Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

Name: Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.8 (171 reviews)

171 reviews

Activity

Walking & Trekking

Overview

Trek one of the world’s most scenic mountain trails, with three rest days to enjoy the stunning views

Complete the Tour du Mont Blanc, Europe’s greatest long-distance mountain trail, with the expert guidance of an International Mountain Leader. Trekking through France, Switzerland and Italy, we cross six mountain passes, view colossal glaciers and wander through Alpine meadows. Our 15-day itinerary is honed for balance: 10 full trekking days and three well-placed rest days, in which you can explore unique Alpine towns, including Chamonix. Spend nights on trek at scenic campsites, enjoy camp life camaraderie, starlit skies, and views you simply won’t get from a hotel.

Key Information

Trip Code: TWB
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: France, Italy, Switzerland
Carbon Footprint: 10kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches, 12 dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Group arrival and departure transfers available

10 days of Walking & Trekking

Pace:

Approximately six to eight hours walking per day
Eight days challenging and two days moderate walking

Terrain:

Low altitude; good paths with some steep ascents
Maximum altitude 8,323ft (2,537m); average 5,003ft (1,525m)

Day 2: 10 km / 6.2 miles
Day 3: 13 km / 8.1 miles
Day 4: 16 km / 9.9 miles
Day 5: 15 km / 9.3 miles
Day 6: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Day 8: 14 km / 8.7 miles
Day 9: 24 km / 14.9 miles
Day 10: 17 km / 10.6 miles
Day 12: 18 km / 11.2 miles
Day 13: 11 km / 6.8 miles

Highlights

Complete one of the world’s great hiking circuits: the Tour du Mont Blanc
Join a small group guided by an International Mountain Leader with expert knowledge of the area
Marvel at the snow-capped peak of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps
Spend three rest days in Alpine towns, including Chamonix
Camp in stunning mountain settings, sharing beautiful views with your small group

Itinerary

First Destination: Les Bossons
Next Destination: Les Bossons

Meals included:Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Les Bossons
Next Destination: Les Bossons

Your adventure begins at the campsite in Les Bossons, which has wonderful views of Mont Blanc and the dramatic, crevassed Glacier des Bossons, especially at sunset.

Around 6pm, say bonjour to your tour leader and fellow travellers, where we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead during a welcome briefing. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome over dinner together.

Want extra time in Chamonix? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, Les Bossons

Meals included:Dinner

From Les Bossons (3,320ft/1,012m), we have a short bus journey to Chamonix from where we walk to Les Praz and take the cable car to La Flégère (6,100ft/1,860m). The trail today is named the Grand Balcon and is on the opposite side of the valley from Mont Blanc, affording excellent views of the whole massif lying to our south. Initially, we contour and then climb to reach the high point of the day, Lac Blanc (7,715ft/2,352m). The trail descends and then contours high above the valley before dropping steeply to the hamlet of Les Frasserands (4,500ft/1,371m), from where we take a scenic valley train back to our campsite. In the afternoon, there is a very short section of ladders/steep steps with handrails to descend.

Campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, Les Bossons

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a scenic train ride up the valley to Les Frasserands, we begin by climbing steeply to the Aiguillette de Posettes (7,200ft/2,201m), descend a little and then ascend towards the Col de Balme (7,190ft/2,191m) where we follow one of the paths across the border from France to Switzerland. Enjoy excellent views all morning of Aiguille d’Argentière and Aiguille du Tour and its glacier. After lunch, we descend to the small hamlet of Trient (4,250ft/1,296m), where we will have lovely views of the Trient Glacier.

Campsite: Camping near Trient

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We climb first to the Col de Forclaz (5,010ft/1,527m) and then onwards to look directly into the Rhône Valley and the small Swiss town of Martigny. We follow a historic path used to take the cows to summer grazing, the ‘Bovine route’ (6,720ft/2,049m), which takes us through meadows and high alpine pastures before descending to Champex (4,880ft/1,486m), a town beside a picturesque alpine lake.

