A beautiful hike in Ayas Valley, the Italian side of Monte Rosa. Monte Rosa has the second-highest peak in the Alps and some of the biggest glaciers in Europe. Explore this amazing part of the world while sleeping in cosy mountain huts!
We meet you at Fermi Metro Station at 9:30 AM. If you're flying in, there is an option for pick up at Torino Caselle Airport at 10:00 AM. It's about a 1hr 20min drive from Fermi to the start of our trail.
Our first section is a stunning hike up the forest, reaching alpine meadows in Ayas Valley. It's quite a challenging hike, even though the trail is steady and very beautiful. Our accommodation for the night, Arp Hut, has a wonderful wide view over all of Aosta Valley.
Distance: 7.5km | 1,000m ascent | 4hrs
Today, our hike takes us past Palazinaz Lake, where we can take a dip and cool off before heading up the Palasina Pass. After this ascent, we trek down the main Ayas Valley. After reaching the beautiful balcony trail from View Crest to Resy, the cosy Ferraro hut awaits us. It's a pretty long day, but there's not as much elevation as the previous day.
Distance: 15km | 720m ascent | 1,000m descent | 6hrs
We trek through the larch forest to reach the beautiful Pian de Verraz. Here, we can admire the glaciers of Monte Rosa from an ideal viewpoint.
Next, we hike in a beautiful wild forest (altitude approx. 2,000m) with streams and old mountain villages. We then take the lateral valley, hiking up to the Grand Tournalin Hut at 2,600m.
Distance: 12km | 880m ascent | 400m descent | 5hrs
We hike up the Col de Nana (2,775m). For those who don't suffer from vertigo, we can go an extra 30mins up to the amazing Becca Trecare at 3,000m. From there, we have an amazing view of the most prominent mountains of the Alps, including Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, Gran Paradiso, and Mont Blanc! This is also a good spot to look out for magnificent Ibex rams.
Finally, we hike a long way down to Champolouc through alpine meadows to the end of our trail. Relax with a beer while the guide goes to fetch the vehicle.
For those catching a flight out this evening, we usually get back by 5:00 PM to Torino Caselle Airport. So, we recommend booking your flight from 7:00 PM onwards.
If you have any questions about this trip or want to speak with an expert, get in touch.
We're ready to help.
You need a good level of fitness for this hike but will be rewarded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in Europe! We recommend you have experience hiking in mountainous terrain, which by nature includes rocky and sometimes snow-covered pathways (depending on time and the conditions of the season). A typical day in the mountains can be trekking for 4-7 hours with a rucksack of 5-8 kg. The guide maintains a gentle pace with lots of breaks, but you will need to be up for the challenge and have a good level of endurance! For those who have done 'Tour Du Mont Blanc Highlights' or 'Matterhorn' with Skyhook, this is a bit more challenging trek. The trails are narrower, and the terrain has more ups and downs. We recommend training for this trek so that you can fully enjoy the experience. This should focus on endurance, and we suggest regular cardio (e.g. running, swimming, tennis). You need to be able to keep going. Steadily increasing your walking distance and including hills (or stairs) will also help. Please make sure you read the rest of the information and FAQs carefully, including daily trekking distances, terrain, and heights. If you're not fit enough to keep up with the group continuously, slowly, walking uphill, then you may be asked to leave. This is for your own safety and the interests of the whole group. You will then need to meet your costs including staying extra nights in the huts or return transport. Mental preparation is as important as physical preparation for this trip. Having a positive attitude will help you with the challenge and get you the reward of a fantastic journey. Briefly: This is a mountain hike, so it is physically challenging. If you're doing sport regularly and accept that the challenge will be outside your comfort zone, you'll have a memorable experience. Even if you've never done a hut-to-hut hike!
Heights are part of a real alpine environment. The route on this trek follows a proper path. There aren't any exceptional drop-offs along the way, but there are two or three spots where it is precarious and could be a little scary for people who "don't like heights". Most notably, the Bec de Trecare on Day 4. However, you can skip this part if you want. We wouldn't suggest letting this put you off, but if you have a severe phobia of heights, you may want to consider a different trip.
Absolutely! We get lots of solo travellers - it's a great way to meet like-minded people. You'll be able to chat with others in the group through the chat feature on the Skyhook dashboard.
Documents: • Passport • Travel insurance details • Boarding passes for flights • Cash – Euros • Credit/Debit Card Sleeping: • Sleeping bag liner Footwear: • Trekking boots: 3 or 4-season, lightweight Flip-flops are provided in the huts Clothing: Please make sure that you have non-cotton, fast-drying clothing for trekking. • 1 x pair of synthetic under-top and bottom (long johns or similar) • 4 x t-shirts for the hike • 1 x comfortable shirt for the evening • 2 x socks for hiking • 3 x pairs of underwear • 1 x fleece • Light down or Primaloft jacket • Rain and windproof jacket with hood • 1 x pair of hiking trousers: We recommend a pair that zips off into shorts. • Hat and gloves • Buff or scarf • Swimming shorts/costume Other: • A daysack: 35 - 45 litres – All your kit should fit in this bag • Travel towel • Dry liner or dry bag • Water bottle: At least 2L. Nalgene bottles are best. • Sunglasses • Suncream and additional sun protection such as a baseball cap or similar • Personal medication – inhaler, blister pads, etc. • General toiletries, contact lenses, glasses (if needed) • Electronics - head torch, travel adaptor, phone & charger • Hand sanitiser, toilet paper
The currency used in Italy is Euros. We recommend changing your money before arriving, as it's not possible once you've left the airport. Credit cards aren't accepted in most locations along the trek.
There is a certain degree of flexibility in terms of starting time. If you arrive really late, you can reach us on the second day in Champolouc (you'll agree on the meeting point with the guide). The first night, in this case, will be paid by you.
