Matterhorn Hiking Tour: 6-Day Self-Guided Zermatt Hut Trek
Hike hut to hut into the quiet corners above Zermatt and get close enough to the Matterhorn that your camera roll will need a vacation.
Most visitors see the Matterhorn from a Zermatt cafe. This self-guided Matterhorn hike takes you hut to hut into the quiet valleys above town, where the mountain feels close enough to touch.
It’s a self-guided hut trek of 6 days, 5 nights and 4 hiking days: 34.1 km (21.2 miles) with 2247 m (7372 ft) of ascent. You sleep at Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut at 3030 m (9941 ft), see the Matterhorn up close from Schwarzsee and hike the Glacier Trail.
We book all 5 nights, 2 in a Zermatt hotel and 3 in mountain huts, with 5 breakfasts, 3 dinners, and route notes for every day with a map and GPX track in the free Outdooractive app. You also get a free custom training plan (valued at €300).
Matterhorn Hike: Our 6-Day Zermatt Hut Trek at a Glance | |
| Tour length | 6 days, 5 nights, 4 hiking days |
| Start and finish | Zermatt, Switzerland |
| Distance | 34.1 km (21.2 miles), from 4 km to 11.3 km (2.5 to 7 miles) a day |
| Ascent | 2247 m (7372 ft) in total |
| Highlights | Up-close Matterhorn views from Schwarzsee, the Glacier Trail and a night at the Gandegg Hut at 3030 m (9941 ft) |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Challenging, T3 on the Swiss hiking scale |
| Accommodations | 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Zermatt and 3 nights in mountain huts: Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut |
| Luggage | Carry a backpack for the huts, and leave the rest at your Zermatt hotel |
| Group size | From 2 people |
| Minimum age | 14 |
| Season | Start dates from July 1st to September 11th |
| Support | Emergency support by phone or WhatsApp while you’re on tour |
| Training | Free custom training plan (valued at €300) |
| Price | CHF 970 per person |
Highlights of Our Matterhorn Hiking Tour
- See the Matterhorn up close from Schwarzsee, the view that ends up on every postcard, except you hiked to it.
- Sleep three nights in the mountains, at Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut at 3030 m (9941 ft).
- Hike into the remote valleys above Zermatt that most visitors to town never see.
- Follow the Glacier Trail from the Gandegg Hut back to Schwarzsee, then ride the gondola down and save your knees a descent of about 1220 m (4000 ft).
- Stop at Restaurant Edelweiss on your first climb out of Zermatt, the kind of break that makes 727 m (2385 ft) of ascent feel reasonable.
- Eat dinner with fellow hikers at every hut, with breakfast and dinner included on all three hut nights.
Matterhorn Hike: What Our Self-Guided Zermatt Hut Trek Is Actually Like
Zermatt sits at the foot of the Matterhorn in the Swiss canton of Valais. It’s car-free and busy, and most people never leave the town or the lifts.
Our self-guided Matterhorn hiking tour does. You hike hut to hut for 4 days, 34.1 km (21.2 miles) with 2247 m (7372 ft) of ascent, staying at Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut before heading back to a hotel in Zermatt.
The days are short, 3 to 5 hours of hiking, which leaves time to sit outside a hut and stare at glaciers. The trails are rated T3 on the Swiss hiking scale, so you’ll want to be sure-footed and comfortable with heights. Mountain hiking experience is recommended.
Your Free Personalized Matterhorn Fitness Plan (€300 Value)
Every Matterhorn hiking tour booking can include a training plan built for this route and your current fitness level. Just ask us for the questionnaire. Day 2 climbs 727 m (2385 ft) in 4 km (2.5 miles), straight out of Zermatt. Train for it now and you’ll arrive at Gasthaus Trift ready for dinner, not a nap.
You bring the legs. We handle the Matterhorn logistics.
Book your Matterhorn hiking tour
Choose your start date between July 1st and September 11th and complete our booking form. A 30% deposit holds your dates.
We book all 5 nights
We reserve your hotel in Zermatt and your beds at Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut, with breakfast and dinner at every hut.
Your route info arrives
Route notes for every day, plus a map and GPX track in the free Outdooractive app. Then ask us for your free fitness plan (€300 value).
