Mont Blanc - Frequently Asked Questions Expand See our Mont Blanc Ascent FAQ page below for further info Mont Blanc Ascent FAQ
How To Book Mont Blanc Expand Participation Agreement and Terms & Conditions You'll need to read and agree to both our Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions and our Participation Agreement (see below) - you'll be asked to confirm this during the booking process below. Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions Participation Agreement How to book Choose your event date below In the event, you can choose to pay your deposit online (with a 1.5% processing charge to cover our fees), by bank transfer (free), or pay your full balance - you'll receive an email acknowledging receipt of your payment/booking. Once you've booked and/or paid your deposit you'll receive a second email requiring you to complete our online Client Information & Medical Declaration Form, which must be completed before we can confirm your booking August 2020
Mont Blanc Entry Requirements & Health Expand You can view the British Government's latest advice here. We suggest clients discuss their vaccination requirements with their GP and refer to the TravelHealthPro website, which comprises the travel health resources of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), which was set up by the Department of Health with the broad aim of Protecting the Health of British Travellers. The UK is leaving the European Union. The rules for passports, entry requirements and more may change after Brexit.
Insurance For Mont Blanc Expand You are required to have an insurance policy that covers alpine mountaineering to 4,810m. You're advised to take out insurance to cover potential events that might cause you to cancel your trip. We advise you to consider the British Mountaineering Council insurance, but many other insurance companies offer policies suitable for Mont Blanc.
Your Mont Blanc Leader Expand Your guide will be a UIAGM internationally qualified high mountain guide, who speaks both French and English. This is the highest qualification for mountain guides, and only they are qualified to take you on high altitude glaciated terrain. Your safety is your guide's primary concern. We have been working with our guides for many years, and they all have a profound knowledge of the Mont Blanc region. You may also be accompanied by our founder & Everest summiteer Ricky Munday.
Mont Blanc Experience Level Expand Climbing Mont Blanc is something anyone, young or old, can do with a good level of fitness and strong willpower. However, the days are long - you will be in the mountains every day for 6 days, climbing for between 6 and 12 hours with only short breaks. While the technical difficulties are not great on the Gouter route it is recommended that you have some experience climbing in crampons and travelling roped together on a crevassed glacier, but you will gain these skills during our week. Experience on high altitude hikes (such as Kilimanjaro) is useful so you know what to expect at altitude, but this will not properly prepare you for mountaineering on high alpine mountains. The weather can be extremely hot, or extremely cold. You’ll be carrying your own pack. You’ll be sleeping in bunks in mountain refuges with no running water. You will need equal doses of physical stamina and mental determination. If you don't like hardship, cold or windy weather, getting up early, or the idea of 12 hours of continuous effort, then don't fool yourself into thinking you can climb Mont Blanc. However, if you enjoy outdoor activities, don't mind bad weather and a bit of hardship, and appreciate the rewards that an effort such as this can bring, then get in touch to discuss whether this is possible for you based on your current fitness and experience. Check out our Winter Skills videos page below to learn more about some of the skills we'll teach you. Winter Skills videos
Mont Blanc - Training & Fitness Expand You need to be fit and determined! Only those who have trained well have a good chance on Mont Blanc. You need to be hill fit, used to long mountain days carrying a pack, and long scrambles over broken mountain terrain. Don't train for the minimum and hope you will get away with it. An ascent of Mont Blanc will probably be the toughest physical effort of your life. The summit day involves around 12 hours of almost constant exertion at high altitude. This is best trained for by going hill / mountain walking or mountaineering. Working out in a gym is a lot better than nothing but is not a replacement for the real thing. The physical challenges of climbing Mont Blanc can be easily under-estimated resulting in climbers running out of energy and having to turn around on the mountain. It’s not necessary to go very fast on the mountain, but we do need to move consistently for about an hour and a half at a time between brief rest stops. In addition to a high level of general fitness, stamina and determination are also required to climb the mountain with a decent safety margin. You can find out more about how to prepare for high-altitude here.
