Trek the Tour Du Mont Blanc in a Weekend: The Hotels Edition
A bite-sized, long weekend trek along the famous high Alpine trail, with a touch of comfort along the way
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with experienced, English-speaking mountain guidesHotel
3 nights in village hotelsMeals
3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinnersTransfers
Airport transfers to & from Geneva, plus transfers on the trek in private vehiclesLuggage Transfer
Luggage transfer of your main bag throughout the tripSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
What's it like?
Border-hop from France into Switzerland and Italy across just four days, taking in the spectacular views of the Alps
Hike in the shadows of the Aiguilles Rouges and Mont Blanc massifs, and reach an unrivalled lookout spot at Lac Blanc
Get a taste of village life in the mountains as you bunk down in cosy hotels in Courmayeur, Champex and Argentière
Sucker for a mountain hut? Then check out our mini version of the Tour du Mont Blanc to stay in huts along the way
Key Information
Day 1
The trek begins: Val Veny and Courmayeur
Hiking
Meet your host at Geneva Airport and get whisked into the Alps and through the impressive Mont Blanc Tunnel, to start your trek in Val Veny on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Immediately the views are absolutely stunning, as you hike up through a beautiful valley with inspiring vistas of soaring summits, glaciers and alpine rivers. Ascend the rocky glacial moraine to the Lac du Miage; a heart-shaped azure alpine lake in front of the glacier of the same name. Look up and see the glacier cascading from high up on the flanks of the mountain, you may be able to hear the ice and rocks shifting and torrents of melt water flowing; your first experiences of the beautiful scenery on offer on the TMB trail. After the hike you'll transfer down to Courmayeur, where you will settle in for dinner and enjoy evening life in an Italian mountain village.
Day 2
Courmayeur to Champex
Hiking
A short transfer drops you off in Val Ferret where you start your hike up to Grand Col Ferret (2537m). Trek in the shadows of the towering 4000m high peaks of Mont Blanc, Dent du Géant and the Grandes Jorasses as the trail winds up to the mountain pass border with Switzerland. After a steep climb, you'll reach the Grand Col Ferret with jaw-dropping views across the valley and Mont Dolent. Take the long gradual descent to La Fouly village, stopping at a traditional dairy farm along the way with the chance to sample some locally produced cheese. From La Fouly, you’ll be driven to Champex village for an evening in this beautiful spot.
Day 3
Champex to Trient
Hiking
Pick the TMB trail back up straight from Champex, setting off after breakfast for a hike up to the high alpine pastures of Bovine, crossing cool mountain streams through a pine and larch forest. Stop at the top for a perfect picnic spot with views of the Martigny Valley and the surrounding mountains. From there, continue your hike with a descent down to Col de la Forclaz and then on to Trient village, from where you'll grab a short ride to your overnight accommodation in Argentière.
Day 4
Aiguilles Rouges and Lac Blanc
Hiking
An epic finale awaits today as you wrap up your mini Tour du Mont Blanc adventure, with some of the highlights of the entire trail. Discover the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve as you climb up to the Cheserys Lakes and to the shimmering Lac Blanc for possibly the world's most scenic picnic spot. On the way, it's possible to spot ibex, chamois and marmots. The final descent is down a balcony-like trail, reaching La Flagère to take the cable car down to Chamonix. Your host will whisk you off to the airport in time for evening flights home, or alternatively you can hit the town for celebratory beers if you are staying on longer in the Alps.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Breakfast at each of the hotels is usually continental – think juices, teas, coffee, yoghurt, bread and preserves, pastries, cheese and cereals. Your host will provide healthy packed lunches. They’re big and include things like sandwiches, wraps or a salad, as well as a selection of fresh fruits, muesli bars, chocolate and nuts (for example). Dinner each evening will be taken either in the hotel or at a nearby restaurant. There'll be a variety of classic options for you to choose from, and the classic French, Swiss and Italian variations will be on display as you dip your toe into each country along the route.
Dietary requirements, including vegetarian and vegan, can be catered for: just let your host know in advance.
What is the accommodation like?
Alpine Village Hotels
Throughout the trip you'll bunk down in a variety of cosy hotels and mountain inns along the route, letting you soak up the quaint character of the Alpine villages nestled beneath the peaks. On certain days you'll be able to hike directly off the Tour du Mont Blanc to the doorstep of your overnight accommodation, whereas on other days a short transfer will shuttle you from the trail to your hotel, and back to pick up the next section of the trail the following morning.
You'll stay in same-sex, twin-share rooms. While the exact properties you'll stay in will depend on availability, the likely choices are listed below (any time an alternative is used, it will be of similar standard and style).
Courmayeur:
- Edelweiss Hotel - A third-generation family run hotel in the historic part of Courmayeur, offers simply furnished twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms, a breakfast room, a bar with board games and WiFi, providing everything you need to relax after a day spent hiking on the trails.
Champex:
- Relais d'Arpette - Est. in 1926, this authentic mountain inn hosts hikers on the TMB in an alpine woodland setting above the Swiss village of Champex. Rooms are twin-share, bed linens and towels provided with shared showers/WC facilities on the same floor. WiFi. The hotel has an admirable sustainability focus, using local produce in the restaurant and conserving energy and water where possible.