Campsite: Camping Les Rocailles, Champex Lac

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Now on the east side of the main Mont Blanc massif, we walk south, descending through woods to the Val Ferret and on to Issert (3,460ft/1,055m) and other pretty alpine farming villages. If you are visiting early in the season (June/July), this is a great day to see flowers in bloom, including orchids. We continue up the valley to the remote village of La Fouly (5,250ft/1,600m), which lies at the foot of Mont Dolent, whose summit marks the meeting point of France, Switzerland and Italy.

Campsite: Camping les Glaciers, La Fouly

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following the same valley and the river La Drance, we climb to the Grand Col Ferret (8,320ft /2,537m), the highest pass of the tour. Now in Italy, the valley is also called Val Ferret. The mountain views from the col are stunning, with Grandes Jorasses dominating the scene. We walk down the valley to Arp Nouva (5,800ft/1,770m) where we take an optional bus to Planpincieux (5,250ft/1,600m). For the first and last trip of the season, the bus may not be running and we may need to walk to camp.

Campsite: Camping Grandes Jorasses, Val Ferret

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is free for you to rest after the first week’s exertions. The nearby former spa towns of Courmayeur and Entrèves have picturesque older areas that are worth a visit, especially for keen photographers. We also highly recommend the Skyway cable car from La Palud to Point Helbronner (11,350ft/3,461m), which gives close-up views of all the big peaks. Tickets for the cable car can be purchased online or locally at La Palud. Alternatively you might wish to relax and recover in the spa baths at Pre Saint Didier a short bus ride from Courmayeur. It is recommended to book in advance for the spa to avoid disappointment, by clicking https://www.qcterme.com/en/pre-saint-didier/qc-terme-pre-saint-didier .

Campsite: Camping Grandes Jorasses, Val Ferret

Meals included:Breakfast

We start with a short bus ride to pick up the Tour du Mont Blanc route, and from the road (5,500ft/1,675m) climb up to the Bonatti refuge (6,640ft/2,025m). Today, we follow a beautiful contouring path around Mont de la Saxe to Courmayeur. The views of the south Mont Blanc massif are exceptional, as are those of the towering peaks of the Grandes Jorasses and the glaciers that crowd the northern flank of the Val Ferret. In the afternoon, we have a long, steep descent to Courmayeur (4,030m/1,230m) where there will be time to stop for a tasty Italian gelato before taking a short bus ride into the spectacular Val Veny (5,020ft/1,530m).

Campsite: Camping Aiguille Noire, Val Veny

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s trail climbs gently along the Val Veny, beneath the moraine of the massive Glacier du Miage. Passing Lac Combal, the gradient becomes steeper as we follow the old Roman road across the Col de la Seigne pass (8,250ft/2,516m), marking our re-entry into France. A fairly steep descent brings us through La Ville des Glaciers (5,870ft/1,789m) and finally to Les Chapieux (5,090ft/1,553m), a small hamlet only inhabited in summer. This is one of the longer walking days, but the experience of walking beneath a glacier and over the Col de la Seigne pass make the challenge well worth it.

Campsite: Camping in Chapieux

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have now reached the southwest corner of the circuit and turn north to climb once again. Today is a longer day; first we make a steep climb to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (8,130ft/2,478m) and then contour around to the Col du Bonhomme (7,640ft/2,328m). We then descend (again on a Roman road) to our campsite in Les Contamines (5,900ft/1,180m).

Campsite: Camping le Pontet, Les Contamines

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A chance to rest or enjoy independent exploration. There are short and long optional walks in the area, many accessed by a chairlift or gondola, with spectacular views of Mont Blanc. Mountain cafes make a nice place for a scenic lunch. Alternatively, you could take the Mont Blanc cog-driven tramway to the Eagle’s Nest – the starting point for many aiming to conquer Mont Blanc itself. Otherwise, time can be spent visiting the half-day market in Les Contamines, or you can simply relax around town or in camp and recharge your batteries for the days ahead.

