Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Hard to pick one single moment, the views of Mont Blanc and surronuding mountains on the various treks throughout the week are all breathtaking, although the panoramic 360 view on the last day at the top of Agiuillette du Brevent are amazing. Make sure your camera is well charged!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver is a fantastic leader. What he doesn't know about the mountains, history, and the flora and fauna really isn't worth knowing. He clearly loves and enjoys what he does, and he made a real effort with the group to make sure the slower members of the group were ok, without holding back the faster walkers amongst us. I couldn't fault his leadership. The trip alone is excellent, but Oliver really puts the icing on the cake.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take lots of layers. I found that when we set out in the morning it was usually quite fresh and chilly, but by the time you got walking, you soon build up some heat and the midday sun in the mountains can be very strong, so make sure you have some suncream, glasses and a hat. Waterproofs are essential as well, as the rain can come out of nowhere.

Most Inspirational Moment

the scenery was breathtaking

Thoughts on Group Leader

disappointing and spoiling the whole trip

Advice for Potential Travellers

if you are a slow walker, don't mind eccentric guide and basic food, you will enjoy it.

Most Inspirational Moment

None in particular but the - Alpine meadows were fab and the Mont Blanc mountain range is very impressive

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver, Dylan and Elaine are great hosts !

Advice for Potential Travellers

Enjoy

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk above Le Tour  with stunning views back to Mont Blanc

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver knows his mountains, his routes, his mountain flowers. He was great at settting a group pace to suit all and to walk within the comfort zone of all   at the same time enabling fun for others. A newish memebr of his team ,Dylan, his 11month old puppy became part of the group. All his breifings and  stories were punctuated by a stream of  jokes and puns but he also took all our safety very seriously.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be reasonably fit so as to enjoy. Bring hat and suncream! Accept life in smallish chalet can be a bit cramped and remeber it is Oliver and Elaine's home.. All days start with breakfast at 7.20 so be prepared!

Thoughts on Group Leader

the best, great jokes throughout our stay!

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to list but special mention though for the beautiful woodland we passed through at the end of the long, long, long descent down from Lac Blanc (who needs ski lifts anyway?) and final 'off piste' climb up the Les Houches peak and seeing the best view in the Alps come up over the horizon.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver is a real gem of a group leader - awful jokes and the Spencer Tracy fan club aside, he's an excellent guide who did a great job of gauging the different levels of the group and getting us all safely up and down the cols with smiles all round.  Voila.  Elaine did a great job too with the hearty evening meals, sandwiches, and brilliant home made cakes.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip is rated a Moderate which I think is about right, albeit at the upper scale.  However while you don't need any trekking experience you do need to be reasonably fit as some of the 'up' sections are long and hard (900m plus, and often immediately followed by an equally long 'down' section).  I'm in decent shape and go to the gym a few times a week and I found the walks challenging but still enjoyable, so a bit of preparation pays off. Also, take a wide brimmed sun hat not just a peaked baseball cap, as the sun is strong, even at the end of September, and I have the sunburnt, blistered ears to prove it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top at Brevent, it was a hard climb but the view made it worth it! I took the cable car up to Aiguille du Midi on the first day which gave the most amazing views across to Mont Blanc.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver certainly knows his stuff, he is very enthusiastic about his local environment, people, animals and plants. His jokes are truely terrible, but by the end of the week you are joining in with them too! :) Elaine's cooking is wonderful, you don't go hungry, and it is very impressive how she manages to cater for such a big group!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Try and practise climbing some hills before you go, the distances you cover each day are not that far - approx 10 miles, but the ascents and descents at altitute might not be what you are used to. And read the trip notes to get an accurate idea of the planned walks, accomodation and trip. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing France, Switzerland, and Italy at the same time from a mountain top.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver was a great guide who had excellent knowledge of the history and culture of the region.  I was very safety conscious and did a good job arranging for evacuation of a member of our party who became ill at a mountain top.  His jokes received mixed reviews but overall he was great in setting a positive mood to the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Trekking poles are essential.

Most Inspirational Moment

Can't decide but possibly it was the pedalo on Annecy Lake chiiling out , resting muscles  in over 30C with ipod and superb views. Also the  last days descent to Chaminox which was breathtaking in more ways than one!  The food, the walks ..all of them so different ...Too many good bits to mention really!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver was exellent source of local knowledge, had everything perfectly planned and was very mindful of everyone in the group without being pushy. Good company and what about those jokes....again for me...and the film never to be missed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Not really except walks are challenging but certainly achievable and a flask if gets a wee bit cold on top. I said this in february but thought being the summer wouldn't need it but would have been nice to have. A walking pole also useful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Best sights for me were at Lac Blanc, where I would recommend you hike to the far side of the lake for photos, plus on the descent from the Brevent, especially the sights back into Chamonix on the short balcony walk before reaching the midpoint refuge. Oh, and the Billberry tart.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Oliver knows how to run the group well. Very knowledgable and experienced guy, a sheer pleasure to be with. The first two hours on Day 1 seem a little slow, but then you realise that while he is hiking, he is also checking out the group, judging the pace and expertly finding a speed suitable for all. By Day 5, when your legs no longer work, you will realise that a) He is still in front of you and b) He will be doing all this again next week while you recover ! Have to also mention that if Elaine serves the ginger/honey cake for packed lunch, steal/bribe/beg for as much as you can get.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The meeting point for this trip is at Geneva Airport at about 10:30 am on Saturday morning. The Exodus group flight for this trip is the BA flight out of London City airport. This in my mind is quite hard to get to from most places in the UK for say, a 7 am check in.  It is also an expensive flight, plus if you want to drive to the airport, the car parking charges are huge.I flew out on the Friday night instead, Easyjet flight from Gatwick and stayed in the Holiday Inn near the airport. Flight was £105 return, hotel booked on Expedia was about £65 and the next morning my travel consisted of a five minute courtesy bus trip to the airport.