10 Day Mont Blanc Trekking Tour

Simple and clean hotels and hostels; affordable public and private transport.

Please note that this trip is rated Physical Grade 5 and is a backpacking trekking trip from start to finish. Passengers are required to carry their own packs and there are no support vehicles. It is possible to leave some gear at the hotel in Chamonix as the trip begins and ends here. Night stops and routes may vary depending on weather conditions, daily group progress and availability. Flexibility is very important. Please see the equipment list for essential information on what to take

Please note that this trip travels through remote and rugged Alpine terrain. Extremes of heat and cold may be encountered and the route involves some long and demanding trekking days carrying all your own gear. The CEO will accompany you on the treks; however, there are up to 12 people in a group and the trip is self-supported. There are no luggage transport, porters or guides. Therefore it is important that you are a fit and confident walker over mountain terrain, able to manage ascents and descents and cross streams by yourself. Please realistically self-assess your fitness and suitability for this trip.
Please note that on most days there is no possibility of continuing by public transport; taxis may sometimes be possible if you are not able to continue walking but these cannot be guaranteed and will be at your own expense

Allow $210- $275 USD for meals. Eating is a big part of traveling. On this tour, you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip.

As this trip has a "Basic" Service Level grading, and uses mountain refuges, some accommodation on this tour is multi-share. This may involve 3-4 group members sharing and often in the mountain gites dormitory style rooms for the whole group. Rooms will not be en-suite and will have shared bathroom facilities.

We will be staying at a mixture of mountain refuges and small local hotels on this trip. Most nights will be multi-share and with basic, shared facilities.

Singles: Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip.

Please note that day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned on this day. Upon arrival to the city on day 1 (or earlier if you have booked pre-accommodation), please make your way to the joining hotel (note that check-in time will be in the afternoon). Once you arrive at the hotel, look for a note or bulletin board in the reception with a note from your CEO. This note will give the details of your Welcome Meeting on day 1 (usually between 5pm and 7pm), where you will get a chance to meet your CEO and other travellers, as well as learn more about how the tour will run. If you don’t see a note, please ask reception for details!

If you are arriving later and will miss the Welcome Meeting, your CEO will leave a note at reception for you with any information you may need, and with morning instructions for the next day.

Getting to Hotel Gustavia (please check your vouchers to ensure this is your start hotel):

A public bus runs 4 times per day between GVA airport & Chamonix. Cost is 19 EUR each way. See www.ouibus.com for more information.

Please note that this trip is rated Physical Grade 5 and is a backpacking trekking trip from start to finish. Passengers are required to carry their own packs and there are no support vehicles. It is possible to leave some gear at the hotel in Chamonix as the trip begins and ends here. Night stops and routes may vary depending on weather conditions, daily group progress and availability. Flexibility is very important. Please see the equipment list for essential information on what to take.

You may leave some extra gear or a piece of luggage at the start hotel and get it back on Day 10 at the end of the trip (check with your CEO or hotel front desk about the luggage storage policy).

Packing List

Documents:
• Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)
• Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)
• Passport (required) (With photocopies)
• Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)
• Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)

Essentials:
• Binoculars (optional)
• Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)
• Cash, credit and debit cards
• Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)
• Ear plugs
• First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)
• Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)
• Fleece top/sweater
• Footwear
• Hat
• Locks for bags
• Long pants/jeans
• Moneybelt
• Outlet adapter
• Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)
• Reusable water bottle
• Shirts/t-shirts
• Sleepwear
• Small travel towel
• Sunglasses
• Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)
• Watch and alarm clock
• Waterproof backpack cover
• Windproof rain jacket

Health & Safety:
• Face masks (required)
• Hand sanitizer (required)
• Pen (Please bring your own pen for filling out documents.)
• Rubber gloves

Mont Blanc Trekking:
• Hiking Pack (required) (Max 40 litres capacity - it is essential to pack light as you will be carrying your own gear.)
• Rain gear (required) (Jacket and pants, must be windproof and waterproof. We recommend using a jacket with a hood made of Gortex or similar fabric, and advise against bringing pac-a-macs or ponchos.)
• Sleeping bag liner/sleep sheet (required) (Cotton or silk liners are essential to use at the refuges.)
• Clothing (We recommend bringing 1 outfit to wear during the evenings and days off, preferably lightweight top and bottoms.)
• Fleece jacket or warm layer
• Gloves (We recommend packing warm gloves in case of cold and wet weather.)
• Hat (For cool weather, a warm beanie is most appropriate. For sunny weather, a wide brimmed hat or cap. We recommend preparing for both weather conditions.)
• Hiking boots (We recommend hiking boots instead of hiking shoes, as boots provide better ankle support on rough terrain and protection from snow early in the season.)
• Hiking pants (Convertible/Zip-off and quick dry recommended. We recommend 2 pairs of trousers, and 1 pair of shorts.)
• Lightweight wicking shirts
• Long-sleeved shirt for hiking
• Pack liners to waterproof bags (A rucksack liner or large Ziploc bags/dry bag(s) to keep clothes and equipment dry inside your backpack in case of rain.)
• Quick-dry socks (Trekking socks (woollen or synthetic, not cotton). We recommend packing 2-3 pairs.)
• Shoes/sandals (Sport sandals, flip-flops or light sneakers to wear at the refuges is optional, as most refuges have crocs available to wear during your stay.)
• Snacks (Protein bars, chocolate, dried fruits, candies, energy sweets. You will be able to purchase these along the way.)
• Thermal base layer (Woollen or synthetic, not cotton.)

Note: This is a mountain trek going up to over 2500m/8000ft, therefore it is important that hikers are prepared for changing weather conditions (especially in the June and September).

When choosing your gear please bear in mind that the best clothing for trekking is either wool or synthetic materials, as these are quick-drying and can keep heat in better. The optimum clothing system for trekking is layering, as it allows for easy temperature regulation as you ascend or descend. We suggest a base-layer, then a mid-layer such as a sweater, followed by a fleece jacket or similar, then a windproof and waterproof jacket. For your bottom half, thermal underwear, hiking pants then windproof and waterproof layers are recommended.

Hiking poles are strongly recommended, especially for departures in June and early in the season. Hiking gear is not available for rent in Chamonix. If you require additional items (poles, rain gear etc.) it may be purchased.

France and Italy are in the Eurozone and the unit of the currency is the Euro. Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF) however euros are very widely accepted and you should have no problem making any cash purchases in Euros.

Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances but you must remember to bring your PIN number (be aware that many ATM machines only accept 4-digit PINs). Both Cirrus and Plus system cards are the most widely accepted debit cards. Visa cards are the most widely accepted credit cards. While ATMs are commonly available, there are no guarantees that your credit or debit cards will actually work in France, Italy or Switzerland. You should be aware when purchasing products or services on a credit card, that a fee usually applies.

Do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. A combination of Euros, traveller’s cheques and cards is best. Avoid relying on traveller's cheques alone as these are less and less readily cashed as clients use them very little.

Always take more rather than less, as you don't want to spoil the trip by constantly feeling short of funds.

As currency exchange rates can fluctuate often we ask that you refer to the following website for daily exchange rates: www.xe.com

While conventions can vary from country to country, tipping is customary in Europe. A general rule is 10% of the bill for wait staff, and a smaller amount (€1 or €2) for other service providers.

Tipping is an expected - though not compulsory - component of your tour program, and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides. You may do this individually, or your CEO will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. 

Visit: https://www.gadventures.com/trips/trekking-mont-blanc/4123/details/