Climb the Matterhorn – 6 days of great climbing
Join our 6-day Matterhorn program for an unforgettable adventure. The first four days focus on preparation climbs, refreshing and sharpening your skills for the ultimate challenge: scaling the iconic Matterhorn during the final two days.
We will take care of all planning, including checking conditions, hiring guides and ensuring the huts are booked well in advance. All you need is to arrive strong and fit for the challenge.

Training & acclimatisation days
The first four training days are spent in Chamonix on multi-pitch rock routes and various alpine climbs. The goal is to refresh skills and acclimatize before the Matterhorn attempt. We will pay specific attention to moving efficiently together on terrain resembling what we find on the Matterhorn. As the Matterhorn is close to 4500m in altitude, we will, during the training days, spend one night in a high mountain refuge and climb at altitude for optimum acclimatization. 

The Matterhorn Climb
We are all set and ready to go. We have 2 days reserved for the Matterhorn climb. You will be on a 1-1 ratio with your guide on the Matterhorn. This ensures optimum safety and a good flow during the climb.

During the Matterhorn climb, you will be roped all the way. The guide will mostly use short-roping techniques while securing tricky passages as they arrive, making small climbing pitches. We keep a certain speed to reach the summit within 4-5 hours. The descent from the top is considered as complex and time-consuming as the ascent. Making good time on our way up allows us enough time to descend the mountain carefully and swiftly before we get too tired or caught in an afternoon storm. The total time to climb and descend shouldn’t exceed 9-10 hours.

Bad weather – We make a plan “B.”
In case of bad weather or other conditions that render the climb of the Matterhorn too dangerous, the guide will turn the attention towards other significant climbs that are feasible at the time. We have many options in the Alps and can mostly drive to other areas where the weather is more stable. While this is an option, we always focus on taking on the Matterhorn challenge when possible.

The Matterhorn 4478m – A Unique Mountain
The Matterhorn, also known as Mont Cervino in Italian, is a striking mountain easily recognizable from a distance. Its steep and lengthy ridges divide the mountain from its base, creating a beautiful pyramidal shape with a sharp summit. This peak enjoys international renown for its iconic status, symbolizing the quintessence of the Swiss Alps and mountaineering.

Matterhorn was one of the last 4000m peaks to be climbed, and the successful ascent in 1865 by a party led by Edmund Whymper marked the end of what today is called the golden age of alpinism—10 years when most of the major Alpine peaks were scaled. Edmund Whymper’s book describes the history of the first ascension party.

General info on Matterhorn
First ascent of the Matterhorn

A proper challenge 
For enthusiastic mountaineers, an ascent of the Matterhorn is a highly desired goal in their climbing career. To attempt the Matterhorn, you need prior mountain experience, a relatively high technical level, and great fitness and endurance.

Two “normal” routes define the most commonly used routes to scale the Matterhorn. The Hörnli ridge (northeast ridge) is the most frequented and is the one we propose for this program. The South-West ridge from Italy, referred to as the “Lion Ridge,” is the second most climbed route to the summit.

Contrary to many other alpine routes, the Hörnli ridge has no big glaciers, crevasses, or any particular avalanche hazard. The climb is almost entirely on rocks except for the last part, which follows a steep snow slope to the summit.

The complex route-finding, the length (1200 height meters), the continuous steep terrain, and the rock-fall risk in some areas make it a challenging climb not to be underestimated.