The Tour of Monte Rosa is a high-alpine alternative to the Tour du Mont Blanc, a challenging circular trek through the Swiss and Italian Alps that spans approximately 174km (108miles). Typically completed in 10–11 days, the route features daily ascents and descents averaging 1,000m and walking times of up to 7 hours 30 minutes (excluding breaks), with unavoidable back-to-back, long, and technical days. Optional glacier crossings add a thrilling alpine dimension, making this a trek for experienced walkers seeking both challenge and adventure.

Following a circular route around the Monte Rosa massif, the trek provides unparalleled views of seven of the ten highest peaks in the Alps, including iconic mountains such as the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, Dom, Rimpfischhorn and the Monte Rosa massif itself. The east face of Monte Rosa, Europe’s largest mountain wall, dominates the skyline with its Himalayan-scale wall of granite and ice, creating a landscape as awe-inspiring as it is challenging.

This expertly researched Cicerone guidebook is an essential companion for walkers planning the Tour of Monte Rosa, offering practical advice and detailed guidance to navigate this iconic high-alpine route safely and confidently.

• The route is described in 11 daily stages with one alternative stage and optional glacier crossings, supported by 1:100,000 mapping and elevation profiles for clear planning and navigation
• Stage-by-stage logistics in a handy facilities table covers accommodation options, transport links, resupply points and itinerary advice, helping walkers plan each day effectively
• Practical planning guidance includes preparation, equipment, weather considerations and high-alpine safety tips, essential for a route with long, technical days and significant altitude gain
• GPX files are available to download, providing a digital navigation option for smartphones and GPS devices on the trail
• Scenic and cultural insights bring the trek to life, highlighting historic Swiss and Italian villages, dramatic alpine passes, and breathtaking panoramas of the Monte Rosa massif and surrounding 4,000m peaks

For experienced walkers seeking a challenging, high-alpine adventure, the Tour of Monte Rosa offers a unique opportunity to journey among giants. With this trusted guidebook, you’ll be fully equipped to embrace the challenge, navigate the terrain, and experience some of the Alps’ most spectacular and iconic mountains.

Tour of Monte Rosa - Quick Facts

Trail name: Tour of Monte Rosa (TMR)
Location: Swiss and Italian Alps
Total distance: ~174 km / 108 miles
Typical duration: 10–11 days
Start: Zermatt, Switzerland
Finish: Zermatt, Switzerland (circular route)
Route type: Circular high-alpine trek
Difficulty: Challenging, suitable for experienced trekkers
Terrain: Mountain trails, alpine passes, optional glacier crossings
Navigation: Well-waymarked, but you must pay attention in more difficult terrain 
Average daily ascent/descent: ~1,000 m
Walking times: Up to 7 h 30 min per day (excluding breaks)
Accommodation: Mountain huts, lodges, and alpine refuges
Best season: July to mid-September

Author Highlight

“This is the Tour of Monte Rosa (TMR); moments of splendour, joy, adventure and warm camaraderie strung along a ribbon around the massif. Nowhere else in the Alps can you find more 4000m summits, and the TMR ventures higher than other alpine trekking routes, crossing glaciers and high passes over 3000m. Is it a challenge? Of course. But those who take on this challenge will be rewarded by some of the best mountain trekking to be found, and the cheery hospitality of mountain huts and villages in Switzerland and Italy.”

- Maddy Williams, author of Hiking the Tour of Monte Rosa

Mountain safety

Map key

Route summary table

Overview profile and sample itineraries

Stage facilities planner

Introduction

The Tour of Monte Rosa – overview

Route and schedule options

Planning your trip

Experience and preparation

What to take

When to go

Where to stay

Using this guide

Essential information

Sustainable travel

Getting there and back

Weather

Food

Money

Languages

Waymarks and route finding

Maps and apps

Safety in the mountains

Glacier crossing

The Monte Rosa region

History and culture

The Walser

Monte Rosa and the Golden Age of Mountaineering

Geology

Wildlife and flowers

The Tour of Monte Rosa

Stage 1           Zermatt to Gandegghütte

Stage 2           Gandegghütte to Resy

Stage 3           Resy to Alpe Gabiet

Stage 4           Alpe Gabiet to Rif Pastore

Stage 5           Rif Pastore to Macugnaga

Stage 6           Macugnaga to Monte Moro (Rif Oberto Maroli)

Stage 7A         Monte Moro (Rif Oberto Maroli) to Saas-Fee

Stage 7           Monte Moro (Rif Oberto Maroli) to Britanniahütte

Stage 8           Britanniahütte to Saas-Fee

Stage 9           Saas-Fee to Grächen

Stage 10         Grächen to Europahütte

Stage 11         Europahütte to Zermatt

Appendix A     Accommodation

Appendix B     Useful contacts

Appendix C     Further reading

Appendix D     Italian–German–English glossary

Seasons

With the trail going above 3000m on several occasions, this route is best from July to mid-September. Expect plenty of snow on the ground in June and early July. Some mountain huts are only open in late June, closing early September.

Centres

Zermatt, Grächen, Saas Fee in Switzerland. Gressoney/Stafal, Alagna and Macugnaga in Italy.

Difficulty

This is an excellent route for experienced trekkers. There are two optional glacier crossings requiring micro-spikes or crampons. There are a number of unavoidably long days, as well as several +1500m climbs. Waymarking is good throughout, but some paths can be challenging due to steep, exposed and unstable terrain, or if there is snow at high altitude.

Must See

Some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Alps, including 7 of the 10 highest Alpine peaks; the Swiss Europaweg; traditional Walser settlements; the 3rd longest suspension footbridge in the world; formidable alpine passes like the Turlo, Theodulpass and Monte Moro Pass; legendary high Alpine huts; two glacier crossings.

December 2025

Rifugio Gabiet

August 2025

Route updates

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