I will turn 50 in the summer of 2025 and would like to hike the Mt Blanc trail just like my favorite travel expert Rick Steves did 2 years ago. I am looking for recommendations for a company to book this through. I am flexible on the time frame in 2025. I would like to book a "package" that includes the sherpa service and staying each night in the Mountain "retires" very much like Rick did. I have a party of 4 adults. I think I am leaning toward the 6 day duration with a moderate 6-10 miles per day. Preferred counter-clockwise direction starting in Chamonix.
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Seattle, WA
17418 posts
We and some family members did this in 2018 as a guided hike with MT Sobek.
https://www.mtsobek.com/trips/europe/the-alps/alps-tour-du-mont-blanc-express-hiking/
It is called “express” not because they hike fast, but because the tour length (8 days) is shorter than many others, which include an extra day of “warm up” hiking and a rest day in the middle. The cost covers professional guides, excellent lodging in local inns along the path, all meals (including spectacular lunch buffets produced by our guides), luggage transport, and van transport to skip some of the boring sections. That is, you do not hike every inch of the 110 mile circuit but you do hike the best sections. The guides, Karin, Patricia, and driver Marie were all wonderful.
We chose this company because we had prior experience with them (hiking in Patagonia), they hike counter-clockwise (I agree this is the best direction), and their itinerary does not include any nights in mountain huts/Refugio’s—-my husband refuses to ever again sleep in a shared bunk room with strangers, as we did on hiking trips in Patagonia and in Slovenia.
I highly recommend this company, and this tour. And I suggest that while it is possible to book a “self-guided” TMB with a company that arranges accommodations and luggage transport, and provides maps and directions, we were really glad we had professional guides. Especially on the day when a section of the trail was closed by a dangerous mudslide, and we had to take an alternate route, which the guides quickly arranged. Also grateful for the guide support when we had to descend 3000 feet in rough terrain, much of it on bare rock, with very poor visibility due to heavy rain.
Our guides were members of the local Chamonix Guides Association (Companie des Guides de Chamonix). This association also offers multi-day guided hikes.
https://www.chamonix-guides.com/en/activities/category/randonnee/multi-day-hiking
I do not see the TMB among their offerings for next year ( or 2025) but you could contact them by email and ask about that. Maybe they would organize something with a guide for just the 4 of you. Or maybe they are trying to encourage alternatives because the TMB has become overused.