Our 5 Favourite Alpine Huts from this Summer:
Whilst checking up on our hut to hut trails this summer, we stayed in a great deal of mountain huts, across all parts of the Alps. So, to help you choose your own adventure, we decided to draw up a list of our favourite hut stays from this summer!
1. Rifugio Averau (Italy)
Alta Via 1 - Dolomites
When we think of our last stay at Rifugio Averau, the delicious food is the first thing that springs to mind. We were greeted with a slice of prosecco cake so delicious it immediately made us forget our achy legs after a long day of walking. We made sure to save some appetite for dinner, and we certainly had no regrets there…the four course meal went well above any hut dinner we’ve had before, served in a cosy, almost restaurant-like atmosphere.
With plenty of marmots bustling around in the meadow right underneath the hut and an excellent viewpoint for a Dolomite sunset, this is a hut not to miss. Just be sure to come back hungry for breakfast the next morning - it’ll be worth it!
www.rifugioaverau.it
Rifugio Averau, with Cinque Torre behind. Alta Via 1 - Dolomites.
Some of the amazing food at Rifugio Averau. Alta Via 1 - Dolomites.
2. Bluemlisalp Hutte (Switzerland)
Via Alpina 1 - Central Highlights
After climbing up the Hohtürli pass on a particularly hot day this August, we would have probably been happy about any place to drop our backpacks and kick off our boots. So when we finally saw the impressive stone building of the Bluemlisalp hut looming just above us, with a glacier (!) right next to it, we were left speechless (might have had something to do with the ascent as well).
The hut can sleep around 120 people and provides a warm, welcoming base for the night. Sit outside, almost within reach of the Bluemlisalp glacier, or spend the evening in the cosy lounge. And if you’re lucky, you get to watch a helicopter supply delivery before you head off the next morning!
www.sac-bluemlisalp.ch
Sunset at the Bluemlisalp Hutte. Via Alpina 1 - Switzerland (Central Highlights)
Tea and Glaciers outside the Bluemlisalp Hutte. Via Alpina 1 - Switzerland (Central Highlights)
3. Chamanna Cluozza (Switzerland)
Engadin Region
Chamanna Cluozza is the only catered hut in the Swiss National Park and well worth a visit for both day walks and overnight stays. Newly renovated, with a sustainable approach at heart, this hut can only be reached by foot. Unlike most other huts we have mentioned here, it’s not located on the open mountainside, but in beautifully green woodland.
Nevertheless you are surrounded by spectacular views of the Val Cluozza and the peak of Piz Quattervals as you sit on the terrace. There even is a telescope right outside the hut, to help you spot birds, red deer and other wildlife!
www.nationalpark.ch
Chamanna Cluozza. Engadin Region (Switzerland)
The view nearby the Chamanna Cluozza. Engadin Region (Switzerland)
4. Cabane des Dix (Switzerland)
Walker’s Haute Route
Sitting atop a craggy peak, surrounded by a wild and rocky landscape, the Cabane des Dix feels like it’s on a different planet. The hut sits amongst the ‘Grand Desert’, a vast area of wilderness which the Walker’s Haute Passes traverses (from Verbier to Arolla we walked almost 40km without seeing a road or civilisation). From the terrace, an amazing panorama surrounds you - the huge, glaciated peak of Mont Blanc de Cheilon dominates right in front of the hut.
But regardless of the surroundings, the hut boasts one of the most friendly and laid back atmospheres we’ve ever experienced. The relatively young crew running the place make it feel cosy and homely, with great food, an outdoor fire, music sessions, and possibly the best craft beer selection of any mountain hut. A bit like a hipster bar, frequented only by those who’ve walked a long way!
www.cabanedesdix.com
Approaching the Cabane des Dix on the Walker’s Haute Route (Switzerland).
Approaching the Cabane des Dix on the Walker’s Haute Route (Switzerland).
5. Refugio Walter Bonatti (Italy)
Tour du Mont Blanc
Situated on one of the undeniable highlight sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc, Rifugio Walter Bonatti isn’t exactly a secret, but it more than deserves its place on this list, simply for that view. The rifugio sits high up the south side of the glorious Val Ferret in Italy, and across the other side of the valley the monumental peaks and glaciers of the Grandes Jorasses rear up at the eastern end of the Mont Blanc Massif.
The terrace in front of the rifugio is usually full of daytrippers who sit mesmerised by the vista in front of them. In the evening things quieten down, and over dinner at the Rifugio you can watch the peaks light up a beautiful shade of pink, cast by the setting sun.
www.rifugiobonatti.it
The view from Refugio Walter Bonatti. Tour du Mont Blanc (Italy).