping bag liner. We will book the basic
twin rooms when possible. Book early if this is important to you. Single rooms are not available in
the inns. Breakfast is
provided throughout the trek. An evening meal is provided on six evenings. On other evenings we leave you free to sample the local
cuisine. We suggest you budget £95 for those meals not included.
Outline
Itinerary
The
following itinerary is intended as a working guide only and may be
subject to variation as a result of weather, local factors and group
progress. We reserve the right to alter (lengthen or shorten) any trek
at any time if necessary.
1000m
= 3.281ft. 1km = 0.62 miles.
All
timings are approximate and will vary.
Walk
timings include lunch break.
q
Day 1:
Arrive Arolla. Fly to Geneva, then by train to Sion in the Rhone valley
(hourly service, journey time 2 hrs). From Sion, you travel by bus high
into the mountains to the famous climbing village of Arolla (1998m).
q
Day 2: Arolla
(1998m) to Les Haudères (1452m). 8km (4-5 hours). Height gain 150m,
height loss 690m. Maximum
height 2090m. The famous peaks of Pigne d'Arolla, Mont Colon and
Aiguille de la Tsa dominate the morning views as we begin our walk from
Arolla along the Val d'Arolla. We follow a contouring path just above
the tree line to the beautiful Lac Bleu (2090m). From here we descend
through meadows and farmsteads to Les Haudères and our hotel.
q
Day 3: Les Haudères (1452m) to Grimentz (1572m).
13km (7-8 hours). Height gain 1475m, height loss 1357m. Maximum
height 2918m. A longer, but rewarding, day takes us over the Col de
Torrent (2918m). We lunch near the Lac des Autannes and descend with
views south of the Moiry glacier. From the dam you descend to the
picture-postcard village of Grimentz below the Lac de Moiry.
q
Day 4:
In Grimentz (1572m). Free day. Grimentz is an excellent base from which
to explore the upper reaches of the Moiry valley. The tumbling iceblocks
of the Moiry glacier present a stunning spectacle from the terrace of
the Cabane Moiry (2825m). Another equally impressive walk crosses the
Col de Sorebois (2896m) to Zinal, with fine views of the Weisshorn and
Zinal Rothorn. Return from
Zinal to Grimentz by bus or walk along forest track. PLEASE NOTE YOUR
BAGGAGE WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO ZERMATT TOMORROW MORNING.
q
Day 5: Grimentz
(1572m) to Hotel Weisshorn (2337m).
15km (6.5-7.5 hours). Height gains 850 m, height loss 100m.
Maximum height 2337m. We contour through pleasant forest to
Mottec (1556m) in the Zinal valley and then begin our ascent to the
Hotel Weisshorn (2337m). This Victorian hotel has a wonderful view from
its restaurant and was upgraded a few years ago - it now has hot
showers! Its basic services and austere Victorian atmosphere are
redeemed by superb views, excellent cuisine, and acceptable
accommodation. With its rugged charm it maintains an air of faded
grandeur.
q
Day
6:
Hotel
Weisshorn (2337m) to Gruben (1822m). 9km (5-6 hours). Height gains 589m,
height loss 1104m. Maximum height 2790m.
We walk over the Meidpass (2,790m), enjoying marvellous views of
the
Schwarzhorn,
Gletschhorn and the Weisshorn. At the col, we enter German-speaking
Switzerland. The shore of the lovely alpine Meidsee Lake makes an
excellent lunch spot. A
long descent
brings us to Gruben (1,822m), in the peaceful,
unspoilt Turtmanntal. Here
we overnight at the Hotel Schwarzhorn in Gruben.
q
Day
7:
Gruben
(1822m) to St Niklaus (1127m). 15km (7-8 hours).
Height gain 1072 m, height loss 1767m. Maximum height 2894m. Then
train or bus from St Niklaus to Zermatt (1606m). We take the track
beside the hotel up to the Augstbordpass (2894m). It is a long path to
the last col of the trek. The path from the pass contours along a rocky
track and emerges above the Mattertal. The pleasant descent offers
excellent views of Mischabel (4,545m). There is a slightly exposed
section before Jungu, where the path turns the corner into the Mattertal
valley. From Jungu (1955m) you can either walk or (optional) take the
cable car down to St Niklaus (1,116m). It is too far to walk on from St
Niklaus to Zermatt today, so we will opt for the hourly train service or
bus!
q
Day
8:
A free
day in Zermatt. Zermatt is traffic-free and is dominated by the
imposing, distinctive shape of the Matterhorn. All around Zermatt there
is a wonderful panorama of mountain peaks and there are many excellent
day walks. Trift offers a fine high-level traverse. Perhaps a visit to
the Hörnli hut (1,609m) above Zermatt at the base of the Matterhorn
(4,478m), from where climbers scale the summit. The Gornergrat railway,
one of the highest in Europe at 3090m, offers a spectacular panorama and
the walk down beside the glacier to Riffelalp is stunning. For a less
energetic day one can take the exciting cable car ride to the top of the
Kleine Matterhorn (3,820m). This is one of the highest cable cars in the
Alps.
Day
9:
By
train from Zermatt to Geneva airport (change trains at Visp or Brig) for
the flight to London.
Escorted Departures 2012
EJHR28 Sat 28 July – Sun 5
August
EJHR08
Sat 8 September - Sun 16 September
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