How Much Does the Tour du Mont Blanc Cost?

Keith Crockford

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Just tapped how much does the Tour du Mont Blanc cost into Google and wondering if you’re in the right place? Good news, you’ve stumbled upon the answers. On this page, we’ll take you through the typical Tour du Mont Blanc costs, both self-guided and guided, so you can compare.

Because, let’s face it, any REAL hiking enthusiast has their sights set on the Alps – but knowing how much the Tour du Mont Blanc costs in practice is the difference between ticking that incredible feat off your Bucket List and suffering from frustrated wanderlust for years to come.

Now, given the variety of expenses involved – ranging from travel and accommodation to food and guides – the answer isn’t straightforward. So we’ll go through loads of different things you ought to think about in this comprehensive breakdown to help you budget. And once we’re done, you should have a far more accurate picture of how much the Tour du Mont Blanc costs.

How much does the Tour du Mont Blanc cost? Set aside £300 for flights and transfers to Chamonix

Before you embark on those glorious alpine foothills, you need to get to Chamonix, the starting point of the Tour du Mont Blanc. The cost of travelling to Chamonix varies depending on your mode of transportation and, obviously, where you’re setting out from. For instance, travelling from Paris could cost around:

€100 by car
€150 by train
€170 by plane and bus combo
€80 by bus alone.

But then…you’ve got to get to Paris in the first place – great if you’re already planning a French adventure, not so helpful if you’re just ALL about the walking. So how do you get to the start of the Tour du Mont Blanc directly from the UK?

The best airport for Chamonix is without doubt Geneva in Switzerland, a mere 1 hour 40-minute flight from most London airports, plus an hour’s transfer by bus.

Flights from London airports to Chamonix cost in the region of £140 – £300 depending on who you fly with and what time you depart. Budget around £20 for the airport bus transfer to the town and you’ll be just fine.

How much does accommodation cost on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Once you’re in Chamonix, you’ll probably want to stay at least one night before starting the trek to acclimatise and get your bearings. Options range from camping for €10 – €20 per night (so long as you packed your tent in that hold bag!) to luxury hotels (€500+ per night) and everything in between, such as hostels and traditional gites (around €60 per person per night with half-board).

Refuge Prices on the Tour du Mont Blanc

If you’re on a tight budget, you’re best off staying in the numerous refuges along the typical Tour du Mont Blanc trekking routes. If you were dreaming of spacious rooms with sweeping mountain views, prepare for a surprise! You’ll pay a lot less to stay in a mountain refuges because you’re basically getting a bunk in a fairly densely packed dorm. It’s all about being communal, so don’t expect much privacy.

Don’t let that put you off trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc on a budget though! Meeting fellow trekkers and swapping stories from the route is all part of the Mont Blanc magic and, well, a bed’s a bed. A refuge with half-board typically costs about £45 per person, though adding a shower into the mix will set you back a little more too. Set aside £450-500 for a 9-10 day trek and you should be okay. Early booking is essential though, especially in July and August – so if you’re opting for the refuge option, do book well in advance of your trek.

How much do hotels cost on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

For not a whole lot more money, you can stay in relative luxury in a mountain lodge or hotel on the Tour du Mont Blanc. With better views, more space and great food, we think the lodges are the best value option when you’re trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc – especially when you share a comfy twin room with another member of your trekking group.

Expect to pay around £80 – 100 per night for your hotel on the Tour du Mont Blanc. That’d be for a nice twin room, and usually for a hearty 3-course dinner and breakfast the next morning too. Exactly what you need when you’re doing 20,000+ step days!

On The Bucket List Company Tour du Mont Blanc trek, you’ll stay in clean, comfortable 3* lodges and hotels in Chamonix and throughout the trekking, carefully chosen to keep the budget in check and keep you content after a day’s hiking too!

How much does lunch cost on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Whether you’re staying in refuges or in hotels, you can usually buy a packed lunch before you head back out onto the trekking route. That’ll set you back around £10 per day max.

You could also buy supplies from village stores, though carrying them would potentially be heavier and they’d likely be more expensive too. Alternatively, you’ve got the option to pop into a refuge for a hot lunch, which would cost around £10 – 20.

How much does your trekking guide cost for the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Trekking without a guide on the Tour du Mont Blanc is allowed, and it’s obviously cheaper to do so. But the value you get from employing someone to lead you, negotiate for you and show you all the best hidden gems back in Chamonix and along the route? That takes your Tour du Mont Blanc adventure to a whole new level.

The added peace-of-mind you’ll experience knowing how much safer you doesn’t hurt either! If you’re employing a guide privately, expect to pay as much as another £150 per day on top of your own costs, to cover their day rate, their accommodation, meals and transport.

On all Bucket List Company treks of the Tour du Mont Blanc, you experience all the amazing benefits of having a local guide AND an experienced UK guide to look after you from the start to finish. Click here to find out more about the itinerary.

How much should you budget for those little extras on the Tour du Mont Blanc?

After a day’s hike, you might crave a cold drink or an ice cream, costing about £5 on average. Depending on how much you’re likely to indulge, we usually advise you budget around £100 for these little pleasures throughout your trek.

You might want to set aside some more spending money for your time in Chamonix at either end of your Tour du Mont Blanc trek too.

Don’t forget travel insurance in your Tour du Mont Blanc costs!

It’s definitely not the most romantic aspect of booking your Tour du Mont Blanc trek, but getting the right travel insurance for this sort of hiking is crucial. The vast majority of hikers won’t ever need to use it – and that’s obviously a good thing. But having peace of mind that you’ll be covered should something go awry during your Tour du Mont Blanc trek adds a whole new unsexy je-ne-sais-quoi to your adventure.

Outside of your control, accidents do happen, bags get lost, flights get delayed and there could be any number of disruptions that could see you patting yourself on the back for being the sensible one and getting that insurance. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around £100 for your insurance, depending on your circumstances. Look for a policy that covers you for trip delays or cancellations, trekking at altitude and lost baggage – or have a read of our in-depth guide to high altitude travel insurance here.

Adding it all up – how much does it cost to do the Tour du Mont Blanc?

Ultimately, the cost of doing the Tour du Mont Blanc varies widely based on accommodation choices, duration, and personal preferences. If you’re staying in refuges and doing the whole thing self-guided, you can probably get away with a budget of around £1,500 – but that will see you doing an awful lot of research, planning and booking yourself, plus you could be carrying your own luggage too.

On the other hand, going with a reputable adventure tour company like The Bucket List Company means you have everything sorted for you in advance, meaning you can just pack a bag and show up at the airport.

With local and UK guides included, our 9-day Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary covers all the hotels and mountain lodgers, all your activities, passes and the actual hiking, plus 8 breakfasts and lunches and 7 dinners. You’ll enjoy private transfers and the maximum number of people in your group will be just 16, meaning you’ll have an opportunity to get to know some like minded trekkers who’ll likely become friends for life.

We even throw in the daily luggage transportation so you don’t have to carry a huge rucksack around the mountains with you. Our Tour du Mont Blanc adventures start from £2,400, packing in huge amounts of value every step of the way.

If you’d like to find out more about trekking the Tour du Mont Blanc with The Bucket List Company, click here.