Hike the Tour du Mont Blanc

This is a hiking trip and some of the sections are demanding. You must be fit and in good health in order to join this trip. Please carefully read descriptions of all hikes in the day to day itinerary. If need be, please start preparing for this trip physically 4 to 6 weeks prior to your departure.

Be sure to bring the appropriate gear required for alpine hikes. See the ‘Packing’ section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.

Luggage transfer included is for 1 piece of luggage per person with a strict weight restriction of 9kg and packed in a soft bag/duffle bag or a rucksack.

This trip visits points over 2500m, where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Please be aware of the symptoms and let your leader know if you or any of your fellow travellers experience any.

This is a point-to-point walking trip, allowing you to access remote and beautiful parts of the alps. However, this also means once you start a day’s walk, there’s no turning back – so be prepared!

On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight under 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips.

1. This trip starts with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 01 in Chamonix.
2. This trip ends on Day 08 and you are free to leave at any time.
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement is subject to availability and applies only for nights spent in Chamonix. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. Luggage transfer included is for 1 piece of luggage per person with a strict weight restriction of 9kg and packed in a soft bag/duffle bag or a rucksack. Any excess luggage can be stored in Chamonix for the duration of the trek at extra cost of €40.

As well as your underwear, toothbrush and other items you always need to pack for travel, below are some items that you specifically need for this trip.

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list

MAIN LUGGAGE
You need to bring your main piece of luggage as well as a small to medium backpack for day’s walks (20-25 litres). One with waist strap would be most comfortable for all included walks.
Please note, your main luggage is going to be transported from one hotel to the other while you walk. Luggage transfer included is for 1 piece of luggage per person with a strict weight restriction of 9kg and packed in a soft bag/duffle bag or a rucksack. Any excess luggage can be stored in Chamonix for the duration of the trek, at extra cost.

ESSENTIALS

- Day pack: for carrying essentials during activities
- Trekking clothing: A mixture covering lightweight clothing and some warm layers is recommended. Your activities will take place in the outdoors, where weather may change quickly. Lightweight, comfortable, and quick drying clothes for the activities are best. Laundry facilities may not be available on every day basis, so make sure you have a few cycles of clothes.
- Hiking boots with a good grip, ankle support and waterproof membrane that are comfortable to walk for an entire day
- Walking Poles for support on steep uphill sections and longer descents
- Comfortable shoes for shorter beach walks or evenings spend around accommodation
- Sport sandals
- Light jacket, fleece and base layers
- Wind and waterproof jacket
- Breathable, non-cotton hiking t-shirts
- Long hiking pants or zip-offs
- Nylon hiking shorts
- Water bottle or bladder: you will need water during activities and it’s best to avoid buying unnecessary plastic.
- Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses, sunhat or bandana
- Torch/flashlight/headtorch
- Toiletries

RECOMMENDED

- Personal medical kit. A larger kit will be on hand with your leader, but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, antihistamine tablets and any personal medication you may need
- Ear plugs & eye mask
- Walking poles for longer walks and uneven terrain
- Camera with spare batteries/power bank: You will have access to power to recharge your electrical items daily
- Travel eco-friendly wipes/hand sanitizer

OPTIONAL

- Swimwear
- A good book, a journal and music player

VALUABLES

Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables. It’s also recommended to bring a copy of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, etc. and keep the copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a photocopy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary.
If you need some further tips for packing, you can always check out our ultimate packing list.

WATER BOTTLE

Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments.

Although no mountaineering experience is required on this trip, a good level of physical fitness is necessary. You must be comfortable hiking up to 8-10 hours a day, with many steep uphill sections, uneven, rocky terrain and in unpredictable weather. This hike is a strenuous one, so the better prepared you are, the more you should enjoy it.

We recommend that in the months leading up to your climb you increase your physical fitness with aerobic exercise. Walking, running and stair-climbing will all strengthen your legs and improve your stamina.

Hotel Le Prieure, 149 allée Recteur Payot Mont Blanc, Chamonix, 74400, FRANCE, Phone: +33 450532072

Alternate Joining Point

Shuttle bus services from Geneva Airport offer the most appropriate way of getting to Chamonix in terms of time and efficiency. The journey between Geneva Airport and Chamonix in nine or 13-seater minibuses takes approximately 1h 40min and cost €17 - €20 (subject to change). Minibuses would operate every 2-3 hours throughout the day. There are no direct train services from Geneva to Chamonix. Travelling from Geneva to Chamonix by train will require a minimum of 1 change.
From Chamonix Sud Bus Station, your hotel could be reached by foot (400 metres, 5 min walk).

Hotel Le Prieure, 149 allée Recteur Payot Mont Blanc, Chamonix, 74400, FRANCE, Phone: +33 450532072

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 7

Lunches included: 6

Dinners included: 6

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in the world. Your group leader will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

BREAKFASTS
There are some continental breakfasts included on this trip which may simply include bread/toast or pastries, butter, jam, coffee/tea/juice (or similar).

VEGETARIANS
Vegetarians might find the menu selection in Europe less varied than they would see at home. Vegetarianism is not as common in this region and generally the choices are basic, involving vegetables, soups, salads, bread, cheese, fruit, yoghurt, eggs etc. Vegans and those on gluten-free diets may find this region very challenging and may need to supplement meals with their own supplies from supermarkets and markets. Wherever possible we will cater for dietary needs for any included meals, but there may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own.

As this is a walking trip, it will be a good idea to stock up on snacks you can fuel on during the day; mixed nuts, energy bars and sweet fruit are usually the best choice for this sort of activity.

SUMMER
Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C/104°F), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

SHOULDER SEASON
In contrast, weather in shoulder season can be unpredictable, and snow is not unheard of at higher altitudes. If you travel at the start or towards the end of the European season please pack accordingly with warm and/or waterproof clothes (preferably layers). The advantage of travelling during this time is that there are less tourists around.

Weather in the mountains is unpredictable. Conditions are often more extreme and can change very quickly up in the hills and mountains. A fine and clear day can turn cold, wet and windy with very poor visibility setting in within minutes. Always carry a rani jacket with you and extra layer of clothing, as well as sunglasses and sunhat.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Altai: +33(0)7 82 83 55 04

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.

TWIN SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.

CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.

PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

FACILITIES
Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges.

As this is a walking trip the majority of distances will be covered on foot. Some stretches may be done by public bus or private vehicle.