Classic Tour du Mont Blanc

This trip is on a full board basis (except for the first and last nights in Chamonix). For your evening meals in Chamonix, there are a wide range of local restaurants for you to sample. If you have a dietary requirement or are a vegetarian then just let us know when you book so that we can plan suitable lunch menus.

The refuges provide hearty, traditional and generous meals. Drinks are not included with dinner, so please make sure you have some Euros and Swiss Francs with you. Refuges do not normally accept card payments.

Packed lunches will be produced by your guide and include local meats and cheeses, crusty bread and fresh seasonal vegetables. The lunch items will be shared between all of the group for carrying each day. These are long days so remember to bring your favourite snacks (cereal or energy bars, dried fruits, chocolate) with you to keep you going through the day.

Tap water is typically safe to drink in France so you can fill up your water bottle each morning at the hotel or refuge. On the trek itself, you will be passing many refuges where you will also be able to top up your water if needed.

Accommodation in Chamonix will be in a 3-star hotel in twin rooms. You will stay in Chamonix on the first and last nights of the trip. Please note that your evening meals are not included when you are in Chamonix.

The mountain refuges we use are authentic huts with catering facilities and shared mixed-sex dormitory rooms of anywhere between 4-16 beds: blankets, pillows and mattresses are provided but you will need to bring a sleeping bag liner. Most refuges have running water and showers, but in more remote refuges, facilities will be more basic and hot water may be limited. You will only need very basic toiletries. On arrival at the huts, you will be expected to take off your boots and use the indoor shoes that the refuge provides (these are often crocs).

All guides on our Tour du Mont Blanc treks are highly experienced English-speaking International Mountain Guides (IML)

Where transfers are involved in this itinerary, we prefer to use private taxis fitted with seatbelts throughout.

You will need two bags for this trip. One travel bag for your replacement clothes which will be transferred between locations vehicle (max 15kg). This should be a soft bag such as a duffel bag rather than a harder, bulkier suitcase. Tip: Bring drybags to protect your clothes from humidity. Please do not lock your luggage as they may need to be checked by Swiss customs. However, you may find a small luggage lock comes in handy when you are at the refuges. We also recommend bringing a waist-bag that can be used to keep your valuables on your person when you are at the refuges. Please note: Do not leave computers, tablets, cameras and valuable objects in your travel bag. You will also need a 30-40L rucksack with a large chest strap that you will carry during the day. You will carry your own personal equipment (spare warm clothes, waterproofs, water bottle, camera and sun screen) and valuables, as well as your packed lunch in your rucksack.

Many travellers based in the UK or the US choose to fly to Geneva International Airport (GVA) and then make their way to Chamonix. Lots of airlines fly to Geneva from all of the major UK airports, and many of the larger US international airports as well. There are lots of companies offering transfers from Geneva to Chamonix. The cheapest options tend to be with Alpybus or Chamexpress who provide regular shared bus transfers allocated by arrival time. These are usually around 40 Euros each way for a shared transfer. Another option is to book through Mountain Dropoffs, they offer smaller minibus style shared transfers for around 50 Euros each way. With Mountain Dropoffs, it is also possible to pay an additional fee for a private transfer.

You will meet the rest of the group at the pre-trek hotel in Chamonix.

Your trip includes a night in the same hotel after you have completed your hike. After breakfast, you are free to make your own travel plans.

Travelling Responsibly

Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips whilst in destination. As we don't include flight travel in our trips these aren't included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves.

eC02 Flights Calculator

Alternatively, if you wish to travel more responsibly, then there are other ways to reach Chamonix. Flixbus and BlablaCar offer routes from London to Chamonix with a change in Paris. These take around 22 hours and tend to cost between £75-120 each way. The other option is to travel by train. This is a much quicker option taking between 10-12hrs London - Chamonix, with changes at Paris and Chambery, however this does come at an increased cost. Expect to pay around £250-300 each way on an advance ticket. Tickets can be found at Rail Europe.

If you choose to travel via train or bus, get in touch and let us know because we like to reward our responsible travellers!

Your guide team will meet you at your hotel at 6pm the day before your trek begins, where we’ll review the plans for the trip with you, make sure you have all the right gear, and answer any questions you may have. Please try and arrive in time for this briefing which will be held in the hotel lobby.

The currency in France and Italy is the Euro (EUR) and in Switzerland the Swiss Franc (CHF). Euros are accepted in Switzerland although the exchange rate will not be very good. However, if you are only likely to be buying the odd drink or snack while you are in Switzerland, this would probably be easier that exchanging money into Francs. Foreign money can be exchanged at the Global Exchange in Geneva airport on arrival or you can bring money already exchanged with you, as both these are open currencies. We would recommend the latter as it is no longer possible to exchange foreign currency notes in banks in France, so you may find it difficult to exchange your money after leaving the airport. The only places that exchange foreign banknotes are bureau-de-change which can be found in large cities. You will, however, be able to withdraw money from ATMs in Chamonix on Day 1 of your trip.

The simplest way to pay for things in France is to use an international credit card or debit card. Visa and Mastercard are accepted everywhere alongside standard travel cards such as Monzo and Revolut. You may wish to have some Euros to hand, to pay for smaller items or souvenirs in case the trader does not accept cards. Credit and debit cards are also not always accepted at the mountain refuges and if they are, there may be a minimum spend requirement, so you will need to carry enough cash for snacks, drinks and any personal expenses.

The average cost of a meal for 2 in Chamonix is around €50 ($55). Its not a cheap place to eat out, however it makes up for this by offering free or very cheap public transport (€1-2 per journey) all around the town. If you are wanting to buy some souvenirs to take home then these generally cost anywhere between €5 ($6) for small items to €500 ($550) for larger more bespoke gifts. Don't forget you will also need to budget for drinks whilst in the refuges too. Therefore, our recommended guidance for spending budget in the Alps would be roughly €220 on top of any tips, to give you ample souvenir spending money.

Tipping customs vary all over the world and can be very confusing when travelling to a new country. There is not a strong culture for tipping in France and please note tips are not a substitute for good wages: our guides are all well paid and well looked after. Tipping is completely voluntary, and at your discretion. If you are unsure of how much to tip, we recommend a general guide of €80-100 per person for the entire trip. On the other hand, if you receive bad service or have not been treated well, you would not be expected to tip at all.

Most travellers will require a passport valid for at least 6 months after your return date. It is your responsibility to confirm your specific requirements and please be aware that proof of onward travel may be required.

Travelling to France is visa free for up to 90 days, for UK and US citizens. Please be aware that the new EES (Entry Exit System) is now active for all Non-EU nationals. This means your biometric data (photo and fingerprints) will be taken at the border on arrival. Those travelling from the UK may have have their biometric data taken at the time or boarding, rather than on arrival in the EU.

There are no specific health risks in the Mont Blanc region. However, you should ensure that your routine vaccinations and boosters are up to date, such as tetanus and MMR.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses. Many insurance policies will have a maximum altitude limit. For trekking trips such as the Haute Route and Tour du Mont Blanc, you will not usually trek above 3000m but you should check for specific altitudes in the trip information. If you are climbing Gran Paradiso you should ensure you are covered for climbing up to 4500m. If you are unsure, please ask one of our travel experts.

We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.

Your guide carries a first aid kit at all times but we recommend you carry the following items: - Painkillers - Anti-inflammatory tablets/gel - Second Skin Elastoplast (to prevent blisters)/ bandages - Sunscreen and Biafine cream (for sunburn) - Sleeping aids and/or earplugs - Personal medication

Sun Hat (preferably wide brimmed for protection )

Sunglasses

Neck gaiter or scarf

Warm beanie style hat

Gloves - warm fleece or wool

Short sleeved t-shirts - light weight and quick drying

Long sleeve t-shirts - light weight and quick drying

Fleece or soft shell jacket

Insulated jacket

Waterproof/windproof hard shell jacket

Trekking shorts and/or trousers

Windproof and waterproof hard shell trousers

Gaiters

Trekking boots - with good ankle support

Trainers or sandals to wear around refuges / use in showers

Light weight trekking socks / warm socks

60-100 litre duffel bag or backpack (not a rigid suitcase)

30-40 litre daypack

Sleeping bag liner

Trekking poles

Water bottles or hydration pack

Drybags for your kit (if your duffel bag is not waterproof)

Tupperware and eating utensils

Head torch with spare batteries

Microspikes (optional and only advisable early season - June to mid-July)

Other Accessories

Pocket knife

Camera

Eating utensils and small Tupperware - for your picnic lunch

Snacks

Microfibre towel

Ear plugs

Plug adapter

Wet wipes and hand sanitiser

Small wearable bag (may be useful for carrying valuables)