Trek the Tour du Mont Blanc in a Weekend: The Hut-to-Hut Edition

If you are unable to join the included transfer from Geneva Airport at 11:30 AM on Day 1 due to flight delays, contact your host as soon as possible. While it may not be possible to catch up with the group on the first day, with an overnight stay in either Chamonix or Courmayeur, it may be possible to connect with them on the morning of Day 2 in Val Ferret before they ascend over the pass into Switzerland. Your host will be best placed to advise you in this situation. Note that in September, the first night's stay is in Champex, which is accessible by bus/taxi from Geneva or Chamonix.

Yes, of course! If you decide to make your own way to Chamonix or spend a few days there beforehand you're more than welcome to do this, just make sure you let your host know in advance.

The meeting point is at Les Houches by the TMB Archway next to the tourism office, at 12:15 PM on Day 1. This is a short local bus ride from central Chamonix. See the "Getting There" section for more details.

Yes, any excess luggage that you don't need during the trek can be stored securely for the entire trip at the host's office. Please make sure your excess luggage can be securely closed/zipped shut to prevent anything from falling out while in storage. There is a storage fee of €20 per bag; this can be paid in cash locally when you meet your host. Please let your host know in advance if you have excess luggage so that they can plan the logistics accordingly.

For the next several years, the Mont Blanc Tunnel will be closed from September to December for scheduled maintenance work. This makes the journey from Chamonix to Courmayeur impractical for a short 4-day itinerary, as the alternate driving route would require a very long road detour around Mont Blanc via Martigny and over the Great St. Bernard Pass. For September, groups will instead hike the sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc trail from Champex Lac in Switzerland all the way to the end in Chamonix, thereby avoiding the long drive to the Italian side of Mont Blanc, while still including some of the major highlights and a full TMB hiking experience. A significant benefit of this alternate route is September groups will be able to visit the beautiful Lac Blanc on day 4, high up on the Aiguilles Rouges, with some of the finest panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif found anywhere on the entire TMB circuit.

Day 1 - Orsieres to Champex After meeting your hosts at either Geneva Airport or Les Houches, you'll be driven to Orsieres on the Swiss side of the Mont Blanc massif. From there, you’ll hike up the trail to the lakeside village of Champex, where you’ll join up with the main TMB trail. A short walk further and you’ll arrive at your first mountain refuge of the trip, Gite Bon Abri, in time for a hearty dinner with your fellow hikers. The Gite Bon Abri is located on the edge of Champex, in a quiet spot right off the trail, and is popular with cheese-lovers for its signature fondue. Hiking: 3hrs - 4mi - 1,575 ft up - 302ft down

Day 2 - Champex to Trient Today you’ll hike up and over the mountains via the classic Bovine route to Trient. This winding forest trail leads you up past mountain streams to the Bovine Refuge and the high alpages, where you are rewarded with spectacular views of the Rhone Valley. Make sure to stop for a slice of the best cake the region has to offer! From the top of Bovine, you'll descend down the wooded trail to the Col de la Forclaz. Shortly after, you'll be able to enjoy deep valley views from a boardwalk, looking down on Trient and its famous pink church. From there, it's a short section down to the village and your well-earned rest for the night at La Grande Ourse, a larger property than the night before with hostel-style rooms, boot/drying room, and Wi-Fi. Hiking: 6-7hrs - 10mi - 2,559 ft up - 2,920 ft down

Day 3 - Trient to Vallorcine It’s time to hike across the border into France, and get your first views of the Chamonix Valley. Hiking up out of Trient, you’ll ascend switchback trails through pine forest, past clear mountain streams and up into the high alpine. Reaching the Col de Balme (7,190 ft), you’ll be rewarded with an expansive vista down the Chamonix Valley towards Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi. You’ll then traverse round to another excellent viewpoint, L'Aiguillettes des Posettes, and take the long descent down to Vallorcine. Tonight you’ll stay at Le Gite Mermoud, with its friendly local owner and traditional Savoyan-style offering the typical Mont-Blanc experience. Hiking: 6-7hrs - 9mi - 3,117 ft up - 3,018 ft down

Day 4 - Vallorcine to Chamonix Today begins with a gentle climb out of Vallorcine up to the Col des Montets, you’ll then turn right and ascend the trail to Tete aux Vents and onto the Grand Balcon Sud, perhaps the most scenic of all the high alpine paths with panoramic mountain views not surpassed anywhere in the world. From Aiguille du Tour at the eastern end, to the Aiguille du Chardonnet, L’Aiguille Verte and Les Drus, to the towering Aiguille du Midi and the white summit of Mont Blanc in the west, with all their mighty glaciers in between, the full expanse of the Mont Blanc massif is on show. A short detour from the main TMB trail will take you up past Lac des Cheserys to Lac Blanc, where the jagged mountain skyline is reflected in the cold waters of this alpine lake. From there, your hike is almost complete, head down the trail to La Flegere Station, rest your legs and enjoy the views from the cable car as you glide back down to the valley floor, finishing off with a stroll into the center of Chamonix. Usually, the hike is finished around 4:00 PM in central Chamonix. There is just time for a quick celebration drink with the group before your shared bus transfer departs at around 5:00 PM for Geneva Airport, for those heading off that day. Hiking: 6hrs - 7mi - 3,445 ft up - 1,640 ft down

For this itinerary there is 1 guide to 15 hikers. The guides this host works with are all International Mountain Leader certified (as a minimum), First Aid trained and are highly experienced and leading groups in the Alps.

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The Tour du Mont Blanc trekking season is from June to September. Summer around Mont Blanc is generally warm and fair, but the weather can change very quickly in the high mountains, bringing cold rain and wind. Average temperatures range from 43°F to 79°F. It rains roughly half of the days each month, but storms generally pass through quickly. There can be snow on the mountain passes at the start of the season. Even in the peak of summer you can have very mixed conditions, especially when climbing over the high mountain passes above 6,500 ft. Heatwaves have also been a feature of recent European summers. Our gear list is intended to guide you on what to pack for this trip.