DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1: Meeting in Chamonix Mont Blanc, France

Meet with your guide and tour leader in our hotel for welcome, equipment check and a briefing on the Tour du Mont Blanc ahead. Your evening is free to explore the many bars and restaurants in Chamonix.

DAY 2: Above Chamonix to Les Houches

Our trip starts with a cable car ride that takes us up to nearly 2000 meters. Here, above the tree line, we begin a stunning high-level walk above the Chamonix valley with exceptional views of Mont Blanc. We descend to the village Les Houches and a traditional Savoyard hotel for the night. (B+D)

DAY 3: Les Houches to Les Contamines

We take a cable car to the top of the ski area in Les Houches. From here, we traverse below the towering Aiguille de Bionnasay and cross the snout of it's glacier on a suspension bridge, before arriving at the Col de Tricot. It's now steeply downhill to the Miage mountain pasture, where a charming mountain hut offer refreshments, before we continue on the last stretch down to the charming village Les Contamines. (B+D)

DAY 4: Les Contamines to Vallée des Glaciers

From Les Contamines we climb steadily up an old roman way towards the top of the Contamines valley. A stunning and wild walk takes us over a succession of mountain passes before our descent to the Vallée des Glaciers (the Glaciers Valley) and the final short stretch to a traditional mountain hut. (B+D)

DAY 5: Vallée des Glaciers to Courmayeur, Italy

We leave our charming hut behind and ascend to the Seigne mountain pass, where we cross the border into Italy and get the first views of the dramatic Italian side of Mont Blanc. A gentle descend into the beautiful Val Veny where we transfer the final, short distance into the Italian town Courmayeur. Your evening is free to explore the many bars and restaurants in Courmayeur. (B)

DAY 6: Free day in Courmayeur, Italy

A well-deserved free day to rest, relax and explore the many sights and activities around the chic and charming Italian town of Courmayeur. (B)

DAY 7: Courmayeur to Rifugio Val Ferret

From the town center of Courmayeur, we start our climb to the Bertone mountain hut and the Mont de la Saxe ridge. We contour the ridge above the Ferret valley, enjoying breathtaking views of the towering peaks that form the Italian side of Mont Blanc. The night is spend at the splendid Bonatti mountain hut. (B+D)

DAY 8: Val Ferret to La Fouly, Switzerland

From the Bonatti hut, we continue up the Ferret valley. At the hamlet Arnouva we start the ascend to the Grand Col Ferret, passing the Elena mountain hut on the way for a final Italian coffee stop. We now enter Switzerland and descend into the idyllic Swiss Ferret valley to the village of La Fouly. (B+D)

DAY 9: La Fouly to Champex-Lac

A gentle day today, starting with a walk down the Swiss Ferret valley, along a gushing river and through charming old Swiss farming villages. A relatively short ascent takes us through wood-land to the picturesque lake-side village Champex. (B+D)

DAY 10: Champex-Lac to Trient

Leaving Champex, we have a choice of two routes depending on how the group feels. We can cross the notorious Fenêtre d’Arpette - a tiny mountain pass cut into a rugged alpine ridge, or we can opt for the gentler Bovine route, which takes us by an old farm in a high mountain pasture, which serves as a mountain hut and offers superb views of the Rhone valley. Either way, we end the day at a bustling auberge in the small village of Trient. (B+D)

DAY 11: Trient to Argentière, France

From Trient, we hike steadily up to the Balme pass, where we cross the border back into France and the Chamonix valley. We traverse the ridge line of the Aiguilette des Posettes, enjoying breathtaking views in all directions. We descend to the village Argentière for the night. (B+D)

DAY 12: Argentière to Chamonix Mont Blanc

We leave Argentière for the last leg of our tour, ascending to the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve. A stunning high level walk delivers some of the finest views in the Alps and provides an extraordinary finale to our trek. All too soon, we commence our final descend to Chamonix and the completion of our tour. (B)

DAY 13: Departure day

Breakfast in the hotel and the official end to our Tour du Mont Blanc trek. (B)