Trail Running the Haute Route, Guided and Self-Guided Pyrenees Trail Running, and Running Tour Levels From Beginner to Advanced Runners
The Haute Route: NEW for Summer 2025
From Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland
Travel by foot from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland while trail running the legendary Haute Route and combine some of the most epic mountain running (aka lots of power hiking!) that you can experience in the Alps. Starting with views of Mount Blanc and ending with views of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, this trail covers almost 130 miles with just over 40,000 feet of elevation gain in 9 days (7 days on the trail with 6 days of running and one rest day). You'll enjoy a good meal, hot shower and comfortable bed each night staying in a mixture of towns with comfortable hotels, and the occasional incredibly scenic mountain-top hut before starting out for long and challenging days on the trail. Your professional and experienced local mountain trail running guide will show you the highlights of this region on this guided trail running vacation. If you're looking for a step up from the Tour du Mont Blanc in terms of intensity, this trip is for you. This is one of our most adventurous trips for experienced runners and is truly an adventure of a lifetime!
Trip Difficulty: Full Send (click to learn more about trip difficulty levels). This is for experienced runners or trail runners and includes an estimated time of 7-10 hours per day on trails for 6 days with one rest day in the middle. You will cover 17-23 miles per day with 6,000-8,000 feet of elevation gain/loss per day. This is our most extreme Runcation in terms of mileage and elevation gain.
Accommodations: Hotels and Huts
Who's it For: This trip is for anyone that's attended a Level 3 Runcation and at the end of the day asked, that's it? It's for those that are looking to get a bit sendy, challenge themselves, and enjoy a bit of a sufferfest on their vacation with big days back to back in the mountains. You've probably completed an ultra or a multi-day fastpacking route, and aren't a stranger to 20 miles with 7,000-8,000 feet of gain in the mountains. You know what power hiking is and have maybe had some experience on technical sections of trails or steep climbs. You've got the fitness, but are looking for a community to tackle this route with. You've got trail experience, but for a route as long and technical as this one, you're looking for an experienced local mountain guide to lead through technical sections, make changes if necessary due to weather, and tell you all about the gorgeous mountains you're in!
NEW PYRENEES ITINERARY FOR SUMMER 2025
Head to the European mountain range less traveled on our new Pyrenees Val d'Aran Runcation. This Runcation is for runners that LOVE the adventure of mountain trails and the beauty they offer, from technical singletrack trails with jaw-dropping views of forests, granite, and waterfalls, to runnable dirt roads through rolling green valleys bursting with wildflowers. We combine our favorite trails and corners of the French and Spanish Pyrenees, combining sections of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park in the Catalan Pyrenees, views of Aneto, and other gems of the Val d'Aran. The beauty of the natural landscape pairs nicely with charming villages, including one voted as one of the most beautiful in Spain.
On this special Runcation we run point to point each day and stay in comfortable 2/3/4-star hotels throughout the trip as well as one night at a curated mountain hut where you can fall asleep next to an alpine lake, drink local wine, and learn more about the mountain culture in this special region. While the Pyrenees are notorious for their technical mountain trails, we like to think this trip is perfect for trail runners that want to dip their toes into Pyrenees running and explore the more non-technical zones of the Pyrenees while exploring a different valley each day and staying in hotels with charming towns (and indulging in a spa or two).
On this guided trail running tour of the Pyrenees, you'll discover uncrowded trails and French/Spanish/Catalan/Occitan culture with runs and views not often found in just one week-long tour of the region. With food so delicious and people so friendly paired with views so beautiful and trails that feel so remarkably wild, you might find yourself scratching your head and wondering, "Where is everyone?" Discover the gems of the Val d'Aran Pyrenees for yourself on our guided and self-guided Pyrenees running vacations.
Trip Difficulty: Level 2-3 (click to learn more about trip difficulty levels). Please note: while this trip gets a level 3 for the mileage and includes some technical trails, the moderate elevation gain in the mountains, comfortable hotel accommodation, and less technical routes (well, less technical as possible in the Pyrenees) also gives it a level 2-3 rating.
Accommodations: 2/3/4-star hotels and one night in a hut
Who's It For: You love bigger days on the trail, but also appreciate getting in early enough for downtime, a massage at the spa, or having a drink with other runners in town. You prefer private rooms in hotels to recover after days in the mountains and have been curious about visiting wilder regions and trails in Europe, but want an experiences local trail running guide to pick out the ones best suited for running. You want to join other like-minded trail runners, meet runners from new areas, and make some friends, and have the added safety of a mountain guide (who will also become a new friend) that can help you learn about the rich culture of this region.
Learn More: Guided Pyrenees Aug 24-30, 2025
Our Popular Self-Guided Itinerary From 2024 is Back! Learn More (June-Sept 2025)
Leave Your Energy Gels Behind
Our very first Runcation was our hut to hut Dolomites tour, and the huts we’ve curated over the years are not your average huts. Leave your energy gels behind on this hut to hut trail running tour along a high route in the Italian Dolomites. There’s no shortage of cappuccino, beet and deer ravioli, local cheeses, spritz, insalata mista, vegetable soups, pastries, spaghetti, and even Prosecco cake (you can read more about our favorites on our blog below). We tackle some impressive mileage and gain along the way (you can check out the elevation profiles on our website for details) and are well-fueled along the way. For those that have been asking about self-guided, these special rifugios we visit are already sold out for most of July, but the good news is we still have spots secured on our guided tours. Join us July 11-17 or July 18-24, 2025!
Trip Details
Level 3 ⛰️ ⛰️⛰️
Accommodations: A 4-star hotel Cortina and mountain rifugios with breakfasts and dinners included
Dates: July 11-17 and July 18-24, 2025
Food: 🔥
Read Our Blog On Rifugio Cuisine
Learn More About Hut to Hut Guided July 11-17 + July 18-24, 2025
Which Trip Is Right For Me?
Which trip is right for you? Have you checked out our trip difficulty page? Our trips are graded by 4 different levels from Level 1 ⛰️ to Full Send ⛰️ ⛰️ ⛰️ + and you can even take a quiz to see which trip is right for you!