May-Sept 2023 - Guide Price only
Whatever you want from your trip we can make it happen. Whether it's a weekend of wild swimming in secluded lakes known only to locals with friends. A family adventure all of your own. A romantic retreat to the most secluded and romantic spots in the world. An outdoor challenge for you and a group of friends. Or just a holiday that's off the beaten track.
We're specialists in putting together trips that combine the very best of the food, wines, walking, wild swimming, trail running, spa treatments, dog sledding, snow shoeing or just about every other Alpine activity you can think of that France, Italy and Switzerland have to offer.
Escape, adventure, retreat whatever you, your friends or family are looking for from the mountains we'll build the perfect trip.
Bespoke Trips
Whether it's the perfect secluded mountain retreat for you and your friends, or an active holiday high in the hills for your fit family - tell us how long you have and who's coming and we'll come back with the perfect mountain escape.
Choose from lake swimming, trail running, snow-shoeing, dog sledding, fine wines and fondue by firesides, skiing, snowboarding, helicopter rides and hot tubs or saunas, spa days and lots of other fantastic mountain escapades. We'll pull it all together and do all the thinking for you. You just need to grab your passport and show up!
What do we eat? Where do we stay? What do we bring? What do you need?
Food:
We love food almost as much as we love the mountains so ensuring the catering for our Treks is top quality is one of our priorities: eating well is not incompatible with Trekking. One of our valley team is a chef and as a qualified sports nutritionist who puts together our fabulous, healthy and tasty menus. No matter what your dietary requirements we’ll do all we can to make sure you feel fabulous inside and out at the end of your trip.
Included in the price of your Trek are three meals a day whilst trekking and drinks. Excluded are the restaurant dinner on the final night and alcoholic drinks.
Accommodation/Transport
Accommodation is a combination of mountain refuges at high altitude, (they're the only thing up there) and boutique hotels or gîtes down in the valleys, so you can enjoy a little luxury/home comfort. Refuges are basic and often dormitory rooms, so you'll be sleeping alongside staff and other guests, (male and female) hotels offer single rooms for a supplement. Accommodation in the valleys is 3-4 star and prices are based on single room occupancy and rooms are with en suite facilities.
Transport to and from the resort is not included but on arrival at our accommodation you'll be transported by us either by minibus to the trails from which we walk to the refuges and our third night accommodation or local taxi to dinners.
On rare occasions if weather prevents us continuing with a hike and no routes are safely passable we will be transported by minibus to alternative accommodation of a similar standard.
We love food almost as much as we love the mountains so ensuring the catering for our Treks is top quality is one of our priorities: eating well is not incompatible with Trekking. One of our valley team is a chef and as a qualified sports nutritionist who puts together our fabulous, healthy and tasty menus. No matter what your dietary requirements we’ll do all we can to make sure you feel fabulous inside and out at the end of your trip.
Included in the price of your Trek are three meals a day whilst trekking and drinks. Excluded are the restaurant dinner on the final night and alcoholic drinks.
Food
Accommodation/Transport
Accommodation is a combination of mountain refuges at high altitude, (they're the only thing up there) and boutique hotels or gîtes down in the valleys, so you can enjoy a little luxury/home comfort. Refuges are basic and often dormitory rooms, so you'll be sleeping alongside staff and other guests, (male and female) hotels offer single rooms for a supplement. Accommodation in the valleys is 3-4 star and prices are based on single room occupancy and rooms are with en suite facilities.
Transport to and from the resort is not included but on arrival at our accommodation you'll be transported by us either by minibus to the trails from which we walk to the refuges and our third night accommodation or local taxi to dinners.
On rare occasions if weather prevents us continuing with a hike and no routes are safely passable we will be transported by minibus to alternative accommodation of a similar standard.
Equipment
Because of the altitude you will need some specialist gear but we'll supply you with a full list of everything you need and help you locate any new bits and pieces you may need and make recommendations.
As some of the locations are quite remote your luggage will be transported some nights by mules or our support vehicle so you can travel each day with a light day pack.
Terms and conditions/Passports and Visas
A complete list of our terms and conditions can be found below.
You will need to carry your passport with you at all times and should have obtained permission to move freely between Switzerland, Italy and France around Europe for the duration of your stay, In the transfer from Geneva Airport to resort you will cross the Swiss/French boarder and may be required to show your passport and give details of your travel itinerary. These will be provided in advance and you should have the with you at all times.
What is included?
Included in the price is your accommodation, our guide, breakfast, lunch and dinner (except for any restaurant dinners on some of our longer treks), support staff, support vehicle and the transfers each night for your luggage.
