Tour of Monte Rosa – a trek among the Giants between Italy and Switzerland

The Tour del Monte Rosa (TMR) is a 160-kilometre (99 mi) 10–stage trek that takes you among the highest peaks in Europe where the air is thinner, rocks tower above ice and silence is precious.

This route is a mix of high mountains and moments of civilisation: some stages end at alpine refuges and others in characteristic villages on the valley floor. The experience is all encompassing: you experience every facet of the life of those who live at the foot of the Giants of Europe and the Walser culture.

The landscapes are unbelievably beautiful, with 40 peaks over 4,000 metres (13,120 ft). Monte Rosa is your host on this adventure, but you also enjoy breathtaking views of the Matterhorn.

The TMR is an old route. In fact, Horace Bénédict de Saussure, a wealthy Swiss scientist and a great mountaineer was the first to hike it in 1789. On 15th July, he set off from Geneva, crossed the Simplon Pass and entered this unknown land.

The 19th century was a great period of discovery for 4,000-metre peaks, but I’ll tell your more about that on the way. Back then, the glacier conditions were very different to today. Equipment was basic and the pioneers of mountaineering often had no idea what they were getting themselves into. They made their approach in carts, on mules or with a bicycle – as far as they could go before their own legs were the only means of transport. Imagine a wild mountain, where the only noise was made by the breaking of ice and the crunching of snow under studded boots.

Horace Bénédict de Saussure didn’t go into the mountains to enjoy a relaxed holiday as we do today. He went accompanied by his son to study the orography, indigenous populations and all the unique phenomena that characterise the mountains. Until his trips, the areas and peaks were unnamed or named by the communities that lived on them. Many areas were considered to be inaccessible or even demonic.

As mentioned earlier, many followed in his footsteps and explored further in the 19th century. In the next century, however, this Tour was mostly forgotten, in part due to the outbreak of two world wars. In 1994, the Tour Monte Rosa Association was founded, continuing and improving upon the region’s long mountaineering history.

This itinerary is cross–border between Italy and Switzerland, so remember that you’ll need two currencies. The best time to walk it is from June to September, i.e. when the alpine refuges are open. It’s very important to book your overnight stays well in advance, especially those in high-altitude refuges, as they’re often used by mountaineers conquering the high peaks.

The Monte Rosa Tour is very demanding and requires plenty of physical preparation and alpine experience. You can simplify and shorten the route by using ski lifts. To take on this route, you also need to be comfortable with heights as some sections are exposed, although there are fixed ropes. There is also a long Tibetan bridge suspended across a drop on the Europaweg.

You should always carry appropriate clothing for different altitudes, sun cream, sturdy boots, a first aid kit, plenty of water and energy bars. In case of an accident or emergency, call 112 in Italy or Switzerland.

You can reach Staffa, the main town of Macugnaga, by car or bus from Domodossola station. The latter is connected to Milan by direct trains.

Happy hiking among the Giants!