Walker's Haute Route WHR-13

Accommodation

The accommodation on the Walker’s Haute Route is diverse, and ranges from dormitory accommodation in simple mountain huts, to simple family-run hotels in small villages, to hotels in resort towns. All itineraries will be a mix of all three. It is not possible to do the entire route in private rooms, as there are some very long stretches that require the use of mountain huts that only offer dormitory accommodation.

Every mountain hut and hotel is a little different, so you'll find a variety of room setups along a hut-to-hut tour. Shared dormitory-style rooms are common, and may include classic bunk beds (typically 4+ beds per room) or 'Matratzenlager' - large, shared sleeping platforms with individual mattresses. Some accommodations also offer private rooms. A private room for two can vary in design from place to place and may include bunk beds, two twin beds, a double bed constructed from two single mattresses with separate duvets, or a standard double bed. Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to guarantee a specific room configuration.   

While there’s a lot of variation from hut to hut, you can read our Staying in Mountain Huts Webpage for information about the hut experience.

Meals

Breakfast and dinner will always be available at, or near, your accommodation. It is not necessary to carry your own food for these meals. In most cases, the mountain huts allow us to book half-pension for our customers, which includes a multi-course set menu for dinner (usually with a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option) and breakfast. Drinks are never included (except for coffee at breakfast). In villages, dinner usually is not included, but restaurants are available nearby.

Read about dietary restrictions at the huts

For lunches, there are a few options:

1. There are some days when you will be able to stop along the way for a warm meal. While this sounds appealing, it is also very expensive and time-consuming. This is not a great option on long hiking days or for slower hikers who are already concerned about covering the planned route.

1. Most huts offer sack lunches that you can bring with you on the trail. We find these to be overpriced and repetitive to breakfast, and this option generates a lot of trash. We are not able to book these in advance for you. Sack lunches should be requested immediately upon arrival at the hut for the next day. Huts are generally not very flexible in honoring dietary restrictions with their sack lunches.

1.  You can bring your own food for lunch. This is a great option on this route because you go through some villages where you can stock up on supplies. This is our favorite option.
   

The Walker’s Haute Route is likely to have the best conditions between mid-July and the end of the August. True to its name, this hike has sustained stretches at high elevations that often are not reasonable for most hikers before the second week of July. Huts are generally open until mid-September, which defines the hiking season for this route. We do not recommend starting this route before mid-July.

Here's what conditions to expect at different times of year:

Late June: Only suitable for mountaineers with appropriate experience and gear at high elevations

July and August: Problematic snow can remain on the route through the first week of July. Summer settles in and days are usually mostly sunny with an afternoon thunderstorm or two. These thunderstorms rarely interfere with hiking itineraries and are not usually problematic. Of course, thunderstorm safety should be practiced. The wildflowers at the higher elevations should be all out by mid-July. Hiking conditions during this time are often favorable, and it’s a great time to be on the trail.

Early September: The first snow of the winter usually falls in the first week of September. The snow rarely sticks around for more than a day, but the visibility can be very low, making navigation problematic, and maybe even impossible, on this one day. Most days in early September are beautiful and perfect, and the thunderstorms are less, but there is a higher risk of snowstorms and conditions that may prevent you from completing your hike during this time. Many hikers have incredible weather in September, but some do not. It’s simply a matter of luck. The later you push into September, the higher the risk that unfavorable conditions (usually snow, but sometimes extremely cold temperatures) can interfere with your hiking itinerary. We notice that customers who are on the trail beyond September 15^th are much more likely to quit their hike early due to conditions. In early September, the wildflower season is mostly over, with the exception of brilliant bursts of fireweed that mark the end of summer.

In all months, it’s reasonable to expect 1 to 2 rainy days on the trail.

To research more detailed information about average temperatures, precipitation, etc., we recommend checking Meteoblue (go to “History & Climate” and then “Climate (modelled)”) for Col de Louvie, Arolla and Grathorn.

Read more about Understanding the hut-to-hut hiking season in the Alps.