Campsite: Camping le Pontet, Les Contamines

Meals included:Breakfast

Today will be another long but rewarding day as we return to the start point of our trek. We walk through Les Contamines, ascend to Chalets du Truc (5,614ft/1,720m) and then descend to the Chalets de Miage (4,120ft/1,560m). From here, we take the trail that climbs steeply to the Col de Tricot (6,950ft/2,119m) before descending very close to the snout of the Glacier de Bionnassay, where we will enjoy fabulous views of the northern side of the Mont Blanc massif. Eventually, we make another short ascent to reach the Col de Voza (5,418ft/1,652m), where we re-enter the Chamonix Valley and descend to the village of Les Houches (dependent on the time of year, there is an optional cable car descent from Bellevue to Les Houches). A short bus ride takes us to our camp in Les Bossons (3,320ft/1,012m).

Campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, Les Bossons

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We cross to the north side of the Chamonix Valley and climb through a pine forest. The high point of the day is Brévent (8,290ft/2,525m), from where there are panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif and Chamonix Valley. We walk down to Plan Praz (6,460ft/1,970m), then descend by cable car to Chamonix and walk to our camp at Les Bossons (3,320ft/1,012m). It is possible to take the cable car descent from the top (dependent on the time of year). This extra journey will be payable locally should you choose not to walk.

Our last day on the Tour du Mont Blanc circuit is long, with a tough climb of more than 4,920ft (1,500m), but affords the best views on the whole trek of Mont Blanc and neighbouring peaks. On our return to Les Bossons, we will have successfully completed the Tour du Mont Blanc.

Campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, Les Bossons

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a free day for optional walks or sightseeing. Your leader can advise you of possible walking routes or you may choose to visit the bustling alpine resort town of Chamonix, which has numerous shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. There are several cable car excursions you can make from Chamonix, of which the most spectacular is the ascent to the Aiguille du Midi (12,600ft/3,842m), offering fantastic views of Mont Blanc and surrounding peaks. It should also be possible to take the mountain train up to Montenvers for close-up views of the Mer de Glace glacier, or if you are feeling adventurous you could enjoy a tandem paragliding flight.

Campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, Les Bossons

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

The adventure comes to an end in Les Bossons after breakfast. Invigorated after treading alpine trails, take one final look at Mont Blanc before starting your journey home. Not ready for the adventure to end? You can always speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in this magnificent region.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

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Call us on 1 844 260 1517

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View Details

Accommodation

Comfortable camping and beautiful scenery on the Mont Blanc Circuit

Delicious camp meals on the Mont Blanc Circuit

Comfortable camping

The campsites are in stunning settings and sharing an after-trek drink with newly made friends as the sun sets over a glaciated mountain is the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors.

Campsites: The chosen campsites are comfortable and modern. On 12 nights, hot showers are available and there are electricity points to recharge batteries. Many campsites have a bar and wifi, plus a lounge or sitting area. We provide a large communal tent (if we do not use the communal area in the campsite), where we eat at tables with benches and have an unlimited tea and coffee station, plus a camp bar. Two remote campsites are in stunning locations but are a little more basic than others and do not have showers. We eat in restaurants on these nights.

Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

Camp life: Accompanying you throughout the trek is a dedicated camp support leader who takes care of the logistics and catering. Your tent is put up for you each night. In the morning, you will be asked to take your tent down (this should take no more than three to four minutes), put your bag in the back of the van and wash your breakfast dish. On four nights out of 14, you will be asked to join a washing up team and help with the dishes that evening – a 20-minute job. Otherwise, you are free to relax and your time is your own.

Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

Tents and equipment: All our equipment is bought with both comfort and practicality in mind and we hope represents a higher quality than most individuals would buy for themselves.

