Vues de Mont Blanc

Included

• Qualified mountain guides
• Accommodation
• Food, Breakfast and Dinner. 
• Any planned transport

Excluded

• Flights
• Travel insurance
• Airport transfers
• Visa (If applicable)
• Lunch

Start: Your guide will meet you at Aigle Train Station (on Swiss national rail), at 13:30 pm, on day 1 of your itinerary. 

End: You'll be dropped back off at Aigle Train Station, at 2:30 pm on day 4 of your itinerary.

You'll need to be able to hike for up to 6.5 hours per day, with a light rucksack on your back. This trip is aimed at beginners with an average to a good level of fitness. 

You'll experience traditional Swiss food along with some high energy foods to ensure you get the most out of your days in the mountains. Here is a breakdown of the meals that are included:

Day 1: Dinner (to include fondue and wine for those who want).

Day 2: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 3: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 4: Breakfast.

We stay in 3 different mountain huts. 

The accommodation is dormitory-style with a nice communal area for socialising in each. 

There is no wifi. Some have warm showers, some have warm showers after we have lit the fire!  

We can expect other small groups in the huts on some of the more popular dates but on many occasions we will be on our own. 

Due to the distances and ascents covered on this trip, it is geared towards adults. Therefore the minimum age for this trek is 18 years. However, those aged 16-18 years are welcome to attend in the company of a responsible adult. If you wish for someone younger to join the trip then please get in touch. We will deal with these requests on a case-by-case basis.  

YES, this is a highlight of the trip. Although seeing wildlife cannot be guaranteed, some of the Fauna we will be looking out for include; 

• Marmot
• Ibex
• Deer
• Bouquetin
• Chamois
• Lynx/ Wolf (we are in the territory of both, but this is exceedingly unlikely)
• Fighting Cows
• Normal Cows (and their guardian dogs)

Birds are plentiful including raptors and songbirds, last trip we saw a Golden Eagle and Bearded Vultures. 

Flowers change throughout the season with the early season the best for spotting Eidelweiss but colourful vistas throughout the summer. 

Day 1: Distance 8km, Ascend 500m, Descend 300m. Time 3- 4 hours 

Day 2: Distance 10km, Ascend 1200m, Descend 200m, Time 7- 8 hours  

Day 3: Distance 13km, Ascend 500m, Descend 1000m, Time 6 - 7 hours

Day 4: Distance 10km, Ascend 500m, Descend 1400m, Time 4- 5 Hours 

Documents

• Passport
• Boarding pass for flights
• Money (CHF)
• Credit/Debit Card 

Sleeping

• Sleeping bag liner
• Ear Plugs

 Footwear

• Trekking boots: 3 or 4 season lightweight
• Lightweight shoe's for the evening (or you can borrow hut slippers)

Clothing

Please make sure that you have non-cotton clothing for trekking.  

• 1 x pair of synthetic under-top and bottom (long johns or similar)
• 3 x t-shirts
• 1 x comfortable shirt for the evening
• 4 x hiking socks
• 3 - 4 pairs of underwear
• 1 x fleece
• Light down or Primaloft jacket
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Hiking trousers: we recommend a pair that zip off into trousers. 
• Comfortable trousers for the evening
• Sun Hat, Warm Hat and gloves
• Buff or scarf
• Swimming shorts/costume

Other

• A day bag: 35 - 45 litres - all your kit should fit into this bag.
• Travel towel
• Dry bag or liner
• Water bottle: At least 2L
• Sun protection: Sunglasses, suncream and sun hat
• Personal medication
• Toiletries
• Electronics - headtorch, travel adapter, phone and charger
• Hand sanitiser.
• Hiking poles (Available to rent for 10chf - these must be requested at least 1 week before your trip).

You do not require any specialist equipment for this trip. For the first day, your leader may need help carrying food and drink. 

Not really. If you stay a night beforehand you can leave it at the hotel. Discuss this with the guide if there is a necessity. 

There is a train from Geneva airport to Aigle Gare that takes 1.5hrs.

