Join Robin Paschall on the summit of Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa!
Join Adventures Within Reach owner, Robin Paschall, on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Tanzania!
Reach the highest point in Africa — the spectacular Mt. Kilimanjaro at 19,340 feet. We will be taking the 7-day Machame route with luxury Kili upgrade. The trek will be followed by our most popular safari itinerary and accommodations. The dates are October 20 – November 3, 2012.
Travelers are welcome to both the trek and safari or just one or the other.
ITINERARY IN BRIEF
DAY 1: Saturday, October 20: Arrive Kilimanjaro Airport, transfer to Moshi
DAY 2: Sunday, October 21: Hike to Waterfalls or Bike near Kilimanjaro
DAY 3: Monday, October 22: Machame Gate to Machame Camp
DAY 4: Tuesday, October 23: Machame Camp to Shira Camp
DAY 5: Wednesday, October 24: Shira Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp
DAY 6: Thursday, October 25: Barranco Camp to Karanga Camp
DAY 7: Friday, October 26: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp
DAY 8: Saturday, October 27: Barafu Camp to Summit to Mweka Hut
DAY 9: Sunday, October 28: Mweka Camp to Moshi
DAY 10: Monday, October 29: Drive to Lake Manyara for afternoon game drive
DAY 11: Tuesday, October 30: Drive to Serengeti, afternoon game drive
DAY 12: Wednesday, October 31: Serengeti Game Drive
DAY 13: Thursday, November 1: Serengeti Game Drive, Olduvai Gorge, Maasai Village
DAY 14: Friday, November 2: Ngorongoro Game Drive
DAY 15: Saturday, November 3: Free day, transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport, depart
Ecuador is well-known for its iconic volcanoes including Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Cayambe. These beautiful peaks rise high above the surrounding landscape, the Ecuadorian “Páramo,” and offer the spectacle of pristine glaciers along the equator. Cotopaxi is considered to be one of world’s highest active volcanoes!
Our flagship trekking itinerary starts with the Cotopaxi park and a non-technical peak, Rumiñahui (4722 m / 15,500 ft). You’ll also visit the base of the Cotopaxi glacier! This itinerary is also an opportunity to dive into the middle of the Indian life and to traverse Andean landscapes of great beauty. After Cotopaxi you begin a mutli-day trek between villages, arriving at one of the most beautiful sites in Ecuador: the lagoon of Quilotoa, a still active volcanic crater transformed by nature into a lake.
Climbing the high peaks – namely Cotopaxi and Chimborazo – is great for climbers with technical experience and interest in reaching several summits. You’ll acclimatize on several non-technical peaks before attempting these aesthetic mountaineering objectives.
Are you interested in mountaineering but you don’t have the experience? We can arrange for an itinerary that allows you to learn the ropes!
Are you interested in peak-bagging but not in any technical climbing? We can arrange for a non-technical itinerary that focuses on summits!
Are you interested in trekking but don’t have a lot of time or wish to combine it with a trip to the Galapagos? We can arrange for shorter itineraries!
Contact us for more information about the amazing trekking opportunities in Ecuador!
1. Hike along the “Southern Balcony Trail” on the Tour du Mont Blanc
The Balcon Sud Trail
The great “Southern Balcony Trail” along the Tour du Mont Blanc has fantastic views of the Mont Blanc, the Aiguille Verte and the Aiguille du Tour. The hiking is moderate and you can take a cable car up to the trail.
2. Take the Cable Car to the Aiguille du Midi
For an unforgettable view of the high peaks and the glaciers on the Mont Blanc, take the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi! On top of this granite spire you will be able to gaze down almost 9,000 feet to Chamonix and across a glacial plateau. Be sure to pick a sunny day and don’t forget your sunglasses! For information about tickets visit the Compagnie du Mont Blanc.
3. Visit Mont Envers and the Mer de Glace
View Over the Mer de Glace
The Mont Envers is on the reserve side of the Chamonix needles. You can either make the 3-hour hike up or take the old cog railroad line. When you are up there gaze out on the Mer de Glace (“Sea of Ice” in French) and look for signs showing where the glacier was in the 1860s – you’ll be amazed by how much it has melted.
4. A day trip to the Emosson Dam
View of the Aiguille Verte and the Mont Blanc from the Emosson Dam
The Emosson Dam in Switzerland is a stone’s throw across the border from France. The hiking above the dam is excellent and you can even find some dinosaur tracks! The dam can be reached by train and bus. Check with the Tourism Office to make sure construction on the dam has finished.