If you're spending the night before in Torino, the best thing to do is leave extra luggage in your hotel. If you can't do this, or if you're getting picked up from the airport on day 1 of the itinerary, we'll make a plan.
Yes, you will be carrying all your belongings with you during this hike. You need to carry your clothes for the trip as well as water, suncream etc. Your full bag should be around 5-7kg. Pack as light as possible, but do bring all the items on the packing list. It is very important that you follow this advice to ensure you have all the kit you need. If you have extra luggage for after the trip, you can ask your guide to organise storage. Please let us know 30 days before the trip departure if you need this.
Distance, elevation gain, and typical hiking times are provided in the daily itinerary.
Ideally, we will meet in Torino at the Fermi metro station. If your flight arrives on the morning of the hike or your departure flight is on the last day of the hike, we can pick you up and drop you off at the airport. Otherwise, the meeting point will be the Fermi metro station. Pick-up time on the first day can be at 10:00 AM at Torino Caselle Airport. Drop-off time on the last day is around 5:00 PM at Torino Caselle Airport. So, we recommend booking your flight from 7:00 PM onwards. Please update your 'Trip Form' (on your Skyhook dashboard) so we know if you will be on the provided shuttle or making your own way to Brusson.
We normally organise the pick up at Fermi Metro Station. It's a very convenient location and easy to reach from Torino City centre via the Metro. From Torino Porta Nuova, it's 20 minutes on the metro. If, for some reason, it's a problem to meet at Fermi metro station, please inform your guide via your Skyhook dashboard at least 30 days prior to the start of the trip.
During the summer in the Alps (June – September), you can experience usually fair and quite warm weather. It is often sunny, and the temperatures can reach 25° Celsius. In the case of rain and wind, the temperature can also get to around 5° Celsius. The weather in the mountains can be quite unpredictable, and weather situations can change very quickly. Therefore, it's necessary to be prepared for such a change always. On a rainy day, temperatures can drop quite low, and you need a good rain jacket. Sometimes, even a hat and a pair of gloves. See the kit list for full details.
It's not mandatory to tip in the Alps, but always appreciated by the hard-working guides.
Meals are prepared by the mountain huts and, given their remote location, can be basic. The quality of food from one hut to another tends to vary. You can generally expect very simple options like bread and cereal for breakfast. Packed lunch will be prepared by the huts we stay at. This is also usually something very simple like a sandwich. Unfortunately, the food on this hike is beyond our control, so we do recommend you pack extra snacks like nuts and energy bars to supplement during the day. Dinner in the evening is generally a hearty 3-course with generous servings. If you have any dietary requirements or food allergies (vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerance, etc.), please let us know when completing your Guest Trip form, which can be found on your Skyhook dashboard. We will advise the huts accordingly and do our best to accommodate you. Water: During the summer it can be quite warm so it's important to carry enough water. We strongly recommend taking two litres of water while hiking. The tap water at the accommodations we stay at is usually drinkable. There are limited resources along the route to fill up your bottle. Your guide can give you advice on this for each day. If this is a concern for you, then pack iodine tablets or a filter bottle.
Turin was the first capital of Italy and is a very nice place to visit. It's worth spending a day or two here before or after your trip. We recommend getting a hotel near Torino Porta Susa train station, which has a train connecting to the airport or Torino Porta Nuova, where the old city centre starts. Our meeting and end points are also very easy to reach from Torino Porta Susa, which is only a few underground stations away. There are hundreds of accommodation choices, and it's worth looking at Booking.com to find what suits you best. Anything near Torino Porta Nuova or Torino Porta Susa will work well. Here are a few suggestions for different budgets: -Tomato Backpackers (near Torino Porta Nuova), hostel/private room. -Turin Palace (near Torino Porta Nuova), 4-star hotel. - Hotel Roma (near Torino Porta Nuova), a 3-star hotel. - NH Torino Centro (near Torino Porta Susa) 4-star hotel. Torino Porta Nuova is in a nicer area in terms of being closer to the historical city centre, but it is connected to the airport by bus and not the train. The train is new and more convenient to reach Torino Porta Susa. So, if you're only spending one night, it's probably better to opt for Torino Porta Susa. If you want to spend time exploring the city, we'd suggest a hotel near Torino Porta Nuova.
If you are driving a rental car, you can meet the group at Brusson where our trail begins. There are free parking spots available here.
Yes - you must have travel insurance, including search and rescue. Unfortunately, we can't legally offer advice on travel insurance, but popular providers for clients in the past have included the British Mountaineering Council, Snowcard (UK residents) and the Austrian Alpine Club (All nationalities; an annual policy comes with other benefits).
We recommend you check on your government travel website - for the UK this is the NHS Fit for Travel website.
This depends on the country you are coming from. European/EU/EEA shouldn't need one. Non-EU countries will need an ETIAS from 2025. Please view updates about this new regulation on ETIAS.COM. This needs to be sorted out online well before you travel and has a small fee. (7 Euros). Please make sure you get this from the official website as there are scam websites charging more. It's up to individuals to ensure that travel requirements are met. The above is general information and not legal advice. You are responsible for making your own timely visa arrangements. Please check with your nearest consulate to get the exact information for your situation.
Yes, whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or have allergies. You must inform your guide via your Skyhook dashboard about your dietary requirements at least 30 days prior to the trip. We will inform the accommodation to prepare for you.
All trips on Skyhook are run by small, hand-picked local guiding companies. For this trip your guides run Trekking Alps, based in Caprie.
By booking through Skyhook you'll be joining a small-group trip. This can make it nice and sociable (you'll be added to a group chat after booking), and guarantees great value for money!