All-In Mont Blanc and Gran Paradiso Climb
Join one of the IFMGA-certified local guides in the Peakshunter team on this 6-day adventure to reach the Gran Paradiso summit and the Mont Blanc via its easiest route, the Goûter Route.
Not specified
Alps
6 Days
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Fit
Intermediate
Highlights
- Improve your chances to reach the Mont Blanc summit by training on Gran Paradiso, the highest peak in Italy (4,061 meters of altitude).
- Reaching Mont Blanc via the classic Goûter Route on a 3-day ascent will give you more opportunities to get to the summit in case of bad weather.
- Climb 2 legendary 4000m peaks and enjoy some of the best views in the Alps!
Description
On this 1-week tour, you will have the chance to climb both Mont Blanc and the Gran Paradiso, two emblematic mountains of the Alps.
Gran Paradiso (4,061m) is located between the Aosta Valley and the Piedmont in Italy. It lies within the Gran Paradiso National Park, right at the border with France. It is considered the less difficult ascent of the two mountains, so we will tackle it first. However, we should not underestimate it as there is some rocky terrain in its final section that requires specific mountaineering skills.
Very close to the Gran Paradiso peak is the highest mountain in the Alps, Mont Blanc. This majestic peak stands at 4,810 meters, located amongst the Veny and Ferret valleys in Italy, and the valleys of Arve and Montjoie in France. Reaching the summit is a real challenge, one that is rewarding with outstanding views from the top.
It will take us 2 days to explore Grand Paradiso and reach its summit. Upon completion, we’ll spend an extra night at the refuge, to rest and recover.
Then, we’ll head to our next and final mission: Mont Blanc. It will take us 3 more days to stand at its top. On the way to the summit, I will show you some of my favorite spots in the area. And we’ll enjoy the most mesmerizing views.
Since this is a challenging trip, you’ll require excellent physical condition. If you wish to join this adventure, contact us. We’ll guide you across these iconic peaks and we’ll share a wonderful time at the top of both!
Are you looking to climb another famous mountain? Check this Matterhorn 2-Day Guided Climb from Italy that I guide too.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Lift tickets
- Mountain guide expenses
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Rope
- Harness
- Helmet
- Crampons
- Ice axe
Price details
INCLUDED:
- Guiding fee
- Liability insurance
- Accommodation at refuge in half board
- Dinner and breakfast
- 2 packed lunches (at Gran Paradiso refuge)
- Lift tickets for customers and Guides
- 1 night in a B&B after the Gran Paradiso ascent
- Hiring of technical gear (helmet, harness, crampons, ice axe, trekking poles)
- Loan of shared safety material
- Info and support for refuge booking
- Booking assistance service (including refuges and lifts)
- Customer care support for logistics and planning
- Dedicated chat with Guide and Customer care to define last details before the trip
- Shared photos and video of the trip
- Administrative fees
Price DOES NOT INCLUDE extra meals and beverages, private transfer to the meeting point and anything that is not mentioned under Price includes.
EXTRA SERVICES (on demand):
- Booking assistance service for accommodation before and after the trip
- Customer care support for transport/private transfer
- Video call with the guides for extra information and customized suggestions by a mountain professional for training and preparation to the trip - 50€
- Summit certificate (signed by the Mountain Guide - pdf format) - 30€
Please keep in mind that there is an 8% of the fee that is non-refundable regardless of the cancellation conditions due to hut charges and administrative fees.
Itinerary
Day 1: Valsavarenche-Chabod Hut
Meeting with the Guide at around 2.30 pm in Valsavarenche for a quick debrief and equipment check.
From the parking area close to the river, we start our 6-day adventure following the path in the woods that leads to the Chabod Hut (2,710 m): the hike up to the refuge follows an easy path and it will take around 2,30 hours.
Before dinner, the Guide will make a fast briefing, to refresh the required equipment, and its use on the itinerary, and check the backpacks for the ascent.
Dinner and overnight at refuge.
D+ 900m
Day 2: Gran Paradiso summit
At 3.00 am we wake up for breakfast, to start 1 hour later as maximum from the Chabod Hut and take the Normal Route to Gran Paradiso summit. During the ascent, we will have only one stop at “Donkey Shoulder”, to have a short break and drink something.
