Start: Les Houches after night in Chamonix
End: Les Houches for night in Chamonix
Season dates: 1 July to 18 Sept 2025
Length: 11 days' walking, 1 rest day
Typical day: 16km, 1,000m ascent
Total distance: 180km or 112 miles
Highest altitude: 2,580m
Grade: Red 3 (Walking grades)
Group size: 4-8 people
The Tour du Mont Blanc is arguably the most famous multi-day trek in Europe, forming a circuit of Western Europe's highest mountain; Mont Blanc (4,808m). Offering some of the best Alpine hiking in the world, our guided tour takes you on an 11-stage adventure with 1 rest day in Courmayeur around this spectacular hiking route.
The full Tour du Mont Blanc passes through 3 countries on its traverse around the Mont Blanc Massif: France, Italy and Switzerland. Each country presents outstanding mountain views, high rocky passes, lush valleys and characterful mountain huts and places to stay. This, paired with tasty Alpine food and great company, makes for an exhilarating and satisfying 12-day walking holiday. If you'd prefer a shorter trip, we also offer the 4-stage Tour du Mont Blanc South and 7-stage Tour du Mont Blanc North.
Being a guided trip, you will be expertly led by one of our fantastic International Mountain Leaders (IMLs). Our IMLs are fully qualified mountain professionals who are extremely experienced on this route and other treks around the world. This allows you to relax and enjoy the walking, not having to think about logistics, whilst benefitting from their extensive knowledge; be that mountain flora, fauna, glaciers, the history of the area, or simply where does the best coffee! Our guides have vast experience in managing groups on the hill, which helps facilitate a full and challenging trip for each and every person.
We offer scheduled guided trips, whereby you can join an already formed group on set start dates, or we can offer privately guided trips where you would have full flexibility on your itinerary, start dates and accommodation options. Please do just get in contact for more details.
Map
Alternative trip options
Prefer a different trip? Why not try one of these: Guided TMB Highlights - walk the highlights in just 1-week Guided Walker's Haute Route - a more challenging guided trip, from Chamonix to Zermatt Guided Alta Via 1 - a 10-night guided trip to the Italian Dolomites
Arrival day: Arrive in Chamonix
Your trip starts on arriving at your hotel in Chamonix and meeting your guide. Chamonix is an Alpine centre like no other, bustling in Summer with trekkers, mountaineers and tourists passing through. You will meet your guide in the evening and there will be the option to dine as a group in one of the many great restaurants in the town centre. Hotel in Chamonix (breakfast)
Stage 1: Les Houches to Les Contamines Blue 3 (grade)12.7km with 320m ascent, 950m descent
On your first day, there is time to make last-minute adjustments to kit and to buy food for the day ahead. You'll catch the local bus or train to Les Houches, where the TMB meets the valley. Start with the Bellevue cable car up to Col de Voza. Then the normal TMB route drops through Val Montjoie, but an optional high route takes wilder paths over Col de Tricot if the group feel up to it. Arrive in the French resort village of Les Contamines. Hotel or guesthouse in Les Contamines (breakfast)
Stage 2: Les Contamines to Les Chapieux Red 3 (grade) 19.7km with 1350m ascent, 960m descent
Today's stage is reasonably tough, with an ascent to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme at 2,483m. The ascent is gradual to a first col, after which we traverse to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Leaving the Col, the route heads downhill through pastures to the most Southerly point on the TMB at the peaceful hamlet of Les Chapieux. Stay overnight in Les Chapieux or take the taxi to Bourg St Maurice for the night Auberge in Les Chapieux (dinner and breakfast)
or
Taxi to Hotel in Bourg St Maurice (breakfast and taxi included)
Stage 3: Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta Red 3 (grade) 14.3km with 1000m ascent, 370m descent
Climb through the Vallée des Glaciers to the Col de la Seigne on the Italian border. We descend to Rifugio Elisabetta (Italy), walking towards the best views of the route so far, obliquely across the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif. Mountain hut (dinner and breakfast)
Stage 4: Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur Red 3 (grade) 16km with 540m ascent, 1500m descent
The route to Courmayeur is now straightforward but involves a surprising, short uphill section to gain a terrace path. This gives high views of what is now called Monte Bianco. From Maison Vieille we drop steeply to the stone village of Dolonne and then Courmayeur. This is in some ways the Italian equivalent of Chamonix with an Italian holidaymaking atmosphere. Hotel in Courmayeur (breakfast)
Rest day in Courmayeur
Many options exist for sight-seeing in Courmayeur. We recommend, if the weather is nice, taking the cable car up to Pointe Helbronner for spectacular views across the Mont Blanc Massif and the Vallee Blanche. Other activities such as mountain biking are also available, and good day-walks explore the surrounding hillsides.
Hotel in Courmayeur (breakfast)
Courmayeur is the end point for the Tour du Mont Blanc South sub-trip and the start of the Tour du Mont Blanc North.
Stage 5: Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti Red 3 (grade) 11.7km with 1020m ascent, 20m descent
There is a feel of a new section of the trek beginning as you leave Courmayeur. The goal is Rifugio Bonatti. Today offers a loveyl day along the Armina balcony path which is a fine traverse of the hillside. The Bonatti hut is an unusually well-equipped and modern building on a terrace opposite the Grandes Jorasses. If Rifugio Bonatti is full, we continue ahead on the TMB trail to reach the Rifugio Elena hut instead. Mountain hut (dinner and breakfast)
Stage 6: Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly Red 3 (grade) 20.4km with 970m ascent, 1390m descent
Switzerland beckons today! Our challenge is the Grand Col Ferret, often holding snow, and then a long descent into the Swiss Val Ferret. We cross another linguistic and cultural frontier. Once in the valley we reach the small village of La Fouly. Hotel or auberge in La Fouly (dinner and breakfast)
Stage 7: La Fouly to Champex Blue 3 (grade) 14.7km with 460m ascent, 580m descent
Today's stage is relatively easy for the TMB, running through the valley towards Champex and without any cols to cross. The Tour is now well inside Switzerland, with ready transport links to the Rhone valley to the North instead of deeper into France or Italy to the South. Flower meadows and forests characterise this stage, though interrupted by some narrow sections of path. Hotel or auberge in Champex (breakfast)
Stage 8: Champex to Trient Red 3 (grade) 15.9km with 730m ascent, 920m descent
Walk among meadows and woods to Trient, taking the option past Bovine Alp. This is one of the most scenic stages with long views to the Rhone valley. We pass Col de la Forclaz and drop to Trient, now within striking distance of the Chamonix valley. Auberge in Trient (dinner and breakfast)
Stage 9: Trient to Argentiere Red 3 (grade) 15.9km with 1140m ascent, 1190m descent
The highlight of today's walk is reaching the Col de Balme, from where there should be views of Mont Blanc (weather permitting) and a great stretch of the Chamonix valley. The end is in sight! Descend from the Col to climb Aiguillette des Posettes before dropping into the Arve valley at Montroc. We detour from the TMB to the busy village of Argentiere. Hotel in Argentiere (breakfast)
Stage 10: Argentiere to La Flegere Red 3 (grade) 9.9km with 1140m ascent, 510m descent
Back on the trail! We pick up the Tour du Mont Blanc for a final two days of hopefully some exhilarating views across to Mont Blanc. The route traverses the hillside on the North side of the valley. We can visit the famously picturesque Lac Blanc with its view of Mont Blanc. Mountain hut (dinner and breakfast)
Stage 11: La Flegere to Les Houches Red 3 (grade) 17.3km with 720m ascent, 1605m descent
The aim today is Les Houches and the end of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Along the way, some of the Tour's best views unfold on the climb to Le Brevent before the long descent to the valley. At Les Houches it is then a short bus ride to Chamonix to celebrate in style! We base your last night in Chamonix, despite it being off the TMB route, in order that you can enjoy the largest and most vibrant base in the valley. Hotel in Chamonix (breakfast)
Departure day: Depart from Chamonix
Relax over breakfast, say goodbye to your guide and see more of Chamonix before departing for Geneva Airport. If embarking on further travels please ask us to advise, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere in the Alps. Congratulations on the TMB! ✈️
2025 Dates
Please join one of our guided Tour du Mont Blanc trips:
Our scheduled guided Tour du Mont Blanc trips is composed of 11 walking stages, with 1 rest day, and 13 nights accommodation. The maximum group number at any one point will be 8 clients to 1 Alpine Exploratory International Mountain Leader.
Our TMB Highlights edition is composed of 7 walking stages and 8 nights. Please see more here!
Although the walking dates on our scheduled guided trips are fixed, we'd be very happy to book extra nights in Chamonix before or after your trip for you to explore the area a little more. Please do just ask for more details.
Private Guided
We would be delighted to plan a privately guided trip for your family or group of friends at any time within our walking season. We will find you a guide and book your accommodation on the dates you choose. You will have full flexibility over the length of your trip, your choice of accommodation and your dates. Please see our self-guided page for full details of the options available.
hiking to Refuge Lac Blanc
2025 Prices
Tour du Mont Blanc (Guided)
1 July to 18 September 2025
Hutty
Classic
Comfy
Scheduled guided trips
11 stages,1 rest day
(13 nights)
Full route
Private trips only
GBP 3,330
Singles 560 Main Trip
Private trips only
Accommodation
Where we stay
On our scheduled guided trips, we book our Classic mix of accommodation which aims to give a broad taste of Alpine life, from friendly family-run hotels in the towns and villages with the auberges and huts that best fit the route. As standard, our Tour du Mont Blanc guided trip includes 3 nights in huts, 2 or 3 nights in auberges and the remaining nights in comfortable family-run hotels. We have known the huts and hotels for many years, and have come to know some very friendly and memorable places to stay.
Dormitory rooms at the huts and auberges
On our scheduled guided trips, we book beds in shared dormitory rooms on 5 nights, at the 3 mountain huts and the 2 auberges in Les Chapieux and Trient. The huts form an exciting aspect of the trip and give a great flavour of Alpine hut-to-hut hiking, whilst splitting the distances on the trail nicely. On occassion, we need to add 1 extra night in dormitory accommodation due to lack of availability at other accommodations. We will keep you updated if this is the case.
Sleeping platforms
It's important to note that the large dormitory room at Rifugio Elisabetta, Rifugio Bonatti and Auberge du Mont Blanc in Trient offer sleeping platforms in their dormitories instead of individual bunk beds. Sleeping platforms are shared with other travellers outside of your group (see photo). We try our best to avoid the sleeping platforms when possible, but this is of course dependent on availability at the time of booking.
Single Room Supplement
If you are a solo hiker, or if you would like to stay in single rooms rather than sharing a double, twin or triple room we add our single room supplement. This covers the additional cost of booking single occupancy rooms. The single supplement is only applied to nights where single rooms are available.
Private guided trips only
On our private guided trips, we can customise your trip to make the accommodation more hutty or more comfy to suit your preferences. We can also add an extra rest day if you'd like to spend more time on the trails. Please just let us know your preferences!
Ladders on the ascent to Lac Blanc, stage 10Our approach to the Tour du Mont Blanc
Our guided route sticks to the generally accepted Tour du Mont Blanc trail, with a few optional variants and detours along the way. Your guide will discuss the route options with the group each day, and will decide which option will best suit the group. As standard, we build in a rest day in Courmayeur after a tough first 4 stages to allow the group to rest and relax before the Northern part of the tour. This is where our TMB South trip finishes and our TMB North trip begins. Our route covers every step of the TMB, from Les Houches back to Les Houches, without the need to use public transport under normal circumstances. We walk the Tour in the classic anti-clockwise direction.
Latest research on the Tour du Mont Blanc by Alpine Exploratory's Rob Gale and Evie.
The Terrain
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a very popular trail in Summer and the good solid footpaths reflect this. The terrain in these parts of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps is sometimes steep and rocky, but mostly the uphill sections are long gradual tests of stamina on good trails. This is complemented by the more relaxing sections of wide tracks through forests, country lanes and zig-zagging hillside paths with some rockier sections to keep you entertained.
There are some small sections of steep, loose ground requiring care, and in a small number of places on the trail you meet with ladders and other aids, such as fixed chains. The ladders fall on the Northern part of the trail and should not present a problem to regular mountain walkers, as they are not via ferrata or climbing sections. Your guide, of course, will be there to provide advice and help you through these sections. All such areas can be avoided by following alternative routes. In early or late summer, there is a good chance of snow patches lying on the higher paths which will require care, however again your guide will be there for your safety and enjoyment so don’t worry! We will provide as much information as we can on this in our pre-season update.
