You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! Here’s how it works to be on an Alpenwild self-guided Tour du Mont Blanc.
What does it mean to be self-guided?
On a self-guided tour, you have both flexibility and support. You choose the dates, the standard of hotels, and where you want your luggage transferred, and we’ll create a custom itinerary that’s perfect for you. Want to skip the huts on the TMB? No problem, we can arrange a private taxi to take you to a comfortable private room with an ensuite bathroom. Want to hike with just a day pack? We’ll transfer your luggage to each hotel along the route. We get you started and we’ll be here for you every step of the way.
How does it work?
We book and prepay all your accommodations, transportation, and most meals. We provide detailed trail notes, local maps, and supporting travel information.
What is included?
All self-guided guests will receive a custom itinerary that outlines what is and is not included. In general, your self-guided trip will include all prepaid accommodations, including all breakfasts and most dinners, all private taxi transfers as detailed in your final itinerary, and detailed trail notes.
What is not included?
Flights, lunches, some dinners (this will be specified on your custom itinerary), mountain trams, cableways, buses, and items of a personal nature (laundry, telephone calls, room service).
Do you stay in mountain huts?
Our recommended itinerary includes two huts (Rifugio Bonatti and Rifugio Elisabetta), but we can customize your trip to skip the huts, so you’ll have a private room and bathroom every night. If you decide not to stay at the huts, they are a great place to stop for lunch.
Are luggage transfers extra?
Yes, luggage transfers can be added to your trip for an additional cost. For luggage transfers to every possible accommodation on the recommended itinerary, they cost about $1200. This cost is then split between the number of people in your party. More people = better value. If you don’t need your luggage every night, we can customize the number of transfers. Many people enjoy luggage transfers every other day or every few days. We are able to deliver your luggage to all hotels, but we are NOT able to deliver luggage to the mountain huts.
What is the minimum amount of days you need to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc?
The standard route that we offer is a 13 day itinerary, however this can be adapted to be less if you don’t have that much time. Ten days is the minimum amount of days we recommend to complete the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Can I do the guided Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary as self-guided?
Yes, in fact, many people like to adapt the Deluxe Tour du Mont Blanc guided itinerary for a self-guided itinerary.
What type of accommodations do you stay in along the trail? Are they different accommodations from the guided tours?
You will stay in carefully chosen inns, small 3- and 4-star hotels, and (when chosen) classic mountain cabanes (huts) that capture the authentic charm of the Alps.
Can you change the daily route to adapt to different mileage preferences?
No, the Tour du Mont Blanc has very set trails. Although most days vary between 8-12 miles, there are some that have less and some that have more. There is no way to add mileage to a shorter day. The listed mileage and trail is generally the only trail.
Can you choose to stay at only mountain huts along the Tour du Mont Blanc?
No, there are a limited number of huts you can stay in along the route. We recommend only staying in 2 of the huts along the route, with the rest of the accommodations being hotels.
I already booked my flights. Will I be able to get the exact dates I need to do the trek?
We’ll do our best to accommodate your specific travel dates, but it depends on hotel availability. We recommend booking airfare after you have paid a deposit so we can make sure hotels are confirmed for your self-guided trip.
How do I do my laundry?
Most of your accommodations have a laundry service for an extra charge. Another way guests in the past have done laundry is to bring a small bag of detergent to clean clothes in the sink of your hotel room.
How far in advance do you need to book?
We take bookings up to a year and a half in advance. Most guests book 8-10 months before their desired date. This ensures that you are able to get the dates that you want, or within a few days of the desired dates. Once we can no longer get people into our hotels then we close self-guided booking for the season.
Can I bring my kids on this trek?
Yes, you can bring kids on the Tour du Mont Blanc. We recommend that the child be at least 8 years old. The Tour du Mont Blanc is extremely strenuous and they will need to complete the exact same trail as everyone else.
What kind of gear do I need?
Check out our packing list! It’s a complete checklist of what you will need to take with you on the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Which airport should I fly into? How do I get to the start of my self-guided tour?
We recommend flying into the Geneva airport, as it is about a 90-minute shuttle ride to Chamonix for the start of the trek. The shuttle we provide will take you from the Geneva airport directly to your hotel in Chamonix. At the end of your trip, we’ll include the shuttle back to the Geneva airport.
What do we do if the weather is bad and we cannot hike?
If you are delayed for any reason, weather or otherwise, we’ll give instructions to help you rejoin your itinerary.
- Self-Guided Tour du Mont Blanc – FAQs - October 1, 2020
- Get in Shape to Hike the Alps: Expert Advice - April 16, 2020