You hike
Start when you want and stay at Schwarzsee as long as the Matterhorn keeps posing. Emergency support by phone or WhatsApp while you’re on tour
As a small company working with trusted local partners, we actually remember your name and genuinely care about your trip. Just check out our reviews: happy hikers, repeat adventurers, and rewards when you refer friends. That’s the Monkeys and Mountains difference.
Self-Guided Matterhorn Hiking Tour With Us vs. Planning It Yourself vs. a Guided Group Tour
| DIY / Self-Planned | Guided Group Tour | Our Self-Guided Matterhorn Hiking Tour | |
| Accommodations reserved for you | No – you book a Zermatt hotel and three hut beds yourself, in peak summer | Yes | Yes – all 5 nights, including the 3 huts |
| Meals at the huts | You arrange them hut by hut | Yes | Yes – breakfast and dinner at every hut |
| Freedom to hike your own pace | Yes | No – you move with the group | Yes |
| Personalized fitness plan | No | Rarely | Yes – free, €300 value |
| Best value for money | Cheapest, but time consuming | Most expensive | ⭐ Best value |
| Support if something goes wrong | You’re on your own | Guide present at all times | Emergency support by phone or WhatsApp while you’re on tour |
| Route planning & navigation | You research and plan all 4 hikes | Guide navigates for you | Route notes for every day, plus a map and GPX track in the free Outdooractive app |
Swipe left to see the full comparison →
Planning a Zermatt hut trek yourself is the cheapest option, but hut beds near the Matterhorn go fast in July and August, and each hut books separately.
A guided group tour does it all for you, at the highest price and the group’s pace. Our self-guided Matterhorn hiking tour sits in between: we book the nights and the hut meals, and you hike at your own pace with your own people.
Matterhorn Hiking Tour Route Map
Zermatt hut to hut: hiking days in teal, the gondolas dotted in gold.
Zermatt Hut to Hut Hiking: Our 6-Day Self-Guided Matterhorn Itinerary
Best for hikers with some mountain experience who want the Matterhorn without the crowds. You’d rather eat dinner in a hut at 3030 m (9941 ft) than in a Zermatt restaurant, a dormitory bed for three nights sounds like an adventure, and short, high days sound perfect.
Four hikes, three mountain huts and one very photogenic mountain. Every hiking day is 3 to 5 hours, so you have time to linger.
All times, distances and elevations are approximate, and the times don’t include breaks. Allow more time than you think you need.
Welcome to Zermatt. You make your own way to this car-free mountain town and spend the afternoon exploring at your own pace.
Look up: the Matterhorn is right there. Tomorrow you start hiking toward it, so enjoy one last night of a private bathroom.
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Zermatt
Your first hike climbs straight out of Zermatt toward Gasthaus Trift. It’s short but steep, so take the recommended break at Restaurant Edelweiss on the way up.
Tonight is your first mountain night: dinner and breakfast at the guesthouse, and a dormitory bed. Showers cost extra, and double rooms are available for a surcharge.
- Hiking today: 4 km (2.5 miles), 727 m (2385 ft) ascent, 5 m (16 ft) descent, 2.5 to 3 hours
- Accommodation: Gasthaus Trift, dormitory, breakfast and dinner included
Amazing views await today as you hike from Trift to the Schönbiel Hut, deep in the remote side of the Zermatt mountains.
The Schönbiel Hut keeps it simple: dormitory beds, no showers and a toilet outside the hut. It’s the kind of night you’ll tell stories about for years.
- Hiking today: 11.3 km (7 miles), 780 m (2559 ft) ascent, 430 m (1411 ft) descent, 4.5 to 5 hours
- Accommodation: Schönbiel Hut, dormitory, breakfast and dinner included
Today you finally get close to the Matterhorn. The climb ends at Schwarzsee, and the view from there is your reward: the mountain right in front of you, close enough to count the ridges.
From Schwarzsee a gondola takes you up to Trockener Steg, and a short 30 minute hike brings you to the Gandegg Hut at 3030 m (9941 ft). That’s your bed for the night, and it’s higher than anywhere else you sleep on the tour.
