Monte Rosa Tour
Situated on the Swiss-Italian border, the Monte Rosa massif is the largest massif in Western Europe. The Tour of Monte Rosa is an adventure, challenging and varied, going around the massif, embracing the glaciers in several stages.
The Tour de Monte Rosa route explores the Italian-Swiss border region in an 8-stage trek, starting and finishing in Zermatt. Along the route, the alpine trail offers spectacular views of the Monte Rosa massif, including ten 4000-metre peaks, as well as breaks in mountain huts and in the villages of Resy, Saas Fee, Macugnaga and Cervinia, among others.
Spectacular scenery is not all that the Tour de Monte Rosa has to offer: the contrast between the Swiss and Italian sides of the mountain range adds great value to the whole experience and mountaineers are advised to take the time to explore some of the charming towns and villages along the trail and to fully savour the gastronomy, history and culture that make up this alpine region.
Practical guide
When to go?
The summer is the ideal time for this route, and before or after some slopes can be quite dangerous for mountaineers. Although only part of the route is over glaciers, the trails are often at high altitude and late snow can remain on shady slopes and cols well into July.
Cities & Services
Zermatt, Grächen, Saas Fee, Macugnaga, Alagna, Gressonney St Trinité, St Jacques, Cervinia.
Difficulty and tips
The route runs through rocky terrain. And it is a trek of long days of walking in a high mountain environment.
We will have to consider glacier progression, both from a technical point of view and in terms of the necessary equipment: rope, harness and crampons may be necessary for the glacier section.
Not to be missed
- Peaks of Monte Rosa, including the east face (the highest wall in the Alps) and other peaks - Lyskamm, Matterhorn.
- Theodule Glacier.
- Walser culture, Alpine culture in Switzerland and Italy.
- Col Turlo - old route now reconstructed by the Italian Alpine.
- Fauna - especially ibex, the Alpine wild goat.
- High alpine flora, in particular the edelweiss flower.
Map
Stages
- Stage 1 Zermatt to Theodulpass
- Stage 2 Theodulpass to Resy/St Jacques
- Stage 3 Resy/St Jacques to Gabiet
- Stage 3A St Jacques a Gabiet via Colle di Pinter
- Stage 4 Gabiet a Alagna/Pastore
- Stage 5 Alagna/Pastore a Macugnaga
- Stage 6 Macugnaga to Saas Fee
- Stage 7 Saas Fee to Grächen
- Stage 8 Grächen to Zermatt - The Europaweg
- Stage 8A Grächen to Zermatt - Valley route