You spend 14 nights camping in roomy waterproof tents designed to sleep three people, but with a maximum of two people per tent. We use modern dome tents incorporating a 6.9ft x 6.9ft (2.1m x 2.1m) inner tent with sewn-in ground sheet and a supplementary 7.5ft x 2.3ft (2.3m x 0.7m) covered porch that is an ideal place to leave your walking boots and poles.

Single tents are available for a small additional cost, as are camping mats and sleeping bags with liner and pillow. Our full-length camping mats are filled with air and foam, which is comfortable to sleep on and provides excellent insulation from the ground. Our sleeping bags have a synthetic filling, as opposed to feathers, with a three-quarter-length zip and provide plenty of warmth.

Worth knowing

Thermal mattress hire: Approximately £40 – please request in advance with your sales representative.
Sleeping bag hire (three- or four-season), pillow and liner: Approximately £91 – please request in advance with your sales representative.

Essential Information

This trip is graded Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging) – it involves 10 days of walking; two days at a Moderate level and eight days at a Challenging level. For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Walking profile: Most days are long, quite often involving an ascent of 900m-1,200m (or 3,000ft-4,000ft), equivalent to three to four hours walking uphill, followed by a similar descent. On Day 2, there are two metal ladders to descend from Lac Blanc. These are secured against the rock, consist of approximately 12 steps and are not difficult to climb down. The route throughout is non-technical; however, we will be walking mountain paths and this trip is not advised for severe vertigo sufferers. Please be aware that on Days 6 and 8, we take a short bus transfer to avoid trekking on busy roads.

Terrain: Although the paths are well maintained, there are sections that are rough underfoot with sometimes loose rocks, so you need to be confident in your footing and balance.

Route: Most people trek the Tour du Mont Blanc anticlockwise. From years of experience, we have discovered that trekking the route clockwise allows for quieter trails and avoids a tough ascent on the first couple of days. The views and walks are just as beautiful in this direction.

Preparation: As this is a group adventure, you need to be confident your fitness will allow you to enjoyably walk at a consistent and steady pace that matches the group average, allowing the group to finish the day at a reasonable time. You will also enjoy the trek a great deal more if your fitness allows you to walk the route in relative ease. A Challenging-graded day would be equivalent to walking between three and five hours uphill and a similar time downhill, so up to nine hours in total depending on the pace (including breaks).

Due to the lower altitude, climate and overall comfort of this trek, it is graded Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging). The Activity Level reflects the overall endurance required for this trip, not just the ease of any particular walk. Other treks with a higher Activity Level, requiring a higher overall endurance due to their remoteness, lack of facilities or average weather etc, may have shorter, easier walks. Please read the daily itineraries below when making comparisons to other walks/trips you may have done before.

Opting out: If you are unable to walk during the itinerary and want to opt out of a day, please note this can sometimes be a little tricky, depending on your position on the circuit. To reach the next point, you will need to take a public bus (which run at limited times) or taxi (which can be expensive in more remote locations). Our support vehicle is not suitable for carrying passengers so please be aware of this when deciding to book this trip. If you miss a part of the itinerary, any extra transport, hotel and food cost will be at your expense.

GPS measurements: All ascents, descents and walking distances listed below are approximate. We have decided the most accurate method is to map the routes carefully using Google Earth. That said, it is impossible to obtain a completely true figure of the distances walked. Due to the inherent inaccuracies of defining an exact waypoint with a GPS and the cumulative overall inaccuracy this causes, you may find that our distances and GPS distances you obtain on trek with your personal GPS/phone may differ by quite a margin. Timings stated include lunch and photo stops and will vary depending on the pace of your group.

Key information

Start campsite: Camping Les Marmottes, 140 Chem. des Doux, 74400 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Phone: +336 13 41 12 50
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing around 6pm this evening.
Airport: Geneva (GVA)

Getting to the start campsite

The start campsite is approximately a 1hr 15min drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:

Take an Exodus transfer

Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times.