Mont Blanc Includes/Excludes Expand Included: Inspirational Talk from Everest Summiteer Ricky Munday Professional organisation of the trip by Inspire Alpine® UIAGM certified high mountain guide for every day of the course. The ratio is 1 guide: 4 clients for the Gran Paradiso ascent and 1 guide: 2 clients for the Mont Blanc ascent All accommodation, including the first night in Chamonix All meals (breakfasts, lunches, and dinners) except for dinner on the first night in Chamonix, and dinner in Chamonix on day 4 of the trip Group mountaineering safety equipment provided by your guide Tramway / cablecars and transport within the Chamonix valley Excluded: Transport to/from Chamonix at start/end of trip Dinner in Chamonix on day 4 of the trip Personal expenses (drinks in refuges, additional snacks, toiletries etc.) Personal mountaineering equipment and clothing (some equipment can be hired) Single room supplement Mountaineering insurance Any extra expenses due to trip curtailment caused by bad weather, injury, lack of fitness etc. (e.g. hotel in the valley, lifts)
Mont Blanc Client Benefits Expand a complimentary Mont Blanc guidebook (worth £21.95) a complimentary branded Inspire Alpine BUFF® (worth £15.95) a complimentary BMC Safety on Mountains booklet (worth £6.99) We also offer an unbeatable range of generous discounts from outdoor retailers & manufacturers: Cotswold Outdoor and Snow+Rock: 15% discount online or in-store Montane: a 15% discount online Open Air: a 15% online or in-store summitfit: a 20% discount online
Mont Blanc Clothing & Equipment Expand As a guide, you’ll need to bring at least the following technical equipment for the Mont Blanc trip: Mountaineering harness Ice axe, straight handle, max 60 cm long Insulated mountaineering boots with rigid soles (B3) Crampons with anti-balling plates Telescopic trekking poles (advised) Climbing helmet We’ll send you a detailed kit list when you book. Some of this equipment can be rented locally to reduce costs. We also offer a fantastic selection of discounts (15-20%) from a range of outdoor manufacturers & retailers.
Acclimatising To Mont Blanc Expand One of the main problems faced by climbers is trying to climb too quickly. From a medical perspective, we are climbing in very high altitude (up to 4,810m). At sea level, the standard barometric pressure is 101 kPa. At 4,810m on the summit of Mont Blanc, the standard barometric pressure is 57 kPa. This lower oxygen pressure means that there are fewer oxygen molecules in the same volume of air - there is only 56% of the oxygen available compared to sea level. Your body reacts to this lower oxygen level in a variety of ways - for example, your respiration (breathing) rate increases, and your body starts to generate more red blood cells. The respiration increase begins immediately, but the production of extra red blood cells takes longer. We are climbing a 4,000m peak before attempting Mont Blanc and have programmed an extra night at Rifugio Chabod. This will help ensure that we give our bodies more time to acclimatise to the lower oxygen levels before summit day. We recommend that you discuss with your GP the option of using diamox (acetazolamide) to help prevent Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
Mont Blanc Safety Expand Your safety is our top priority. On the mountain, your guide will carry an expedition first aid kit and a satellite phone. In the event of an emergency, helicopter rescue is available and - if your travel insurance covers medical evacuations up to 4,810 meters above sea level - your insurance company should cover your costs.
Mont Blanc Accommodation Expand Accommodation is on a shared twin-bed basis in the hotel and shared bunkhouse-style accommodation on the mountains. Single supplements are available in the hotel.
Mont Blanc Logistics Expand Your guide will be a UIAGM internationally qualified high mountain guide, who speaks both French and English. This is the highest qualification for mountain guides, and only they are qualified to take you on high altitude glaciated terrain. Your safety is your guide's primary concern. We have been working with our guides for many years, and they all have a profound knowledge of the Mont Blanc region. You may also be accompanied by our founder & Everest summiteer Ricky Munday. We'll have a guide-to-client ratio of 1:4 on Gran Paradiso and 1:2 on Mont Blanc. You'll carry all your own clothing & equipment in a daypack (35L). All food on the mountain is provided. Breakfasts in the mountain huts usually consist of European-style bread with jam and cheese etc. A typical evening menu would include a hearty soup followed by a pasta dish or stew and then dessert. If you feel like a glass of wine or beer with your meal, please bring cash or a credit card.
