Chamonix Hiking Adventure

The daily itinerary for this tour will be adjusted based on the weather and, for private groups, can be adapted to interest and ability levels. Each day we will offer two hiking options. However, it is easy to provide shorter or longer options by using or avoiding optional assists via gondola, chair lift, and mountain trains.

Day 1: We meet at 1:00 PM in our hotel in downtown Chamonix, allowing you to arrive that morning or the day before. After introductions and an overview of the tour, we had out for a casual walk on the Chamonix River Trail, giving us both an overview of the town and beautiful views of the mountains on all sides. This evening, we'll enjoy an aperitif on the terrace of our hotel, followed by a typical meal with local Savoy cuisine. Distances: 7 or 10 KM

Day 2: Today we catch an early train a short distance up the valley to reach the La Flegere cable car that will bring us to a hike on the opposite side of the valley: Grand Balcon Sud. The hike is similar to but across the valley from the previous day. After walking across the hillside, we'll reach the Plan Praz cable car where you'll have the option to take the cable car to the Brevent refuge high on the mountain or walk an extra three kilometers up in high alpine terrain to the top. This evening we'll walk to dinner at Casa Valerio, a very authentic Italian restaurant (as it should be since we are so close to Italy.)

Day 3: Our morning starts with another early-morning train ride, this time down the Chamonix valley to the town of les Houches. We'll walk from the train station through the town to the Bellevue cable car. There, you can choose to jump on the cog wheel Tramway du Mont Blanc to the Le Nid d'Aigle peak and chalet. Or you can take the hard option and walk up the mountain side, including several sections with ladders bolted into the rock to get past steep areas. Either way, at the top you can choose to eat lunch in the refuge and walk to the nearby glacier for an up-close view of one of nature's masterpieces. Via mountain tram, cable car, and train we'll make our way back to Chamonix. This evening we'll enjoy a final happy hour and then dinner at Bizes, one of the hippest and highest quality restaurants in town, run by Swedish chef Sanna Jansson. Distances: 4 or 9 KM

Day 4: After breakfast in our hotel, we are off early to catch the Auigille du Midi cable car. Taking us up to the top of this peak that is probably the second-most-famous in the region after Mont Blanc, thanks to each height and jagged features, we'll have time to wander around the multiple large viewing platforms on both the Italian and French sides of the border at the height of 3,842 meters (12,605 feet). The panorama from the cable car and the top is amazing: with lakes, glaciers, knife-edge arretes, and snow fields to no end. But we don't stop there, taking another gondola across the face of a large glacier on the Italian side of the Alps. We'll then head back to the midway station where you can pick up a French baguette sandwich and start our hike on the Grand Balcon Nord, a hike across the face of the mountain that ends with a view of the Mer de Glace glacier and a cog train back down to the valley floor. This evening we'll walk to dinner at le Monchu, an elegant restaurant with a covered terrace that features wood-fired cooking. Distances: 9 or 14 KM

Day 5: Distances: 7 or 10 KMToday we take the train up valley from Chamonix and again hike on the usually sun-drenched south-facing side of the valley. Our destination for today is the famous Lac Blanc, an incredibly beautiful lake with views of the Mont Blanc range in its reflection. We'll take a cable car up the mountain and then you can choose to walk up to the lake or take a chairlift higher up and walk across the mountain. At the lake, we'll spend time to wander around and take in the views before hiking back. Dinner tonight is on your own. Distances: 7, 8, or 11 KM

Day 6: This morning we eat our final breakfast together and then say our goodbyes, allowing you to continue your onward journey home, in France, or elsewhere.