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This was my first ever trek so I was anxious at first. I quickly settled in to the group and found the trek a great adventure and experience. The guide we had was excellent in terms of gaging the groups abilities and leading us. The support member of staff was also relaible and provided a good service. It was a hard trek at times but very rewarding. I am already looking to plan my next trip with Exodus!
The groups support for each other. I can't name one moment as there were many. Everyone had different strengths and abilities and were able to inspire each other at different times.
Excellent. Very knowledgeable, supportive and friendly. He was a great leader and I had every confidence in him.
None that has'nt alresdy been provided in the trip notes.
No further information to add.
We did this trek in July and had perfect blue sky weather every day, but rain on the last day for the walk into Zermatt. The trek for us was one of the best European treks we have done and was very challenging/tough but extremely rewarding with stunning and changeable scenery every day. We really enjoyed the camping although the mountain huts and auberge were a little close for comfort but manageable once you got use to the idea of sleeping closely with other people!!
This trek had it all for us. High col passes, snow walking and bum sliding, steep ascents, steep descents, rough terrain, boulder jumping, chains, forests, gushing rivers, waterfalls and lakes and absolutely stunning snow capped mountains and scenery.
However, we were a little disappointed that the itinerary was not followed on the first day of walking and we missed not starting from the teleferique at Plan Praz and also the high level contour walk with ladders and chains.
Arriving at a col each day at just under 3000 metres after a long, hard ascent and the stunning blue sky views that awaited us.
As a result of Simon's background he was a fast paced, no-nonsense leader which, on occasions, was necessary due to the challenging/tough nature of this trek. However, a slightly slower pace to meet the total group needs might have been more appropriate as those who were at the back every day struggled to keep up and we had to keep waiting for them to catch up. Conversely, you really need to be a good and very fit mountain walker to get the best out of this trek.
On your first day off at Les Bossons, Chamonix (the warm-up day), do the ascent and descent from the campsite to the Refuge de Bellachat at altitude 2152 metres. This will give you a good feel for what the daily ascents and descents are like, whilst warming you up nicely for what is in store most days. If you make it, try the delicious omelettes at the Refuge and the views are also very stunning. For the huts and auberge take a head torch with a red light so as not to wake people up with a bright LED and also ear plugs. You only need to take a sleeping bag liner in your day pack and no flip-flops for the huts as croc shoes are provided. You will need to take a towel and soap etc as you can have a shower in the Mountain Huts at a cost of 5 Francs and they are free in the auberge. The long descents can be very arduous on your knees - definitely take and use two poles.
As the trip notes state this is a challenging/tough trek and you need to be more than a fell walker, capable of walking at altitude. You must also be capable of walking at a moderate to fast rate each day sometimes over very uneven rocky ground, otherwise you will probably be the one at the back holding the group up every day and preventing them from achieving the daily challenges e.g. ladders and high routes thus causing the leader to 'water-down' the itinerary. This will affect the dynamics of the group and also put you under pressure and potentially prevent you from enjoying a wonderful trek.
We were a little unfortunate with the weather in that we had a full week with minimal views, quite a lot of rain and very low cloud which was disappointing and at times frustrating. However we had a great group and learnt to recognise a lot of alpine flowers, as this was all we could see at times. We really appreciated the expansive views when the sun finally came out. The tents were a really good size for two and Charlie whipped up some fantastic meals in camp.
Finally getting to see some fantastic views after a week of minimal visibility.
Jenny was keen to keep the group together during the day, and make sure the group didn't get too split up. She did a good job at trying to keep morale up when the route had to be changed on several occasions as it was too dangerous in the snow and poor visibility to go across the highest pass of the route to Col Prafleuri, having already had to go on the low route rather than go on the path near the Trient Glacier.
Be prepared to experience days with poor weather and limited visibility, rather than just the picture perfect blue sky photos in the advertising for this trip. Also pack clothes/layers for all temperatures from a really hot sunny day to a cold winter's day - we experienced it all.
At times the group will be encouraged to take and pay for additional cable cars/chair lifts not described in the trip notes. Also at times it felt more like a coffee stop tour rather than a walking tour, but that may just have been our revised focus due to the poor weather we experienced.
excellent guide (Mike Rhodes) – right out of the top drawer. Would have enjoyed it more and would have been happy to pay more if the trek focused on Auberge accommodation. Under canvas is not the best way to prepare oneself for a daily slog.
