The classic hut-to-hut routes
Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland): about 170 km in 10–11 days, the best-known circuit in the Alps.
Alta Via 1 (Dolomites): about 120 km in 8–11 days, the classic first Dolomites route.
Alta Via 2 (Dolomites): about 180 km in 12–14 days, higher and more technical.
Walker's Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt) and the Tour of Monte Rosa: longer, higher crossings for experienced walkers.
How mountain huts work
Huts (refuges, rifugi, Hütten) offer dormitory or small-room beds, with half board — dinner and breakfast — as the norm. Bring a sleeping-bag liner, slippers are usually provided, and some huts still prefer cash. Alpine club members get discounted rates in many huts.
Booking and costs
Popular huts open reservations in winter or spring and fill fast for July and August. Half board typically costs €60–€100 per night depending on the country, with Switzerland at the top of that range.
Going with a guide
Marked summer hut-to-hut routes are the terrain of an international mountain leader (IML/UIMLA). Routes with glacier crossings or roped sections need an IFMGA mountain guide. A guide also holds the hut bookings and makes the daily weather call between high and low variants.
Related questions
Do you need to book mountain huts in advance?
Yes, for July and August. Popular huts fill weeks or months ahead; a few hold beds for walkers who turn up, but relying on that is risky on busy routes.
What is the best hut-to-hut hike for beginners?
Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites and the Tour du Mont Blanc are the usual first choices: marked paths, no glacier travel and plenty of huts to break the route up.