Beginner Mountain Climbing Adventure around Mont Blanc

To join, you will need good physical fitness and some previous hiking experience (easy trekking, easy via ferrata). Additionally, you will need to be confident in the mountains, be available to share the experience with others, have some flexibility and the capacity to adapt to changes made to the original plans, due to conditions or to guarantee safety and comfort to the whole group.

Yes, sure: you can decide to share the tour with your friends or your family! This tour can be done from mid-May till mid-October.

10 years old (with parents and in a private group). Children should be able to hike 5–6 hours in a day.

Monzino (2,580 m) and Torino (3,375 m) huts are both managed and comfortable refuges: the accommodation is half board (including dinner and breakfast; veg menu and gluten-free upon request); they have rooms for 6–8 people, with castle bed, and they provide blankets and slippers (crocks or similar); it is necessary to have a headlamp and a sleeping liner (mandatory). The B&B accommodation generally includes only breakfast.

Please find here the full list of equipment we recommend. Part of it can be rented in one of the shops in Courmayeur (4810courmayeur or Les Pyramides) if you don't have it.

EQUIPMENT

• mountaineering boots (waterproof with rigid sole)

• backpack 28-30 l

• climbing helmet (provided)

• crampons (provided)

• harness (provided)

• lanyard or daisy-chain (provided)

• screw carabiner (provided)

• ice-axe (provided)

• mineral salts

• water bottle (1 l min) or thermos

• energy bars or dried fruit/nuts

• sunscreen (at least SPF 30) and UV protection lip balm

• personal first aid kit

• sleeping liner

• headlamp with new batteries

CLOTHING

• wool cap/beanie

• buff

• sun hat

• mountaineering/glacier sunglasses (high protection)

• down jacket (optional)

• breathable T-shirt (1st layer) 3x

• wicking turtleneck (2nd layer) 2x

• insulating garment made of Windstopper® or Primaloft® (3rd layer)

• waterproof shell jacket (Gore-Tex®, Paclite®, Conduit, etc.) (4th layer) down jacket (optional)

• light backup gloves, 1 pair

• heavy insulated gloves 1 pair

• climbing pants

• thermal leggings

• hiking socks (3 pairs)

Here are the 3 airports making it convenient for you to reach Courmayeur, the starting point:

• Milan Malpensa (2 to 2 ½ hours)

• Turin (1 ½ hour)

• Geneva (1 hour)

In these airports, you can rent a car, or you can take a bus service (Flixbus for example).

The starting and ending point is in Courmayeur at "Il Ristorantino", close to Val Veny cable car parking area.

Depending on conditions, the Guide will be available to suggest a plan B, with the same activities and similar logistics.

The included items are specified in the program (see list “Price includes”); the extra costs to consider are for extra meals and beverages during the tour for both clients and for the Guide (to be shared between the participants) and the costs for extra accommodation before or after the tour.

The following items are included in the price you’ll pay here

• Guiding services (IFMGA mountain guide)

• Liability insurance

• Lift tickets

• Accommodation on Day 1, 2 and 3

• Breakfast on day 1, 2, 3 and 4

• Lunch on day 2

• Diner on day 1, 2 and 3

• Loan of the technical equipment (harness, daisy chain with carabiner, ice axe, crampons, helmet, ice axe, trekking poles)

• Loan of common shared mountaineering equipment (Rope, etc.)

• Customer care support for logistics and planning

• Photos and video after the trip

• Administrative fees

The following are not included:

• Travel costs to and from the starting point

• Some meals as described: lunch on day 1, 3 and 4

• Your personal equipment, besides the technical one mentioned above (see ‘provided’)

• Personal expenses

• Travel insurance

In Courmayeur

• Hotel La Vallée Blanche

• Hotel Le Pilier d'Angle

• Hotel Shatush Mont Blanc

In Aosta

• Omama Hotel

• Ad Podium

• B&B Nabuisson

• B&B Mu

• Maison Colombot - Rooms/B&B

The guide will speak in English, French and/or Italian.

Generally, the first day is enough as acclimatisation for the next three ones. In any case, our suggestion is to bring Aspirin just in case you get a light headache: the guide will be available to move plans in case any participant of the group shows a bad response to altitude. Altitude sickness is very unusual on tours like this one: spending the night before in Courmayeur could help you to avoid this risk.

A guide will take a maximum of 5 persons with him. If you come with a larger group, another guide will join.

All our guides have the UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide certification. It is the international mountain guides federation. Its members are authorised to guide people on glacier areas with rope and technical equipment for mountaineering climbs.