Meeting Time: 8:00 AM

Max # People: 6

Trip Guiding / Event Fee: Yes, but only to cover shared expenses, and I too am paying

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Europe 2018!  Join me for what I hope to be a brilliant self guided adventure – Le Tour de Mont Blanc

Mont Blanc is known as the Monarch of the Alps.  At 4,808 meters/15,771 feet it stands proudly among many summits in the Alps.  This journey will be a circular hike of 11 stages, 2 rest days and 15 nights.  Travel to and from our starting point will add a few days.  Please note the actual number of nights may vary once we finalize reservations which depend on group size and hut availability.  The sooner we start the booking process, the easier time we will have ensuring a smooth and even route.  Our hikes will range between 8 to 11 miles each day providing we get the desired huts.

Final Trip Itinerary:

Day 1:  Saturday 18 August 2018: Arrive in Chamonix. Stay at Hotel Richemond 
Day 2:  Sunday 19 August 2018: Bus to Les Houches. Walk to Refuge de Miage, 9.5 Miles
Day 3:  Monday 20 August 2018: Walk to Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme, 13 Miles
Day 4:  Tuesday 21 August 2018: Walk to Rifugio Elisabetta, 10 Miles
Day 5:  Wednesday 22 August 2018: Walk to Courmayeur. Stay at Hotel Bouton d'Or, 10.5 Miles
Day 6:  Thursday 23 August 2018: Rest day in Courmayeur. Stay at Hotel Bouton d'Or, Day Hike
Day 7:  Friday 24 August 2018: Walk to Rifugio Bonatti, 7 Miles
Day 8:  Saturday 25 August 2018: Walk to La Fouly. Stay at Hotel des Glaciers, 12 Miles
Day 9:  Sunday 26 August 2018: Walk to Champex. Stay at Pension en Plein Air, 10 Miles
Day 10:  Monday 27 August 2018: Walk to Trient. Stay at l'Auberge du Mont Blanc, 11.5 Miles 
Day 11:  Tuesday 28 August 2018: Walk to Argentiere. Stay at Hotel Le Dahu, 9.5 Miles
Day 12:  Wednesday 29 August 2018: Rest day in Argentiere. Stay at Hotel Le Dahu, Day Hike
Day 13:  Thursday 30 August 2018: Walk to Refuge de La Flegere, 6.5 Miles
Day 14:  Friday 31 August 2018: Walk to Les Houches. Stay at Hotel Saint Antoine, 10 Miles 
Day 15:  Saturday 1 September 2018: Rest day in Les Houches/Chamonix. Stay at Hotel Saint Antoine 
Day 16:  Sunday 2 September 2018: Depart from Les Houches after breakfast.

At this time Alpine Exploratory may be able to accomodate a late addition to the trip but please note you may not have identical accomodations as listed above.  If you wish to join the trip know that you may be resting and or hiking onto a different hut on stages of the trip.  A non-refundable deposit of GBP $200 will be due to confirm your participation on this trip and is payable directly to Alpine Exploratory.  

The option to arrive a day earlier to rest from travelling and to sight see around Chamonix is at the discretion of trip participants.  I will arrive a day earlier and will share my specific plans as the planning evolves.

Lodging will be bunk room style in huts.  A single option is available for an additional fee, see website for details.  We will spend the majority of our time on the trails and most of the accommodations will be in huts but a few hotels cannot be ruled out.

A reminder that airfare and other ground transportation is in addition to the fees posted on the website.

More info about the tour, rates, accommodations, etc. can be found here:

http://www.alpineexploratory.com/holidays/tour-du-mont-blanc.html

Good fitness in the mountains is called for to comfortably tackle an ascent of around 1,000 meters in a full day's walk; it's an all-round day out in the mountains.  

I am calling this a strenuous hike but may very well vary from moderate to strenuous for some.  This trip will require prior hiking experience of strenuous-endurance based hiking/backpacking.  I’ll be asking you a series of questions as to your hiking experience and fitness level. For example, if you regularly climb peaks of 4,000 to 6,000 feet in a day's adventure, such as Mt. Washington, you would probably qualify.  If not, a more in-depth history of mountains you’ve climbed in 2017 will be needed to evaluate your overall fitness.