5. Eat a Fondue
You can’t leave the area without trying a fondue! Try Le Carnotzet in Argentière or one of many restaurants in Chamonix proper. Other cheese specialties include “croûtes aux fromages” (bread with melted cheese) and “tartiflette” (a potato and cheese dish made with local roblechon cheese).
6. Try Paragliding!
See the area from the air! Rides over the Chamonix valley start at 85€ for a 20 minutes flight.
7. Go Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is an important activity in the area. You can join guides for a half or full day course or hire a private guide for a full day. You can also try a mountaineering course with hiking on a glacier.
8. Visit a Summer “Alpage”
Cow in the Emaney Alpage
In the summer cowherds take the dairy cows up into alpine pastures. The result is special cheeses that can only be made a few months per year. Ask in the Chamonix tourist office for the best areas. You’ll probably need to hike 2 or 3 hours to reach one of the alpages. My favorite alpage is Emaney above Les Marécottes in Switzerland. You can take the Mont Blanc Express train from Chamonix to Les Marécottes and then hike up to the summer pasture.
9. Sleep in a Mountain Hut
A Typical Mountain Hut (on the Swiss Side of the Massif)
Spend a night above tree line in a mountain hut! There are several huts within a 3 to 5 hour hike from the trail heads and a few huts that can be reached in only about an hour’s walk if you take a cable car. Overnights with dinner and breakfast cost about $70 per person. Accommodation is in dormitory style housing. Try the Châlet du Lac Blanc or the Pierre à Bérard refuge. Enquire at the Chamonix Tourism Office for availability and for help booking an overnight. Don’t forget a map!
10. Make Cheese
While most of the tourism around Chamonix is centered around mountain sports, it is possible to experience the some traditional crafts such as cheese making. You might have to travel a bit further afield or inquire if there is an alpage where you can be a guest for a day. For a sure bet head to the Fruitière de Mieussy, about a 50 minute drive from Chamonix.
This is one of the most photographed areas of Cape Town and home to unique and delicious restaurants. Also known as the Malay Quarter, this area on the northeast side of Table Mountain is predominately Muslim with a unique culture and restaurants. It is famous for its narrow cobbled streets lined with Cape Dutch style buildings brightly colored in pink and yellow and turquoise. Stop into the Bo-Kaap Museum to see a recreation of life in the 19th century.
District Six was an area that housed over 60,000 people until it was declared “whites only” in 1966 and wiped clean. The project was so controversial that nothing was ever built, and the area remains bare. This museum commemorates the people that lived here and their vibrant culture. Mon-Sat 9:00am-4:00pm.
Built in 1679, the Castle of Good Hope has been a military base ever since and including today. It is more of a fortress than a castle. There is a Military Museum with uniforms and weapons plus a dungeon and torture chamber. The key ceremony and canon firing occurs daily at 10:00am and 12:00pm. Open 9:00am – 4:00pm (guided tours 11am/12pm/ 2pm).
The Company’s Gardens were actual vegetable gardens to supply the ships, then became a botanical garden, and continues to be a lovely city park with exotic plants, fountains, and statues. Around the gardens are many museums and tourist sights worth exploring including:
Parliament
Slave Lodge
South African National Museum
South African Museum
5. Greenmarket Square
North of the Company’s Gardens by a few blocks is the open air market of Greenmarket Square. It great for shopping, outdoor dining, and appreciating quality art-deco architecture.
6. Shimansky Diamond Experience
Learn how diamonds are polished and cut, plus a diamond museum. Must make an appointment.
Head to glitzy Camps Bay for a walk along the Promenade or pick from your choice of trendy bars and restaurants to enjoy the sunset.
Sea Point is an excellent choice for ice cream for the kids.
10. Scenic Helicopter Ride
A 15 minute scenic helicopter ride is $115/person. Helicopters fit 3, 4, or 6 people privately, or you can join at 10am or 4pm. The helipad is at the V&V Waterfront.
Or helicopter to the Twelve Apostles for a 2-course lunch with wine, and then drive back for $155/person.
The Gold Restaurant offers a 15-course dinner of local South Africa food with live drummers, singers, and puppetry.
The Gold Restaurant has one large main dining area and several small dining rooms/nooks. The evening starts with traditional hand washing at the table. Then a face painter comes by to add a little decoration. Dinner is a 14-item tasting menu with foods from across Africa. You can have extras of any dish you like. Different performers go to each area, so everyone gets to see all the acts. The final performance includes a bit of gold dust.