- Hiking today: 11.2 km (7 miles), 560 m (1837 ft) ascent, 570 m (1870 ft) descent, 3.5 to 4 hours
- Transfers: gondola from Schwarzsee to Trockener Steg, not included
- Accommodation: Gandegg Hut, dormitory, breakfast and dinner included
Your last hiking day follows the Glacier Trail from the Gandegg Hut back to Schwarzsee, one more chance to say goodbye to the Matterhorn.
From Schwarzsee you skip a descent of about 1220 m (4000 ft) and ride the gondola down to Zermatt. Your knees will send a thank-you card. Tonight it’s a hotel bed and your own shower again.
- Hiking today: 7.6 km (4.7 miles), 180 m (591 ft) ascent, 620 m (2034 ft) descent, about 3 hours
- Transfers: gondola from Schwarzsee down to Zermatt, not included
- Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Zermatt, breakfast included
After breakfast, carry on to your next stop in Switzerland or head home.
- Breakfast included
Congratulations!
In 4 hiking days you covered 34.1 km (21.2 miles), climbed 2247 m (7372 ft) and slept in three mountain huts, the highest at 3030 m (9941 ft).
DATES & PRICES FOR THE 6-DAY MATTERHORN SELF-GUIDED HIKING TOUR
MATTERHORN HIKING TOUR:
6-day self-guided tour
PRICE:
CHF 970
AVAILABILITY:
July 1st – Sept 11th
30% is due when you book. The remainder is due 40 days in advance.
- Price per person: CHF 970 based on double accommodation in Zermatt.
- Group size: this tour books from 2 people.
- Hiking solo? Contact us for rates.
- Double room at Gasthaus Trift: available for a surcharge, ask us.
- Start dates: July 1st to September 11th.
- Accommodations: our local Swiss partner starts booking your accommodations right away. Not all of them will be confirmed until March 2027, because some accommodations don’t accept reservations until then.
- After you book: once your tour is confirmed, our trusted local Swiss partner takes over and is your contact for travel, logistics and any questions about the tour.
- Terms: see our Swiss tour terms and conditions, including the cancellation policy.
Matterhorn Hiking Tour Inclusions
WHAT’S INCLUDED
✔ 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Zermatt
✔ 3 nights in mountain huts: Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut, dormitory
✔ 5 breakfasts and 3 dinners (at the huts)
✔ 4 days of hiking
✔ Route notes for every day, plus a map and GPX track in the free Outdooractive app
✔ Unlimited email support pre-tour
✔ Emergency support by phone or WhatsApp while you’re on tour
✔ Personalized Training Plan for the Matterhorn (valued at €300), free with your booking
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
- Travel insurance and trip cancellation insurance that covers you for this tour and includes emergency evacuation and hospital care in the unlikely event that you get injured. We recommend our free Adventure Travel Insurance Finder, which finds the best policy based on your needs.
- Flights, and getting to and from Zermatt.
- Gondola tickets on Days 4 and 5.
- Local tourist tax.
- Lunches, and dinners in Zermatt.
- Showers and a double room at Gasthaus Trift, which cost extra.
- A station locker in Zermatt, if you don’t leave your extra luggage at the hotel.
- Extra drinks.
- Anything not indicated above.
Book with confidence
A 30% deposit holds your dates, balance due 40 days before you hike
We book every night of your trip, and if we can’t secure your accommodation, you get a full refund
Emergency support by phone or WhatsApp throughout your trip
Rated 4.9/5 from 187 hiker reviews
When Is the Best Time for a Matterhorn Hike?
Our Matterhorn hiking tour starts between July 1st and September 11th, the high summer season when the huts on the route are open and the trails around Zermatt are at their best.
Accommodations: Zermatt Hotel Nights and Three Mountain Huts
You spend your first and last nights in a 3-star hotel in Zermatt, with a private shower and breakfast.
The three nights in between are in the mountains, in dormitory rooms with breakfast and dinner included. Gasthaus Trift has showers for an extra charge and double rooms for a surcharge. The Schönbiel Hut has no showers and a toilet outside. The Gandegg Hut, at 3030 m (9941 ft), has no showers.
Hotels may vary depending on availability at the time of booking.