Mount Damavand Includes/Excludes Mount Damavand Includes/Excludes Expand Mount Damavand Includes/Excludes
Kilimanjaro Includes/Excludes Expand Included: Inspirational Talk from Everest Summiteer Ricky Munday Hotel Accommodation in Moshi for 2 nights (twin, DB&B) Transfers to/from airport & to/from mountain gate Park fees, camping fees and park rescue fees Park certified guides (max ratio of 1:3) International Expedition Leader Porters & cooks plus dining tent Camping equipment including sleeping tents & mats Meals & water on the mountain - fresh food, 3 meals per day Toilet tent & hot water/soap for handwashing Excluded: International airfare to Kilimanjaro Airport Tanzanian Visa Vaccinations and antimalarial tablets Personal medication Personal expenses such as soft drinks or alcoholic drinks Travel insurance Lunch in Moshi Tips ~ $150 for distribution at end of trek at Marangu Gate Hire equipment (available at extra cost)
Mont Blanc Detailed Itinerary Expand Day 1: Arrive & Transfer to Chamonix Fly into Geneva, make your own way to Chamonix and be greeted by your guides at our accommodation at 17:00. Meet your fellow adventurers and get briefed for the week ahead. We’ll have dinner, kit checks and an inspirational talk from Everest summiteer Ricky Munday. Day 2: Chamonix - Rifugio Chabod We'll sort out any last minute gear rental in Chamonix before before driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy to reach Rifugio Chabod in Gran Paradiso (1.5h drive). We'll park in the valley and walk up to the hut at 2,750m, with 900m of altitude gain (2.5 - 3h trek). Once at the refuge, we'll eat lunch and complete an outdoor training session covering crampon techniques, being roped up, using all gear correctly and essential scrambling techniques. Day 3: Rifugio Chabod - Summit Gran Paradiso A big day involving an early start and 1,300m of ascent (and descent) to reach the summit of Gran Paradiso, the highest peak entirely in Italy (4061m). The route from the Rifugio Chabod climbs easily up the glacier Laveciau which spills down from the North Face of the Gran Paradiso. The normal way to the summit first ascends this glacier before linking up the higher Gran Paradiso glacier as you near the summit, then joins the route coming in from the Vittorio Emanuele hut at about 3,500 meters. More easy glacier climbing follows, followed by a bergschrund crossing and a short steeper snow slope to the final rocky summit ridge. The last section is quite fun, airy climbing on good rock to the distinct summit blocks (5-7hours). It’s a spectacular summit and the final traverse requires a good head for heights, and this is great training for Mont Blanc because similar techniques are required on both peaks. The climb will put you in good stead for the main summit attempt later in the week. After the summit we descend back to Rifugio Chabod. This means we can leave unnecessary clothing & equipment there to make our ascent as light as possible. Additionally, staying up at altitude instead of heading all the way down to the valley today helps with your acclimatisation process. Day 4: Rifugio Chabod - Chamonix We'll wake around 07:00 for breakfast and by 8.30 we'll start descending at a gentle pace to the valley (2hours). On our drive back we can stop for a delicious Italian coffee and snack, and by 1pm we'll arrive back in Chamonix after a 1.5 hour drive. It's really important rest well this afternoon to ensure your body can recover from the strain of yesterday and prepare for the days ahead. Day 5: Chamonix - Tete Rousse Hut Climbing Mont Blanc takes two days. We start by driving to Les Houches (10min) and then taking uplifts on the Bellevue cable car followed by the Tramway du Mont Blanc train to Refuge du Nid d’Aigle at 2,372m. From here, we hike up to the Tete Rousse hut (3,167m) for an overnight stay, where we'll spend the afternoon relaxing, sorting kit and talking through the route & strategy for our big summit day of Mont Blanc via the Gouter route the following morning. Day 6: Summit Day! On summit day we wake up very early (01:00) to make our summit attempt. We'll set off after a light breakfast at 02:00 using head-torche. After a few of hours it is usually light enough to see clearly. It will take approximately two hours to ascend the Gouter ridge and arrive at the Gouter Hut, then we make our way in crampons up the glacier and over the Dôme de Goûter (4304m), and from the top of the Dôme we descend slightly and then quickly reach the emergency shelter of the Vallot hut (4,362m), which should take another two hours. From the Vallot Hut, it should hopefully take just less than another couple of hours to the summit. Above the Vallot, we ascend steeper ground climbing Les Bosses (4,547m), followed by the gradually narrowing summit ridge. We aim to reach the summit of Mt Blanc (4,810m) soon after daybreak. The pace on summit day is not fast, but will be steady and constant. Our summit attempt will take between 8-12 hours depending on conditions and your physical ability. On the descent from the summit, we return to Nid d’Aigle to take the Tramway du Mont Blanc followed by the Bellevue cable car down to Les Houches, then drive back to Chamonix to spend the night in the valley. We'll head out in Chamonix for a celebration dinner together on the final evening to round off our incredible week. Day 7: Chamonix - Home Depart. Check out is at 10:00, and after one last hearty breakfast we sadly bid farewell. You will take your transfer service back to Geneva and head for home. Thanks for choosing Inspire Alpine®.
Aconcagua Detailed Itinerary Expand Day 1 - Arrive Mendoza Our expedition begins in Mendoza, Argentina. On your arrival to the international airport in Mendoza, an Inspire Alpine® representative will be waiting for you. After receiving you, you’ll be transferred to your Hotel to rest. We’ll have a group meeting & you’ll be introduced to your guides and team members. Your leader Ricky Munday will give an inspirational talk about his failure & success on Everest. Day 2 - Pick up permits, transfer to Los Penitentes After breakfast we’ll go to the Aconcagua Park authority office to personally pick up and pay for our climbing permits. We’ll finish sorting our kit then finalise arrangements at our local agent’s office. We’ll drive 3 hours to Villa Los Penitentes, where we stay at a Hotel overnight. In the afternoon, we prepare equipment for transportation to the base camp by mules. Day 3 - Trek to Confluencia (3,390m) We drive to the Aconcagua Park Entrance at Horcones, where we get our first view of the mountain. After permits have been checked at the Ranger station, we start trekking to Confluencia (3,390m) where we’ll spend our first night under canvas. (8km, 2.5 hours) Day 4 - Acclimatisation trek to Plaza Francia (4,000m) This is an acclimatisation day to increase your chances to summit. We’ll trek for around 5 hours to Plaza Francia Viewpoint (4,000m), where we enjoy magnificent views of the impressive Aconcagua South Wall. Day 5 - Trek to Base Camp at Plaza de Mulas (4,300m) Today is a long, tough day with a trek into Plaza de Mulas (4,300m), our base camp for our expedition. Early in the morning we start trekking across Playa Ancha (wide beach), which is a deserted and always windy valley. We slowly gain altitude as we walk up to the Horcones Superior Valley. After 8-9 hours of hiking across Playa Ancha and ascending a steep path (Cuesta Brava - Rugged Slope), we finally reach Plaza de Mulas at 4300 m. (28km, 8 hours) Day 6 - Rest Day The first day in Base Camp is a rest day and provides a good opportunity to familiarise yourself with camp, take a shower and explore the area. You’ll have a medical check-up with the Park doctor, reorganise and review your gear, prepare our loads for the first carry and organise food for transport the following day. Day 7 - Acclimatisation, ascent of Cerro Bonete (5,000m) Today we’ll make an ascent of Cerro Bonete (5,000m) to help our acclimatisation. After breakfast we start the ascent to the summit, from where we can enjoy views Aconcagua’s sprawling west face, as well the huge Plaza de Mulas Base Camp. Day 8 - Rest Day Today is another rest day at Plaza de Mulas to recover from the ascent of Cerro Bonete. We’ll divide expedition loads to carry to the high camps (group gear, fuel and food). We double carry to keep pack weights down and help ensure good acclimatisation. Day 9 - Load carry to Camp Canada (5,050m) We’ll load carry some of our equipment and food to Camp 1, (Plaza Canada – 5,050m, 3km, 5 hours)). We keep our packs light and carry as little as possible in order to gradually adapt to the altitude, and we’ll drop back down to Plaza de Mulas to sleep. Day 10 - Rest Day Rest day at Base Camp. Day 11 - Move to Camp Canada (5,050m) We begin our move up the summit, and head up to Plaza Canada (5,050m). Day 12 - Move to Nido de Condores (5,550m) We move from Plaza Canada to Camp 2 Nido de Cóndores 5,550m, 4km, 5 hours), where we’ll have spectacular views of the High Andes. Day 13 - Rest Day Acclimatisation day at Nido de Condores (5,550m). Depending on the condition of the group, we may choose to be active or to fully rest. Day 14 - Move to Camp Colera (5,970m) We move up to Camp 3 (Plaza Colera – 5,970m). From here, we have superb views of the highest peaks of the Central Andes. This is our final high-altitude camp. (5km, 4.5 hours) Day 15 - Summit Day! We start climbing at 5:00 am and continue north to 6200m, then climb up to Independence Refuge (6,380m) for a short rest break. This is normally where we see the sun’s first rays of the day. We ascend the Portezuelo del Viento traverse, where we can experience strong winds, even on calm days. From here, we climb La Canaleta, a 300m rocky gully that is the crux of the ascent, which takes us to Filo del Guanaco, the ridge between Aconcagua’s two main summits. We turn left along the ridge, which leads us to the summit at 6,962m – we’re now standing on the highest point in the Western & Southern hemispheres and the highest point outside the Himalayan ranges. We descend to spend the night at Plaza Colera. Day 16 - Descend to Base Camp Return from Camp 3 to Base Camp for a celebration dinner. Day 17 & 18 - Spare Days Spare days for weather Day 19 - Trek to Penitentes & return to Mendoza We begin the long descent from Plaza de Mulas to Penitentes (36km, 9 hours) for onward transport to our hotel in Mendoza City. Day 20 - Fly Home End of services & fly home Note - The exact climbing itinerary is not fixed to allow for the optimal acclimatisation program to take account of poor weather, such as inclement cold temperatures and storms
Elbrus - Frequently Asked Questions Expand Questions? See our Elbrus FAQ page below for further info Elbrus FAQ
How To Book Elbrus Expand Participation Agreement and Terms & Conditions You'll need to read and agree to both our Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions and our Participation Agreement (see below) - you'll be asked to confirm this during the booking process below. Overseas Trips Booking Terms & Conditions Participation Agreement How to book Choose your event date below In the event, you can choose to pay your deposit online (with a 1.5% processing charge to cover our fees), by bank transfer (free), or pay your full balance - you'll receive an email acknowledging receipt of your payment/booking. Once you've booked and/or paid your deposit you'll receive a second email requiring you to complete our online Client Information & Medical Declaration Form, which must be completed before we can confirm your booking July 2020 July 2021
Elbrus Entry & Health Requirements Expand You can view the British Government's latest advice here. We suggest clients discuss their vaccination requirements with their GP and refer to the TravelHealthPro website, which comprises the travel health resources of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), which was set up by the Department of Health with the broad aim of Protecting the Health of British Travellers. Be aware that the FCO currently advises against ‘all but essential travel’ in the region Elbrus is in. You should read the FCO advice to make sure you understand the risks. The first hurdle for any visit to Russia is securing a Russian Visa. You’ll need a Letter of Invitation and our local agent will organise this on our behalf. You must apply for your visa in plenty of time because as part of the visa application process, all applicants based in the UK aged 12 or over will need to visit a visa application centre to submit biometric data (scanned fingerprints). These are located in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. We suggest you apply for your visa at least two months in advance of your trip date.
Elbrus Insurance Expand You’re required to have an insurance policy that covers climbing to 5,642m. You're advised to take out insurance to cover potential events that might cause you to cancel your trip. You should bring with you a copy of your policy and also a photocopy of your passport, and to keep it separate to your own documents in the unlikely event that you lose your passport. We advise you to consider the British Mountaineering Council insurance, some other insurance companies offer policies suitable for Elbrus. This FCO currently advises against ‘all but essential travel’ in the Elbrus region, which can also affect insurance, so you should check that you are covered.