In the main area, they offer drumming at 6:30pm. This is a very fun activity! Dinner starts at 7:00pm. There is a main stage where the drummer and other musicians perform, but they also go around the room. Around 9pm, the stage opens up for dancing for about 10 minutes.
Main dining room seats 250, has drumming but feels like banquet hall. Other rooms seat 12-50 and feels more intimate.
Big groups tend be on the main floor, and smaller tables on the mezzanine. From the mezzanine, it is hard to see the stage through the speakers.
Every year in March and April wildlife enthusiasts head to Punta Norte on the northeast corner of Argentina’s Peninsula Valdés. Travelers hope to see one of the world’s amazing marine phenomenons: orcas (also known as killer whales) that swim up a channel and beach themselves in order to attack sea lions.
The peak of the season for seeing the orcas is typically 21 March and 4 April. So far this year (2012) few orcas have been seen by visitors, but a few were spotted in the past week. Visitors have a chance to see the orcas, but we can never guarantee it, even in the peak of the season. It’s all about being at the right place at the right time, with a little bit of luck thrown in!
For the best chance to see the orcas travelers should plan to stay out at the Estancia La Ernestina, a working ranch out on Punta Norte that opens its doors to travelers a few months per year. You’ll have amazing hospitality and a chance to see a lot more than the whales.
If you wish to stay at La Ernestina you should book far in advance. Rooms are usually sold out 6 month prior to the season! Otherwise you can stay in Puerto Piramides and make the trip out to Punta Norte as a day trip. Visitors are not allowed on the beach. The closest you can get is up on a bluff high above the beach, but when the orcas attack on the beach this is a decent vantage point.
Whales While Kayaking
If your heart isn’t set on seeing the orcas, consider visiting Peninsula Valdés between late September and mid-December. We can usually guarantee sightings of numerous Southern Right Whales. You can try a kayak trip and get up close to these amazing creatures!
Contact us if you’d like advice on planning an unforgettable trip to Argentina!
For travelers looking to cross two items off of their “bucket list,” an extension to the Galapagos is a great trip to combine with Machu Picchu. After departing Machu Picchu travelers fly from Cusco to Lima and then connect to either Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador. After one night in either of these cities you get up early for the flight to the Galapagos.
Downtown Chamonix and the Sculpture of De Saussure and Balmat, the First Men to Climb the Mont Blanc
Before and after treks or climbs in the French and Swiss Alps, we place most of our travelers in the comfortable 2-star Hôtel de l’Arve located in the center of Chamonix, only a few blocks from the main square and the guide’s office. For clients looking for a more upscale experience, Chamonix also offers several luxury options.
Le Morgane is about a 5-minute walk from the center of town. It boasts rooms with views of either the Mont Blanc or the Aiguilles Rouges and tasteful, modern decor. Professional photographs of the surrounding mountains decorate the common areas and the rooms. This 4-star luxury hotel also has a spa. Its restaurant, Le Bistrot, is run by chef Mickey Bourdillat. This chef who has earned a Michelin star sources “produce from the local area … in the Chamonix Valley, as well as items from neighbouring Switzerland and Aosta in Italy.” Rooms start at approximately $220 per night.
Le Hameau Albert 1er
Le Hameau Albert 1er with the Mont Blanc in the Background
Le Hameau Albert 1er is considered by many to be Chamonix’s finest property. The hotel has three types of lodging (standard rooms, traditional alpine rooms, and a private châlet) worthy of its 5-star Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel rating. The hotel has all the usual luxury trappings including a spa and a 2-star Michelin restaurant. Rooms with mountain views start at approximately $300 per night, rooms with out mountain views start at approximately $220 per night.
Contact us to help you plan the perfect adventure holiday in the Alps!
While the plethora of sights and adventures in Costa Rica’s rain forest can easily keep anyone busy for a week and more, many of our travelers want to extend on the beach for a few nights and take advantage of the abundant sun and warmth of this beautiful country.
This has been especially true since we launched our 8-day Family Costa Rica tour which in reality is a fun trip for couples, groups of friends, and solo travelers too. Following a 7 or 8 day rain forest tour, we can arrange either a private or a semi-private shared shuttle between San Jose and the beach location. The shared shuttles, which operate every day, are very good value while the private shuttles are a nice option especially for families and small groups. There is also the option to fly back to San Jose, which we can also arrange.
