Reviews

Mont Blanc seen from all angles

Each day we walked, trekked, and climbed up a different mountain to get a view of Mont Blanc. Some breathtaking views and we were incredibly lucky with the weather, only one cloudy day the rest was sunny and great. We stopped at chalet Chamonix and our hosts were Sarah and Richard. The itinerary said “dinner provided”, but what it didn’t tell us was that Sarah and Richard prepared a magnificent meal for us each evening, themed from different countries they had visited. It was excellent.
Our guide was Shaun Rhodes and his personality and knowledge made each day on the mountain great. He was laid back but still kept us on time, and I enjoyed my chats with him
Thanks to Shaun Sarah and Richard for making it a truly enjoyable week.

Amazing Mont Blanc

An amazing week walking around Mont Blanc, spectacular views, great company, knowledgeable guide and Michelin star quality meals!

Fabulous time!

The daily trips were well organised and all had some excellent photo opportunities. There were some relatively tough sections (at least for a 71 yo guy with a well-controlled heart condition!) but the sense of achievement at reaching the ‘summit’ was well worth the effort. We had quite a variable group young to old and with variable levels of fitness but our guide, Paul, looked after us well. The group ‘gelled’ together amazingly well and we all contributed to our Group Whatsapp with photos and comments. What made it extra special was the cooking of Zohi and Ben who served up an amazing variety of meals, all of 4-star restaurant quality and alway served exactly on time. A great variety of dishes, I don’t think we had the same dish twice. The food was one of the highlights of the trip. ‘Chalet Chocolat’ is about 15 minutes walk from Chamonix and full of shops and extra activities. A lovely town and we enjoyed the walk (and train!) in and out several times.

Trip of a Lifetime!

What a wonderful trip from the first day we arrived at Chalet Chocolat and we were greeted by the sweetest hostesses Ben and Zohi and a delicious cake. The food each day was fabulous and the accommodations was like being wrapped in a warm blanket each night. Those beds, I had the best sleep of my life. The view! I can not think how anything could be better. Jenny, our fearless leader, always keeping an eye on everyone, pushing out limits and her passion and excitement of the views shined through.
I highly recommend this trip, but make sure you you are ready to hike up hills. At least 1 hour and half at at time. 😉 You got to see all the nice bits.
Thank you Ben, Zohi for your laughter and amazing meals and Jenny for your kindness, encouragement and strength, you are an inspiration. You made my memories that much more special!
Elaine Waller

Excellent trip

This is one of our best hiking trips, like our previous trips in the world best trails – Patagonia, Swiss VAT, Alaska, etc. The mountains are beautiful, the hiking is challenging while enjoyable, the facilities are good, even weather is wonderful – five sunny days.

Mont Blanc Highlights

For anyone who enjoys photographing and viewing spectacular landscapes and enjoys shorter walking days and excellent food and drink, the highlight trip ticks all boxes.

The whole trip was extremely well organised with all transport being provided and a free bus pass being available for travelling on public transport. The walks cover a variety of terrains and there are some steep ascents and descents but well worth it for the views. The pace was very comfortable and allowed plenty of photo opportunities and drink stops.

The whole pace of the tour is very relaxed with a 9am set off time and a 4 pm finish. This was unlike any other trek I’d been on and the added bonus was cake and tea waiting for you at the chalet on the return and the choice of finishing the day in the hot tub. This helped the group bond together quickly and the chalet accommodation is perfect with a communal dining area and vegging out area where free tea and coffee was made available.

The location of the chalet was perfect. Chaminox centre is a 10 min walk away and there is plenty of choice should you wish to eat or drink out. Likewise, for the free day, there is plenty to choose from (depending whether or not you go out of season) and we had no problem in filling the free day. Both the tour guide and Sarah and Rich (the chalet hosts) were on hand to provide details of what to do and how to go about arranging this.

Big thanks to Sarah and Rich who really did go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. Sarah’s cooking is excellent and each night there was a 3 course meal waiting for us which had a specific theme. The home made cake at the end of each walk was also welcome and delicious. The daily picnics were a treat as you were able to choose what you wanted to take and the selection was always healthy and freshly made. They really do a fantastic job and are very approachable, helpful and friendly. They were excellent at recommending places to eat and drink whilst in Chamonix and organised the booking of our paragliding sessions for the free day so we knew exactly where we needed to be and when. Much appreciated guys!

So, I would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone who is looking for a more relaxed walking holiday, with a later start time and earlier finish time than the usual trekking holiday. The pace was comfortable, there are some challenging walks due to the terrain and the steepness of some of the climbs but the pace is comfortable and there is plenty of opportunity to stop and take in the sights. Apart from the free day and a few beers there is little else to spend your money on so it is not expensive unless you decide to eat out or shop in Chamonix.

Fab holiday

Good challenging walks and excellent meals

We were lucky to have a week of sun, so had excellent views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks and glaciers, everywhere we went. Walks were a good distance each day, with some challenging parts, but moderated by second-breakfast and first & second lunch stops… And our evening highlight was always dinner at Chalet Chocolat where Zohi and Ben served up beautifully presented, restaurant quality food every day.

A trip of a life time

I am 4 days back from my trip, but a piece of my heart remains in the vicinity of Mont Blanc.
We were a group of 13 hiking enthusiasts from all over the world, based in Chalet Chocolat, Chamonix. My expectations were exceeded in every regard; Chalet Chocolat was so homely – the hot tub is a delight. The staff were 1st class – The hosts Zohie and Ben looked after our every need – and the food – wow – this is not just a hiking trip – with Zohie’s cooking and baking, its a gastronomic adventure too. Paul our leader was so professional and sociable – he was just like one of the gang. He had an abundance of information about the geology and nature (flora and fauna) of the area. The organisation was flawless.. I particularly enjoyed the group briefing every evening; explaining the plan for the day ahead. The hiking itineraries were very varied and I feel that they represented the route very well. Transport and logistics were meticulously planned. The main star of the trip was of course the beautiful hikes and scenery around Mont Blanc – and the weather was fantastic (apart from one hr of rain), but Exodus and their gang made it a trip of a lifetime. On a final note I was lucky enough to be part of a wonderful group of people; fun was had and friends were made; wonderful memories to be relived forever. Also on my day I did a paraglide with Air Sports which was incredible. And the hike from Mer de Glace to Aiguillette du Midi is not to be missed.

Mont Blanc Highlights

The Chalet & Food prepared by the staff was out of this world, it was very comfortable other than the form mattresses.
The Walk Guide was very knowledgeable & friendly; & the walks were of right difficulty but could been slightly longer on a few days.

A great experience

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the trip and was so impressed with how well we were looked after. All the travel arrangements went smoothly, the chalet was great and the food superb (thanks Zohi & Ben) and our guide Sally was brilliant. I’ll definitely recommend Exodus to my friends and I’m already thinking of another trip.