Argentière:
-
Hotel Le Dahu - A classic alpine-style hotel with views facing the Aiguille Verte (4122m), providing twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms and WiFi. In a central location with a supermarket, pharmacy and shops nearby.
-
Hotel La Couronne - One of the most historic hotels in the Chamonix valley, built in the 1860's but now with a modern renovation providing twin-share rooms with en-suite bathrooms and WiFi. The bar and restaurant offers both indoor dining and terrace seating in the summer season offering views of the magnificent valley.
Upgrades
Unfortunately due to availability of accommodation on the Tour du Mont Blanc route, we are unable to offer an optional private room upgrade on this trip.
This trip has been rated as Challenging
This trek is no easy feat – so you’ll need to be in good physical shape and able to hike between 6-8 hours per day (equating to 10-16km) with 1000m ascents/descents. That said, it's a great trip for those who are new to long-distance hiking, as no previous experience is required.
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 6 to 26 °C. 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 2000m. Heatwaves have also been a feature of recent European summers. Our kit list is intended to guide you on what to pack for this trip.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Geneva Airport (GVA)
11:30 on Day 1
Ends
Geneva Airport (GVA)
18:15 on Day 4
Transfers
To take advantage of the group transfer included at the start of the trip, your flight should arrive into Geneva Airport no later than 10:30am on Day 1. Please allow at least one hour for any potential travel delays and sufficient time to get your baggage and pass through immigration. Your host will provide a meeting location in their pre-departure information, along with contact details. The group transfer will depart from the airport at 11:30am.
Your return group transfer will depart Chamonix at 17:00 and arrive at Geneva Airport at 18:15 on Day 4, so you should book flights departing from 20:00 onwards.
Travel options
Air travellers can fly into Geneva Airport (GVA), which is approximately one hour from Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Tunnel.
For those who wish to avoid flying, you can also travel to Geneva by various train routes from other parts of Europe, with a connecting train service from the central station to Geneva Airport.
For those seeking to extend their trip you also have the option to stay additional nights in Chamonix, which is highly recommended if you have the time.
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?
You'll be hiking with a daypack and your main luggage will be transferred between hotels. Avoid carrying too much weight as there is plenty of ascent and descent on the trail but pack so you are prepared for the changeable weather conditions, especially at higher elevations.
BAGS
- Overnight Duffle Bag for main luggage (Luggage Transfer included - Maximum Weight 15kg, One Bag Per Person)
- Hiking Daypack (20-35 litres) with rain cover
- Waterproof liner for hiking pack
CLOTHES
- Waterproof Jacket (with hood) and Trousers
- Synthetic (e.g. Primaloft) or Down Puffy Jacket
- Fleece or merino pullover or sweater
- Synthetic or merino wool base layers
- Warm hat and gloves (really important in mixed weather conditions)
- Sunhat or cap
- Sunglasses
- Synthetic shirts/T-shirts and trousers (zip-off preferable) or shorts for hiking
- 2+ pairs of hiking socks, wool or synthetic (not cotton)
- Sturdy hiking boots or shoes (worn in)
- Comfortable clothes to wear in the evenings
- Comfortable light shoes for when not hiking
- Swimwear for hotel
OTHER
- Plug adaptor and/or battery pack to charge electrical devices (note Switzerland uses a different standard to the rest of Europe)
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel insurance documents
- Suncream (SPF 50+ recommended due to altitude)
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Two reusable water bottles x1 litre, or a 2L water bladder
OPTIONAL
- Trekking poles (highly recommended)
- Energy bars and snacks - read our article on Best Hiking Snacks
No optional extras are available for this trip.
Excellent Experience
I have just returned from one of the most rewarding trips of my life to date. This was an incredible experience and well worth the effort. Our guide Pierre was excellent, knew the walks and terrain like the back of his hand and filled each member of the group with confidence. The walks were challenging and the kit list should be adhered to, as conditions changed quickly; even in mid July we were walking across snow so spikes and poles were used. The scenery was breathtaking and I now have treasured memories of the mountains and of the people I walked with - a lovely group of likeminded people. The organization by MBA ran like clockwork- it was a fantastic trip all round.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 68kg 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 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. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
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.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Luggage transfers are included in the cost of the trip, so your main bag will be transported from hotel to hotel while you hike the sections each day. You just need to bring a hiking pack to take whatever you need each day while on the trail.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
The tap water in the Alps is safe to drink, so bring along a minimum of two litres carrying capacity in water bottles and/or a water bladder to fill up each morning before setting off. There will be opportunities to fill up along the route at refuges and other stops – your guide will advise as you go.
This trip visits locations at or above 2500m. At this altitude some people may experience symptoms associated with Altitude Sickness, also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Previous experience at high altitude is not necessarily an indicator of future performance. Your guide(s) are trained to mitigate the risks associated with altitude, by carefully managing the rate of ascent and the intensity of the activity, and to provide the appropriate support response should someone feel ill during the trip. Should you experience health issues during your trip you should inform your guide immediately so the proper care can be provided. Owing to the nature of this trip, it is essential that your personal travel insurance policy provides cover up to the maximum altitude visited on this trip as well as emergency medical evacuation by helicopter.
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 always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
Got questions? We've got answers
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DEPARTURE DATES
Saturday • 3rd August 2024
to Tuesday • 6th August 2024
Fully Booked
Saturday • 31st August 2024
to Tuesday • 3rd September 2024
Fully Booked
