Hiking in Chamonix | Complete Guide

Everything you need to plan, book and self-guide this extraordinary hiking destination in the Alps

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the premier hiking destination in the alPS

The Chamonix Valley in France is uniquely nestled against the borders of Italy and Switzerland. The main drawcard is Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps at 4,808m / 15,774 ft. Some adventurers come to summit its peak, some to circumnavigate and others to simply sit on the terrace of a mountain buvette and admire its size and beauty.

There are 70+ glaciers located on the Mont Blanc Massif, countless alpine lakes and peaks you can hike to which offer commanding views over the region.

One of the great things about hiking in Chamonix is the ability to use the network of buses and trains to easily take you up and down the valley, and gondolas, cable cars, and chairlifts to bring you up to high alpine trails, saving your legs/knees from an epic climb that would otherwise be necessary.

GLACIERS, ALPINE LAKES, PEAKS, BALCONY TRAILS, mountain huts AND MORE.

the summer hiking season

From mid-June until mid-September the Chamonix Valley comes alive, with hikers from all over the world arriving to explore some of Europe’s most famous mountain ranges.

Typically, the days are long, rainfall is minimal, no/low snow on the trails, warm temperatures, alpine flowers in full bloom and lush meadows. The Alps are a paradise during these months!

While the weather and conditions can allow for hiking outside of the main hiking season, it requires hikes to be more self-sufficient as the cable cars, gondolas and chairlifts won’t be operating, and, most of the alpine huts that offer accommodation and food will be closed.

Read about typical weather and trail conditions throughout the season in our Complete guide to hiking in the Alps blog post.

self-guide the best trails in Chamonix

There are over 350km / 215mi of maintained hiking trails within the Chamonix valley.

The most popular trails - such as the Lac Blanc loop - can get very crowded at peak times, while on other trails - such as the Mont Buet summit - you many only pass a few other keen hikers.

With the excellent network of gondolas and chairlifts, and free public transport to whisk you up and down the valley, planning your own hiking adventure is easy to do, with the right information and GPS map. The main challenge is figuring out how to squeeze the best highlights into your hiking plan.

That’s where we can help!

Our self-guided packages

We have designed a series of 3-day hiking routes that showcase the very best Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley has to offer.

Each package has been designed as a self-guided hiking experience using Chamonix as a base camp (see more in our FAQs).

Carry a day-pack, leave when you’re ready, walk at your pace and return to your Chamonix accommodation each night.

Since 2018 we have helped 2,000+ people
self-guide the Alps using our comprehensive tools

Frequently asked questions:

Our packages are designed for experienced self-guided hikers with an above-average level of fitness. We provide everything you need to prepare for the trail in terms of hiking itinerary, GPS map, packing list, transport logistics, and best weather service to follow. However, you will need to have the experience to make decisions while on the trail based on your progress and/or in the event of changing weather/conditions.

Ideally, Chamonix. Our 3-day self-guided hiking routes have been developed with Chamonix as the base camp. This means that while they are designed as one continuous journey, they start and end each day at a transport location where you can reach Chamonix, usually within 30mins on free public transport. The logistic details on how to reach the trail each morning and return to Chamonix at the end of the day are included with each package.

That’s perfect! These self-guided hiking plans all use Chamonix as base camp. In each package, you’ll receive details on how to reach the trailhead each morning, and how to get back to Chamonix at the end of each day. Your accommodation cost is not included in these packages. If you haven’t already booked accommodation, we provide recommendations, ranging from hostels to luxury hotels in the planning portal available upon purchase.

That’s no problem. Depending on your location and the tour you choose, you’ll need to utilise the well-connected public transport network in the Chamonix Valley to reach the trail each morning and return to your accommodation at the end of the day.

Yes! While the routes have been designed with Chamonix as a base camp, each day ends at a location where accommodation is available. If you want to carry everything with you and have a typical multi-day experience, the itineraries allow for this.

Our plans are designed for experienced hikers and those that have an above average level of fitness. We offer a variety of hiking plans that have mix of daily hiking distance, time and elevation change. Make sure to assess your own level of fitness and experience, and match appropriately to the plan of your choice. If you are concerned whether you have the right level of experience or fitness or experience for our hikes, you can book a paid phone or video consultation with one of our trail experts to discuss the best itinerary for you. Learn more here.

All our packages are for self-guided hikers. We do not offer a guide service. If you would like help to plan and prepare for your upcoming hike in the Alps, we offer a paid phone or video consultation with one of our trail expert. Learn more here.

These self-guided hiking plans all use the Chamonix Valley as base camp. Therefore, if you have less days you can simply skip one of the days (i.e choose Day 1 and 2, skip Day 3). If you have more days you could purchase more than 1 plan and combine into a longer plan (i.e combine Taste of Tour du Mont Blanc and Tour of the Glaciers for a 6 day hiking plan).

We do not offer personalization for these basecamp hiking plans. If you would like one of our trail experts to design a custom route based on your preferences, please purchase a custom route package.