The Ultimate guide to solo hiking & camping the Tour du Mont Blanc
Crossing through France, Italy, and Switzerland to circle Western Europe’s highest peak, the 180km Tour du Mont Blanc trek is part epic alpine adventure, part authentic cultural experience, but entirely unforgettable. There are few routes in the Alps that rival the iconic TMB, and it’s a combination of the dramatic natural scenery and the charming mountain villages that have made this trek a fast favourite among mountain-lovers. Impressed by everything I’d seen and heard, I set out to solo hike the Tour du Mont Blanc a few weeks ago, and I can truly say it was nothing short of life-changing. Considerably more ambitious than the hikes I usually do, the TMB pushed me to the edge of my physical limits, but also reminded me that sheer determination is greater than any aching muscle or blister (of which there were many). And the views are always that much sweeter when you earn them in dirt, sweat, and tears!
I learned a lot when I was prepping for this hike, and of course even more when I was actually out on the trail, so here’s my guide to preparing for all aspects of your own solo Tour du Mont Blanc hike, including getting to the trailhead, planning your route, what to expect at the campsites, food/water on the trail, and a comprehensive packing list.
What's in this travel guide
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Postcard-perfect view of Mont Blanc from Lac Blanc
About the Tour du Mont Blanc
Widely regarded as one of the best hikes in the entire world, the Tour du Mont Blanc is a moderately challenging 180km circuit that begins in Les Houches, France, a small town just beside the immensely popular Chamonix ski resort. The route circumnavigates beautiful Mont Blanc (4,810m), ascending 11 mountain passes and racking up around 10,000m in elevation gain/loss through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Most people complete the hike in 8-12 days, often with one rest day in Courmayeur or Champex. And while strenuous, the TMB is actually achievable for most passionate hikers— the navigational demands are minimal, small villages with food and supplies are frequent, and there are plenty of ways to make the hike as easy or challenging as you want. So long as you’re motivated to get up and over the next pass, you’ll be celebrating in Chamonix in no time!
The scenery alone should catapult the TMB to the top of your bucket list, but the wonderful food and people along the trail are also a big part of what makes this trek so special. In fact, the TMB may ruin you for all other hikes— why isn’t there cheese and wine for sale on every trail! Plus, hikers come from all over the world to walk around snow-capped Mont Blanc, so you can expect to make lots of new friends as you tackle a Col together or swap stories over dinner at the campsite. This is a social experience as much as it is an outdoor adventure.
Even though it’s possible to do the TMB with a guided tour, this is a really safe and simple hike to do independently, so there’s just no need. Not only was this the longest hike I’d ever done, but it was my first time hiking completely solo— and I absolutely loved it. In many ways, the TMB is probably the perfect introductory solo hike, as you’re never truly alone on the trail, never far from food or supplies, and rarely remote enough to require evacuation should something go wrong. I’d highly recommend making your own adventure and setting out independently (or with a group of friends)!
Planning your Tour du Mont Blanc hike
When to hike the TMB
The TMB is only walkable from late June to early September due to snow, though this varies from year to year― there are plenty of stories about fresh snow in the middle of August, that’s just the Alps for you. Another thing to consider is that most mountain huts are only open in this window (but that doesn’t affect campers). I hiked in mid-July, which is a less busy time than August when most of Europe is on holiday― there were plenty of fellow hikers on the trail to chat with, but it didn’t feel overly busy. The only other thing I considered when planning my hike was the UTMB schedule, which is the crazy race in late August where thousands of people come to run the entire 180km trail. Can’t for the life of me imagine why (or how) someone would do that, but avoid hiking at this time if you don’t fancy being trampled!
Camping vs mountain huts
This will probably make the biggest difference in your whole TMB experience. I decided to camp along the way, which meant that I carried a tent, a sleeping bag, sleeping mat, a camp stove, a pot and cutlery, and a bunch of freeze-dried dinners (I bought bread and cheese along the way to supplement my mountain food). It was definitely a lot of extra weight, especially compared to the hikers carrying day packs (at which I often stared enviously), but I had a lot of freedom and flexibility with my day-to-day itinerary and my hike cost a small fraction of a hut-style hike (a night in a mountain hut costs about 60€ including dinner and breakfast, while camping ranged from free to 14€ per night).
If you’re staying in mountain huts, it’s important to make reservations in advance, which means you’re locked into your itinerary with no room for adjustments (and my plans changed about 20 times a day along the trail, so that would have been challenging). It really depends on what you’re after, as I can definitely see the appeal in carrying only a light pack, sleeping in a bed every night, and not worrying about cooking. But I wholeheartedly recommend camping as a more authentic— and fun— option if you’re up for the challenge! I’ve summarised all of my campsites below, and definitely check out my packing list at the bottom of this post for an idea of what gear you’ll need to bring.
Essential resources
If you’re seriously considering the TMB, I’d highly recommend purchasing Trekking The Tour of Mont Blanc by Kev Reynolds. This up-to-date guidebook was absolutely invaluable in planning (and re-planning each day) every single stage of my hike, as well as navigating along the trail, choosing campsites, and finding food in nearby towns. So long as you have this book, there’s absolutely no need for a big map or a GPS— this really is the “TMB bible” and you’ll probably see 90% of hikers whip out their copy at the top of every Col and fork in the trail. Buy this immediately!
Views of the Glacier du Trient from Fenêtre d’Arpette
Getting to the Tour du Mont Blanc
Getting to Chamonix
As a rather bustling ski resort, there are a number of options to get to Chamonix, France. I’d recommend flying into Geneva, Switzerland and then taking a bus/shuttle/train across the border to Chamonix. The bus takes about 2 hours and costs 19€; a shuttle costs about 25€, but only takes a little over an hour; and the train is a bit cheaper and really scenic, but it involves heaps of transfers. I had a shuttle arranged through my hotel in Les Houches because I had been travelling for ages to get there (Australia might as well be Mars), I was dead-tired, and needed to arrive asap to organise all my stuff for an early hiking start the next day. It was 29€, but definitely worth it for the convenience. Most hotels in Chamonix will offer a similarly priced shuttle or there are several companies (not affiliated with any hotel) that also drive the route.
I’d also recommend staying in a hotel/hostel in Chamonix or Les Houches the night before your hike rather than a campsite (although there is a nice one in Chamonix). That way, you can store anything you don’t actually need on the trail (e.g. plane clothes, stuff for onwards travel) with the front desk and retrieve it when you finish.
Getting to the trailhead in Les Houches
Although it’s technically possible to begin the TMB in Chamonix, the official trailhead is in Les Houches, about 6km from Chamonix. I stayed in a hotel between Chamonix and Les Houches on the night before my hike, about 2km from the trailhead, so I just walked from my hotel on the morning of Day 1. From the Tourist Information Centre in Les Houches, there’s an arrow directing you to the start of the trek and it’s not a difficult walk. If you’re staying actually in Chamonix (or if you want to save your energy for the trail), there’s also a bus that runs around Chamonix and Les Houches. It’s 3€ for a ticket that works all day on the bus, so you can also use your ticket to do any last-minute gear or snack shopping prior to hitting the trail.
Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary
There are traditionally 11 stages to the Tour du Mont Blanc hike, with most people tackling a stage each day, typically anticlockwise. I was able to group a few stages together and finish in 8 days (plus a rest day in Courmayeur, which I’d definitely recommend). I found the pace reasonably comfortable, and I’m definitely not the fastest hiker, so I would recommend 8-9 days for most people. It’s hard to know exactly how you will feel on the trail and how the weather will be, though, so it’s another great reason to camp and stay flexible in your itinerary, allowing yourself to make constant changes to your “plan” as you go (and I say “plan” because you can never really have a plan in the mountains.. nature always has its own plan for you). Here’s my TMB itinerary, which should give you an idea of what to expect— and what to look forward to!
Day 1: Les Houches – Les Contamines
Distance covered: 20km
Elevation gain & loss: 646m & 643m
Trail time: 6.5hrs
Highlights: Passed through the most adorable little French villages, saw French llamas and little French kitties, caught a few glimpses of Mont Blanc through the clouds
CAMPING LE PONTET
Located about 2km past Les Contamines, this is a lovely campsite and gîte with clean facilities and reasonable prices. Due to torrential rain, I paid a bit extra to stay in a bed in the mountain hut-style dorm and was very happy to be out of the wet and cold.
