Tour du Mont Blanc is the world’s most famous trekking adventure, but hiking 170 km and 10,000 m vertically sounds like too much suffering for our taste, so we decided to cheat :). Each day, private drivers will take us to a section of the Tour du Mont Blanc trek where we will hike only the Instagram-worthy parts with the help of our National Geographic recognized guide Bine. Pair that with a stay in a luxury chalet, a private chef, sauna, pool, and cocktails served at your will and you are talking about quite a special vacation that a lot of people will envy you about.
The 5-star edition of hiking in Mont Blanc is the perfect blend of the great outdoors and luxury lifestyle. With an upscale chalet as your base and spectacular day hikes in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps, this 8-day adventure in the mountains will be forever etched in your memory. Apart from discovering quintessential natural wonders of the Alps, you can start looking forward to fine dining, wellness breaks, and sipping on cocktails with a million-dollar view of the ever-present snow-capped peaks.
Day 1 of your hiking tour in Mont Blanc is reserved for arriving and settling in. Make sure to reach Chamonix by 6 pm, because that’s when you’re meeting your guide and your group at your accommodation. Once you’ve all gathered, have a welcome dinner at 7 pm. Get a good night’s sleep—the adventure begins!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Chalet
Kick off the trip by stepping through history—hike the geological trail of old Émosson, a trail with panoramic views and two high dams featuring traces of dinosaurs dating from 240 million years ago. Departing from the VerticAlp funicular, continue onto Lake Émosson and walk along it for about 1.5 km (1 mile). After the lake, go towards Gorge de la Veudale, where spectacular views await and very soon you’ll reach the famous traces of the dinosaurs. The return is via Vieux Émosson Lake to return to the same path to finish the hike at the top of the Émosson dam. Learn about the environmental context and the melting of glaciers. Return to Chamonix.
Meals: Lunch package or Barrage d’Émosson restaurant
Distance: 12,4 km / 7.7 miles
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 833 m / 2,733 ft
Accommodation: Chalet
Today you’re doing a beautiful, 10.5-kilometer (6.5 miles) loop hike near Cordon in Haute-Savoie. You’ll appreciate the whole massif from afar and move into the pre-Alps area. Listen to your guide talk about the valley, the times of settlement, and how it grew popular. You’re going to avoid the crowds by going on this moderately challenging route, but still get those otherworldly views. Retreat back to Chamonix for the night.
Meals: Lunch package or Le Refuge, Cordon
Distance: 10.5 km / 6.5 miles
Hiking: 5 hours
Elevation gain: 819 m / 2,687 ft
Accommodation: Chalet 
Today you’re going to Lake Pormenaz surrounded by pastures and a mountain overlooking Servoz and Passy near the Moëde-Anterne Refuge. From a fountain, take the Route de la Côte until the first bend. Continue walking towards Gorges de la Diosaz and cross the Souay torrent. Go up, leaving the paths of the Tête de la Fontaine and the Bajulaz on the right. Follow a long, steep slope to a pyramid-marker to reach the Chalets des Alpages de Pormenaz. Cross on over towards the Chalets de Chavanne-Neuve towards the peak Pointe Noire de Pormenaz—where you’ll find geological curiosities— and then towards the Lac de Pormenaz.
Meals: Lunch package
Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Elevation: +1,061 m / +3,481 ft | -839 m / -2,753 ft
Accommodation: Chalet
Today you will start in Val Ferret and end up in Courmayeur. Stop along the way at the Bonatti hut, where you’ll have an Aperol Spritz with a view of Grand Jorasses! The hut was named after a legendary Italian mountaineer who helped set it up. You’ll have a leisure afternoon in Courmayeur’s downtown—don’t miss out on the local Focaccia and gelato! After a banger panorama of the whole Chamonix, it’s time to return to your accommodation in Chamonix.
Meals: Lunch at Refuge Bonatti
Distance: 7.2 km / 4.5 miles
Hiking: 4 hours
Elevation gain: 545 m / 1,788 ft
Accommodation: Chalet
Starting from Col de la Fenêtre, today you’re touring around Les Contamines-Montjoie—the only Nature Reserve in the whole Mont Blanc! Apart from strolling along quintessential Alpine scenery, you’re also visiting the charming village of Les Contamines-Montjoie. Set at the heart of a Nature Reserve, the village has preserved its historic appearance, its Baroque churches, and traditional architecture. More than 70% of old farmhouses have been renovated to honor the typical Savoyard style. Return to Chamonix.
Meals: Lunch at Refuge de Pres
Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
Hiking: 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 423 m / 1,388 ft
Accommodation: Chalet
The last hiking day takes you in front of the massive Bossons Glacier, Needles of Chamonix, Vallée Blanche, Les Drus, going towards the seracs of the Argentière Glacier and ending in Montroc. You’ll constantly be moving in nature reserves—their historical significance of being gaming reserves—and learning about their protection. Return back with a Planpraz telecabine and then a train from Montroc to Chamonix. Enjoy your last evening in this charming town.
Meals: Lunch at Refuge du Lac Blanc
Distance: 9 km / 5.6 miles
Hiking: 4-5 hours
Elevation gain: 520 m / 1,706 ft
Accommodation: Chalet
It’s time to say goodbye to Mont Blanc and the Chamonix area. If you’d like to stay longer, your guide will be happy to give you recommendations!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
While day-hikes around Mont Blanc don’t require any special skills, you still need to be ready to hike 10 km (6 miles) per day on average for 6 days in a row, while carrying a daypack filled with things you’ll need throughout the day. You can expect the elevation gain to be between 500 and 800 m (1,640-2,625 ft). Your guide can always make the day hikes harder or easier—depends on the group.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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The starting point of your adventure is Chamonix in France. To get there, most people fly into Geneva Airport, about 1.5 hours away. From there, you can rent a car or take a train or bus. Meet your guide and your team at your accommodation at 6 pm on day 1.
Check out Mountain Drop Offs—they provide door-to-door service in their comfy and spacious shuttles. Use the code 57HCHX to get a 5% discount!
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in France and Italy, please refer to France Diplomacy’s advice for travelers and foreign nationals, Italy’s COVID-19 travel regulations, and COVID-19 information by Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
A 15% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure.