Sample Itinerary

Sunday – Welcome to the Alps

The course begins with a briefing at 6.45pm at Hotel PlanB in Le Fayet, near Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc, France.

This is an opportunity to meet your fellow climbers and ISM Mountain Guide, discuss the week ahead and check through your equipment. There'll also be plenty of time to ask questions and make any final preparations before heading into the mountains.

Dinner follows the briefing.

Overnight: Hotel PlanB, Le Fayet.

Monday – Into the Mountains: Rifugio Quintino Sella (3585m)

After breakfast, we travel into Italy and head towards Gressoney in the beautiful Aosta Valley, on the southern side of the Monte Rosa massif.

From the small village of Staffal, we take the lifts towards Colle Bettaforca before making the walk up to Rifugio Quintino Sella at 3585m.

It's a wonderful introduction to the high mountain environment, with spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and the exciting prospect of the days ahead.

Overnight: Rifugio Quintino Sella.

Tuesday – Castor (4220m)

After an early alpine start, we head onto the glacier for our ascent of Castor (4220m), a beautiful 4000m summit reached by a combination of glacier travel, snow slopes and spectacular snowy ridges.

From the summit, the views are magnificent, stretching across to Zermatt and the surrounding 4000m peaks, including the Matterhorn, Dom and Dufourspitze.

It's a fantastic day of alpine mountaineering, with the opportunity to put your existing skills into practice and gain valuable experience on a classic high mountain route.

As always, our choice of route and summit objectives will depend on the weather, snow conditions and the group's experience. Your ISM Mountain Guide will use their local knowledge and judgement to make the most of the conditions, with opportunities for coaching and further learning along the way.

Overnight: Rifugio Quintino Sella.

Wednesday – Rifugio Quintino Sella to Gnifetti Hut

Another early start takes us back onto the Ghiacciaio del Lys, where we begin a magnificent high-level traverse beneath the impressive Lyskamm (4272m).

Our route leads towards the Passo del Naso, a steeper and more exposed section of the traverse, before continuing into the heart of the Monte Rosa massif.

Depending on conditions and progress, there may be opportunities to climb several wonderful 4000m summits, including Balmenhorn (4194m), Schwarzhorn (4321m) and Pyramide Vincent (4215m).

Each summit brings its own character, from glacier travel and snow slopes to steeper snow and ice, making this a fantastic day of varied alpine mountaineering.

We eventually descend to the Gnifetti Hut, where we can relax and enjoy another evening high in the mountains.

Overnight: Gnifetti Hut.

Thursday – Towards the Margherita Hut (4559m)

Today we continue our journey through the magnificent Monte Rosa massif, climbing higher into the mountains and linking together more of its beautiful 4000m summits.

Our route may take us across the snowy summit of Ludwigshöhe (4341m), before descending to a col and continuing along the wonderful snow ridge of Parrotspitze (4432m).

From here, we descend towards another col before climbing the final snow and ice slopes towards Punta Gnifetti, home to the legendary Margherita Hut at 4559m.

Perched on the summit, the Margherita Hut is the highest staffed mountain hut in the Alps. Its remarkable position, spectacular views and feeling of remoteness make it one of the most memorable places to visit in the high Alps.

Where hut availability and mountain conditions allow, we hope to spend the night at the Margherita Hut. If accommodation isn't available, we'll adapt our plans and use another suitable mountain hut, while aiming to make the most of the climbing opportunities in the area.

Overnight: Margherita Hut or alternative high mountain hut.

Friday – A Final 4000m Summit and Return to Le Fayet

Our final day brings the opportunity for one last memorable alpine ascent before beginning our descent from the high mountains.

If we've stayed at the Margherita Hut and conditions allow, we may climb the nearby Zumsteinspitze (4563m), a fantastic way to round off our Monte Rosa adventure.

From the summit, we begin our descent across the glaciers towards Punta Indren, where the lifts take us back down towards Staffal in the Aosta Valley.

After a well-earned late lunch, we travel back to Hotel PlanB in Le Fayet. Following a much-needed shower, we'll enjoy dinner together and perhaps a celebratory drink after a wonderful week in the mountains!

Overnight: Hotel PlanB, Le Fayet.

Saturday – Departure

Breakfast at the hotel is included before departure.

You'll leave with some fantastic memories, more high mountain experience and, hopefully, several wonderful 4000m summits to look back on.

This is a sample itinerary. The precise route, summits climbed and mountain huts used will depend on weather, snow and glacier conditions, hut availability and the experience and progress of the group. Our ISM Mountain Guides will adapt the programme as necessary to make the most of the conditions and provide a safe, enjoyable and rewarding alpine climbing experience.