Arrive in Chamonix and go to your hotel. You’ll meet your Mont Blanc climbing guide in the evening to discuss the plan for the week and do an extensive gear check. Get to know your guide a bit more over dinner and retreat to your room to get a good night’s sleep—adventuring begins tomorrow. 

After breakfast, you’ll leave Chamonix, cross the border with Italy and get to the Valsavarenche valley. After enjoying lunch in an Italian restaurant, walk up to the rifugio Chabod, which will take you between 2 and three hours. You’ll spend the afternoon training with your equipment. Your guide will teach you the necessary techniques that will help you in the days to come. You’ll spend the night in the hut. 

Wake up early, eat breakfast and begin ascending Grand Paradiso. Standing at 13,323 feet (4,061 meters), it’s the highest peak in Italy. The climb begins with a glacier trek and finishes on a spectacular ridge. The ascent boasts an altitude gain of 4,430 feet (1.350 m) and will take you and your guide around 5 hours. Apart from Madonna waiting for you on the top, from here it’s also possible to see Mont Blanc in the distance (on a clear day). Descend back to the hut (around 3.5 hours) and spend the second night there. 

After breakfast, you’ll leave the Chabod hut at 7:30 am, descend back to the valley and drive back to Chamonix. Spend the afternoon getting some well-deserved rest and exploring this charming town before retreating to your hotel room. 

​​After a relaxing morning, do a gear check and make some last-minute purchases. Afterward, take the Bellevue cable car to the Col de Voza and board a pinion to the Nid d’Aigle. From here, you’ll walk with your guide to the Tete Rousse. After approximately 2 hours, you’ll have reached the hut. Retreat early—a long and strenuous day is ahead of you. 

Your climbing attempt starts at 2.00 am. You will follow the route taking you to the Gouter refuge and along the Bosses ridge. After 7 to 8 hours, you should be standing at the top of Mont Blanc! Take in the spectacular views and celebrate this tremendous achievement with your guide. There won’t be a lot of time for celebration though, because what follows is a descent along the same route, which can be just as difficult as the ascent. After reaching the hut, get something to eat and hit the sack. 

Leave your hut at 7.30 am, descend back to the valley and the town of Chamonix. Today it’s time to properly celebrate your achievement with your guide. You’ll also get a chance to explore the city some more and sample many of its culinary delicacies. Spend another night in a hotel in Chamonix—the adventure ends tomorrow. 

Your Gran Paradiso and Mont Blanc guided alpine climbing trip has come to an end. Say goodbye to your alpine climbing guide and to the Alps—or continue touring on your own.