Let's hike to the top of the European Union!
The trip has taken place. Check out upcoming mountain trips HERE.
This summer we will once again undertake a journey to the summit of the coveted White Mountain, or Mont Blanc. But since there are so many ambitious travelers, we will also attempt the summit twice this year - in June and August.
Mont Blanc probably needs no introduction — it is a 4807 m high snow-capped peak right on the border of France and Italy, considered the highest peak in both countries and Western Europe. Set amidst an idyllic mountain landscape, the extremely popular peak with a variety of trails is probably a must-see for any mountaineer. to do list. Achieving your goal is also made easier by the fact that the main trail is also accessible to beginners, as it does not contain particularly technical sections.
The summit of Mont Blanc is preceded by an acclimatization program, during which we train our bodies to cope with altitude, practice moving on a glacier and using mountaineering equipment. To enrich our summit lists, we will also climb to the top of some more manageable mountains during the acclimatization. The movement to acclimatization is done with the help of gondolas, but our hind legs will definitely get going too. During the acclimatization, we will stay in cozy mountain huts, where we will be treated to excellent hut meals. During the ascent of Mont Blanc, we will stay in base camp tents, which have beds.
When we are not on the mountain, we base ourselves in the beautiful small town of Chamonix, which offers a magnificent view of Mont Blanc and therefore attracts people from both far and near to visit us. We spend the night in tents at the campsite. We cook our own meals using camping stoves, and we buy the necessary food from the local shop. However, there are also many restaurants in Chamonix where we can also eat.
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: Mont Blanc 4807 m (Gouter trail)
Dates: GROUP 1: 26.06-05.07.2023 (full); GROUP 2: 01.-10.08.2023
Activity: mountain climbing, mountain hiking
Adventure guides: Kaarel Kuslap, Kelli Kuslap
Technical difficulty level: 2/5 (suitable for beginners)
Physical difficulty: 3/5 (requires good physical fitness)
Group size: 12 (including 2 locomotives)
Early bird ticket (until 19.04.2023) — €1490
Less dizzy chicken (from 20.04.2023) — 1640€
Please note: For community members discount of -5% applies
(I.e. If the trip is canceled due to circumstances caused by the pandemic, we will refund the advance payment in full!
Travel cost
Price includes
Travel arrangements and on-site guidance
Two with Mont Blanc experience Elamus+ locomotive
All overnight stays (cabins in the mountains, camping fees at the campsite below)
Breakfast and dinner in mountain huts
Special climbing equipment for the group (ropes, ice augers, carabiners and other glacier equipment)
Stylish Elamus+ designed sports shirt
Group pharmacy (including high-altitude medications)
Hotel stay on the final night
Price does not include
Flight tickets Tallinn-Geneva-Tallinn (~350€)
Bus Geneva-Chamonix-Geneva (~30€)
Insurance (travel insurance and MANDATORY sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal hiking and climbing equipment (can also be rented) from us)
Personal hygiene products and medications
Drinks and snacks (including lunch) on the mountain
Meals off the mountain
Tents and cooking equipment at the campsite (we will fold the tent up)
Unscheduled excursions, transportation, etc. (or if you want to do something extra)
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a deposit (20%) must be paid within 3 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by email; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule and activities
Day 1 - Down the mountain with the Iron Bird!
We fly from Tallinn to the Swiss city of Geneva. Although our destination Chamonix is located in France, Geneva is the closest stopover and has very good flight and bus connections. From there, we take a bus for an hour or two to Chamonix, a small but important village in the Alps, because that is where the classic trail to Mont Blanc begins. We spend the night in a campsite right next to Chamonix with our tents. This place will be our base camp for the entire trip.
Day 2 - We begin acclimatization
In the morning we take the gondola up to 2200 m. Since this is not a beach holiday, we immediately give our back legs a workout and climb a few hundred meters to the Albert 1er hut, where we spend the night. In the hut we can enjoy a refreshing dinner and enjoy beautiful views of the glacier next door.
Day 3 - LET'S REACH THE FIRST SUMMITS
We start the day with glacier training. We cross the Tour glacier and climb to the top of the Aiguille du Tour (3544 m). From the top, we walk across the next glacier to the Trient hut, where we spend another pleasant night between four walls. We eat, drink and, if you want, get a headache due to the altitude. Free choice. Sleep will probably come a little earlier than the night before.
Day 4 - Descent to camp
In the morning we pack up our bags from the hut and start hiking back towards Chamonix. Mostly walking downhill, so toes and knees — prepare yourselves! Of course, aching heads are a joy. We hike back the same way we came, and return to the campsite to our lovely tents.
Day 5 - Rest day
After the first big effort, it's time to take a breath and get to know the Mecca of mountaineering, Chamonix. For example, this lovely town has a pretty interesting mountaineering museum, as well as numerous different hiking equipment shops where you can upgrade your equipment if necessary. Rumor has it that you can also get the best macaroons in the world from a sweet shop in Chamonix, but see for yourself. ;) Depending on the wishes of the group members, we will spend the day together or separately.
Day 6 - The journey to the top of the white mountain begins
Our bodies are rested, our supplies are replenished, so we put on our backpacks and head back to the mountain! We first climb to 2372 m with the help of the gondola and the famous Mont Blanc train, from where we begin our hike to the Tete Rousse base camp. There we spend the night in comfortable stationary base camp tents, which are equipped with camping beds. We review the next day's itinerary and have an especially early dinner, because we won't be able to sleep long at night...
Day 7 - There's a smell of peak in the air
We wake up in the early hours of the day and start moving along the rope with our headlamps — one foot in front of the other, getting closer and closer to the roof of the European Union. The journey to the top from the Tete Rousse base camp should take about 8-9 hours and down about 5 hours, so it will be a long and exhausting day. The anxiety is great, but we must not lose our vigilance, because as the first test we have to pass the infamous Death Pass. Once we have successfully dodged all the rolling stones, we begin to turn between the stones towards the old Gouter hut. There we put on our crampons and continue hiking only on snow. We pass a few ridges and when we reach the first plateau, the mighty Mont Blanc reveals itself to us. A slight sense of anguish may creep in, because there is still so much to go, but we press on. Before the top, we have to pass the Bosses ridge, which is a cool experience. There is a long way down both ways and stumbling here is categorically forbidden. After that, the peak is already within reach and finally… finally we reach the top of the Alps! Oh the joy and emotion. Done!
After some summit pictures, hugs and snacks, we descend the way we came, which fortunately is a little easier thanks to gravity. On the way, we can also make a recovery stop at the Gouteri hut to reward ourselves with some Coke or snacks. We spend the night in the already familiar Tete Rousse tents.
Day 8 - Au revoir, Mont blanc!
In the morning we return our rested bodies to the train station, from where we drive back to Chamonix. We settle back into our home campsite, recover, rest, and make an impression. Harder brothers can also try climbing the Mur d'escalade des Gaillands rock wall.
DAY 9 - Backup day
This is a backup day in case the weather doesn't allow us to summit on the right day. This means that using the backup day will push the summit day and everything that follows forward by one day (does not affect the return time). However, we are still expected to summit within the planned schedule and not need to use the backup day.
In any case, the last day is planned to be spent overnight in a luxurious hotel in Chamonix with a swimming pool, jacuzzi and sauna, to fully relax our stiff muscles. Nice! If you want, you can visit the services offered by Chamonix during the day or go rock climbing. In the evening, we celebrate the successful end of the trip in a restaurant: we summarize, excitedly share impressions and enjoy the last evening without obligations.
Day 10 - Back home
We pack up at the camp and say goodbye to the locomotives, who continue their adventures in the Swiss Alps. The rest of the traveling party will find their way home either with the help of buses and planes that follow the already familiar route, or they will embark on another adventure. In any case, one thing is clear: everyone will go home richer with unforgettable memories and powerful experiences!
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Don't worry, let's do it!
How physically fit do I need to be to reach the peak?
Going straight to the highest peak in the Alps may seem daunting at first glance, but it's not that bad — especially if you have a good hiking guide at your disposal. Although Mont Blanc does not require technical skills, it does require good physical fitness and mental endurance, as the summit day is very long. In Estonia, you can test yourself by saying that if you can walk 30 km continuously, you are in good enough shape for Mont Blanc.
But I don't have any hiking gear, who can afford to buy it?
You'll still have to spend a little, but not much. Hiking and climbing equipment can be rented at a very reasonable price and, of course, borrowed from friends. In addition, you can use any kind of clothing you have; for example, a ski jacket is also very good for the mountain. The more resourceful can manage with almost no additional expenses.
Will I survive?
It's an extreme sport/hobby, but you shouldn't be too afraid here. Of course, there are certain dangers in the mountains and you have to take them into account, but accidents happen in everyday life too. The most important thing for the group leader is to ensure the safety of the participants — to do this, we learn and use correct mountaineering techniques and turn around if the weather gets too bad. The point is still to have an enjoyable experience and not let this mountain go away. ;)
Okay, I registered. Now what?
Well, theoretically you could just vanish into thin air and appear on a plane, but then you risk discovering “oops, I have the wrong crampons and what is this middleman node?” on the spot. It can happen, but we highly recommend participating in preparatory events — it’s part of the fun. We organize preparatory hikes and trainings, advise on suitable insurance and equipment, where to rent cheaply, what to train for, etc. We will definitely review the equipment you have collected just before the start of the trip and send reminders about important things.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
ID card/passport;
sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain hike;
travel insurance.
At least one month before the trip, we will make a decision whether the trip is possible under Covid-19 conditions. If the trip is canceled due to circumstances caused by the pandemic that make the trip impossible (e.g. closing of national borders), we will refund the advance payment in full.
Plan your trip early and start training for it. We will organize several trial trips, training sessions and recommend training plans beforehand. It would be a shame if the peak was only behind the physique. Also a good opportunity to get in shape. ;)
Summits are not guaranteed. As you might expect, weather is king in the mountains. So it is entirely possible that weather or dangerous conditions will prevent us from even attempting the summit. Nevertheless, it will definitely be an awesome experience!
Although at the end of the day everyone is still responsible for their own actions and consequences, we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with mountaineering. As a result, the group leader has the right to make ongoing decisions about the competence of the participants, the suitability of their equipment, physical/mental capacity, etc. and, if necessary, for example, to prohibit participation on summit day if it endangers the health of the group or the participant themselves. Hopefully, of course, there will be no need for this.
Read also travel conditions.
Auxiliary tractor and support for “what if…” situations:
Phone : 5901 8970
Email: kelli@elamuspluss.ee
