Trip Ref #9123
DURATION
2 nights
LOCATION
Switzerland
ANNUAL LEAVE
1 day off work
SEASON
Dec—Apr
GROUP SIZE
Up to 8 people
MEETING POINT
Geneva International Airport, Switzerland
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Guesthouse · Mountain hut
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
This trip is suitable for any reasonably fit adventurer able to ascend for 800m and hike for 6 hours at a time.
Snow, cheese, mulled wine, mountain views...and more snow
Hike through a landscape of unspoilt beauty and descend by sledge through 3km of deep and perfect powder
Enjoy a dinner you’ll never forget, served in an igloo at the base of a towering glacier
Day 1
Snowshoeing, sledging and igloo dining
Snowshoeing
5-6hrs
Drive into the heart of the Alps and then strap on your snowshoes for a summit hike and some 360˚ views of this epic, unspoilt landscape. Climb into your sledge and descend a 3km long slope of deep and perfect powder. Repeat as many times as you like. Hike through the forest to a hidden igloo and warm up with a cup of mulled wine before being treated to a creamy cheese fondue and dips served by candlelight.
Day 2
Hike to a mountain hut
Snowshoeing
6hrs
Don snowshoes once more and hike to a remote mountain hut that sits above the 2000m line. When you arrive at the refuge you’ll soon be reaching for your camera as you’re greeted by simply stunning views of the Rhone and Mont Blanc Valleys. Warm-up in front of the fire while your guide prepares a delicious 3-course meal and enjoy an evening under the stars.
Day 3
The final descent
Hike, roll and slide your way back down the mountain - if you stop to make a snow angel no one will judge you. Grab some last photos and breathe in the crisp Alpine air and then return to Geneva airport and home.
Included
Guides
Experienced, English speaking guides
Accommodation
1 night in a guesthouse, 1 night in a mountain hut
Meals
Munch on tasty food throughout
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Equipment
All your snowshoeing equipment
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visas where required
Day 1
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
The food is simple but delicious!
- Igloo dining:__ Cheese fondue with lots of side dishes to dip, grilled sausages, marshmallows, mulled wine, tea and cookies.
- Mountain hut:__ 3-course dinner consisting of soup followed by a warming chilli con carne, and vanilla custard for dessert.
- Lunch packs:__ Sandwiches, chocolate, fruit and nuts (energy food!)
Vegetarian, vegan and most other dietary requirements can be catered for. Just let your host know when booking.
What is the accommodation like?
Trient
Your accommodation for this trip is best described as alpine-rustic. Simple, warm, comfortable and full of charm. You’ll spend your first night in a comfortable B&B close to Trient in a shared dorm room.
The Alps
You’ll spend your second night in a remote mountain hut above the 2000m line in a mixed dorm surrounded by winter wonderland views.
Upgrades
Due to the nature of the location and the activities, it is not possible to have private accommodation on this trip.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Geneva International Airport, Switzerland
Arrive by 11:00 on Day 1
Ends
Geneva International Airport, Switzerland
Finish at 14:30 on Day 3
Transfers
To take advantange of the airport transfers included, we recommend arriving into Gevena Airport no later than 11:00 on Day 1. Your transfer will depart for Chamonix at 11:30 sharp! It takes around 1 hour to get from Geneva to Chamonix. Your return transfer will arrive at Geneva Aiport at around 14:30 on Day 3, so we recommend booking flights departing from 16:00 onwards.
For those wanting to arrive a day early, extend their trip, or cannot make the included transfer times, your host can help arrange accomodation and a private transfer for you - see the Optional Extras section for prices.
You can also make you own way from Gevena to Chamonix via the regular buses which cost around €20 each way. If making your own way - you will need to be in Chamonix by 13:00 on Day 1.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Geneva from most major airports. It's also possible to get to Geneva by train - see the FAQs for more details.
What about all the carbon?
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.
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's included?
- Snowshoes
- Hiking poles
- Head torch
- Sledge
What do I need to bring?
Kit
- 15 to 35 litre rucksack. You should be able to carry your gear comfortably, so we recommend a backpack with a good waist belt.
- Dry bag or plastic bag to keep things dry in the backpack
- Sunglasses, sun cream (at least SPF 20) and lip balm
- Minimum 1.5 litre water bottle (thermos bottle recommended)
- Camera
- Personal medicine if required (please inform your guide in case of emergency)
Clothes
- One insulation layer to keep you warm (we recommend you a Primaloft or light down jacket)
- One fleece or merino pullover/sweater
- Rain / windproof (Gore-Tex) jacket with hood
- Rain / windproof (Gore-Tex) pant / rain-pants (we recommend either a combination of a thermal layer and a waterproof hard-shell trouser, or an insulated waterproof skiing pants)
- Sun cap/hat
- Warm hat/headband
- Gloves
- Synthetic underwear (top & bottom)
- One functional shirt for the hike (we recommend merino or synthetic)
- One or two layers of socks (merino wool or synthetic)
- Additional warm, comfortable clothes for the evening in the mountain hut
- Strong and waterproof leather hiking boots with a high ankle, or winter boots with a high ankle
No optional extras are available for this trip.
A true winter wonderland experience. We enjoyed everything about the adventure. Great guide, friendly group and lots and lots of fresh powder to trek through!
Fantastic trip to the snow, breathtaking views of the alps and fun experiencing how the swiss enjoy their time in the snow.
The trip was great and our guide Raphael really looked after us. We just wish the trip was longer!
Thanks to Rafael and Anna for a super holiday. It was a fun experience with fantastic scenery and a great group. I wish could spend every weekend snowshoeing in the Alps!
Great trip. Beautiful mountains, delicious food. Took a couple of hours to get used to the snowshoes, they were fun, especially in deep snow. (The igloo is not made of ice, but the cheese fondue is epic).
The trip was great fun, and the walking was fantastic. The guides were really professional and the night in the mountain hut was a nice touch.
This trip is suitable for any reasonably fit adventurer able to ascend for 800m and hike for 6 hours at a time.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Temperatures in this part of the Swiss Alps average around 4˚ between December and March. Although usually pleasant, on any winter hike in a high mountain environment you will potentially encounter high winds, rain, snow, ice and steep slopes. This trip is no different and you should be experienced and prepared to face these conditions. For help packing for these conditions, have a look at the kitlist.
Yes! Any extra kit or luggage you have with you can be safely left with your local host at the start of this trip. You'll carry your own bag up to the mountain hut for the night so we recommend packing light and aiming for a bag weighing no more than 8kg.
For those who wish to avoid flying, Chamonix is also accessible by train via the St. Gervais-les-Bains (Le Fayet) station at the base of the valley. Trains to St. Gervais-les-Bains include direct lines from Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in Paris, and overnight sleeper trains from Paris.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
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.
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