The 5 most challenging hikes in Europe

Europe's mountains offer some of the finest long-distance trails in the world, and a handful of them stand apart for their sheer physical demands. Steep ascents day after day, exposed ridges, unpredictable weather, and long hours on rugged terrain: these routes are not beginner territory, but they reward prepared hikers with landscapes and a sense of achievement that few other trips can match. At Grand Angle, we have been guiding travellers across the Alps, the Dolomites, and beyond since 1983, and we know these trails from the ground up. Here is our selection of five of the most demanding multi-day hikes on the continent, what makes each one hard, and how to approach them safely. For a broader ranking, our dedicated article on Europe's hardest hikes goes into even more detail.

• 1. The GR20 in Corsica: the benchmark for difficulty
• 2. The Walker's Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt
• 3. The Tour du Mont Blanc: the demanding classic
• 4. Crossing the Alps from Munich to Venice
• 5. The Dolomites' high routes: altitude and exposure

1. The GR20 in Corsica: the benchmark for difficulty

Ask any seasoned trekker to name the hardest trail in Europe, and the GR20 comes up more often than any other. Running some 180 km along the granite spine of Corsica, from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south, it gains and loses around 10,000 to 12,000 metres of elevation over 15 to 16 stages. The northern half in particular involves scrambling over bare rock, iron ladders, and cable-assisted passages that go well beyond simple walking. Refuges book up quickly in July and August, and wild camping outside designated areas is prohibited, so logistics need to be planned early.

What makes the GR20 so demanding is not just the elevation gain but the terrain itself: loose granite slabs, narrow ridgelines, and long days with little shade. It is a serious step up from a first alpine trek, and we generally recommend it to hikers who already have a few multi-day mountain routes behind them, such as a Tour du Mont Blanc or a Dolomites traverse.

Good to know before you go

Best season runs from late June to September, once the snow has cleared from the high passes. Even experienced hikers should budget two full weeks for the complete crossing, and a period of hill training beforehand makes a real difference on the steepest sections.

2. The Walker's Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt

Linking two of the Alps' most iconic peaks, Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, the Haute Route covers roughly 200 km and around 15,000 metres of cumulative ascent over 11 to 14 days, crossing eleven mountain passes along the way. Daily stages regularly bring 1,000 to 1,500 metres of climbing, on terrain that is noticeably more technical and exposed than on the Tour du Mont Blanc: rocky boulder fields, glacier margins, and passes above 2,900 metres are part of the daily routine.

It is widely considered the more demanding cousin of the TMB, and previous experience of multi-day alpine trekking is strongly advised before attempting it. The reward, however, is a near-constant procession of 4,000 metre summits, from the Grand Combin to the Weisshorn and the Dom. Our Switzerland Haute Route itinerary is built around comfortable overnight stops and a pace that lets you absorb the effort over the full crossing.

Preparing for the altitude and terrain

Because several stages exceed 1,500 metres of positive elevation gain, a solid base of hill-walking fitness is essential, ideally built up over the months before departure with hikes involving sustained ascent while carrying a loaded pack.

3. The Tour du Mont Blanc: the demanding classic

The Tour du Mont Blanc circles the entire Mont Blanc massif across France, Italy, and Switzerland, covering around 170 km and close to 10,000 metres of elevation gain, usually split into 8 to 11 stages. It sits a notch below the Haute Route and the GR20 in technical difficulty, but it remains a genuine mountain challenge: daily ascents of 700 to 1,000 metres are the norm, and several passes climb above 2,500 metres, including the Col des Fours and the Fenêtre d'Arpette.

As Robin Delattre, one of our trekking guides, puts it, the TMB needs to be put into context: it is more accessible than the GR20, whose terrain is far rockier, yet clearly tougher than a walk across the Vercors plateau. We cover this in detail in our own guide to Tour du Mont Blanc difficulty, which breaks down what to expect stage by stage. First-timers will also find our beginner's guide to the TMB useful, along with advice on when to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc and which direction to walk it in.