The last part of the hike requires good confidence in using the crampons on steep and iced slopes; by a short climbing passage on rocks, equipped with some anchor points, we finally reach the statue of Madonna on the highest summit at 4,061m. We get back to Chabot Hut in the early afternoon, where we will take a well-deserved relaxing time. We will spend a second night at over 2,500 m, to increase the altitude acclimatization and recover after the efforts made to reach the summit.
Dinner and night at the refuge.
D+ 1,300m
Day 3: Rest Day
On the third day, after breakfast at the refuge, we’ll take our time to go back to Pont Valsavarenche from Chabod Hut. For this day, we can keep flexible options, depending on how tired you are after the summit experience.
We can decide on an easy hike to rifugio Vittorio Emanuele (3 extra hours hiking at about the same altitude) or go down to Pont Valsavarence to afford some rock training on the cliff close to the parking area, or take a complete break.
In the last option, we will spend the rest of the day in the Valsavarenche Valley, to relax and recover, before moving to our accommodation.
Night in B&B (Pont Valsavarenche, Introd village, Saint Pierre or Aosta town).
D- 900m
Day 4: Les Houches - Tete Rousse Hut
After a good breakfast, we will move to Chamonix-Les Houches, where the Mont Blanc ascent begins. From the parking of Les Houches, we’ll take a cable car to Bellevue Téléphérique. From there, after a 3-hour hike, we will reach the Tete Rousse Hut, where we will stay for dinner and overnight.
D+ 1,450m
Day 5: Mont Blanc Summit
After breakfast, we go up to the Goûter Hut (3,817m), crossing the “Grand Couloir” with the least risk of rocks falling, to arrive before dusk at the refuge. We’ll have dinner and rest here for a couple of hours before the summit attack on the next day. From Tête Rousse refuge we start around 3.00 am: we go up to the Goûter Hut (3,817m) for a short pause.
In order to take advantage of the sunlight, we’ll leave the hut around 3.00 am. After that, we will face a glacial plateau before arriving at the Dôme du Goûter, at 4,250 meters of altitude.
From there, we’ll keep ascending up to the Vallot Hut, where we usually take a short break to drink something and rest. Resuming the climb, at the end of the stunning Bosses Ridge, we’ll finally reach the summit of Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters of altitude. We’ll return down to the refuge Goûter.
Dinner and overnight at the refuge.
D+ 1,650m
Day 6: Return to Les Houches
Wake up at Goûter refuge: we start early in time to reach the Tête Rousse and have breakfast there, before returning to Les Houches, hiking down on the same itinerary of the first day. The last cable car run from Bellevue to Les Houches is around 5.30 pm. When we arrive at the parking area, we will have time for a good lunch and a beer to celebrate the summit with the Guide.
We suggest to the customers planning to stay overnight in Chamonix, to avoid the risk of losing transport (train or flight) in case of late arrival back after the trip.
D- 2,050m
Details
More info In case of last minute changes to plans, due to any unexpected reasons (forecast, changes of conditions, restrictions on the way to summit, closing of way of access and similars) or in case that the participant can't climb due toinadequate technical or physical preparation, we will offer to option to move the program to the Monterosa massif, guaranteeing the ascent (depending on the customers level) of 2 or 3 or all the 4000m summits in that area. This plan-B (Monterosa 4K summits) could have price changes due to the differences in hut, transport or lift ticket costs. These changes will be defined before the start and discussed with the customers, to avoid the risks of misunderstandings on the payment of possible extras, not included in the original program. ● The Mont Blanc ascent is NOT SUITABLE to customers without any kind of previous experience in mountaineering with crampons and rope: Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua trekkings ARE NOT CONSIDERED as previous experiences to the Mont Blanc or to any other 4000m mountaineering ascent that requires basic skills with crampons and rope on steep slopes and glacier itineraries. ● Mont Blanc ascent CANNOT BE MANAGED AS A LAST MINUTE BOOKING: reservations must be made at latest by March 30th, to guarantee the refuges availability. ● Rules concerning the reservation and booking of refugees are defined by the huts managers and can differ from one to the other and change from one year to the other. Neither Peakshunter can be responsible for the introduction of new rules concerning limitations or special permissions to be obtained before the trip. Peakshunter will provide the information on the booking modality and will not be responsible for hut rules and general laws concerning the access to Mont Blanc area and glacier: in case of advanced closures, the costs paid as deposit won’t be refunded and must be covered by the customers. ● Peakshunter Mountain Guides can support clients with information and mailing lists, but refuge booking will be guaranteed ONLY BY PAYMENT CONFIRMATION, sending in advance all the participants personal information (NAME, SURNAME, PLACE AND DATE OF BIRTH, NATIONALITY, ADDRESS, MAIL, MOBILE CONTACT) and a copy of ID CARD or PASSPORT. ● Search and rescue insurance with IFMGA coverage is recommended but not included: the cost of this insurance is €5 per person for 3 days and has to be cover directly by the customers. ● The mountain guide’s expenses for all beverages, extra meals (lunches and breaks) and transfers ARE NOT INCLUDED and must be covered by participants. ● Fees for lift facilities, transfers and mountain lodges are subject to changes established and applied by their respective owners, without any liability attributable to Peakshunter Mountain Guide. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in the price I'm paying for this tour? What extra costs will I need to cover?
