Tour du Mont Blanc Hut-to-Hut Trek
Join a certified mountain guide on this challenging 5-day Tour du Mont Blanc trek through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Hike some of the TMB’s most scenic alternative trails, discover spectacular alpine panoramas, and experience routes close to Mont Blanc that few hikers explore on their own.
Group
Alps
5 Days
Jul - Sep
High
Intermediate
Highlights
Description
Join me on the ultimate alpine trekking adventure: the classic Tour du Mont Blanc. Over 5 unforgettable days, we will follow some of the finest sections and most scenic alternative trails of the TMB, crossing spectacular landscapes around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland.
Along the way, discover postcard-perfect mountain villages, the alpine culture of Chamonix and Courmayeur, panoramic high-altitude trails, and views that few hikers experience.
We have carefully selected some of the best alternative paths of the Tour du Mont Blanc, allowing your certified trekking and mountain guide to take you onto routes you would likely never venture onto alone, staying as close as possible to Mont Blanc itself.
This trek is designed for sporty and motivated hikers comfortable with long mountain days involving approximately 900 to 1200 meters of elevation gain per day. The route includes several physical and technical sections, with occasional cables and ladders to assist progression.
While this is not a via ferrata, participants should be confident hiking in alpine terrain. Your guide will assist during the more challenging passages and also introduce mountain travel techniques, rope progression basics, and weather forecasting in the mountains.
Groups are limited to a maximum of 10 participants per guide to ensure a safe, personalized, and rewarding experience.
Get in touch to start planning your Tour du Mont Blanc adventure.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Meeting point
Itinerary
Day 1: Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Val Veny via Ville des Glaciers
Meet your guide at 7:30 a.m. outside Bourg-Saint-Maurice train station for a short introduction and coffee before taking the shuttle to Ville des Glaciers, where the adventure begins.
This opening stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc leads through alpine pastures and across a remote mountain pass into Italy. Along the way, panoramic balcony trails reveal spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers. The day finishes in Val Veny after passing the beautiful Lac Combal.
Distance: 18 km Elevation: +1000 m / -1300 m Hiking time: 7–8 hours
Day 2: Val Veny, Rifugio Bertone & Chamonix
After a short transfer to Courmayeur, begin the ascent toward Rifugio Bertone, one of the best viewpoints overlooking the southern face of the Mont Blanc massif.
From the refuge, descend into Val Ferret before continuing toward Chamonix. Depending on weather and group preference, the return may include a scenic crossing using ski lifts, offering even more dramatic alpine views. The evening is spent in mountain accommodation near Chamonix.
Distance: 11 km Elevation: +900 m / -900 m Hiking time: 6–7 hours
Day 3: Lac Blanc & Saint-Gervais
An early morning start leads toward the famous Lac Blanc, perched at 2352 meters above the Chamonix Valley. The turquoise waters of the lake combined with the towering backdrop of Mont Blanc create one of the most iconic panoramas in the Alps.
After enjoying the scenery, continue by cogwheel train to Saint-Gervais and then by ski lifts toward Mont d’Arbois. A final short hike leads to a cozy mountain refuge at 2000 meters with exceptional views of Mont Blanc.
Distance: 12 km Elevation: +800 m / -800 m Hiking time: Around 6 hours
Day 4: Mont Joly Ridge Traverse
Today’s highlight is the ascent of Mont Joly (2525 m), the highest point of the stage and one of the finest viewpoints of the western Alps.
The route follows panoramic ridges overlooking the Megève Valley and the Mont Blanc massif before descending through flower-filled alpine meadows and green mountain pastures to the refuge. The evening light and sunset views here are particularly memorable.
Distance: 12 km Elevation: +1000 m / -1100 m Hiking time: 6–7 hours
Day 5: Col du Bonhomme & Return to Bourg-Saint-Maurice
The final stage crosses two legendary Tour du Mont Blanc passes: the Col du Bonhomme (2329 m) and the Col des Fours (2665 m). After a break at Lac de Mya, the route continues along quieter trails with impressive views toward the Aiguille des Glaciers before descending to Ville des Glaciers.
Before returning to Bourg-Saint-Maurice by shuttle, there will be time to sample and purchase local mountain cheeses and regional specialties.
End of trip: Arrival back at Bourg-Saint-Maurice train station is planned for the evening. Please avoid booking onward transport before 7:30 p.m.
Distance: 12 km Elevation: +950 m / -750 m Hiking time: Around 6 hours
Details
Disclaimer
Important: Participants must arrive with the required clothing and equipment. For safety reasons, the mountain guide reserves the right to refuse participation to anyone who is not adequately equipped. If you are unsure about any item on the gear list, please contact us before the trip.
Please also note that there is no direct return transfer to Bourg-Saint-Maurice at the end of the trek, so you may need to organize your own transportation back. Travelling by train is highly recommended, as it simplifies logistics before and after the trip. If you plan to leave a car in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, we suggest booking an extra night in Saint-Gervais and returning by train the following day, which takes approximately six hours.
Equipment you will need to bring
Pack as light as possible to make the trek more comfortable. A 45–50L backpack is ideal, with enough extra space for picnic lunches provided during the trip. Your packed bag should ideally weigh no more than 5–7 kg without food and water. Plan to carry around 2 liters of water and snacks each day.
Bring layered hiking clothing suitable for changing mountain weather, including waterproof protection, warm layers, gloves, a hat, technical shirts, hiking trousers or shorts, and comfortable hiking boots or quality trail shoes with good grip. A sleeping sheet for the huts, trekking poles, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a headlamp are also essential.
You should also pack basic toiletries, personal medication, a few blister supplies, and lightweight personal items for the refuges. Don’t forget cash, your ID or passport, eating utensils, and a small local specialty to share with the group.
About the guide
Esprit Montagne
Languages
English | French | Italian | German
Certificates
IFMGA
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
Read all our verified reviews
You may also like
Join our newsletter!
Stay up-to-date on the best adventures.