Dealing with packing and baggage can be tricky on any trip, least of all on a multi-day trek. You may be asking yourself, "What jacket should I bring?", "Is my backpack big enough?", "How will my bags get from A to B?", and "Do I really need that selfie stick?" In this email we'll try to answer some of those questions and alleviate any concerns you might have.
Best regards,
Pygmy Elephant
The items in your backpack (30–50 liters recommended) will generally fall into six categories: documents, clothing, accessories, hygiene, emergency gear, and food. Following is a small selection of what we recommend you bring.
Documents: This includes your passport and/or visa, cash in euros and Swiss francs, guidebook and maps, and proof of your travel insurance, which we require for all hikers (more on this in a future email).
Clothing: At the very least you should have broken-in hiking boots, hiking pants or shorts, non-cotton base layers, a waterproof and breathable jacket, and synthetic hiking socks. Weather conditions on the trail vary significantly, so pack layers that you can easily add or remove as needed.
Accessories: Items in this category might include sunglasses, hiking poles, flip-flops (for showers), hat, head lamp, and a towel.
Hygiene: Sunscreen, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and soap, blister plaster, and earplugs. These items are small and must-haves.
Emergency gear: Hiking in the Alps is safe, but you still might want a personal locator beacon, a whistle, a first aid kit, or a space blanket.
Food: In addition to your lunch, you might want chocolate, trail mix, sausage or cheese, fruit, or energy bars in your backpack. Time your trek right, and you might be able to find wild blueberries on the trail!
One of the great things about hiking in the Alps is the fantastic infrastructure. Our partner Taxi Mont Blanc does a fantastic job every year of delivering hundreds of bags to dozens of accommodations in the Chamonix Mont-Blanc region. Most, but not all, of the accommodations on the Tour du Mont Blanc are reachable by baggage transfer service, which means you can hike light and still have access to all of your gear.
This is an optional service. If you have added baggage transfers to your itinerary, read the important guidelines for this service below.
Have your bags packed and ready to be picked up by 7:30 AM.
Bags must be tagged with the name of the group leader.
Limit your bag weight to no more than 15 kg (33 lbs).
Bags must be soft-sided. Hard-shell and wheeled bags are not allowed.
Bags may not contain valuable items, drinks or food, or medication.
Your bag will typically be delivered to your night's accommodation by 5:30 PM. This can sometimes take longer, depending on traffic and how many bags Taxi Mont Blanc has on that day. If you haven't received your bag by 5:30 PM, feel free to send us a message to check on its status.
If you have extra luggage, we can store it for you at a charge per unit, per day. Please let us know if you are interested in baggage storage.
LOCATIONS WITHOUT ROAD ACCESS
Important: Some mountain huts cannot receive baggage transfers. In this case, your baggage will be transferred to your accommodation for the following night. If you are staying in any of the following mountain huts, you will need to bring toiletries and a change of clothes for the next day.
Cabane du Mont Fort
Cabane de Prafleuri
Cabane de Moiry
Europa Hut
Click screenshot to open in new window.
For inquiries regarding your specific itinerary, please contact your group leader or key travel builder. If you have any questions about the content of this email, feel free to reply here.
Pygmy Elephant, 306 S Washington, Royal Oak, MI 48067
