TOUR OF THE MATTERHORN

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1 An alpine trekking holiday, completing a circuit of the Matterhorn in Switzerland Cross the Teodulo Pass with stunning views of the Matterhorn Stay in the famous alpine town of Zermatt Impressive alpine scenery and all meals included Stay in lovely family run hotels and remote mountain huts HOLIDAY CODE TMN Italy, Switzerland, Trek & Walk, 11 Days 2 nights mountain hut / refuge, 8 nights hotel, 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 10 dinners, max group size: 10, 9 days trekking, max altitude m VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE

2 PAGE 2 Introduction The Matterhorn, standing at 4477m has become an iconic emblem of the Swiss Alps and of the Alps in general. On this incredible alpine walking holiday we circumnavigate this isolated mountain, allowing us fantastic views of three of its four faces. We begin our adventure from the small town of St Niklaus; from the first day of walking the views are already simply stunning; a taster of what s to come! Making our way from one idyllic alpine village to another (La Sage being a particular highlight), eagerly awaiting those impressive views of the Matterhorn; namely from the famous Alpine town of Zermatt, we will cross airy mountain passes, beautiful alpine meadows and even walk over glaciers. A true adventure, in some of the most dramatic alpine scenery. Is this holiday for you? The Tour of the Matterhorn is a fantastic, yet challenging Alpine walk. It is not practicable to provide vehicle support for this circuit, so, this is an unsupported trek. You will have to carry all of your own equipment from the start of the trip to the finish. In practice, especially considering that neither sleeping bag nor camping mattress are needed for this trip, you should be able to keep the packed weight of your rucksack to as little as 8kg. Although the trek is generally on good mountain paths this is a trip for the experienced trekker. On average, we will walk for 6-7 hours each day, with some longer days. There is a considerable amount of ascent and descent on this trekking holiday and a good level of fitness is essential. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in St. Niklaus. Evening briefing We meet at the group hotel in St.Niklaus. Here, you will meet your guides and be made to feel at home. In the evening, we will have an informal chat about the week ahead. There will also be a chance for our guide to check out your clothing and equipment. We have our evening meal in the Hotel. MEALS D Day 2: Cable car to Jungen (1960m), walk over the Augustbordpass (2894m) and on to Gruben (1820m). After a lovely breakfast at our hotel we have a short walk through town to catch the cable car up to the hamlet of Jungen; from here there is a stunning view back down the valley. We continue up to the Augustbordpass passing forests on the way to reach our highest point of the day. A wonderful and relativly gentle path leads us all the way down to our destination; Gruben. DISTANCE 14KM TIME 5-6 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 3: Walk up to the Meidpass (2790m) and down to Zinal (1650m). From our hotel we head into the woodland to begin our ascent up to the Meidpass. After about an hour we leave the treeline behind at which point the gradient does ease slightly, giving a wonderful view up towards our col. From the col it is nearly down all the way to Zinal, passing a stunning viewpoint part way down we traverse around the hillside above the trees until we drop down relativly steeply through the forest on a zig zag path to reach Zinal itself.

3 PAGE 3 A steady hike to the collection of chalets at Obstaffel, then we cross the Meidpass and trek via a high valley to the Hotel Weisshorn. Onwards and upvalley, then steeply down to Zinal. DISTANCE 23KM TIME 6-7 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 4: Cross the Col de Sorebois (2895m) and the Col de Torrent (2919m) and descend to La Sage. We have an early start as today s walk involves crossing two high cols. The first ascent is to the lower of the two, but this still offers a little challenge first thing in the morning with the terrain steepening towards to the top - the stunning views from the col are however certainly a just reward! We head down to the beautiul Lac de Moiry, the deep turqoise stands out contrasting with the green of the mountains and the white snow in the distance. Our second col of the day, the Col de Torrent, although higher is not as steep and allows us to fully take in the wonderful scenary around us. Our day finishes in the idylic hamlet of La Sage. DISTANCE 23KM TIME 7-8 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 5: Walk to Arolla (2000m) via La Gouille and Lac Bleu (2100m). An easier day today, meaning we are very likely to have breakfast and leave a little later this morning. A gentle yet beautiful walk up to the chalets at La Gouille, from here we divert off the main path slightly to visit the very picturesque Lac Bleu - a perfect place for a lunch stop. From here we continue on this scenic path traversing these lower slopes and finally down to the small village of Arolla. DISTANCE 11KM TIME 5-6 HRS TREKKING HOURS Day 6: Cross the Arolla Glacier and the Col Collon (3074m) and down to the Prarayer Refuge (2000m). After a hearty breakfast at our hotel we head out for this excellent high mountain day. This morning we are accompanied by an IFMGA qualified guide as we ascend to the Col Collon (3074m) via the Arolla Glacier - there is a wonderful feeling of being truely out in the mountains today, away from civilisation. From the Col we descend into Italy, into the valley of Oren - a steep sided valley, now with the snow high above us. We make our way down to the beautiful Lac des Places de Moulin, with the Prarayer Refuge perfectly situated on the shores. A wonderful terrace might just be the perfect place for a well earned beer or hot chocolate. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE TIME 7-8 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 7: Over the Col de Valcournera (3060m) and down to Breuil - Cervinia. Today is arguably the highlight of the holiday - wild and technically interesting. We traverse through a beautiful larch woodland before climbing up to the head of the valley of Valcournera, we encounter a few sections of slightly exposed ground but these are assisted by ladders and cables, before reaching the Col de Valcournera we might also need to cross a few sections of snow. From the Col we descend towards a pair of mountain tarns known as Dragon Lake TIME 7-8 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 8: Over the Col Theodule (3295m) walk down the glacier to Gandegg and onwards to Zermatt.

