Tour du Mont Blanc Self Guided 14-day Relaxed Itinerary TMB-14










Highlights
- GO take in the food and culture in three different countries: France, Switzerland, and Italy
- GO enjoy breathtaking views and high passes while circling the highest mountain in the Alps, Mont Blanc
- GO enjoy more comfortable accommodation than what is available on most multi-day hiking tours in the Alps
We love the Tour du Mont Blanc, but it is not for everybody. This is a very demanding hike with a lot of elevation gain over high passes. There is also an exposed section of ladders that is not everybody's cup of tea. Thanks to its popularity, the Tour du Mont Blanc is becoming increasingly crowded and expensive. We do encourage you to take a look at our other Trekking Tours before deciding for the TMB.
Length 14 days
Season mid-June to mid-September
Airport Geneva, Switzerland alternately, Zurich or Milan
Physical Condition
Technical Difficulty
Read more about difficulty ratings
Responsible Travel Score:
11/15 Responsible Traveler
(detailed summary available in Tour Documents)
When assessing if the difficulty level of this itinerary falls within your capability, look closely at the Distance, Elevation Gain and Elevation Loss for each individual day on the itinerary. We recommend you pay the most attention to Elevation Gain, as this is usually the most extreme factor in the Alps. Compare this to other hikes you have done.
The Estimated Time is calculated using a formula provided by the Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club). This means it is designed by people who regularly hike in the Alps for people who regularly hike in the Alps. If you are not used to hiking in this type of terrain, your hiking time will likely be much slower.
Read more about our Difficulty Ratings.
Day | Distance km. | Distance mi. | Est. Time* | Elevation Gain m. | Elevation Gain ft. | Elevation Loss m. | Elevation Loss ft. | Hiking Difficulty | Comments |
1 | 9,3 | 5,8 | 03:20 | 20 | 66 | 1.522 | 4.993 | T2 | The start of the tour is accessed via gondola |
2 | 8,9 | 5,5 | 03:30 | 698 | 2.290 | 346 | 1.135 | T1 | Elevation gain can be bypassed via chairlift |
3 | 8,8 | 5,5 | 03:05 | 331 | 1.086 | 505 | 1.657 | T1 |
|
4 | 8,0 | 5,0 | 02:50 | 545 | 1.788 | 4 | 13 | T2 |
|
5 | 11,1 | 6,9 | 04:35 | 779 | 2.556 | 926 | 3.038 | T2 |
|
6 | 17,6 | 10,9 | 06:15 | 1.030 | 3.379 | 614 | 2.014 | T2 |
|
7 | 12,5 | 7,8 | 04:40 | 527 | 1.729 | 1.293 | 4.242 | T2 | Optional lift to bypass most of the descent |
8 | 11,8 | 7,3 | 05:00 | 1.090 | 3.576 | 271 | 889 | T2 |
|
9 | 13,7 | 8,5 | 05:30 | 849 | 2.785 | 826 | 2.710 | T2 |
|
10 | 6,3 | 3,9 | 01:40 | 3 | 10 | 474 | 1.555 | T2 |
|
11 | 14,9 | 9,3 | 04:45 | 470 | 1.542 | 604 | 1.982 | T2 | Entire day can be bypassed by bus |
12 | 15,9 | 9,9 | 05:35 | 758 | 2.487 | 855 | 2.805 | T2 |
|
13 | 15,8 | 9,8 | 06:25 | 1.072 | 3.517 | 1.022 | 3.353 | T2 | A portion of the descent can be bypassed by gondola |
14 | 16,5 | 10,3 | 07:50 | 1.649 | 5.410 | 400 | 1.312 | T3 | Return to Chamonix via gondola |
Totals | 171,1 | 106,4 | 65:00 | 9.821 | 32.221 | 9.662 | 31.699 | T3 | |
*Estimated time is based on a pace of 4.2 km. per hour and 400 m. elevation gain per hour. | |||||||||
Time for stops is not included. Actual time will vary. |


-General hiking and navigation skills
-Ability to read and interpret a topographic map
-It is possible to encounter snowfields on this route
Packages and Pricing
Included in all packages
- Exclusive access to tours in a navigation app, even when offline
- Custom eGuidebook containing maps, daily itinerary, accommodation information and more
- GPX File
- Carbon offsetting for your tour (1 metric ton per customer)
- Optional Airport to Airport full service booking
- Booking and logistics assistance during your tour
- Unlimited time spent answering your questions
- Peace of mind by leaving the planning and booking to local experts
- More time for the important things in life
Comfort Package
Almost Luxury
Not Available
14 days
All Prices are Per Person
No Fees Apply
Classic Package
BEST DEAL
3,120€ tax included*
Double/Triple Occupancy
Single Occupancy +550€
14 days
What's Included:
-3 nights in 3-star hotels*
-2 nights in simple hotels-2 nights rooms at hostels-4 nights in rooms** at mountain huts
-2 nights in dormitories
-13 breakfasts
-9 dinners
All Prices are Per Person
Ultralight Package
Best for Budget Adventurers
2,550€ tax included*
Single Occupancy Included
14 days
What's Included:
-1 night accommodation in budget hotel in Courmayeur-7 nights accommodation in dormitories in hostels or budget hotels-5 nights accommodation dormitories in mountain huts-13 breakfasts
-12 dinners
All Prices are Per Person
*Last-minute booking fees apply when booked less than two months in advance: **Private rooms are in
high demand at mountain huts and they do book out quickly. When there is no
availability for a private room, you may end up in the dormitory. Should this
happen, we will adjust pricing accordingly. We can book the best itineraries for
customers who provide us a flexible date range to work with.
Within 2 months of tour start date: 50€ per person
Within 1 month of tour start date: 100€ per person
Not included
-Paper map
-Emergency response and rescue
-Flights
-Beverages
-Any meals not specified
-Sheets at mountain huts (a sleeping bag liner or travel sheet is normally required)
-Fees for any additional transportation used during the hiking tour, such as lifts, gondolas, and buses
-Some accommodations charge tourist or city taxes that must be paid on site. These rarely exceed 2€ per person per night
Add-ons
Airport to Airport Package from Geneva Public
+2 days
420€
2 nights 2- or 3-star hotel in Chamonix
Transportation between Geneva Airport and hotel (public transportation)
The Airport to Airport Package is not customizable
Airport to Airport Package from Geneva Private
+2 days
1060€*
2 nights 3-star hotel in Chamonix
Transportation between Geneva Airport and hotel (private transportation)
The Airport to Airport Package is not customizable
7-Sack Lunches
Luggage Transportation
10x - 360€*
*Rate is per 15 kg bag. Lower rates available based on group size.
Luggage transportation is available to all but 3 accommodations (pending availability).
Luggage transportation availability and prices will vary based on the accommodations booked on the final itinerary.
This add-on lowers the Responsible Travel Score from 11 to 8 points
All prices are per person
*Private transportation packages require a minimum of double occupancy
Accommodation
While not all accommodations on the route are equal, we hear great feedback about every hut on the route. Of course, there’s variation amongst our customers regarding the most, and least, favorite huts on the route. It’s really a matter of personal preference. If there are specific huts that you would like to stay in, you can share that with us in your booking, and we’ll do our best to honor your request.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner will always be available at, or near, your accommodation. It is not necessary to carry your own food for these meals. The mountain huts allow us (and usually require us) to book half-pension for our customers, which includes a multi-course set menu for dinner (usually with a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option) and breakfast. Drinks are never included. In the towns, where a selection of restaurants is available, we typically do not include dinner.
Read about dietary restrictions at the huts
For lunches, there are three options. We recommend planning a combination of these:
- There are so many huts along the way, that depending on your itinerary, you’ll likely have options to sit down for a warm lunch on each day. While this sounds appealing, it is also very expensive and time-consuming. This is not a great option on long hiking days or for slower hikers who are already concerned about covering the planned route.
- Most huts offer sack lunches that you can bring with you on the trail. We find these to be overpriced, repetitive to breakfast, and this option generates a lot of trash. At the mountain huts, we are able to book these in advance for you. But, there is no advantage to that, and our recommendation is to decide on-site when you want to purchase a sack lunch. Sack lunches should be requested immediately upon arrival at the hut for the next day. There are a couple of huts that require sack lunches to be ordered the day prior. We will include this information for you in your eGuidebook on the Service Provider Summary, along with a phone number. Huts are generally not very flexible in honoring dietary restrictions with their sack lunches. Note that we are not able to book these in advance for you at hotels. So, if your itinerary has more hotels than mountain huts, there will be less sack lunches that we are able to book for you.
- The third option, and our favorite option, is to bring your own food. Since this route travels through so much civilization, there are plenty of opportunities along the way to resupply.
The Tour du Mont Blanc is likely to have the best conditions between mid-July and the end of the August. Huts are generally open from mid-June until mid-September, which defines the hiking season for the Tour du Mont Blanc for most of our itineraries. Some lifts and shuttles only operate in July and August, which limits the season of our itineraries that use these shuttles and lifts.
