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Highlights
Hike the beautiful trails or the Italian Alps as you approach the famous Monte Rosa
Observe the natural heritage, wild open spaces, beautiful forests and snowy peaks of Monte Rosa.
Visit numerous small villages along your route and learn about the “Walser” heritage, dialect and architecture.
Stay in warm, very comfortable and high-standard family-run accommodations along your route.
Enjoy numerous beautiful hikes at high elevation.
South of Mont Blanc lies the Aosta Valley, and at the southern end you find the pretty Lys Valley. This 8-day walking tour gets you up into the mountains, staying in Rifugios and dipping down to charming villages, while also giving you views of the beautiful Monta Rosa mountain.
You start this trek from Fontainemore, and traverse through Mars mountain, witness the beauty of Vallone del Loo, and discover the serenity of Gressoney Saint-Jean. Experience the rich Walser culture and architecture, marveling at Monte Rosa's grandeur.
Encounter various huts offering unique accommodations and tastes, from locally crafted goat cheese to vegetarian delights. Enjoy panoramic views of glaciers and valleys, with optional hikes to high-altitude points for breathtaking vistas. The journey culminates with a reflective farewell breakfast, offering a memorable conclusion to an immersive exploration of this trek’s natural wonders.
South of Mont Blanc lies the Aosta Valley, and at the southern end you find the pretty Lys Valley. This 8-day walking tour gets you up into the mountains, staying in Rifugios and dipping down to charming villages, while also giving you views of the beautiful Monta Rosa mountain.
You start this trek from Fontainemore, and traverse through Mars mountain, witness the beauty of Vallone del Loo, and discover the serenity of Gressoney Saint-Jean. Experience the rich Walser culture and architecture, marveling at Monte Rosa's grandeur.
Encounter various huts offering unique accommodations and tastes, from locally crafted goat cheese to vegetarian delights. Enjoy panoramic views of glaciers and valleys, with optional hikes to high-altitude points for breathtaking vistas. The journey culminates with a reflective farewell breakfast, offering a memorable conclusion to an immersive exploration of this trek’s natural wonders.
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Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Fontainemore
From Pont Saint Martin train station a short transfer will drive you to your first accommodation, Agriturismo Le Soleil: now you can start enjoying the Lys valley crispy air and wander around the forest or just relax at the Agriturismo, where the locally made goat cheese is ready for you to taste.
Overnight Location: Agrotourism in Fontainemore
Distance: None
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 Walk Le Soleil to La Barma Hut
After breakfast, get ready for the first mountain walk of this trip, leading to the Mars mountain – separating Piedmont (East) from the Aosta Valley (West). The route starts ascending through the forest and fields, before entering in the wilderness of mountain lakes and peaks; try to spot the mountain hut in the granite valley! If you have some energy left and you want to walk more in the afternoon, the owner of the hut will show you the several options available.
Overnight Location: La Barma Hut
Distance: 3-4 hours, 6.5km, 940m of ascent, 280m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 Walk La Barma Hut – La Gruba
If sunset is magic, sunrise is even more colorful here…if you are up this early it means you want to walk the long and wild option through the mountains towards Colle della Vecchia: it’s an adventurous and challenging hike, so be prepared to spend all day climbing up and down the valleys; if you want to take it easy but still have a nice walk in the nature you can opt to traverse and descend to Issime, passing by the numerous little hamlets with typical mountain architecture.
Overnight Location: B&B La Gruba
Distance: 4-10 hours, 12-16km, 160-1140m of ascent, 1560-1260m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4 Walk La Gruba – Gressoney Saint-Jean
Today the Vallone del Loo is waiting for you: a gradual and long valley walk, scattered with typical stone houses used to keep the animals but also to host the walkers that venture into this beautiful place. Peaceful and quiet you will descend for the 1st time into the Gressoney valley and then climb onto the other side (transfer available) to the next accommodation, with views of the giant Monte Rosa (rosa=pink, for the colour of its granite stone).
Overnight Location: Apartments at Gressoney Saint-Jean
Distance: 6-7 hours, 13-14km, 900-1150m of ascent, 1000-1080m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5 Walk Gressoney Saint-Jean – Alpenzu Hut
This is also called the Monte Rosa stage, since the Rosa mountain will be guiding you, like the polar star. You pass through many “alpeggi”, where cows and sheep spend the summer and meet the shepherd. The Walser culture is especially present in this area: a German nomadic population, they have been living here since the Middle Ages thanks to their ability to farm at altitude; here the architecture and even the dialect is a mirror of their culture, and one of the best examples is the Alpenzu Hut.
