DURATION
LOCATION
ANNUAL LEAVE
SEASON
GROUP SIZE
MEETING POINT
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel · Mountain hut
DIFFICULTY
You’ll need to be in good shape and capable of hiking 8 hours each day with a pack on your back and gains of as much as 1000m.
Hike spectacular paths in Italy’s first National Park, traversing the Valsavarenche Valley to the base of Gran Paradiso peak
Tackle Col Rosset (3025m) and Col Bassac Derè (3082m), some of the highest walkable passes in the Alps with breathtaking glacier views
Bunk down in iconic, welcoming mountain huts surrounded by idyllic scenery, soaring peaks and Alpine wildlife
Day 1
Welcome to Ivrea
Touch down in Turin Airport and meet your host for your transfer to the charming UNESCO-listed city of Ivrea, famous for its industrial heritage and architecture. This overnight stay is a chance to break your journey to the Gran Paradiso National Park. Enjoy an evening stroll along the picturesque canal and around the historic centre, dominated by the four towers of the Arduino Castle, then get some rest ready for your epic weekend of hiking.
Day 2
Valsavarenche and the Gran Paradiso Balcony Trail
Hiking
Fuel up on breakfast at the hotel before your drive to the Valsavarenche Valley in Gran Paradiso National Park. Meet up with your local mountain guide in Pravieux, where you'll kickstart your adventure by hiking through forests, open meadows and past shepherds' huts. The trail leads up the eastern side of the valley, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains all the way to Rifugio Chabod, with the north face of Gran Paradiso peak visible behind it. Continue below Moncorvè peak until you reach the impressive Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II (2719m), built in 1884 and still used by climbers summiting Gran Paradiso. Enjoy a well-deserved break surrounded by majestic peaks and glaciers, then power through the last leg of the trail to Rifugio Tetras Lyre (1996m), where you’ll spend the night.
Day 3
Nivolet Plateau, Col Rosset Pass and Val di Rhêmes
Hiking
Following the Savara River, hike across beautiful pastures before arriving at the stunning lakes of the Col Nivolet Plateau. In early summer the landscape blooms with a colourful carpet of wildflowers, and it won't be hard to spot wild mountain ibex or chamois along the way. Continue on to Col Rosset (3025m), a great adventure along one of the highest walkable passes in the Alps – there are some steep sections and loose, rocky paths to tackle as you approach the Col. A very steep descent on rocky trails leads you into Val di Rhêmes and eventually to the Rifugio Benevolo (2287m), surrounded by impressive peaks, where you’ll stop for the night.
Day 4
The Col Bassac Derè pass to Valgrisenche
Hiking
Set off early from Rifugio Benevolo and hike towards Goletta Lake, at the foot of the Goletta Glacier. The glacial waters range in colour from greyish to pale blue due to the retreating ice. Continue with a steep ascent and a touch of scrambling to Col Bassac Derè – the highest point of the trek at 3082m – and enjoy some of the wildest scenery so far, with imposing peaks and glaciers. Descend via vertiginous rocky trails with the spectacular glacier below to reach Valgrisenche, before finally reaching the small hamlet of Surrier, where your trek ends. There may be just time for a quick celebratory drink with your group before your transfer departs for Turin Airport. The hike usually finishes around 15:30 and you should reach the airport around 19:00.
Included
Guides
Experienced, expert, English-speaking mountain guide
Accommodation
1 night in a hotel and 2 nights in mountain huts
Meals
All breakfasts and 2 hearty dinners
Transfers
Airport transfers and everything in between
Equipment
Pillows and blankets are provided at the mountain huts
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Tips for your guides
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Breakfasts and dinners during the trek will be served at the mountain huts. Breakfasts always include coffee, bread, jam and butter, and may also include orange juice, cereal, yogurt, fruit and a selection of cheese and cured meats. Dinners at the huts are normally served at fixed times with two menu choices. Dishes are hearty and served in large portions, often including great local specialities such as polenta, local cheeses, pasta and stews. Picnic lunches can be purchased directly from the huts, featuring a main item (such as a sandwich or wrap) and a selection of fruit, muesli bars, chocolate, nuts, etc.
Vegetarian, vegan and most other dietary requirements can be catered for although options may be limited. Just let your host know when booking.
What is the accommodation like?
Ivrea
On the first night you'll stay at Eco-Boutique Hotel 3T or a hotel of a similar standard, in twin-share rooms with en-suite facilities.
On the trek
You’ll be spending two nights at some great refuges high in the mountains, usually the Rifugio Tetras Lyre and the historic Rifugio Benevolo, which was built in 1920 for alpinists. Accommodation at the huts is in dormitory rooms (usually sleeping 4 to 6), in bunk beds or single beds which come with pillows and blankets (you can bring your own sleeping bag liner, or pay for one locally). The shared bathrooms have showers and a token may need to be paid for hot water. They both feature a restaurant serving cold drinks, spirits and freshly made food.
Upgrades
Due to the style and limited capacity of the accommodation used on this trip, single rooms are limited and only possible for the first night of the trip in Ivrea. See Optional Extras for the price and request this upon booking.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Turin Airport
19:00 on Day 1
Ends
Turin Airport
19:00 on Day 4
Transfers
A group airport transfer is included on Day 1. Please be at Turin Airport by 18:30 to meet the rest of your group, with a planned departure around 19:00. It will take around one hour to get to your hotel in Ivrea, located halfway between Turin and the Gran Paradiso National Park. Your return transfer will arrive at Turin Airport at around 19:00 on Day 4, so you'll need to book flights departing from 20:30 onwards.
