Mountain biking the Alps from Chamonix to Zermatt

This exhilarating Mountain Bikers Haute Route cycling holiday will see you following trails that have been used for centuries to link the stunning valleys which lie between. A week of stunning views of snow capped peaks and glaciers, with great technical riding both up and down! An ideal trip for any serious mountain biker, you'll also be rewarded with fantastic view of the likes of the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.

Brief Itinerary

Day 1:
Arrival in Chamonix

Day 2:
Start the trip by heading off to Le Tour at the top of the Chamonix Valley. From here you'll take the gondola to Col de Balme and then descend into Trient, Switzerland. Next, another climb to the Col de la Forclaz and a descend through the vineyards of the Martigny Valley. Follow the valley through to Val de Bagne and Verbier and finish with a ski lift to Verbier.

Day 3:
Starting in Verbier, you'll have fantastic views of the Grand Combin and Mont Blanc range as you head towards Evolene, following the 'Grand Raid Cristalp race'. You'll cover the Croix de Coeur pass and follow a fantastic singletrack before your final climb to the top of Sex Pey and descent back into Evolene.

Day 4:
Today you'll climb to two of the highest passes of the tour, Pas de Lona at 2787m and Basset de Lona at 2792m. The ride between the two is described as 'swoopy', and you'll be able to climb Basset de Lona right to the top. Once you've done that, you'll be rewarded with a long descent to the village of Grimentz.

Day 5:
You'll ride via the Illsee pass (2544m), with views of both Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Next comes a fantastic descent section with fast tracks, swooping and technical sections and tight corners. Then head back to Eischol.

Day 6:
Riding the ridge of the Swiss Rhone Valley, you'll enter into the German speaking area of Switzerland. You'll follow a single track to Moose pass, the highest point of the day - offering some of the very best views of the trip. You then follow singletracks and trails through alpine villages to the end point for the day.

Day 7:
From Saint Niklaus you'll take the final route to Zermatt, following the fantastic trails of the Zermatt Valley. You'll then get to choose between the Gornergrat train to 3016m and the Sunnegga funicular as a means of reaching the top - both offering a final view of the Matterhorn, the Breithorn and the Monte Rosa.

Day 8:
End of tour