Ask the owner to visit the restored social wood oven.
Overnight Location: Hut at Gressoney-Saint-Jean
Distance: 5 hours, 11km, 790m of ascent, 620m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6 Walk Alpenzu Hut – Orestes Hut
Today the stage is moderate, and you will reach the Orestes Hut at 2600m. There are 2 options:
One is to take the cable car to Gabiet and walk 1.5 hrs to Orestes hut at 2600m, where you will spend the night. The other option is to walk up the hut without taking the cable car, making it a way tougher day. Note that at the hut they only cook tasty vegetarian and vegan food.
Overnight Location: Hut at Gressoney la Trinité
Distance: 6-8hours, 12-15km, 800-1400m of ascent, 550-600m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7 Walk Orestes Hut to Anderbatt
Today’s loop walk takes you to the foot of the Pink Giant, Monte Rosa. Here the alpinists start their ascent to the famous Capanna Margherita, named after the queen, at 4500m, or the famous Lyskamm traverse. You will walk up to Colle Salza at 2800m then descend to Staffal/Anderbatt in the Lys valley, with stunning view of the glacier; experienced and fit walkers have the chance to hike to “Alta Luce”, a panoramic point at nearly 3200m.
Overnight Location: B&B at Gressoney La Trinitè
Distance: 5-6hours, 8-10km, 400-700m of ascent, 1200-1500m of descent
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8 – Arrivederci Monte Rosa!
The trip and our services end after breakfast, unless you have pre-booked extra nights with us or other extra services. You can take the public bus/private transfer to Fontainemore where you parked your car.
IMPORTANT NOTE: In La Barma Hut – Alpenzu Hut and Orestes Hut luggage transport is not possible, so clients will have to carry their belongings in their day pack. The huts provide towels and bed sheets/sleeping sheet.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour Price and Dates
The departure is available on any day of the week. Prices below are per person:Departure on June 15th – September 15th, 2024:
- Single room (group of 2+): EUR1369
- Sharing a double/twin room: EUR1153
- Sharing a triple room: EUR1131
Accommodation on Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour
You will overnight in small, cosy and quiet mountain family run 2*/3* hotels, farmhouses (agriturismi) and beautiful mountain huts. All the accommodation chosen has a friendly atmosphere and all rooms are with private en-suite facilities, apart from the second hut, Rifugio Barma, where bathroom is shared.
Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
What’s Included in the Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour?
Meals
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners are included.
Accommodations
Accommodations for 7 nights are included.
Transportation during the Tour
Luggage transfer is included ONLY for 3 stages, that is Gruba (day 3), Gressoney Saint-Jean (day 4) and Anderbatt (day 7). For all the other days luggage transfer is not included and can’t be arranged so you have to put in your backpack what is needed for the overnight.
Tour also includes one personal transfer on day 1 (pickup from train station to your first accommodation). Any other transfers are not included.
Also included
- Digital information package
- Emergency phone support
Not included
- Getting to and from the trailhead
- Travel insurance
- Flights
- Guide services
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Visas if required
- Tourist taxes
Optional Extras
- Printed travel documents
- Optional extra nights
- Single room upgrades
- How hard is the Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Italy?
- Are meals included on the Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Pont Saint Martin to start this tour?
- Is the Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour in English?
- Where does the Sentieri del Lys: Trekking Towards Monte Rosa Tour end?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to Italy?
- Are there any travel restrictions for Italy?
We rate the difficulty of this tour as a 4 / 5. Grade is definitely moderate if you choose the demanding walks, but if you opt for the easier ones, it becomes easier. Bear in mind that the altitude is always around 2000m and the terrain is sometimes rocky and slippery, and the conditions can change rapidly in this mountain environment.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners are included.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover hiking. Get your travel insurance.
The main international airport to flight in is Turin Airport that is served by most of national and low-cost airlines and where you can directly take the train to Torino city and then to Pont Saint Martin.
At the end of the trip it would be convenient to depart from Turin or Milan airports.
In any case, to get from and to these airports, you could take local buses and trains. It’s usually necessary to make several changes along the trip and it would take from about 2 to hours to arrive at final destination.
This tour is not guided; however, the digital information package will be in English.
The tour ends in Anderbatt.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
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S-Cape Travel is a boutique tour operator focused on sharing the best walking, cycling, cultural and food & wine tours in Europe. Book one of their self-guided tours to live La Dolce Vita for a week or two, as you walk or cycle around Europe, enjoying incredible views and amazing food and wine.