You can pre-book your train ticket, and view the timetable here, and expect to pay approx 35 Euros for a one-way ticket on the day. This is often less if the ticket is booked in advance.

You can also drive and leave your car at the station or the beginning of the trek. 

The average height is 2000m - below the altitude where altitude sickness becomes an issue. 

During the summer it can be quite warm in the Alps so it's important to carry enough water. We strongly recommend taking between two and three litres of water. The tap water at the accommodations you will stay is not usually drinkable (it is collected rainwater) but you can buy bottled water there or "tea marche" (walking tea). Your leader can give you advice on this for each day. 

Each day we pass various mountain places where it is possible to fill up water bottles and experience local delicacies. 

It is not mandatory but often expected. In the Alps, there is no fixed amount and it really depends on what you would like to give to show your satisfaction. You can also support them by reviewing them on your Skyhook dashboard here.  

During the summer in the Alps (July – September) you can experience usually fair and quite warm weather. It is often sunny, and the temperatures can reach 30° Celsius. The weather in the mountains at 2000m can have a cooling breeze. The weather in the mountains can be quite unpredictable and weather situations can change very quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to be always prepared for such a change. On a rainy-day, temperatures can drop quite low and it is necessary to have a good rain jacket and sometimes even a hat and a pair of gloves. See the kit list for full details. It is possible to have snow at night. One of the advantages of staying in the huts is we can always dry out and get warm at the end of the day. 

The entire trek is in Switzerland. So Swiss Francs (chf). You can collect currency at the Geneva Airport cash machines. 

The trek is all on marked paths, in a remote area of the Swiss alps. You can expect rocky trails, forest trails and gravel tracks.

For this reason, it is important to wear a suitable boot with ankle support. You should also expect to be on rough ground, sometimes slippery and be ready to deal with a little exposure. Your guide will help you though throughout. 

Yes. We would always recommend getting travel insurance well before your trip departure date.

If you even sprain an ankle you will need a helicopter pick up and without insurance this will be pricey.

Wholesome. On this trip, the accommodation is off-road. So everything needs to be carried or flown in by helicopter. Therefore, evening meals are normally three-course affairs of high-energy alpine food. We sit at tables with the best views of any restaurant in the world and enjoy having earned our meals. That having been said, each hut stocks beers, local swiss wine, and soft drinks. Serves tea and coffee which you are welcome to partake of. We will also pass "Alpanages" and cafes for lunch which we will stop at and you will have your choice from the menu there. Local cheese is VERY popular (and very local). Sometimes you can meet the cow, goat or chicken that gave the milk/ eggs for your lunch 🐮.  

The food is part of the adventure. The huts are good with dealing with vegetarians and do their best for other dietary requirements but if you have a specific need it may not be able to be met.

The huts can cater for most dietary requirements. Just let them know when completing your registration form before the trip. They will do their best but see the above question. 

Absolutely, if you want to spend more time in Switzerland you can stay on Lake Geneva and enjoy the "Swiss Riveria" or ask about other extension possibilities. There is a charming guesthouse near the beginning and end of the tour called Heidi's GuestHouse , we can arrange to meet or drop you there. We also offer private guiding or more adventurous experiences like Via Ferrata. 

We believe in three things. 1) The journey is part of the experience 2) Our commitment to doing all we can to help the environment 3) making the trip as low coast as possible for you. 

With trains running every hour direct from the airport to the pick-up point it is unnecessary to drive 1.5 hours each way to pick people up. 

It also gives you the opportunity to experience the legendary swiss trains and to travel along the side of Lake Geneva, through the vineyards and past chateaux. The train is the best way to arrive and enjoy the journey rather than a sweaty minibus. 

It also keeps the cost low for you. If you want an airport pick up you can find private firms that will do it for you or rent a car at the airport. 

You can see the latest NHS advice at https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/europe-russia/switzerland https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/europe-russia/switzerland 

Not particularly, just your normal hiking boots, backpack, clothes and waterproofs. We recommend walking poles and if we rent those at discounted rates to save you having to bring them on the aeroplane and pay for baggage!