Gran Paradiso Adventure

What's Included

• Meals

  6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 dinners (does not include drinks) – continental breakfasts are served and usually consist of breads, jams, coffee, tea and juices. Lunch is picnic style. Dinner will consist of 2 or 3 courses which include regional specialties.

• Accommodation

  6 nights accommodation in mountain refuges in dormitory style accommodation. Alternatively, you can upgrade to 2 nights dorm, 2 nights double room, and 2 nights quad - supplement applies.

• Luggage Transfer

  Luggage transfer by mule, 1 piece maximum 7kg.

• Mountain Guide

  Experienced certified mountain guide.

• Transfers

  Transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage.

• Optional Climb

  Optional climb of Gran Paradiso peak on the last morning (subject to weather conditions and fitness).

• Storage of Luggage

  Storage of luggage.

What's Not Included

• Travel to and from Bourg St Maurice

  Travel to and from Bourg St Maurice is not included.
  
  

• Drinks

  Drinks are not included.
  
  

• Travel Insurance

  Travel insurance is mandatory.
  
  As this trip uses guides and ropes, you will need mountaineering insurance either supplementary to your standard travel insurance or as part of a mountaineering travel insurance policy.
  
  

• Items of a Personal Nature

  Items of a personal nature are not included.
  
  

Accommodation

6 nights in mountain refuges/gîte-hostels. Accommodation is on a full board basis starting from lunch on day 1 and finishing at lunch on day 7. The mountain huts that you stay in are dormitory style mixed sex rooms with shared bathrooms and usually with showers.

Grading

This trip is graded moderate to challenging and includes daily walks of up to 6 hours with ascents of up to 1200m in a day (average of 800m). There are some stages during the walk with steep uphill, descents, and at times sections of the trail will require care. The accent is on keeping a steady pace with time to stop and take photos (subject to weather conditions). You will need a good level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure. It is considered suitable for experienced walkers only. Some passes are permanently snow covered and the snow may be quite deep which makes the trip more challenging. There is also a glacier crossing. At any time during summer, weather conditions may be variable and you should be prepared for all conditions including snow, ice, strong sun and extreme winds. distances walked range from 12 to 15 km each day.
As with all our moderate to challenging programs, we expect participants to be regular outdoors people, enjoying aerobic sport around four or five times a week over some period of time. Preferably this has been a long term interest but if not, you have set a program of fitness preparation with at least three months lead in time to your trip. The fitter you are for your trip, the more of a holiday it will be. Activities as close to the actual activity on your trip are the best training; in this instance walking with and without a pack. This builds leg strength, aerobic capacity and confidence in your ability to travel comfortably with a pack for extended periods. At the same time, you are also comfortable with the layers you like to wear and footwear. Important note: good quality walking boots with ankle support are a pre-requisite for your participation. Runners or shoes without ankle support are not suitable for the conditions encountered on this walk.

What You Carry

As the walks are fully supported you only need to carry a daypack with your daily requirements including wet weather gear, lunch supplies, water bottle, warm top, phone etc

Mode of Transport

Travel to and from Bourg St Maurice is included, with transfers by taxi or public transport if you need to skip a stage. Luggage transfer by mule is provided, with a maximum of 1 piece weighing up to 7kg.