Choosing your format

Grand Angle offers the TMB as a 10-day guided tour for those who prefer to walk alongside a mountain guide, or as a self-guided version for hikers who want to set their own pace with luggage transfers and hut bookings handled for them. Either way, three to six months of regular hiking beforehand, ideally with 800 to 1,200 metres of elevation gain per outing, will make a real difference to how you experience the trek.

4. Crossing the Alps from Munich to Venice

Less well known outside German-speaking countries but no less demanding, the traverse from Munich to Venice, sometimes called the Traumpfad or "Dream Path", takes hikers the full width of the Alps: from the Bavarian foothills, over the Karwendel and Zillertal ranges, and down through the Dolomites to the Adriatic. The full route runs close to 550 km over roughly 30 stages, with total elevation gain in the region of 20,000 to 22,000 metres, and it typically demands four to five weeks on the trail.

Several sections involve narrow, exposed ridgelines and short via ferrata–style passages, notably around Monte Schiara in the southern Dolomites, though these can usually be bypassed. It is generally regarded as a step beyond the classic E5 crossing from Oberstdorf to Merano, and is best suited to hikers who already have solid alpine experience. Our guided crossing of the Alps from Munich to Venice breaks the itinerary into manageable stages, with rest days built in along the way.

A trek best tackled in stages

Given its length, many hikers choose to split the crossing over two or three summers rather than attempt it in one go, focusing first on the sections through Austria's Tux Alps and finishing later through the Dolomites.

5. The Dolomites' high routes: altitude and exposure

The Dolomites' network of Alte Vie, or high routes, offers some of the most striking scenery in the Alps, with pale limestone towers, glacial lakes, and hut-to-hut trails that stay above 2,000 metres for days at a time. The Alta Via 1 is the most accessible of the network and a good introduction to hut-to-hut trekking in the range, covering around 120 km and 6,000 to 7,000 metres of elevation gain over 8 to 10 days. Hikers looking for a genuine step up in difficulty and remoteness typically move on to the Alta Via 2, which involves via ferrata sections and more technical, exposed terrain.

For a well-paced introduction to the range, our self-guided Alta Via 1 follows the classic route from Lago di Braies southward, while the Grande Traversée from Bolzano to Cortina and our guided hiking around Cortina explore some of the range's most demanding terrain with the support of a local guide. If you're still deciding where to start, our articles on the must-see spots in the Dolomites and the best hikes near Cortina are a good starting point.

Terrain to respect

Loose scree, narrow ledges, and sudden weather changes are part of the Dolomites experience at altitude. Sturdy boots, trekking poles, and a realistic daily itinerary matter as much here as raw fitness.

Which one should you choose first?

If you are building up to one of these routes, it helps to think of them on a rough scale of difficulty:

• Tour du Mont Blanc – a demanding but achievable first alpine trek for regular hikers.
• Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites – comparable in effort, with more altitude and rockier terrain.
• Walker's Haute Route – a clear step up, best attempted after at least one alpine multi-day trek.
• GR20 in Corsica – reserved for hikers comfortable with scrambling and exposure.
• Munich to Venice crossing – the longest commitment, usually tackled in stages over several years.

Whichever direction you take, our hiking trips across Europe and Alps hiking tours are organised in both guided and self-guided formats, so you can choose the level of support that suits you.

Exploring these trails with Grand Angle

Whether you are drawn to the rocky ridgelines of Corsica, the high passes between Chamonix and Zermatt, or the pale peaks of the Dolomites, preparation and local knowledge make all the difference on these routes. Our team has walked these trails, worked with mountain huts and local partners for decades, and can help you choose the itinerary, format, and season that match your fitness and your ambitions. For a route built entirely around your own pace and dates, our tailor-made trips across Europe are worth a look, and our team is always available through our contact page to help you plan your next challenge.