1. Northern Italy: - Val d'Aosta, the Valley del Lys

Day 1:

You will be met at Pont-Saint-Martin railway station (which is on the main line that connects Turin, Aosta city and Geneva) and driven to your base, a lovely historic hamlet on the slopes of the Valley del Lys.  Your accommodation is in a gloriously restored, historic Walser residence.  You will be given a briefing on the tour on arrival at your accommodation.  (Dinner)

Day 2:

From the hamlet, you climb up the mountain following a well-maintained, historic path, which has spectacular views over the whole valley, before looping back down to the valley and following the Lys River to Gressoney-St-Jean.  You are now in the heartland of the Valley del Lys Walser community, which is clear from the characteristic timber and stone houses.  Monte Rosa is now a stone's throw away from here, you feel you can almost touch it.  (14 kms; min: 1313 mts; max: 2386 mts)

Your accommodation is in a beautifully restored 16th century family home.  (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Day 3:

This stage is dominated by Monte Rosa.  You will be able to enjoy the magnificent views of the mountain for most of the day following sections of the Great Walser Trail.  The route stays high up in the valley and there are several ups and downs.  Some sections are a bit exposed, but they are equipped with ropes for safety.  The hamlet you stay in is one of the first Walser settlements in the valley and is one of the most beautiful villages in the Aosta Valley.  The rifugio is famous throughout the valley for its cooking.  (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)  (10 kms; min: 1380 mts; max: 2093 mts)

Please note that as your beautiful accommodation tonight does not have car access, you will need to take a change of clothes, pyjamas and a toothbrush on this day’s walk.

Please also note that there is a less challenging option for today’s walk which contours gently around the side of the mountain, mostly passing through beautiful larch forest, before a steep climb to get up to a hamlet at the end.  It is a relatively short walk, leaving you time to visit the Castel Savoia and the lovely town of Gressoney-St-Jean along the way.  (6 kms; min: 1380; max: 1777 mts)

Day 4:

A pretty and relaxed walk today that descends gradually through larch forest down to the pretty town of Gressoney-la-Trinite, where you’ll have the chance to have a break and visit the Walser Museum.  From here you follow the Lys River up to the head of the valley, Monte Rosa and its glaciers looming large in front of you beckoning you to to stay.  Your accommodation is in an elegantly restored historic inn.  (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)  (7 kms; min: 1623 mts; max: 1892 mts)

Day 5

With this stage you almost touch the glaciers of Monte Rosa.  The climb follows the Moos Valley.  In the central part, which contours around the mountain in some small sections, the path may not be very visible, however, the App will help you here. Once you rejoin the main path and arrive at a beautiful rifugio above the Indren Alp, 2600 metres asl, Monte Rosa presents itself in all its grandeur.  (7 kms; min: 1782 mts; max: 2616 mts)

Your accommodation is in a modern structure with an international flavour at the foot of the mountain.  (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Please note, if weather conditions are such that the rifugio is closed, you can stay a second night in the Day 4 accommodation and enjoy the two ‘alternative’ walks as listed below:

Alternative walk 1:  This alternative trail is one of the most popular among hikers visiting the valley, which climbs up through larch forests to the glacial source of the Lys River.  It is relatively short and allows you to quickly reach the border between the ‘normal’ mountain and the glacial mountain in an uncommon and truly spectacular location.  Your return to your accommodation along the same trail.  (9.5 kms; min: 1768 mts; max: 2396 mts)

Day 6:

The last stage of our tour takes you up to a pass (if you have time, you may consider a detour from the pass up to a lookout point with a fantastic view of the whole massif).   From the pass, you descend down the Salza Valley (from where you could make another detour to visit the two glaciers that form the source of the Lys River).  You then walk down the valley following the Lys River to Staffal.  From here you have the choice of the bus back to Gressoney-la-Trinite or a beautiful walk down beside the river, following the route you took yesterday.  Your accommodation tonight is a fitting finale to the tour: an historic Walser residence with a famous kitchen.  (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)  (12 kms; max: 2882 mts; min: 1630 mts)

Alternative walk 2:  The last stage of your tour takes you up to Gabiet, the intermediate station of the Monterosa ski area.  From here, it is a short walk to the lake of the same name, from where you can admire the main peaks of the Monte Rosa: Breithorn, Castore, Polluce e Lyskamm.  You walk around the shores of the lake and descends through forests and green meadows to Gressoney La Trinitè for your last overnight stay.  (13 kms; min: 1637 mts; max: 2464 mts)

Alternative walk 2:  The last stage of your tour takes you up to Gabiet, the intermediate station of the Monterosa ski area.  From here, it is a short walk to the lake of the same name, from where you can admire the main peaks of the Monterosa: Breithorn, Castore, Polluce e Lyskamm.  You walk around the shores of the lake descends through forests and green meadows to Gressoney La Trinitè for your last overnight stay.  (13 kms; min: 1637 mts; max: 2464 mts)

Day 7:

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Pont-Saint-Martin, at the entrance to the valley, which has regular train connections back to Turin, or to Aosta city and beyond into France. (Breakfast)