First sight of the Matterhorn from a col
Warm, accomplished, highly experienced, confident with an easy relaxed style - but we still all knew who was in charge. Right out of the top drawer.
Despite the bulk, try to take a substantial mat for sleeping on the hard ground. Self-inflating but with a 5cm height would be preferable.
An outstanding and challenging trip. The mix of day walking and light backpacking, and the slow transition from France, French Switzerland to German Switzerland meant every day was subtly different and interesting. The reward of the Matterhorn on the last day was mesmerising.
For me, there were several. Finally getting to see the Matterhorn was superb. I don't know who Exodus pays to do the weather, but they pay well - it was bathed in shining sun and was a worthy end to the trip. The challenge of getting up the Fenetre d'Arpette, Col du Reidmatten and Col du Torrent was immense. It was hard work, no doubt, but the views and feeling of elation was worth it. The best of all was chatting to a fellow tripper Mike, an engineer, experienced alpiniste, mountain walker and an inspiration. More of one of life's adventurers really, who had some amazing tales, like pushing a pram from London to Leicester in under 12 hours! It goes to show that the group really make the holiday and in this case, ours was excellent.
I felt Simon was an excellent guide. His hands off style really suited me as I felt I could try and walk on his (very fit) heels if I wanted to push myself, but equally, I could stroll at the back in my own time and not feel under pressure to be in sight at all times. It was quite refreshing to be "off the leash" a little as some Exodus trip-notes describe how a leader might allow everyone to walk at their own pace, but I'd yet to experience it. Again, it underlines how having a sensible, fit and smart group can really be the making of the holiday. Simon dealt well with the variable walking styles in the group too. Some wanted to walk and stop, have a paddle or take photos, others just wanted to push on, so it was nice to see trust from him to allow people to come on in their own time while he steered the diesel engines who just ploughed on relentlessly up front. I suffered with an ongoing injury that mean I had to sit out two days of walking (hence the ish), but I communicated with Simon each night as required to get an idea of what was coming, how I was feeling and so on and always felt looked after. In the end it came down to this for me - I had total faith that if there was a problem, Simon would deal with it perfectly.
Go for it. It's a great route, and don't be put off by it sharing some of the TMB route at the start, if you've done that before. Even a month apart, the hillsides are totally different. If you're new to alpine dorms be aware, you might get a bunk bed, but equally, you might end up in an eight person wide mega-bunk. There's plenty of room and your own pillow and duvet (plus your liner) but private it ain't. It pays to get in early and bag a tidy spot, preferably next to a good friend. Earplugs and something to cover your eyes, like a Buff, really help too. Eat many rostis. With cheese, egg, bacon, ham, whatever. They're such good fuel and super tasty. If you're thinking of saving money by bringing your own chocolate bars in, this works really well, until they all melt horribly and you have to put them in a stream to make them solid again. Maybe muesli bars are the way to go?
The only minor grumble in a five star trip is the lunch rations were a little meagre. Not even the fillings - there was always plenty of filling, just never quite enough bread. It got better in the second half of the trip, but no one wants to be a hungry little soldier! Otherwise, in my deeply biased view, this is an excellent trip. Some of this is based on luck - I got great weather, a great guide and best of all, a fit, fun and great group - but much is simply due to the stunning terrain over which you walk each day, from high alpage, hot valley floor, picturesque Swiss villages, past clanking cattle, up thigh-screamingly steep cols with chains to pull you skywards and glacial streams to cool your feet (and more) off. Book it. Now. It's worth it.
Fantastic trip, somewhat challenging but that’s all part of the fun. Great sense of achievement at the end. Brilliant scenery, and we were lucky with the weather too. Very well organised trip, with an extremely competent mountain guide, who was happy for people to walk at their own pace whether that was fast or slow.
The camping was very civilised – the only campsite chores that had to be done were taking down your own tent and helping out with the washing up now and then. This made changing campsites each day hassle free. Laundry facilities were available en route – I didn’t need to take as much stuff as I did.
The food surpassed all my expectations, and I am a fussy eater. Three courses every night of the best food I have ever had whilst camping.
Overall one of the best trips I have done – recommended!
