Travel to Courmayeur, to arrive in time for the Evening Briefing. Your guide will run through safety routines and kit checks, as well as hand out rental equipment for the week, before we go on to a detailed discussion of everyones ambitions for the week, together with the current weather and mountain conditions and how these affect our planning. We’ll also have maps and guidebooks to show you, so if you’ve any further questions or last minute requests, then this is the ideal time to bring them up before we head on to dinner. PM Overnight in the valley.

After a 6am breakfast we drive from Courmayeur to Cervinia, which is about a 1.30 hour drive from Courmayeur. From Cervinia we take three lift up to the Plateau Rosa where the walk in to the Breithorn (4165m) – a perfect acclimatisation peak not far from the Plateau Rosa. Snowshoes, crampons and ice axe training sessions are undertaken along the way. We Return to Cervinia and we drive to Gressoney, overnight in the valley. 

After a 7am breakfast, From Gressoney-Stafal we take three lift up to the Punta Indren and ascent of Punta Giordani (4046m). This is an ideal 4000er for the firsts days, as it’s not too long a day and we traverse to the Mantova Hut for the night.

Traverse of the Tops – a steady angled climb up the Lys Glacier leads to 5 great little summits: the Schwarzhorn (4322m), Luwigshohe (4342m), Pyramide Vincent (4215m) and Parrotspitze (4436 m). We climb these en route to the Margherita Hut, which is the highest building in Europe on the summit of the Signalkuppe at (4554m). We return to the Mantova Hut for the night.

In the morning from Mantova Hut descent to Punta Indren and from here we take the lifts down to Gressoney-Stafal. From Gressoney it’s then a 2 hour drive back to Courmayeur, overnight in the Valley.

halfday of rest. In afternoon drive to Valsavarenche-Pont and walk up to the Vittorio Emanuele Hut (2719 m) in the beautiful Gran Paradiso National Park. which is about a 2-2.30 hour walk from Pont. Overnight in the hut.

Ascent of Gran Paradiso (4061m) – via the classic West Flank. After a pre dawn ‘alpine start’, the route follow the glacier to the final summit rocks. Here, a 100 m of trickier scrambling lead to the highest point, with geat views and a welcome rest before the long descent. PM return to Courmayeur, overnight in the Valley. End of program.

After a night of well-deserved rest, departing from Courmayeur for your destination.