This summer I had the chance to take on one of the toughest and most rewarding treks in the Alps: the Tour de Monte Rosa. Over nine days, I trekked on a trail through a stunning mix of alpine pastures, challenging dirt trails and large boulder fields that require careful navigation, all while carrying everything I needed on my back. I’m going to go into more detail about this (and more) to explain why I believe the Tour de Monte Rosa is one of the best and hardest treks you can undertake in the Alps.

On paper, the Tour du Mont Blanc is the bigger trek, with more distance and more elevation. It also carries the fame of the UTMB, which is held there every year. However, with this comes much bigger paths and larger infrastructure to accommodate the ever-growing numbers of trekkers looking to undertake it each year. I found the Tour de Monte Rosa is far less travelled, the paths are quieter and you can easily go a full day having only seen a handful of people, most of whom are locals who regularly use the paths for recreation or to access farmland and villages that lack road access. This gives the Tour de Monte Rosa a far more adventurous feel. Due to of the comparatively small numbers on the trails they are often narrower and in some areas less well maintained. This means that whilst walking, you will often have to navigate boulder fields, loose dirt tracks winding their way up the sides of waterfalls and areas that have good amounts of exposure but equally impressive views to match. When I was on the trail, there was sense that I was somewhere a lot less travelled and combined with the ever-changing terrain, this made the trip really stand out to me. Coming along the balcony path on the final day with impressive views of the Weissmiess and an equally dramatic drop just to my left will always be one of my favourite days hiking.

For the full 9 days of trekking, you will be completely self-supported with no access to a large suitcase and, unless you are carrying them, only a very limited selection of fresh clothes. This can result in a large pack; mine weighed between 17-19kg depending on water and food. Inside was everything I needed for the trek (if you would like a more in-depth report of what to carry, check out Tim’s blog here). It is definitely worth getting plenty of training in before the trip, as well as making sure you are used to how your bag fits and what the most efficient way to pack it is. I found that after few days on the trail I had a good system in place, but it would have been even better to have this sorted before I went.

The views and sheer variety in the peaks you experience on this trip really makes it a stand out. Each day we crossed a new col and were greeted with an entirely different set of mountains, which stayed with us for that afternoon and the following morning. One of the most stunning views is from Refugio Pastore, from the dining room and decking you have a clear view of Piramide Vincent, Ludwigshöhe, Parrotspitze and with the assistance of their free to use telescope Signalkuppe and the Margherita Hut. This hut is perched right on the edge of Signalkuppe and is the highest Hut in the Alps. On arrival at Pastore its worth, scanning the ridgeline above to try and spot mountaineers making their way back from the summits to the Hut. As the walk progresses you see more famous peaks of the Monte Rosa Massif, including Pollux, a rocky peak popular with alpinists. You will also encounter the Matterhorn, whose shadow you spend two days walking beneath. Few places in the Alps allow you to see such a wide variety of peaks in a single trek. The ever-changing faces of the Monte Rosa Massif will keep your eyes firmly fixed on it at all times.

I have already touched on the self-supported nature of the trek and the added challenge of carrying everything you need with you, but fitness is a major aspect of undertaking the Tour de Monte Rosa. You will be spending 7-8 hours most days (some 8-9) walking over large passes averaging over 1000m of elevation gain per day. This requires a high level of fitness and is not something to be easily disregarded. This is another way in which the Tour de Monte Rosa really sets itself apart from the Tour du Mont Blanc. You may not cover quite as much distance but the intensity and lack of rest really does make this challenge a step up. You should be comfortable not only with your pack before heading off, but also with large back-to-back days in the hills, covering distance of 15-20km and ascending around 1000m.

A real highlight of this trip was the hut-to-hut nights as you navigate through Italy and back into Switzerland. I have already mentioned the amazing views from Refugio Pastore, but as you continue the trek and move from valley to valley the excellent selection of huts continues. The word “hut” or “refuge” is a little bit misleading as it may conjure images of small bothies in Scotland come to mind but these are very different. When you first arrive you are usually met by the warm and friendly hut guardian ready to welcome you into a comfortable shared room, before treating you to a three course (sometimes four course) meal that will replenish everything you used to reach the hut. Often courses of hearty soup and pasta are followed by a main course, usually some vegetables and meat followed by a dessert. Every refuge we stopped at also had a bar and great seating area outside to soak up the views over a drink and talk through some of the highlights of the day with your group -always a welcome way to end the day.

The Tour de Monte Rosa is a trek that will stay with you long after you have finished, it’s the challenge combined with the stunning scenery and trails that really sets it apart from other more popular alpine treks. Although it is a serious physical undertaking it is not out of the reach of a keen hillwalker and the reward of getting into Tour de Monte Rosa shape is all a part of what makes this trek so special.