Is it for me?
The Tour du Mont Blanc has something for everyone; great views, high mountain cols, pretty villages, tasty food and pleasant walking across the trip. This is a fantastic hike for fit walkers who are happy to walk for up to 8 hours a day over rocky and sometimes exposed ground. We highly recommend that you approach this guided hike with experience of walking in the mountains, however previous hut-to-hut trekking experience in the Alps is not essential. The main challenge of the TMB, aside from the distance each day, is the amount ascent and descent. Most days comprise of a steady uphill ascent to a col, followed by a descent to the valley bottom and your home for the night.
Your guide will take care of the logistics and navigation so you can relax and enjoy the scenery! The mix of mountain huts and hotels in small towns and villages gives for a fantastic flavour of hiking in the Alps. It’s an extremely memorable, and inspiring, walking holiday.
A level of self-sufficiency on the TMB is necessary as transfer bags cannot be delivered to the huts. On the hut nights you’ll need to carry with you everything you need for the hike. But with plenty of huts along the way, delicious food and drinks are easy to come by, and your guide will advise where these are.
Difficulty
The TMB is first and foremost a walk! There are no glacier crossings, via ferrata or rock climbing, however there are a few sections of steep and rocky ground. This is reflected in its grade of Red 3. In particular there are three sections on the standard route, all on the two stages above the Chamonix valley (Full TMB and TMB North), where metal ladders or steps have been installed to make the route easier across rocky ground. These do not generally pose a difficulty for the average hillwalker and your guide will be on hand to help manage these sections. Please do ask us for more details if you have any concerns.
Our full TMB and TMB South holidays start and end in the major Alpine resort of Chamonix, one of the best-linked in the Alps. The most convenient airport is Geneva with several transfer options available by minibus, coach or scenic Swiss train. Zurich and Basel airports also work but with longer transfer times. Our TMB North holiday starts in Courmayeur, and there are regular buses through the Mont Blanc Tunnel from Chamonix, taking around 45 minutes. It is also possible, though somewhat lengthy, to reach Courmayeur from Milan or Turin in Italy.
Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price, and we leave you to arrange your transfers individually. We do however take care to give the most useful notes possible about all travel options. We supply these both on booking in your Trip Notes, and in your info pack which we send out prior to your trip. We also offer personalised tips based on our extensive travels across Europe; please do just ask us for advice and we'll be happy to help!
Dinner on 8 nights (subject to change) - at the 3 huts, and in Les Contamines, Les Chapieux, La Fouly, Champex and Trient
Baggage transfers (1 bag per person as standard, to all stops except the huts - strict weight limit of 15kg)
An overview topographical map of the route
Expert advice and local information
Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (9am until 9pm in the Alps)
Not included
Travel to and from your trip
Local transport whilst on the trip unless specified
Travel insurance
Lunches, snacks, drinks and evening meals in Chamonix, Courmayeur and Argentiere
Baggage transfer
We include baggage transfers for 1 bag per person as standard on our guided trips. Our baggage transfer partners have a strict limit of 15kg per bag and cannot accept hard suitcases - only soft-sided bags. Extra transfer bags can be added for a small additional cost - please just ask! It is important to be aware that your bags cannot reach you at the huts due to their remote locations, so on these nights your bag will travel on ahead to the next hotel and will be waiting for you when you arrive the following day.
Got questions about the Tour du Mont Blanc?
Feel free to ask us any questions you have about any aspects of your planning and preparations! Lucy, Steph, Nicky, Rob, Evie, Ben and Amy will reply with expert advice. We spend a lot of time walking our routes and more broadly exploring ski and hiking trails around the world so do feel free to ask anything at all.
Enquiry Form Tour du Mont Blanc Guided
If you prefer, please feel welcome to email or call us. Thanks!
Open to the world
Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Along with the UK, our best-represented countries are the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Please use our national-rate numbers for a cheaper call to contact our office in Edinburgh.
The Alpine Exploratory team in Edinburgh
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Alpine Exploratory
Alpine Exploratory is a system of knowledge on the best mountain trekking in our areas, giving clients superb holidays based on this exploration.
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Tour du Mont Blanc Guided
TMHg1 5 to 13 July 2025 
Tour du Mont Blanc Walking Guide - more about the trail
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