4 PAGE 4 As we must today descend a glacier, we will be taken on this next section by an IFMGA qualified guide. The guide will rope the group up, but no specialist equipment is required other than regular hiking boots and trekking poles. After breakfast, we are joined by our IFMGA Guide and we start down the easy-angled Theodule Glacier (we are now moving back into German speaking territory - hence the change of spelling). Views are superb, with the centrepiece again being the Matterhorn, complemented by the Alphubel, Dom, Obergabelhorn, Zinalrothorn and Weisshorn, on both sides of the Mattertal. At Gandegg, we leave the ice and traverse glacial moraine heading down towards the fleshpots of Zermatt and our village hotel. Day 9: Walk down the Mattertal to the village of Randa, then ascend to the Europahutte (2220m). This morning we leave Zermatt heading down the Mattertal towards the Rhone Valley. It's a day of pleasant strolling through the larch forests and the flower meadows as we meander along the riverside. After Tasch we reach the village of Randa and there we begin to work in earnest as we climb steadily through the larch forests on a steep zig zag trail taking us ever higher, under the jagged peaks of the Taschorn and the Dom. Eventually, we reach the stunningly situation Europahutte where the guardian Marcel will be waiting to prepare your dinner. The hut is relatively new and is situated in a really prime position for views of the Weisshorn. A sunset with a beer and the alpenglow setting on the peaks opposite is to be savoured. Previously, we would have climbed out of Zermatt and taken the Europaweg all the way to the Europahutte but extensive stone fall last summer has closed this section. If it opens during your trip then we will be taking the Europaweg to the hut. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE Day 10: Walk to Grachen. A short bus ride to St Niklaus. As we head out on our final day of walking we realise that this path just gets better and better. Two river crossings, exposed sections of trail and awesome cliffs overlooking us, are all part of the mix en route to St Niklaus. We have one last descent down to the chocolate box village of Grachen. From here we use a local bus to take us to our accommodation in St Niklaus. Day 11: Departure day. KE Land Only package services end with breakfast at the hotel. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included An experienced KE leader A qualified IFMGA Guide for Day 6 and for the afternoon of Day 8 Accommodation for 10 nights All cable-car and land transport included in the itinerary (not airport transfers)