What happens in the event of bad weather?
What is the guide-to-client ratio to climb this mountain?
What happens if we are 2 for the ascent and the 2nd climber can't make it to the summit? Will we turn back?
I feel that I'm not ready yet for this challenge, do you offer an easier program where I can prepare myself?
How can I reach the meeting point?
What is the best time of the year to climb this mountain?
Who is taking care of booking the huts?
Will there be porters to help to carry group and personal equipment?
How will accommodation and meals be handled on the mountain?
What experience and how fit do I need to be to climb this mountain? Is this program suitable for children or older people?
Will I need to bring any technical equipment of my own? Is it possible to rent equipment, and if so, what would be the approximate cost of that?
Can I join a group?
Are there any other special requirements such as permits/insurance/vaccines that we need to consider before the tour?
How experience do I need to be to do this program? What are your requirements for me to join this adventure?
What gear do I need to have with me? Will you provide part of it? Where do you recommend me to rent the equipment I don't have and that you don't provide?
How far in advance should I start training and what kind of training do you suggest?
About the guide
Giving and receiving smiles, seeing the satisfaction on the faces of our customers, seeking opportunities for growth, stimulating authenticity in personal and group relationships, in sharing mountaineering disciplines, fears, efforts, and moments of difficulty, which are part of the integrated with experiences, essential ingredients of every summit climb: these are our focus, our beliefs, and our most important results, as outdoor Professionals and as people who love the mountains and their work as Alpine Guides!
Founded in 2013 by Elis and Silvia, PEAKSHUNTER Mountain Guides is a team of IFMGA-certified Mountain Professionals and outdoor activities experts, based in the town of Aosta, not far from Courmayeur-Chamonix, on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif.
We live and work in the beautiful Aosta Valley region, very close to French and Swiss borders near to Geneva, Milan, and Turin international airports.
Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Dufourspitze, Pyramide Vincent and Regina Margherita Hut, Gran Paradiso, Breithorn, Lyskamm, Castor and Pollux are only a few of several 4000 Alps summits you can climb with us: most of our team of Guides were born and grew up close to these mountains and they have explored the ascent routes several times during different seasons, with skis or crampons!
- We love our work: we plan all our trips with great commitment and deep respect for the Alpine environment, for its inhabitants, and its territories. Including local traditions in different valleys and Alpine areas.
- We love Mountain, Nature, and Outdoor activities, that we like to share with people from all around the world. We are enthusiastic to meet like-minded adventurers and share new experiences and memorable emotions with the support of our Mountain Guides.
- Safety and Risk Management are essential for us, as elements of fundamental importance during every single trip we plan and carry out with our customers: for this reason, we offer introductory courses to the different alpine disciplines (Mountaineering, Rock climbing, Ice climbing, Ski mountaineering, Freeride, Rescue Crevasse, and Avalanche) to convey awareness and responsibility to our customers.
- We offer solid Experience, with several years organizing outdoor disciplines around mountain and wild areas, in many different countries of Italy and Europe, for individuals or groups, including 7-day customer support for booking, logistics, and personal assistance for planning and reservations.
- As certified Mountain Guides, we offer training courses, to improve technical skills and to learn basic knowledge about mountaineering in the Alps, which is essential to explore and climb the Mountains safely in any situation or conditions.
- We are happy to provide customized programs for every customer's demand: our Experience is synonymous with Professionalism and Customer Care to guarantee unforgettable emotions and beautiful smiles!
Fulfill your dreams, discover breathtaking views or simply enjoy an extraordinary day: you just need to use your imagination and we will carry out your trip as you desire to live it!
Let’s plan your next mountain project together!
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