Make your own way

You can reach the start campsite easily by taking a bus transfer with a local company – make sure to book at least a week before your departure date. A one-way transfer (shared with other travellers) costs from €46 for a flexible booking and €41 for a fixed booking with our partner Mountain Dropoffs. Book on www.mountaindropoffs.com using promotional code EXOCHX for a €1.50 discount. Discounted rates apply to transfers taking place between 14 June and 15 September.

Catching your return flight

There’s a group departure transfer to the airport that’s scheduled to align with a flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join this transfer. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, we recommend booking a shared transfer in advance with Mountain Drop-offs (as above). Shared transfers are not available for flights departing Geneva before 9:30am – in this case you would need to request a private transfer with Mountain Drop-offs, which is considerably more expensive (from €295 one-way).

France

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter France. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/france
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/france
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/France.html

Italy

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Italy. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/italy
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/italy
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html

Please note: it is compulsory to carry ID with you at all times in Italy.

Switzerland

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Switzerland. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/switzerland
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/switzerland
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/switzerland/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Switzerland.html

We provide 14 breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches, eight home-cooked three-course group meals in camp and four group meals in local restaurants. Due to the small size and remoteness of several of these restaurants, and for speed when serving a large group, these will be set menus.

Breakfast: Usually consist of coffee, tea, cereal, yoghurt, fresh fruit, bread and conserves.

Lunch: Picnic-style lunches will normally include bread, cold meat, cheese, sometimes boiled eggs or tinned fish, fresh salad and fresh fruit. You may wish to bring (or purchase locally) snack bars for an extra energy boost during the day.

Evening meal: Whether in camp or in a nearby restaurant, we endeavour to make dinner something to look forward to. Each day there will be a freshly prepared menu for the whole group, consisting of a soup, salad or similar; a main course of meat, fish or vegetarian served with a selection of vegetables and carbohydrates; and a dessert.

Beer, wine, bottled water, coffee, tea or other drinks are not included in the price of evening meals taken in restaurants. Coffee and tea are included with the evening meal when we eat in camp and beer and wine are also available for purchase at a modest cost.

Vegetarians: We happily cater for vegetarians – please inform us at the time of booking.

Vegans: If you adhere to a vegan diet, you may find the variety of food offered to be limited, since veganism is relatively uncommon in this region.

The feedback we receive for the food we serve is great but please be aware that facilities are limited and practicality forces us to put our efforts into making one excellent group meal with a vegetarian option. Of course, any allergies will be respected.

From late June to early October, expect fair weather. However, all mountain ranges create their own weather patterns and the Alps are no exception. It does rain and can be surprisingly cold at times, especially on the high passes. Daytime temperatures are in the range of 15C-25C (59F-77F) in the valleys, although it can sometimes reach 30C (86F) in July and August; 5C-15C (41F-59F) on the passes, though it will feel colder if wet and windy; and 5C to 15C (41F-59F) in the valleys at night, possibly a little lower early and late in the season. There is always the possibility of lying snow, especially in the early season, and snowfall even in August and September, when we may find new snow on the passes. Please note, the days are shorter on September treks, so we start early to make the most of the available daylight.

Reaching the high point of Grand Col Ferret and being unexpectedly overcome with emotion.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Maria was a great leader, ensuring group safety, allowing all to walk at their own pace and having a friendly, approachable character, he was fun to be with. Albert as the camp leader was efficient and attentive and creative with meals.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You can probably pack a bit less than you think, 3 f each, max 4 will likely do. Plenty of water available along the routes, charging electrical really was no problem, except 1 site with no electricity supply.

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Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

Activity Level

Comfort Level

Activity

Overview

Trek one of the world’s most scenic mountain trails, with three rest days to enjoy the stunning views

Key Information

What's Included

10 days of Walking & Trekking

Highlights

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, dates that suit you, 24-hour support, loyalty discounts, and peace of mind for delays or disruption.

Book Your Flights With Us

Accommodation

Comfortable camping

Essential Information

Key information

Getting to the start campsite

Catching your return flight

France

Italy

Switzerland