We have group insurance but you will need to supplement this with your own travel insurance.
Flights and transfers to/from the ariport are not included but we can give recommendations for both.
Group size and staffing
We restrict our groups to no more than ten people with at least two support staff up in the mountains at all times ensuring that we can offer a more bespoke experience and that people can move at their own pace.
Every trek is led by a qualified International Mountain Leader and supported by a team on the ground with you who put their heart and soul into making sure this is the best holiday you will ever have.
We are a fully insured tour operator and mountain guiding company.
Still have questions? Contact us!
What do we eat? Where do we stay? What do we bring? What do you need?
Our FAQ page has the answers to most of your questions, but if you didn't find what you were looking for, ask us directly!
The details
Fitness Requirements
The Treks are active holidays where you'll hike for between 6-8 hours a day, uphill for some periods and at altitude. Swimming is optional. Before booking your Trek you should be comfortable with walking for a full day and you will be asked to complete a medical questionnaire, any pre-existing medical conditions should be discussed in advance of booking and a doctors note may be required.
Where we go
Our Treks are based in and around the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Our weekend Summer Treks start out near the beautiful ski town of Morzine, where we stay by a lake and swim, run or walk in the morning. From there we head to Servoz by car and then hike up into the mountains with a night in a mountain refuge before heading over Brevant and down into the Chamonix valley, finishing our Treks in the beautiful village of Les Houches.
Terms and Conditions – All trips are sold subject to these Terms and Conditions (hereinafter T&Cs).
Insurance
All clients need to be adequately insured for all activities they are taking part in. Insurance must include repatriation and details should be provided at the beginning of each trip.
All European clients should obtain a European Health insurance card (EHIC), however this is not a substitute for travel insurance.
Health and fitness
Clients have the responsibility to select a trip appropriate to their abilities and interests. In order to assist with this, all trips are graded and we welcome the opportunity to discuss trip details / answer questions in advance of your reservation. Clients must be in sufficient good health to undertake the trip, and if unsure seek medical advice in advance. For your own safety you need to inform us of any medical conditions in advance or at the start of the trip. Clients are also required to bring adequate clothing / equipment as advised in the pre-departure information.
Terms and Conditions – All trips are sold subject to these Terms and Conditions (hereinafter T&Cs).
We love food almost as much as we love the mountains so ensuring the catering for our Treks is top quality is one of our priorities: eating well is not incompatible with Trekking. One of our valley team is a chef and as a qualified sports nutritionist who puts together our fabulous, healthy and tasty menus. No matter what your dietary requirements we’ll do all we can to make sure you feel fabulous inside and out at the end of your trip.
Included in the price of your Trek are three meals a day whilst trekking and drinks. Excluded are the restaurant dinner on the final night and alcoholic drinks.
Food
Accommodation/Transport
Accommodation is a combination of mountain refuges at high altitude, (they're the only thing up there) and boutique hotels or gîtes down in the valleys, so you can enjoy a little luxury/home comfort. Refuges are basic and often dormitory rooms, so you'll be sleeping alongside staff and other guests, (male and female) hotels offer single rooms for a supplement. Accommodation in the valleys is 3-4 star and prices are based on single room occupancy and rooms are with en suite facilities.
Transport to and from the resort is not included but on arrival at our accommodation you'll be transported by us either by minibus to the trails from which we walk to the refuges and our third night accommodation or local taxi to dinners.
On rare occasions if weather prevents us continuing with a hike and no routes are safely passable we will be transported by minibus to alternative accommodation of a similar standard.
Equipment
Because of the altitude you will need some specialist gear but we'll supply you with a full list of everything you need and help you locate any new bits and pieces you may need and make recommendations.
As some of the locations are quite remote your luggage will be transported some nights by mules or our support vehicle so you can travel each day with a light day pack.
Terms and conditions/Passports and Visas
A complete list of our terms and conditions can be found below.
You will need to carry your passport with you at all times and should have obtained permission to move freely between Switzerland, Italy and France around Europe for the duration of your stay, In the transfer from Geneva Airport to resort you will cross the Swiss/French boarder and may be required to show your passport and give details of your travel itinerary. These will be provided in advance and you should have them with you at all times.
1. Insurance
All clients need to be adequately insured for all activities they are taking part in. Insurance must include repatriation and details should be provided at the beginning of each trip.
All European clients should obtain a European Health insurance card (EHIC), however this is not a substitute for travel insurance.
2. Health and fitness
Clients have the responsibility to select a trip appropriate to their abilities and interests. In order to assist with this, all trips are graded and we welcome the opportunity to discuss trip details / answer questions in advance of your reservation. Clients must be in sufficient good health to undertake the trip, and if unsure seek medical advice in advance. For your own safety you need to inform us of any medical conditions in advance or at the start of the trip. Clients are also required to bring adequate clothing / equipment as advised in the pre-departure information.
3. Dietary Requirements
We endeavour to work with clients and accommodate their dietary requirements. However such is the nature of adventure travel we may be limited to specific menus e.g remote mountain huts, refuges, etc. We fully encourage you to contact us in advance to discuss your requirements then we have every opportunity to explore options thereafter.
4. Cancellations and Fee Schedule
To secure the booking 100% of the total fee should be paid. If the client wishes to cancel the their trip they must advise The Treks in writing. Where this isn’t possible and cancellation takes place over the phone or in person, The Treks will confirm the cancellation via email. In this instance, The trek should not be considered cancelled until written confirmation has been received by the client. More than 8 weeks in advance of the trek start date 50% of the fee will be refunded. Less than 8 weeks from the trek start date 100% of the fee is retained by The Treks.
5. Complaints
If you have a complaint, please contact us as soon as possible, in the first instance your leader is often your obvious point of contact. This ensures we have every opportunity to explores solutions to the problem(s) arising and we will do all we reasonably can to resolve the complaint. You must tell us within 4 weeks after your holiday of any complaints that you feel have not been dealt with properly.
6. Alterations by us
We will tell you as soon as reasonably possible if we must make any alteration to your holiday. Most alterations are minor, but very occasionally we might have to make a major alteration. A major alteration is a change of location or to a lower standard of accommodation for a substantial part of your holiday, a change in start / finish dates or a necessary price rise in your holiday caused by rises in costs (e.g. exchange rates, internal transport etc). You may then choose as follows:
to accept these alterations;
to withdraw from the holiday, in which case we will repay all monies paid to us including your deposit and this is the sum of our liability to you; or
to accept an alternative holiday that we may propose to you, in which case if the proposed holiday is a lower price we will pay you the difference and if it is a higher price we may ask for the difference.
You must inform us of your choice as soon as possible after we contact you.
7. Your leaders authority
On a guided holiday your leader is responsible for the safety and enjoyment of the whole group and has sole discretion on behalf of The Treks to exclude temporarily a participant from the group or to terminate the participant's holiday without the possibility of a refund if the leader thinks the participant is likely to endanger the group safety or spoil its enjoyment.
8. Your responsibility
Mountain holidays by their very nature are adventurous and with this adventure a certain level of risk is undertaken. Individuals need to conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner at all times; respond to advice, guidance and instruction that may be given by the group leader / experienced professional and take all reasonable actions to eliminate accidents or injury.
9. Our Responsibilities
We will take all reasonable care to ensure that the information we give to you is accurate, including information on our website, in your schedule, including information pack and other information we give to you. We will do all reasonable can to provide the service as described in the information we give to you. We are not liable if any failure is:
attributable to anyone other than us;
attributable to a third party unconnected to us, and unforeseeable or unavoidable
due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control and could not have been avoided even if all due care had been taken; or
due to an event which even with all due care we could not foresee or forestall.
10. Cancellation by us
The Treks reserves the right to cancel any trip prior to departure for any reason whatsoever including insufficient signup or logistics problems that may impede trip operations. The refund of all payments received shall relate The Treks from any further liability.
The Treks must normally make substantial payments to its suppliers far in advance of the scheduled trip departure date. If a trip is cancelled due to force majeure; (acts of God, war, strikes, earthquake, flooding etc), The Treks will promptly refund the portion of the trip costs not already advanced to suppliers and use its best efforts to recover and refund the balance as promptly as possible. However The Treks does not guarantee recovery of any or all of the advance payments made.
11. Additional Costs
The Treks shall not be liable for (a) expenses such as additional nights and meals not specified in the individual trip itineraries, but which may required to get to from a trip start or end; expenses due to the delay of a trip for any reason (e.g. bad weather, trails conditions, land slides, flooding, sickness etc); (c) expenses occurred in recovering lost luggage by airlines, belongings left behind on a trip or in shipping purchases or other goods home from abroad; (d) visa and other incidental costs.
12 Delays To Your Inward or Outward Journey
In the event of a delay to your inward journey we will do all we can to help you join the Trek at the swiftest possible opportunity where daylight and weather conditions permit. As travel into the mountains is not possible without a guide this may be at the next point where the group reaches the valley. In the event of a delay to your outward journey we will do what is possible to help you book alternative accommodation and provide support in making alternative travel arrangements if necessary,