The ‘Haute Route’ through the mountains of France and Switzerland is a fantastic two weeks of spectacular scenery, some good old fashioned hard work and an indescribable sense of accomplishment. This part of the Alps has some of the best hiking I have ever experienced, with photos to last a lifetime. With an extremely competent and knowledgeable leader, and great hearty food every evening, you would be hard pressed to find yourself getting bored or going hungry on this trip. A brilliant holiday, which left many of my friends extremely envious, of both my pictures and my achievements.
The walking and the scenery were breath taking. Every day yielded new views. It was a challenge to ascend each pass but the rewards were fantastic. The trip was challenging but within my capabilities.
A moment I remember was setting off in the morning at 7am from the first of the mountain huts and making our way up to the first of the three passes of the day. We climbed on snowy patches of hillside and the slippery conditions stretched us all; we received excellent guidance from our group leader. I recall the sense of pure exhilaration on reaching the pass. We had got off to a great start, the views were wonderful and a whole day of high mountain walking lay ahead.....
Confident and relaxed, comfortable, competent and knowledgeable in the mountains, and able to accommodate all levels of walker, Mike inspired confidence. An ideal leader for a mountain trek of this nature.
Love the mountains! Love pushing and extending yourself!
I enjoyed the supported camping, appreciated the support team's welcome, the endless cups of tea, the delicious food and the hot showers on several of the camping sites!!
A beautiful & challenging trek. Not at all to be underestimated, but acheivable for any fit hiker who will be rewarded with stunning views at the end of every climb. We experienced all possible weather, from arriving at the refuge in heavy snow to glorious sunshine on many trails, which only added to the scenery and experience.
The nature of the trek in camping low and climbing out of the valleys over the cols meant an opportunity to 'reach the top' virtually every day, with a new spectacular view to discover.
Mike was a fantastic leader, really knew his stuff and was able to add lots of value through his own experience and knowledge, and kept the group motivated and moving well. The support crew of Jane & John were second to none also with delicious catering and ensuring the welcome sight of biscuits & a cuppa awaited post a tough days trek!
Highly recommend an ascent of the Breithorn on the final free day in Zermatt - a wonderful way to end the trip on a high at 4164m.
A challenging walk through fantastic scenery, with excellent support from the Exodus Team.Like the Tour du Mont Blanc this is an excellent journey through magnificant scenery in the heart of the alps, the days on Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn are however more demanding.
Two stand-out; the first is the spectacular vistas of the Matterhorn when it finally comes into view on the final day's walking into Zermatt, until then the mountain remains hidden except for the odd fleeting distant glance.The second was the optional ascent of the Breithorn some of us completed on the free day in Zermatt, completing my first European 4000m peak and the stunning views right across the Alps and the Bernese Oberland, with both Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn visible.
Mike (a new leader for Exodus this year) was an excellent group leader/ mountain guide, his knowledge and experience in the mountains was very impressive. Mike always gave you confidence he was in control however demanding the situation, including when we got snowed off the mountain at the Cabane Mont Fort!Jayne & John the support crew/chefs were also excellent, the tents were always up and tea ready for us when we arrived in camp, even when we arrived at Les Hauderes a day early. The food in camp was impressive, first time I've had duck whilst camping.
Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn is a fantastic route with amazing scenery and the Exodus trip is very well organised, so if you are looking for a fantastic journey through the Alps with all the hassles sorted this could be the trip for you.The walking is demanding so you do need a good fitness level for the trip, the days are harder than the Tour du Mont Blanc.Remember the weather can do anything in the Alps especially at the start/end of the season so be prepared for that, we had most things from 30 degress and sunshine to heavy snow over the two weeks (that much snow is not normal for the end of August though).
Most of the campsites used along the way are excellent with very good facilities, however note two are basic (Grimentz & Trient), we had a great night a Grimentz so don't let that put you off. Sadly Exodus have not been able to find a good alternative at Trient which scores as the worst on the trip (I raised this last year as it is a common site with the Tour du Mont Blanc). This year two sites are in use, one at the top of the village which is quite small but quieter and a larger one at the bottom end of the village that is between the main road and a rock crushing plant. We were at the larger site, on the plus side it has a very good covered area to eat/relax under avoiding the thunder storms which has lighting and power however when we were there there was building work going on at the rock crushing plant adding to the noise of the road and the water supply failed during the evening. Our support team did what they could to get drinking water from the other site, but we had to improvise with rain water and buckets from the river for the toilets etc. You are only there for one night so don't let it put you off though.