Here's what conditions to expect at different times of year:
Late June: Huts are open and routes from the valleys to the huts are clear. Problematic snow is likely on the passes and at high elevations, but it is usually tracked. The higher elevation variants, and the approach up the back side of Le Brevent (at the end of our itineraries) usually are not doable. Some form of traction for your shoes is advisable. Even if the passes are clear in time for your hike, they usually clear at the very last minute, and June hikers always have a couple of stressful weeks leading up to their hike as they check webcams and eagerly wait for the snow to melt in time for their hike. In almost every year, it is not possible to predict what trails are going to be like in June until one or two weeks before. The shuttle between Les Chapieux and Mottets, as well as the chairlift down from Maison Vieille are not operating.
July and August: Problematic snow can remain on the route through the first two weeks of July, but it is less likely than in June. By mid-July, trails are almost always clear. Summer settles in and on some days there may be afternoon thunderstorms. These thunderstorms rarely interfere with hiking itineraries and are not usually problematic. Of course, thunderstorm safety should be practiced. The wildflowers at the higher elevations should be all out by mid-July. Hiking conditions during this time are often favorable, and it’s a great time to be on the trail.
Early September: The first snow of the winter usually falls in the first week of September. The snow rarely sticks around for more than a day, but the visibility can be very low, making navigation problematic on this one day. Most days in early September are beautiful and perfect, and the thunderstorms are less, but there is a higher risk of snowstorms and conditions that may prevent you from completing your hike during this time. Many hikers have incredible weather in September, but some do not. It’s simply a matter of luck. The later you push into September, the higher the risk that unfavorable conditions (usually snow, but sometimes extremely cold temperatures) can interfere with your hiking itinerary. We notice that customers who are on the trail beyond September 15th are much more likely to quit their hike early due to conditions. In early September, the wildflower season is mostly over, with the exception of brilliant bursts of fireweed that mark the end of summer. The shuttle between Les Chapieux and Les Mottets, as well as the chairlift descent from Maison Vieille, do not run at all in September. Other buses and lifts start to close down as the month goes on, and some buses begin to operate reduced schedules.
In all months, it’s reasonable to expect 1 to 2 rainy days on the trail.
To research more detailed information about average temperatures, precipitation, etc., we recommend checking Meteoblue (go to “History & Climate” and then “Climate (modelled)”) for Le Brevent, Col de Voza and Col de la Seigne. These are high points on the tour. The low points on the tour are Chamonix and Courmayeur.
Important note about availability on the Tour du Mont Blanc: Many authors and bloggers have published information that June and September are the shoulder seasons and are less crowded on the Tour du Mont Blanc than other times of the summer. The word is out and now huts tend to fill up early in June and September. July also fills up early. For the past couple of years, August has had the most availability for last-minute bookings, which is somewhat unexpected. The UTMB race takes place on the trail, usually right at the end of August and beginning of September. This may increase prices for hotels in places like Chamonix, Les Houches, and Courmayeur, but it generally does not affect availability at the huts. While we have heard of many people wanting to avoid the route during the time, the hikers we have spoken with who actually have done the route during the race have said that it was not a hindrance to hiking and that they actually enjoyed the energy of the event while they were on the trail. It’s not for everyone though, and some hikers may want to avoid the trail during this time.
The Tour do Mont Blanc is a very popular route, and the huts are going to be full during the entire season. If your goal is to avoid the crowds (although in most places the trail does not feel crowded at all), then we recommend choosing a route that is less famous, but just as, if not more, incredible. There are well over 800 mountain huts in the Alps, and hut to hut possibilities are endless. Here are some great tours to look at:
Best of the
Dolomites Trek
Culinary
Delight Hut Hiking Tour
Hut
to Hut Light in the Austria Alps
Tour
of the Vanoise
Hut
to Hut in Switzerland
Read more about Understanding the hut-to-hut hiking season in the Alps.
We accept bookings up to 21 days prior to the start date of the tour
Only 20% payment due at the time of booking!
Current Availability
Updated May 27th, 2025
Useful Links
Booking Process
- Initiate the booking process by selecting the green button labeled, GO Book the Tour
- Complete the fields in the booking process and continue on to process the deposit (usually 20%, sometimes 30%) via Paypal (Paypal account not needed)
- We'll start checking availability and working on your bookings. As long as there is availability, we will book the accommodations and send you your eGuidebook within 21 days of the booking (this may take longer for custom tours and last-minute tours). This will include GPS waypoints of the accommodations and will be in a format that can be saved on your smartphone for convenient use on the tour. If any changes need to be made during the tour, there will be a phone number available to you during the tour, although additional charges may apply
If there are any issues with availability, we will contact you and work with you to find an alternative solution. If we are unable to find one, we will refund the deposit in full.
The remaining balance for the tour is due 30 days prior to the first date of the tour.
Group Discount
Only one discount will be applied per tour participant. Discounts are only applicable to tours. Discounts are not applicable to fees or additional services, such as Airport to Airport Packages or bicycle rentals.
Groups of 6 or more: 15% discount for all participants & customize an existing tour without Customization Fees