If you arrive earlier, you can also make your own way to Ivrea from Turin via the regular Trenitalia trains (journey time is approx. one hour), which cost around €6. There are no activities planned for Day 1 due to the late group arrival so you are free to explore the town at your own pace. If you land in Milan, you can also get to Ivrea by train, although the journey will take over two hours and you'll need to change trains in the town of Chivasso. Your host will provide full details about meeting times and logistics prior to the trip depending on your flight details, which you'll need to provide before travelling.
For those wanting to arrive a day early or to extend their trip, your host is happy to help arrange pre- or post-trip accommodation on your behalf, with the price and style depending on availability and your budget. Private transfers can also be arranged on request. It is also possible to arrange for the group transfer to make an additional stop in Turin City Centre on Day 1 and Day 4 to pick up or drop off anyone waiting there. Please see Optional Extras for prices.
Travel options
There are direct flights to Turin from London Gatwick airport with Easyjet. There are also indirect flights from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What do I need to bring?
BAGS
- Backpack with waist belt (35-50 litres, with raincover)
CLOTHES
- Light down jacket
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof trousers
- Breathable wicking layers
- Fleece jacket or similar
- Buff or neckscarf
- Hat and gloves
- Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
- T-shirts
- Underwear and socks
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Hiking boots (worn-in)
SLEEPING
- Sleeping bag liner. Pillows and blankets are provided at the mountain huts.
OTHER
- Hiking poles (strongly recommended, available for hire)
- Universal travel plug adapter
- Power bank or solar charger
- Passports (and visas)
- Cash (for lunches, tips, drinks and snacks)
- Travel insurance documents
- Ear plugs
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Reusable water bottle(s) x2 litre
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
- Energy bars and snacks - read our article on Best Hiking Snacks
Hiking Poles Hire
Payable Before Departure
Hiking Poles Hire
… Per Person
Excess Luggage Storage
Payable Before Departure
Excess Luggage Storage
… Per Person
Additional Night in Turin Single Room
Payable Before Departure
Additional Night in Turin Single Room
… Per Person, Per Night
Additional Night in Turin Double/Twin Room
Payable Before Departure
Additional Night in Turin Double/Twin Room
… Per Night
Optional Private Room Upgrade (1 night)
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade (1 night)
… Per Person
Private Arrival Transfer Turin Airport to Ivrea (1-8 pax)
Payable Before Departure
Private Arrival Transfer Turin Airport to Ivrea (1-8 pax)
…
Group Transfer Pickup/Drop-off in Turin City Centre
Payable Before Departure
Group Transfer Pickup/Drop-off in Turin City Centre
…
An amazing trip with great hiking in Gran Paradiso NP. The hiking is tough and the second day is long, but the views are amazing and make it worth it. Our guide Nadia was great. I would definitely recommend the trip.
Incredible trip. We were so lucky to have the most wonderful guide, Tania, who was so supportive and kind. The group was also brilliant, although almost all women. Men, where are you?
This is no walk in the park, so make sure your fitness level is up to a challenge. There's a lot of challenging ascent and we covered many kilometres every day. The scenery is stunning - from the flora and fauna of the Italian alps to the glistening glaciers and brutality of the summit.
It's really fun to stay in the mountain refuges and we enjoyed some tasty food - the first refuge at Gran Paradiso basecamp was particularly good so make the most of it!
Pack light. I thought I had packed minimally but with hindsight, I could have packed even less.
Another brilliant MBA.
Such a fantastic trip! A totally epic trip, I think I was saying 'bellissimo' around every corner. Our guide Tania was amazing, super knowledgeable on local animals and plants, and also so kind, making sure everyone in the group was happy. I'd 100% reccomend doing this trek!
Ace Trip!!!!
n/a
If you are looking for a challenge that's set in beautiful surroundings and fully throws you into Italian culture then this is it. The mountain landscape you will see is like no other. From alpine wildflowers fields, stark rocky ridges, powerful waterfalls, right through to spectacular glacial lakes, it felt like a different world. A true reminder of how powerful nature is and how small we are in the world. It literally blew my mind. The hike is tough in places, so a level of base fitness is definitely required, but the guide(s) and rest of the group were supportive and help you reach your goal together. Would I recommend this to others? 100% Would I do it again? In a heartbeat... I just maybe need a few weeks rest to recover first!!!
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 90kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2023 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This is a demanding trek with some challenging mountain hikes and considerable elevation gain and loss each day, including two high mountain passes over 3000m, so previous hiking experience and good stamina is recommended. There are some exposed sections and steep ascents and descents on rough terrain and scree, and the odd bit of scrambling, but the stunning views will be more than enough reward for your effort. You should be confident walking for up to 8-10 hours a day carrying your 35-50L pack between the refuges for three days – packing light is recommended!
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip your leader for good service.
The local tap water is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottles (at least 2L) to fill up at the mountain huts to avoid buying single-use plastic bottles.
Summer in the Gran Paradiso National Park is, without doubt, the best season for hiking: chilly air, warm sun and amazing mountain landscapes. All trekking paths are usually open during the summer season, so you can enjoy the highest peaks and passes. Glaciers are visible again after they have been covered by snow in the winter months and it's easy to spot wildlife including ibex, chamois, eagles, marmots, vultures and many others. Temperatures are generally warm and fair with plenty of sunny days – however, be aware that the weather in the mountains can change very quickly, with rain and wind possible throughout the year. Average temperatures range from 8 to 24°C. In the case of adverse weather, your local mountain guide may decide to alter any of the routes included in the itinerary for safety reasons. At an altitude of over 3000m, the high passes in particular can be cold and windy, even on sunny days.
Yes. Excess luggage can be stored for the entire trip without extra cost. Please let your host know in advance if you have excess luggage so that they can plan the logistics accordingly.
We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