Here are the top 6 beach destinations to add on to any tour in Costa Rica:
#1 Manuel Antonio
This is arguably Costa Rica’s #1 adventure hub on the Pacific Coast, allowing members in your party the maximum freedom to enjoy the activities they want to enjoy. For example, on one of your free afternoons, one person could go on a superman zipline, while the other relaxes on the beach and catches up on their favorite book. Prime activities around the area include excellent wildlife encounters at small Manuel Antonio National Park, sea kayaking in mangroves, mountain bike day trips from 2 hours to full days, horse riding, rafting from May-October (the rainy season), scuba, fishing, and more. Like many beach areas in Costa Rica, many of Manuel Antonio’s hotels are not right on the beach but rather set just off of it as a conservation measure.
# 2 Tamarindo
About a 5 hour drive from San Jose (and about 1 hour from Costa Rica’s other major international airport, Liberia), this is another wonderful beach / adventure hub. Located in the Pacific Northwest, the area is dotted with many beaches, some easier to get too than others, but many offering tranquility and uninterrupted sunshine. Playa Tamarindo, especially on it’s edges, is a classic beach area in Costa Rica, while Sugar Beach is a nice secluded beach haven just about 25 minutes away from the main town of Tamarindo. From October through February, sea turtles begin their nocturnal egg laying on the local black-sand beaches in locations like Marino Las Baulas National Park. Other favorite activities include scuba, swimming, horse riding, rafting on the Tenorio River in the rainy season, visits to Diria National Park, sea kayaking, and more.
# 3 Samara Beach
This might be the best beach area in Costa Rica that you’ve never heard of. Boasting a splendid strand of golden beach, this is one of the safest areas along the Pacific coast to swim (much of the Pacific coast harbors a potentially dangerous undertow to be aware of; when concerned about swimming conditions at any beach, please ask the locals). Besides horse riding on the beach, another favorite activity is to sea kayak to Isla Chora (about a 30 minute kayak from the beach) and swim & snorkel in a secluded locale. Samara is also home to a charming local fishing village that is increasingly “boutique” due to the influx of business-minded ex-pats and Ticos. Samara is also home to a nice variety of well-reviewed mid-range beach hotels. Samara is located about a 4 – 4.5 hour drive from San Jose.
# 4 Punta Islita
Looking for a special luxury hotel on the beach? The Punta Islita Hotel is one of the premier hotels in Costa Rica. Located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, along the open-ocean coastline of the Nicoya Peninsula, this luxury hotel features an exclusive beach club, an infinity pool facing the ocean, horse riding, cultural & conservation projects, a nearby executive 9 hole golf course, a full service Spa, and more. The surrounding rugged landscape and colorful local communities are rich in stunning beaches, mountains, vibrant culture, and charm. For a comprehensive luxury tour, check out our 8-day Luxury Costa Rica tour. Punta islita is about a 5 hour drive from San Jose.
# 5 Jaco Beach
Short on time? This is the closest and most convenient beach area to San Jose, at just 2 hours away. While not a safe place to swim (due to the dangerous undertows), it is an excellent place to walk or horse ride along the beach, surf, or simply enjoy a beach-side cocktail and lazily watch the breaks crashing near shore. There are plenty of places to stay as Jaco as a popular night-life spot as well.
#6 Punta Uva Beach
Looking to get away from it all? Punta Uva Beach, located on the south Caribbean coast just 5 km south from Puerto Viejo, might be just the ticket. Here you’ll find one of the more unique beach lodges in all of Costa Rica, the Tree House Lodge. Situated on 10 private acres, guests enjoy sublime privacy in a completely natural rainforest. The lodge has it’s own beach access to a secluded 300 meter stretch of beach front, so you won’t have to meet anybody else unless you want to, such as for the daily 4 PM volleyball games! Sea Kayaks are for rent here, and you can also snorkel in the protected waters. It’s a great place to swim and the accommodations are one-of-a-kind. We can help arrange a private car all the way from San Jose airport or we can arrange a less expensive shuttle transfer to Puerto Viejo then all you’d need to do is call a taxi (it’s about a 10-15 minute ride away). 3 or 4 nights here would be perfect. It’s located about 4 to 4 ½ hours from San Jose.
This is most commonly done in a guided full day tour from Cape Town down to the southern tip of South Africa. The tour takes you to west coast of Cape Town, south to Cape Point and back up the east side, but you may go clockwise instead.