NOTE:
All times, distances and elevations are approximate. The times indicated above don’t include breaks. Allow more time than you think you’ll need. The itinerary may change slightly depending on accommodation availability.
What Our Hikers Say About Booking a Self-Guided Tour With Us
This was our first trip with Monkeys and Mountains Hiking Tours and I would have to say it was very well organized! It was also our first self guided tour so we didn’t know what to expect. We were extremely satisfied with Monkeys & Mountains and would highly recommend travel with them.
– Jadeene
Matterhorn Hiking Tour Info: Grade, Huts, Luggage and Getting to Zermatt
We grade this tour Moderate to Challenging. The trails are rated T3 on the Swiss hiking scale, and across 4 hiking days you cover 34.1 km (21.2 miles) with 2247 m (7372 ft) of ascent.
You should be sure-footed, comfortable with heights and have the endurance for up to 5 hours of hiking. Mountain hiking experience is recommended. The minimum age is 14.
Day 2 is the steepest, 727 m (2385 ft) of ascent in 4 km (2.5 miles). Days 3 to 5 are 3 to 5 hours each.
Your free custom training plan (€300 value) is built to get you ready. Not sure you’re ready? Ask us, and we’ll tell you honestly.
Three of your five nights are in mountain huts, all in dormitory rooms with breakfast and dinner included.
Gasthaus Trift has showers for an extra charge and double rooms for a surcharge. The Schönbiel Hut has no showers and a toilet outside. The Gandegg Hut sits at 3030 m (9941 ft) and has no showers. Pack a sleeping bag liner, earplugs and a good sense of humor.
You carry your own backpack for the hut nights. Leave any extra luggage at your hotel in Zermatt or in a train station locker, and pick it up when you’re back on Day 5.
Getting to and from Zermatt isn’t included, which keeps your travel plans yours. Zermatt is car-free, so you arrive by train, changing in Visp. From Zurich Airport it’s about 3.5 hours with one or two changes, and from Geneva Airport about 4 hours. Check the SBB app or sbb.ch for times on your travel day.
Travel insurance isn’t included and we strongly recommend it. Make sure your policy covers mountain hiking up to 3030 m (9941 ft), mountain rescue and trip cancellation.
Not sure what to get? Use our Adventure Travel Insurance Finder and get a tailored recommendation in under 60 seconds.
You book online and a 30% deposit holds your dates. The balance is due 40 days before you hike.
Questions before you book? Contact us. We’d rather talk it through now than have you guess.
The Places You Hike Around Zermatt: Trift, Schönbiel, Schwarzsee and the Gandegg Hut
| Place | What it is | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Zermatt | Car-free mountain town at the foot of the Matterhorn. Start and finish | Days 1, 5-6 |
| Restaurant Edelweiss | Recommended break on the climb out of Zermatt | Day 2 |
| Gasthaus Trift | Mountain guesthouse, your first hut night | Days 2-3 |
| Schönbiel Hut | Remote mountain hut, your second night | Days 3-4 |
| Schwarzsee | Lake with the up-close view of the Matterhorn | Days 4-5 |
| Trockener Steg | Gondola station, 30 minutes below the Gandegg Hut | Day 4 |
| Gandegg Hut | Mountain hut at 3030 m (9941 ft), your highest night | Days 4-5 |
| Glacier Trail | Trail from the Gandegg Hut back to Schwarzsee | Day 5 |
Swipe left to see the full table →
Matterhorn Hiking Tour FAQs: How Hard It Is, the Huts and What It Costs
How hard is the Matterhorn hiking tour?
The Matterhorn hiking tour is graded Moderate to Challenging, with trails rated T3 on the Swiss hiking scale. Over 4 hiking days you cover 34.1 km (21.2 miles) with 2247 m (7372 ft) of ascent, with 3 to 5 hours of hiking a day. The steepest day is Day 2, 727 m (2385 ft) of ascent in 4 km (2.5 miles) from Zermatt to Gasthaus Trift. You should be sure-footed and comfortable with heights, and mountain hiking experience is recommended.
Can you hike the Matterhorn?
You can’t hike to the summit of the Matterhorn: reaching the top is a technical mountaineering climb with ropes and a mountain guide. What you can do is hike around it, and that’s what the Matterhorn hiking tour does. You hike hut to hut above Zermatt, see the Matterhorn up close from Schwarzsee and sleep at the Gandegg Hut at 3030 m (9941 ft).
Is the Matterhorn hiking tour a hut to hut hike?
Yes. Three of the five nights on our Matterhorn hiking tour are in mountain huts: Gasthaus Trift, the Schönbiel Hut and the Gandegg Hut, all in dormitory rooms with breakfast and dinner included. Your first and last nights are in a 3-star hotel in Zermatt, so it’s Zermatt hut to hut hiking with a proper bed at each end.
How many days is the Matterhorn hiking tour, and how far do you hike each day?
The Matterhorn hiking tour is 6 days and 5 nights with 4 hiking days. Daily distances run from 4 km (2.5 miles) on Day 2 to 11.3 km (7 miles) on Day 3, with 2.5 to 5 hours of hiking a day, not counting breaks. The total is 34.1 km (21.2 miles) and 2247 m (7372 ft) of ascent.
Where do you see the Matterhorn up close on this hike?
The closest view is at Schwarzsee, the lake you reach at the end of the climb on Day 4 and again on Day 5 after the Glacier Trail. You’ll also see the Matterhorn from Zermatt and from the trails and huts along the way.
What are the huts like, and are there showers?
All three huts on the Matterhorn hiking tour have dormitory rooms, with breakfast and dinner included. Gasthaus Trift has showers for an extra charge and double rooms for a surcharge. The Schönbiel Hut has no showers and a toilet outside. The Gandegg Hut, at 3030 m (9941 ft), has no showers.
Do you carry your luggage on the Matterhorn hiking tour?
You carry your own backpack for the three hut nights. Leave any extra luggage at your hotel in Zermatt or in a train station locker, and pick it up when you’re back in Zermatt on Day 5.
How much does the Matterhorn hiking tour cost?
The Matterhorn hiking tour costs CHF 970 per person, based on double accommodation in Zermatt. That includes 5 nights (2 in a Zermatt hotel and 3 in mountain huts), 5 breakfasts, 3 dinners at the huts, route notes for every day with GPX tracks in the free Outdooractive app and a free custom training plan valued at €300.
How do you get to Zermatt for the start of the tour?
Zermatt is car-free, so you get there by train, changing in Visp. From Zurich Airport the trip takes about 3.5 hours with one or two changes, and from Geneva Airport about 4 hours. The Matterhorn hiking tour starts and finishes in Zermatt, so you travel the same way home. Check the SBB app or sbb.ch for times on your travel day.
What is the minimum age for the Matterhorn hiking tour?
The minimum age for the Matterhorn hiking tour is 14. The trails are rated T3 on the Swiss hiking scale, you need to be comfortable with heights, and you sleep three nights in mountain huts.
When is the best time for a Matterhorn hike?
Our Matterhorn hiking tour runs in the Swiss high summer season, with start dates from July 1st to September 11th, when the huts on the route are open.
How is the Matterhorn hiking tour different from the Haute Route?
Both end in Zermatt, but they’re very different trips. The Haute Route is a challenging trek from Chamonix to Zermatt. The Matterhorn hiking tour is 6 days, with 4 shorter hiking days of 3 to 5 hours, three hut nights and the Matterhorn in view for much of the trip.
Book Your Self-Guided Matterhorn Hiking Tour From Zermatt
Book Your Matterhorn Hiking Tour With Us & You’ll Get…
- Save time and skip the hassle of booking a Zermatt hotel and three hut beds in the busiest weeks of the Swiss summer.
- Designed by hikers, for hikers – we work with a Swiss partner who knows these trails and huts.
- Hike on your own schedule – no group, no fixed departure time, no waiting at the trailhead.
- The Matterhorn without the crowds – three hut nights in the valleys most Zermatt visitors never see.
- Hut meals sorted – breakfast and dinner at every hut.
- Unbeatable value with self-guided hiking – the freedom of hiking on your own, at a fraction of the cost of a guided group tour.
- Your own personalized fitness plan for the Matterhorn, valued at €300, free with your booking.
Photos of the Matterhorn Hiking Tour
