| |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Course
overview |
 |
Course
dates & availability |
 |
|
|
|
 |
This
is our most popular trekking holiday on the TMB,
as it tackles all the high passes and completes
the mountain stages within a week, to minimise the
time you take off from work. |
|
This
week is also the only TMB option that we offer scheduled
departures, to match people together on so there
are no single suppliments etc, so that you can budget
effectively. |
|
There
is so much history and information about the local
area that our leaders have to share with you, as
well as showing you the amazing scenery, that it
is no wonder that this trek is one of our most popular
courses. |
|
During
the week you pass through France, Italy and Switzerland,
so can enjoy the different cultures, architecture,
and the food of each country over the week. |
|
Unlike
our Classic TMB, this Highlights of the TMB trip
completes the circuit in a clockwise direction.
This ensures that on this shorter timescale trek,
you enjoy a quieter trip as you are hiking 'against
the flow', as only c.10% of trekkers complete the
TMB clockwise. |
|
The
treks are guaranteed to be led by a qualified International
Mountain Leader, to ensure your safety and to provide
the highest levels of mountain leadership throughout
your holiday. |
|
Dates:
these
are listed in the column on the right, and they
show the live availability from our secure online
booking system. When you book online, you receive
immediate confirmation, your Alpine Information
Booklet, course specific kit list and invoice. |
|
All
our scheduled dates are guaranteed to run, and we
have no minimum numbers, for your peace of mind.
We cap numbers at 8 people in a group, so you have
great access to your leader. This is a high standard,
as other operators have up to 16 clients per leader. |
|
Extra
dates can be run on demand for groups of four or
more people for exactly the same price as our scheduled
dates. |
|
Course Dates
TMB Highlights
- [5+] 23 Jun - 1 Jul 2012
- [ 2 ] 28 Jul - 5 Aug 2012
- [5+] 18 - 26 Aug 2012
- [5+] 1 - 9 Sep 2012
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Client
feedback |
|
|
|
Thank
you so much for helping organise our TMB
trek. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience
and greatly appreciated our vivacious Scottish
guide Lindsay.It
was certainly an experience that will stay
with us forever. We were so lucky with the
weather, enjoying wonderful sunshine for
the first 5 days. Lindsay was the perfect
guide - she kept us all on our toes and
motivated us when we needed it. She was
very thorough and we appreciated her flexibility
with our different levels of experience
and daily challenges
Maree
C , TMB Highlights
|
|
|
|
It
was brilliant to see how well known and
liked our guide was by each of the hut guardians,
and that ensured we got even more food each
night!
Mark
J , TMB Highlights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So
why choose Icicle?
|
|
We
are true specialists in trekking and the TMB. See
our blog, by clicking on the RSS logo (right). |
|
|
Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather and conditions each day, so that
you trek the best routes on the TMB each day of
the holiday. |
|
Our
prices are fixed in £ pounds sterling, to
protect you from euro currency fluctuations, so
that you can budget accurately. |
|
We
have a team of over 30 guides, and a resort support
team, who all want you to enjoy the best days out
whilst trekking! For more details on the guiding
team and qualifications, please click
here. |
|
|
Brief
Course Itinerary
The
itinerary below is designed to give you a flavour of exactly
where you will trek to each day, but one of the great things
about the Tour du Mont Blanc, is that there are many variations
on certain sections, so you can select more challenging routes
or even some summits. These options won't affect where you stay
each night, but do mean that you can tailor the route a little
on most days to suit how you are feeling, the weather and conditions.
Your guide will have a massive local knowledge and experience,
and will discuss the options with you en-route.
|
 |
|
Saturday
Travel
to Chamonix to arrive for the 17:00 check-in followed
by a course safety and itinerary briefing. These are really
useful, as you discuss the exact current conditions, and
get tips on how to save weight in your pack. You are shown
the route on a map, and talk through the plans for the
week. There is time for kit checks or rental. Briefings
are over by 19:00 and then you are free to go out for
dinner and drinks with your group. Night in Chamonix on
B&B basis. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Sunday,
Distance:
16.4 km, Ascent: +905m, Descent: -1064m,
Hours: c.6 hrs.
Argentiere
- Trient. After breakfast,
road / rail transfer (included) to Argentiere or Montroc,
from which you usually ascend the ridge of the Aiguilette
des Posettes, with great views of the Le Tour glacier,
to reach the Col du Balme. Here you get a stunning view
back along the Chamonix valley, before crossing over the
border into Switzerland, and descending by a choice of
tracks down to the village of Trient. Here you stay in
a local lodge. Night in Trient. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Monday,
Distance:
16.1 km, Ascent: +760m, Descent: -766m,
Hours: c.7 hrs.
Trient
- Champex. There is a choice
of routes from Trient, either following the Classic Bovine
trail up above the treeline, overlooking Martigny and
the Rhone valley with vineyards covering the lower slopes,
or over the steeper and more rocky Fenetre d'Arpette.
The choice of route is very weather and fitness dependent.
Both routes converge in the village of Champex, nestled
against a beautiful mountain lake. You stay the night
in a local lodge. Night in Champex |
|
|
|
 |
|
Tuesday,
Distance:
21.1km, Ascent: +1193m, Descent: -1228m,
Hours: c.8 hrs.
Champex
- Praz de Fort trek (5.7km), bus, Ferret - Bonatti trek
(15.4km). Trek
down the amazing Sentier du Champignons (Path of the Mushrooms)
to reach the old villages of Issert and Praz du Fort.