Starting west of Cape Town, you will drive through many scenic and chic suburbs and beautiful beaches. Many tours stop briefly at Hout Bay with the Twelve Apostles string of mountains overlooking the town. Here you can do a boat tour to Druiken Island to see the fur seals or visit the World of Birds (9:00am – 5:00pm). South of Hout Bay is 10km of Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world.
Continuing south, you get to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve on the very southern tip where you can walk or take the Flying Dutchman funicular (9:00am-6:00pm / R45 round-trip) to lighthouse on the tip of Cape Point for nice views and visits with baboons (don’t fee them!). There is an old lighthouse, which proved useless in fog, and a new lighthouse, which is the most powerful in South Africa. Nearby is an Ostrich Farm here, which is popular with young kids.
Penguin Colony at Boulder’s Beach, Simon’s Town
Heading back up the east coast of the peninsula, your tour will stop at Boulder’s Beach near Simon’s Town to see the African penguin colony from viewing platforms. Kids may like the Warrior Toy Museum (10:00am-3:45pm) and Scratch Patch in Simon’s Town.
There are many cute towns along the way with nice restaurants and shops including Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, and Muizenberg. The beaches along this coast are lovely and have some of the warmest water in the area for swimming. The St. James Tidal Pool is one of the most photographed beaches in the area because of the colorful bathing changing rooms, and Muizenberg is popular for surfing. It is a 30 minute drive back to Cape Town from Muizenberg.
Optional stops on the way back to Cape Town are at the one of the wineries along the Constantia Wine Route (Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, etc.) and/or the Irma Stern Museum, one of South Africa’s greatest painters.
The main towns in wine country are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. Each town is worth a short visit, and there are many nice hiking opportunities in the area.
There are dozens of wineries to choose from as well as brandy distilleries.
This is typically done as a guided day tour, but you can also rent a car and spend a few days.
This is a great way to become acquainted with the city highlights and layout. It can be done as a private tour or in a group. With a private tour, you can customize the day to include Table Mountain or the botanical gardens.
4. Table Mountain
Table Mountain in Cape Town
Table Mountain is the iconic backdrop to Cape Town rising over 3500 feet and is a large national park. In the summer, clouds can develop creating a “tablecloth.” There are a lot of hiking options but also a comfortable cable car to take you to the top for incredible views of the city and the ocean. The cable car runs every 15 minutes 8:00am-7:30pm depending on the season. The cable car is a 10-minute ride and floor rotates 360 degrees so everyone gets a good view. It is slightly cheaper if you buy tickets online, and you don’t have to wait in line. There may be long lines at the top. The Platteklip Gorge Hike is the easiest and most popular hiking option (allow 2+ hours one-way, only go in good weather, and be very well-prepared). Table Mountain is often closed for maintenance July 15-September 1 but dates may differ each year.
Robben Island is where Nelson Mandella was imprisoned for 18 years of his 27-year sentence. Technically, it means “Seal Island.” Tours are about 2.5 hours long, and a portion of the tour is guided by past prisoners.
You the boat at the V&A Waterfront at the Clock Tower at 9am, 11am, 1pm, or 3pm, and plan on 3-4 hours for the tour and boat ride. There is also a museum at the ticket office worth some time before or after the boat. You need to purchase tickets in advance as they do sell out. The boat does not run if the weather is bad, and your ticket is refunded in this case.
There are no restaurants or snack bars on the island, so enjoy a meal before or after the tour in the Waterfront area.
The is the tourist hub of Cape Town with plentiful restaurants, shopping, and bars. There are also free performances at the V&A Waterfront Amphitheater at 5:00pm.
Kirstenbosch is a large botanical garden on the southeastern side of Table Mountain. It has an exhibition of flora from a number of South African regions, sprawling lawns, and miles of hiking trails. Allow at least one hour, but you can also easily spend half a day here. November-April are the best times to visit.
In the summer, there are concerts every Sunday night (Dec-Mar).
Whale season in South Africa is June-November, but September-October are the best months. Hermanus is on the southern coast of South Africa, and whales can be seen from land (Hermanus Cliff Path) or in a whale watching boat.
There are also lots of other activities in the area:
Shark cage diving
Sea kayaking
Horseback riding on the beach
Playing and relaxing at the beach
Golfing
Quad bikes, ziplines, and paintball
Weekend markets
9. Caged Shark Diving
Caged Shark Diving near Cape Town
The great white sharks can be found near Simon’s Town (a 1-hour drive south on the peninsula) from March to mid-September and then near Gansbaai (a 2-hours drive southeast of Cape Town) from mid-September to February.