5 PAGE 5 All meals What's Not Included Travel Insurance Airport transfers Transfers and cable cars not part of the itinerary Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc. Meal Plan All meals are included in the holiday price from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 11. Supplementary snacks and drinks can be purchased from the huts or supermarkets when in the valley. Food As to be expected, the food available in restaurants and hotels in Italy and Switzerland is excellent. In huts food is simple and wholesome with usually a limited choice which will include a vegetarian option. Continental breakfasts and evening meals are provided by our accommodation. Joining Arrangements & Transfers You must join group at the hotel in St Niklaus in the evening of Day 1 of the trip itinerary. The guide will hold a trek briefing at the hotel before the evening meal. There are two convenient international airports which allow easy access by train to St Niklaus. Zurich - transfer time approx. 3hrs 40 mins - cost one way is about 90.00, and Geneva - transfer time approx 4 hrs - cost one way is about Train tickets can be booked on-line with Swiss Federal Railways on or by telephone on The railway station is actually in the airport at Geneva and there is an hourly service (throughout most of the day) to Saint Niklaus VS, Bahnhof, connecting in Visp. Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation. If you are intending to drive to St Niklaus, we will provide route details and directions to the group hotel. The railway station is actually in the airport at Geneva and there is an hourly service (throughout most of the day) to St. Niklaus VS, Bahnhof connecting in Visp. From the train station - St Niklaus is very small and the Hotel La Reserve is about 10 minutes walk from the railway station. Exit train station. Turn right and walk down the hill to join the main street. Turn right and continue until it reaches a main road. Turn right again. Keep following this road until you reach a roundabout (look out for the metal Santa in the centre of the roundabout - you cannot miss it!). The hotel can be seen on the other side of the roundabout on the road heading to Zermatt. If you have a lot of baggage you can take a taxi from the railway station. Taxi service in St. Niklaus By car - As you approach the village of St Niklaus from Visp, there is a roundabout that splits the main road to Zermatt (straight on) and the old road into the village (right). Go straight on here onto the second roundabout with a large Santa in the middle of it. Take the turn off for Zermatt, the hotel is immediately on your left.

6 PAGE 6 Accommodation During this trip, the group will spend a total of 8 nights in either hotel or gite accommodation in St Niklaus (2 nights), Gruben, Zinal, La Sage, Arolla, Breuil and Zermatt. This accommodation is generally in twin or triple rooms. But, in one or two places, we may use dormitory rooms. There are also 2 nights in mountain huts, where the accommodation is on a non-segregated, dormitory-style basis. In the high mountain huts, washing facilities may be limited. Group Leader & Support Staff A qualified (IML) guide will accompany the group throughout. Altitude This holiday involves going to moderately high altitude. During the course of your trip you will reach altitudes in excess of 2500 metres. Most people will have no difficulty with this level of altitude but before coming on the holiday, we recommend you read the advice on trekking at high altitude. You can also talk to one of our trekking experts if you have any concerns about altitude. Spending Money The package price includes all accommodation, guiding and all meals. You should make an allowance for additional snacks, drinks etc. Beer, wine and soft drinks are available every night. On the tour we spend 8 nights Switzerland and 2 nights in Italy and you should take your spending money in a mix of Swiss francs and Euros. Approximately 160 Swiss Francs and 40 Euros should adequately cover typical personal spending requirements. There are ATMs in Geneva Airport where only Swiss Francs can be drawn and ATMs in Zermatt where both currencies can be drawn. If you are intending to hire or purchase items of equipment, you should budget accordingly (credit cards can be useful in this respect). Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

7 PAGE 7 General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. The unit of currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate The temperatures that we can expect to encounter during the day will be reasonably warm, ranging from 15 C/ 59 F to 25 C/ 77 F. It can be cool in the evenings at our highest overnight stopping places, falling close to freezing point at night. The weather is usually stable during July and August, but mountainous areas do generate their own weather systems and occasional rain and even stormy weather cannot be ruled out. You should be prepared for all eventualities!

8 PAGE 8 Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Geneva Airport which is approximately three and half hour's from St Niklaus by train. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Geneva. These include Easyjet who have flights from London, Manchester, Liverpool & Glasgow and Jet 2 who have flights from Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Birmingham & Belfast. Other airports may be available. If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE.

9 PAGE 9 RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of

10 PAGE 10 the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

11 PAGE 11 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. You Must Bring The Following Items: Hiking boots Trainers Socks Underwear Trekking trousers Waterproof overtrousers Waterproof jacket Shorts Thermal baselayer shirts (1 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve) Casual shirts and/or T-shirts Fleece jacket or warm jumper Lightweight thermal gloves Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Earplugs (particularly if you are not the one snoring!) Selection of dry bags (to keep main bag contents dry) Daypack 40 litres Headtorch and spare batteries Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Water bottles 2 litres Sleeping bag liner / sheet sleeping bag Washbag and toiletries Lightweight travel towel Antibacterial hand wash Basic First Aid Kit including: antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium) painkillers, plasters and blister treatment.?the Following Items Are Optional: Spare laces Gaiters Trekking poles Camera Pen-knife (remember to pack sharp objects in hold baggage) Travel clothes Lightweight down pullover or jacket

12 PAGE 12 Notes: Sleeping bags are not required, as bedding is provided. However we recommend you bring a sheet sleeping bag for use in the mountain huts. Please note: This document was downloaded on 9 Feb 2018, and the trip is subject to change.