We
can provide day guiding in the UK, the Alps or further
afield, as well as running our wide range of scheduled
mountain courses. To
meet our team of IFMGA & UIMLA guides, please click
here.
We were established in 2000, as a British fully
bonded and licenced tour operator / guiding company,
and have a full time office and equipment shop in
Windermere in the UK Lake District.
Our
main focus is on our scheduled one week long
courses, but we do organise bespoke guiding
packages of any duration from 1 day to a week
or more.
All
of the prices quoted are for guiding only,
and don't include your cable cars, uplift,
hire equipment, mountain huts / refuges, or
any evening instruction.
If
you stay in a mountain hut, you pay for yourself
and the guide on a half board basis, and pay
for all transport and the guides lift pass
if required.
All
bespoke bookings must be made and paid for
a minimum 72 hours (3 days) before guiding.
We accept no last minute bookings made within
this timescale.
We
offer bespoke guided days all year in the
UK, and in the Alps when our scheduled courses
are running, January
to April, & June to September.
Bespoke
bookings of 1 day are only available as a course
extension, however bespoke bookings of 2 or more
days are available to be booked independently online
as they constitute a bespoke guiding package.
Sorry,
we don't accept bespoke Alpine bookings outside
our advertised seasons as we cannot provide you
with the local logistical support you would normally
expect to receive. UK bespoke bookings are year
round.
If
you agree to the conditions above and meet the criteria
for bespoke guiding, then please get in contact,
so that we can confirm availability and provide
you with a final quotation for the day(s) bespoke
guiding.
Prices
for bespoke day guiding
The
table below gives you an idea of the base rate of guiding
tarrifs. Obviously for hard climbing or ski descents,
the daily rate may be far more than the minimums listed,
and a sliding scale of charges applies. For example an
ascent of the North Face of the Matterhorn would cost
at least £2500 for two days. Contact us by e-mail for
an exact quote, and this remains valid for one week. The
maximum guide ratio listed below is the total number of
people that we allow a Guide to take for each activity.
This is based on the safety advice of the IFMGA and UIMLA,
and our imposed limits are to ensure that each member
of the group has sufficient access to the guide, as well
as for safety. Guiding prices do rise in key holiday weeks
including Christmas, New Year or February half term, as
well as in peak season when guides or instructors are
in very short supply.
How
to book private guiding Contact us by e-mail, and we will either add the day(s)
as extensions to an existing course booking of yours,
or we upload the bespoke day(s) in your name onto our
online booking system, so then you can book and pay securely
online. You will then receive immediate e-confirmation
and detailed equipment list to help you start packing,
as well as a Course Information Booklet.
Notes
1) For all Alpine IFMGA guiding in Winter, the price is from £360 base rate for 1-4 per, and from £380 for 5-6 per.
2) Bespoke bookings of 3 or more days get a discount of £20 per day, from the Winter tarifs quoted above.
3) Note that for all prices quoted in the table above, these prices are 'from' prices (i.e. base rate), and depending on if they are for more technical objectives, or more remote locations, these prices will be increased.
Here
are some of the most popular bespoke guiding options that
we offer, based on two people sharing...
Crevasse Rescue
1
day @ £390/day
Cosmiques
Arete
1
day @ £390/day
Petite
Aig' Verte
1
day @ £3990/day
Breithorn
1 day @ £600/day
Crochues
Ridge
1
day @ £390/day
Glacier
Training
1
day @ £390/day
Cogne
Icefalls
1 day @ £450/day
Navigation
Skills
1 day @ £200/day
Mont
Buet
1 day @ £280/day
VB
Traverse
1
day @ £390/day
The
length of day for private guiding is a function of the
weather, conditions, your performance, cable car openings,
and safety. For these reasons there is no such thing as
a typical guided day. Some days are over by lunchtime,
such as when an Alpine start was required, to climb before
objective risks grew too high with the heat of the day
(e.g. snowbridges getting weaker, rockfall increasing,
avalanche risk evolving), when others are a lot more 9am-4pm.
Some of the 'days' are nights, and others are specific
routes that are done when they're done!
We ask you to bear this in mind when booking a 'day' of
guiding, that the guide makes the decision as to when
a day is a day. We don't charge for half days or hourly
rates (apart from personal
trainer up to 2 hours). Discounts may
be applicable for multiple days booked together. The guide
aims to provide value for money in the time you are with
them. Above all, remember that the mountains are the mountains.
If you are descending and the cable car is closed, you
will have to ski / walk down, and might miss your dinner
reservation. If the cable car closes and you can't go
up again, that's it. If you can't accept any of these
observations, don't book it...
Mont
Blanc, Eiger & Matterhorn
For
mountains of this stature, we consider that our
week long courses are the best itineraries to allow
for weather windows, acclimatisation, and summit
success. We do NOT offer any tailor made alternatives
for any of these peaks, as we are so sure our itineraries
are correct. This isn't arrogance. It is a decision
we have arrived at over a decade of running guided
ascents of these peaks. We firmly believe that spending
any less time than we offer on our scheduled courses
is unsafe in terms of acclimatisation and your skills
training. At best it will give you a very low chance
of success, and at worst case it could be downright
dangerous. Do not ask us for bespoke ascents of
these peaks. We cannot assist.
To
view the full course equipment list,
with examples of kit, please click
here.
Why
choose our trips?
See
our Alpine blog, by clicking on the Word-press logo
to the right.
Itinerary
flexibility to allow you to take full advantage
of the weather windows on any day, to maximise your
summit chances.
Our
prices are fixed in £ Sterling, to protect
you from euro fluctuations, so you can budget accurately.
There
is a choice of routes to opt for, depending on the
weather, conditions, and your experience.
Any further questions?
A key part
of choosing a company is being able to come and talk about
your plans with an experienced course advisor face to
face. In an increasingly virtual world, we know our clients
value speaking to real people, getting open and honest
advice. The vast majority of our clients are British,
and our office and outdoor store is based in Windermere
in the English Lake District.
Get in
contact to arrange a meeting, and come in for a coffee
to discuss your course in person with a trip advisor.
Many people opt for this service, and it is an integral
part of what we offer, as we are keen to ensure that you
are prepared as possible, and that you select a course
that is suitable for you. It makes it easier and more
enjoyable for you and us, if you are on the right trip.