They can be seen breaching on the surface, so you can see them from the boat without diving.
For cage diving, the cage is on the surface right next to the boat. You do not need to be scuba certified and even kids can do it.
10. Going to the Beach
Camps Bay Beach in Cape Town
Very near Cape Town are a variety of beaches to enjoy. There are some good surfing areas, but the water is very, very cold. The coast is also great for watching the sunset.
Clifton Beach is perhaps the most popular beach, is very large, and is typically wind-free. It has 4 bays called 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The 4th is the most popular as it has changing rooms, bathrooms, snack shops, and rentals. The 1st and 2nd are for surfers and beautiful people. The 3rd is for more alternative people.
Camps Bay is a wide beach good for beach games (kites if it’s windy). It has strong surf but nice tidal pools. The town has countless trendy restaurants and bars good for a sundowner.
Llandudno is quieter with rocky areas good for exploring and great sunsets.
11. Eating, Drinking, and Shopping
Restaurants and Clubs along Long St.
The V&A Waterfront is the hub for this sort of activity. There are also many restaurants, shops, bars, and discos along Long St. and Adderley St. It is worth the experience to have an ethnic meal in Bo-Kaap. Not to mention numerous shopping malls. Greenmarket Square is an open air market with lots of stalls and cafes surrounding the market (Mon-Sat 9am-4pm).
More Information
Tickets for Robben Island, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts, and more: http://webtickets.co.za/
When you pack for the Haute Route Ski Tour you want to have all the necessary equipment and also travel as lightly as possible. The excellent huts mean that you don’t need any camping essentials, although if you are a self-guided group you should consider bringing along emergency equipment for your group (a stove, bivy sacks, etc). With the hut system you also do not need to worry about breakfasts and dinners!
You can break down the equipment needed into 3 categories: 1) technical equipment, 2) clothing and 3) other essentials.
1. Technical Equipment
Some Basic Equipment for the Haute Route Ski Tour
For technical equipment you’ll want a standard backcountry skiing kit plus glacier gear. Ideally you’ll want randonnée / AT ski equipment, but you can complete the tour with Telemark gear. Here’s what you need:
AT skis and boots with touring bindings and skins – a light set up is recommended! Be sure to use true AT boots that are comfortable for walking and that are crampon compatible.
Ski crampons that are compatible with your bindings.
Adjustable ski poles.
A repair kit for your bindings.
Ski straps (such as the rubber Voile brand) to hold skis together and to use in an emergency to keep skins on your skis.
A beacon, probe and snow shovel. A good metal shovel is highly recommended.
Crampons and an ice axe.
A harness and proper crevasse gear (carabiners, cordelettes). A belay device for rappels. A rope if you are self-guided.
A helmet (recommended, not required).
A 40 to 45 liter backpack for your gear – having a little extra room doesn’t hurt! Make sure you can attach your skis to your pack for portage and climbing.
2. Clothing
Hardshell pants and jacket (goretex or similar).
Proper under layers.
2 or 3 pairs of socks.
2 pairs of gloves.
Warm hat and balaclava.
Sleep sack/ sleeping bag liner. The huts have blankets – all you need is a light weight sleep sack.
Extra underwear and t-shirt for sleeping.
3. Other Essentials
SwissTopo Maps and a Guide Book
Navigation: maps, compass, altimeter and an optional GPS.
Water bottles: be sure to pack a thermos! Most huts include hot tea for your thermos in the mornings.
Food for snack and lunches. You can purchase some food in the huts.
Money. Bring cash in Euros and Swiss Francs.
Sun screen and toiletries.
Glacier glasses and goggles.
Emergency equipment: be prepared to make a sled for evacuation or to spend the night outside. Bivy sacks and/or the ability to build a snow cave are essential! If you are on a guided expedition your guide will take care of this equipment.
A cellphone or radio. A list of phone numbers for emergencies (mountain rescue, REGA). A list of phone numbers for your huts in case you are late or need to cancel. If you are on a guided expedition your guide will take care of this equipment.
Mountain rescue insurance! Don’t travel in the mountains without it! An evacuation usually costs over $10,000 – in Swiss and French law a victim is responsible for all costs and you will be billed.
Note: if you are unfamiliar with glacier travel we highly recommend hiring a guide or joining a guided group departure. Contact us for advice!
To learn more about a guided Haute Route ski tour, which runs every March through early May, visit our website:
