Meet at the group accomodation in the Chamonix Valley (1240m). Lying beneath the stunning north face of Mont Blanc, the views are awesome from the start! Before dinner, you will meet your trip leader to have an informal chat about the days ahead and have the chance to check out your clothing and gear and to decide if you will need to pick up any further items of equipment, before setting out in the morning. KE Land Only package services begin with the evening meal.

From our accommodation in the Chamonix Valley we transfer to Les Houches and from there take a cable car ride to Bellevue, where our trek starts in earnest. A short descent takes through pine woods with the spectacular sight of the Bionassay Glacier and the Aiguille de Bionassay towering above across the valley. We cross the Bionassay torrent on a suspension bridge, and make a steady climb to the Col de Tricot. Ahead we can see the Dome de Miage and down below us is the idyllic hamlet of the Chalet de Miage which will take us 45 minutes to an hour to reach on a zig-zagging descent path. After a welcome drink at the chalet, we cross the stream and make a short climb to the prominent col seen from the Chalet de Miage. from the col a gentle decent leads to Le Truc (1720m) where there is a refuge, a pleasant place to stop for a drink and to admire the view. We continue our descent through tall pines on a wide track which eventually becomes a metalled road leading to the colourful village of Les Contamines. We have a final stroll along the river to reach our hotel.

A leisurely wander by the river to Notre Dame de la Gorge is our start for today. Leaving the river, our route then climbs steeply, following the ‘paved’ Roman road thought to have been a route taken by Hannibal in an early version of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Our next stop is at the refuge at Le Balme, a good place to contemplate the climb to the Col de Bonhomme. This is a long, steady plod and the pass itself often has snow patches early in the season. At 2469 metres, this is considerably higher than the Col de Tricot, but at least the climbing is over for the day, as we traverse around via the Croix de Bonhomme, before dropping gently down to Les Chapieux.

We take a level trail for about 1 hour up the valley out of Les Chapieux towards the Refuge Le Mottets. From here, we ascend to our next high point, at the Col de la Seigne (2513m). This is a significant col on the border between France and Italy and gives superlative views of the Brenva face of Mont Blanc. Crossing into Italy, an easy descent takes us past the restored customs house, La Casermetta, which now houses various exhibits concerning the eco-system of the Mont Blanc region. Continuing our descent, we pass the Elizabetta Refuge and from there down into the head of the Val Veni, under the awesome ridge of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey. We continue down the valley passing a lake created by the damming effect of a glacial moraine and come eventually to the road-head at La Visaille. Here we take the local bus to the vibrant town and mountaineering centre of Courmayeur. Time permitting; we can explore Courmayeur before catching the local bus to Val Ferret where we check into our hotel.

We set off directly from our hotel this morning, on the long climb to the Col du Grand Ferret (2530m). After 20 minutes there is the opportunity to stop for a real Italian cappuccino at the Rifugio Elena (2061m) and from the hut, the top of the pass is reached by a steady climb of around 2 hours. There are views of the snow-capped Grand Combin (4090m) and also Mont Dolent, the summit of which is shared by France Switzerland and Italy. Beyond the pass, we leave Italy and enter Switzerland and the terrain is very different, less rugged, as we descend through a series of alpages to the refuge at La Peule (2071m). This refuge is unusual in that as well as the normal alpine dormitories, it also offers accommodation in yurts! After a brief stop here for refreshment we have two options to continue the Tour de Mont Blanc. The standard route drops down to the valley floor and follows a wide track but an interesting alternative traverses the steep hillside on a narrow path with several ups and downs before descending steeply to rejoin the main track at a stout wooden bridge across the river. The trail now runs easily along the valley to La Fouly where we catch a transfer to our overnight halt in the 'Chocolate Box Village' of Champex located high in the mountains beside a pretty lake.

Today we take the beautiful Bovine Trail, through the high meadows where the famous Swiss fighting cows spend the summer months. On this route after a steep ascent to the meadows, we might even have the opportunity to stop at a farm for coffee and a chat with the cowherder. This is a very pleasant walk providing spectacular views of the upper Rhone Valley and tops out at around 2040 metres. In good weather we will be rewarded with stunning views of Lac Leman today. We come down to the Col de la Forclaz (1527m), a major road pass between Martigny and Chamonix. Here we meet our transfer for the ride down to our accommodation in the Chamonix Valley.

Today’s walk is an excellent finale with spectacular views across to the main Mont Blanc range. We take the path up through the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve to the start of a ridge-walk that will lead us upwards to Lac Blanc. En route we often see ibex, chamois, and marmots. This is a great chance to get up close to some of the alpine wildlife. At Lac Blanc there is an opportunity to visit the refuge and indulge in some great food and a coffee! We walk down to the mid-station at La Flegere and here we have the option to save the knees and descend by cable car to the Valley. From the bottom station we can catch a bus or train back to the Hotel. There is also the option to take the public transport into Chamonix to look around this fascinating and historic Alpine town, before returning to our hotel for a farewell dinner.

KE Land Only package services end after breakfast.