Option of taking the Swiss post bus to Ferret village
(not included c.£8pp). Hike up to Grand Col Ferret
where you cross into Italy, and descend to the village
of Arnuva. From here you trek to the superbly situated
Rifugio Bonatti, famed for its food. Night in Bonatti. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Wednesday,
Distance:
16.9km, Ascent: +728m, Descent: -1038m,
Hours: c.7 hrs.
Bonatti
- Courmayeur - Monte Bianco hut. The routes follow
the broad Mont de la Saxe shoulder to the Bertone refuge,
with stunning views over the south faces of Grandes Jorasses
and Mont Blanc. Descend from Bertone into Courmayeur,
and discover it's labyrinth of cobbled streets and shops.
There is usually time for a bit of sightseeing and an
ice cream, before hiking into the Val Veny to the Rifugio
Monte Bianco. Night in lodge. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Thursday,
Distance:
23.4km, Ascent: +1246m, Descent: -1497m,
Hours: c.8 hrs.
Monte
Bianco - Chapieux.
From the hut you ascend to Col Checroui, and along the
amazing balcony track over Arete du Mont Favre to Lac
Combal. If you are feeling lazy, you could trim the hike
by 9km and catch the bus to the trail head here instead
(not included c.£4pp). The route passes the Elizabetta
hut and ascends to the Col de la Seigne, where you return
to France, before plunging into the Chapieux valley in
the Beaufortain. Night in lodge in Chapieux. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Friday,
Distance: 18.8km, Ascent: +986m, Descent: -1365m,
Hours: c.7 hrs.
Chapieux
- Contamines.
Ascend the trails to the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme,
and then marvel at the amazing views in all directions
from the saddle of the Col du Bonhomme. Here you trek
down into the Contamines valley. You pass the Roman tumulus
and Refuge La Balme before reaching the tranquil location
of the Nant Borrant refuge near the Roman bridge. Next
to the refuge is the old Roman bridge and road to Notre
Dame de la Gorge. Night in lodge. |
|
|
|
 |
|
Saturday,
Distance:
19.6km, Ascent: +1233m, Descent: -748m,
Hours: c.7 hrs.
Contamines
- Les Houches.
If you have not already done so, look around the amazing
baroque church of Notre Dame de la Gorge, before starting
your final day of trekking to Les Houches. There is
a wide choice of routes to Bionassay village, before
ascending to the Col de Voza, with its views into the
Chamonix valley. The trail descends to reach Les Houches
village, from which there is a road / rail transfer
to Chamonix (included). Night in Chamonix on B&B
basis.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Sunday
Breakfast at 08:00, then accommodation check out by 10:00.
You are free to depart at any time, but airport transfers
leave the resort approximately three hours before your
flight takes off.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow itineraries.
Mountain adventures are weather and conditions dependant,
so occasionaly we are forced to alter the plans. If this
is the case, suitable alternatives are offered. Please
use this outline itinerary as a guide to the types of
route / activity that you will attempt.
|
|
What's
in your pack each day?
We
suggest that for any of our Tour Mont Blanc guided courses,
you only take a day pack, to carry as little as possible. The
majority of clients manage with a small rucksack of 25 - 30
litres capacity. Below is an outline of the essential kit to
carry each day. Don't forget that all bedding is provided in
huts, and you can leave extra baggage in Chamonix whilst out
on your trek. A detailed kit list is sent to all those booking,
but the list below gives you an idea of how to pack a very lightweight
bag for a Tour Mont Blanc trek.
|
|
|
Things that you DON'T need to take include; hut
shoes (provided), sleeping bag, roll matt, pillow, cutlery,
mugs, crockery, stoves & pots, evening wear for hut, cards
/ games, maps, compass, guidebooks, alarm clocks, ski goggles,
balaclava, ear-muffs, scarf, etc. The art of travelling lightweight
is easy if using Alpine huts as bedding and food is provided.
Think of them as basic mountain hotels, at which you can purchase
soft and alcoholic drinks, extra food and packed lunches for
each day. Baggage transfers are not required, as you are travelling
with a small pack that contains everything for personal use,
and most huts are inaccessible by road anyway! |
Course Prices |
|
|
Standard
course
|
7
days guiding, 8 days total in total |
£799 |
|
Premium
course
|
9
days guiding, 9 days total in total
(Standard course plus Acclimatisation weekend)
LINK |
£898 |
|
|
Secure
online booking system |
|
|
| Inclusions:
1) UIMLA guide for seven days, 2) Chamonix course hosts for
logistics & briefings, 3) Pre course information booklet,
4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops, 5) 2 nights B&B
accommodation in Chamonix, one at either end of the trek (inc.
bedding & towels), 6) 6 nights mountain hut / gite / hotel
on a half board basis, 7) Free 36 page technical Course Instruction
Booklet, 8) Road / rail transport (if required) during the guided
days in the Chamonix valley, 9) Chamonix office for support
and logistics. |
|
| Exclusions:
1) Travel to and from Chamonix, 2) Personal laundry, telephone
calls, lunches, evening meals in Chamonix, & any purchases
in mountain huts / hotels / restaurants, 3) Transport outside
the Chamonix valley and cable cars (not usually required but
budget up to c.£20pp), 4) Saturday pre-dinner drinks &
Saturday celebratory meal & drinks, 5) Activities insurance,
& excess baggage charges. |
|
|
