Matterhorn Circuit

What's Included

• Accommodation
  5 nights in mountain refuges/gîte-hostels dormitory style

• 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners (does not include drinks) – continental breakfasts are served and usually consist of breads, jams, coffee, tea and juices. Lunch is picnic style - (Swiss cheese, cold cuts, vegetables and fresh fruit). Dinner will consis

• 5 nights accommodation in mountain refuges / gîte hostels on a dormitory share basis (upgrade to 1 night dorms, 4 nights double rooms - supplement applies)

• Luggage transfer (max 15kg)

• Cable car to Théodulo pass

• Experienced mountain guide

• Luggage Transfer, 1 piece maximum 15kg

What's Not Included

• Travel to St Niklaus and from Zermatt

• Drinks

• Items of a personal nature

• Storage of excess luggage - we can arrange to transfer your bag from St Niklaus to Zermatt (with no access to it during the trip) at the end of the walk on a request basis, please contact your consultant

• Travel insurance - mandatory

• Transfers

• Transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage

Accommodation

5 nights in mountain refuges/gîte-hostels dormitory style
Accommodation is dormitory style in mountain refuges or gîte hostels. There can be up to 40 people in one room in some refuges but less on most nights (around 10-12). Beds are often bunks but can also be one long platform with separate mattresses. Bathrooms and toilets are shared. Swiss refuges tend to be surprisingly comfortable.

Grading

CHALLENGING – GRADE 5
The daily guided walks are around 5-8 hours. There are many challenging stages during the walk with steep uphills, descents, and sections of the trail which require care. Daily ascents are between 768 and 1062m whilst descents range up to 1645m. There is a non technical glacier crossing and some pass crossings using ladders and cables. The accent is on keeping a steady pace to with time to stop and take photos (subject to weather conditions). You will need an excellent level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure. It is considered suitable for experienced walkers only, with a strong walking pace. Early in the season (June) you may encounter snow on the passes which may be quite deep making the walk more difficult. At any time during summer, weather conditions may be variable and you should be prepared for all conditions including snow, ice, strong sun and extreme winds. The route is subject to modification depending on the conditions.
As with all our challenging programs, we expect participants to be regular outdoors people, enjoying aerobic sport around four or five times a week over some period of time. Preferably this has been a long term interest but if not, you have set a program of fitness preparation with at least three months lead in time to your trip. The fitter you are for your trip, the more of a holiday it will be. Activities as close to the actual activity on your trip are the best training; in this instance walking with and without a pack. This builds leg strength, aerobic capacity and confidence in your ability to travel comfortably with a pack for extended periods. At the same time, you are also comfortable with the layers you like to wear and footwear. Important note: good quality walking boots with ankle support are a pre-requisite for your participation. Runners or shoes without ankle support are not suitable for the conditions encountered on this walk.

What You Carry

As the walks are fully supported you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone etc

Book with Confidence

• Transfer as credit to Future Tours

  UTracks allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform utracks, 70 days before departure.

• Low Deposit

  UTracks requires a minimum deposit of 150 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.

• Cancellation Policy

  We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of utracks charges.

  Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

  At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

  At 35 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.