Price of camping: ~8€
Price of bed in gîte: 14€
Facilities: toilets, hot showers, wifi (for 1€)
Food: a small shack onsite sells some snacks and drinks
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 1: LES HOUCHES – LES CONTAMINES
Charming French cottages along the trail
Day 2: Les Contamines – Col des Fours – Les Mottets
Distance covered: 23km
Elevation gain & loss: 1579m & 876m
Trail time: 7.5hrs
Variations: Col des Fours to Les Mottets
Highlights: Crossed 3 mountain passes, reached the highest point on the TMB at 2,665m, saw a marmotte and a herd of chamois, wild camped in the most incredible spot in front of the mountains
WILD CAMPING NEAR REFUGE LES MOTTETS
I originally set my tent up on the side of the river closest to the mountain hut, but was told to move to the small grass patch opposite the field of cows. I woke up to a chorus of cow bells and enjoyed spectacular views of the mountains, so it was well worth the lack of facilities to enjoy wild camping for at least one night.
Price of camping: free!
Facilities: None (possible to pay to shower at the hut)
Food: I got a day-old baguette for free from the hut and ate it with my dehydrated dinner (but it’s possible to pay for a hot meal at the hut)
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 2: LES CONTAMINES – COL DES FOURS – LES MOTTETS
Approaching the first of 3 mountain passes on Day 2
Day 3: Les Mottets – Rifugio Elisabetta – Courmayeur
Distance covered: 30km
Elevation gain & loss: 1464m & 1818m
Trail time: 8.5hrs
Variations: combined stage 3 & 4 into a single day
Highlights: Crossed the border into Italy, walked with a lovely group of people, incredible mountain views, descended into Courmayeur and got to enjoy pizza and gelato
ALBERGO LE MARMOTTE IN COURMAYEUR
After combining two stages into a single day and covering a brutal amount of distance both up and down steep trails, I arrived a day earlier than I had originally planned in Courmayeur. As a reward, I stayed in a room at Albergo Le Marmotte (my friend Katy was staying there while she waited for me to come through Courmayeur). I must say, it was nice to have a hot shower and a good long sleep in a bed!
Price of hotel: 80€ for a double room
Food: there are a million pizza/pasta options in town (my motivation for walking farther today than planned) and the hotel also serves a delicious Italian breakfast in the mornings, included in the room rate
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 3: LES MOTTETS – RIFUGIO ELISABETTA – COURMAYEUR
Crossing the border into Italy
Day 4: Courmayeur – Rifugio Bonatti – La Peule
Distance covered: 28km
Elevation gain & loss: 1710m & 611m
Trail time: 9.5hrs
Variations: combined stage 5 & part of stage 6 into one day
Highlights: Stunning wild flowers, glimpses of “Monte Bianco” (as the Italians say), crossed the border into Switzerland
LE PEULE
I camped inside a yurt at Le Peule for the same price of pitching a tent on the property, and it was certainly a warmer option. There is one yurt furnished with beds that is more expensive, and also the option of dorm beds for 25€, but I was quite happy to sleep with my air mattress and sleeping bag on the wood chips of the storage yurt after enjoying a delicious drink and some cheese from inside the refuge.
Price of camping: 15€ to pitch a tent or stay in the unfurnished yurt
Facilities: toilets, hot showers, indoor seating in the refuge
Food: hot meals at the refuge, drinks and cheese for sale
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 4: COURMAYEUR – RIFUGIO BONATTI – LA PEULE
Walking alongside Mont Blanc
Day 5: La Peule – Champex
Distance covered: 24km
Elevation gain & loss: 465m & 1465m
Trail time: 5.5hrs
Variations: combined part of stage 6 & stage 7 into one day
Highlights: Passed through some cute Swiss towns, dozens of wood carvings of animals along the forest trail, gorgeous lake in Champex
CAMPING LES ROCAILLES
On the far side of Champex, this is a large and well-equipped campsite with good wifi and nice facilities. I found it a bit difficult to locate (luckily, I ran into a friend from the previous day who helped me find my way), so just follow the lake all the way around through town and it is immediately off the trail you will take tomorrow, can’t miss it. Stock up on food at the supermarket in town before checking in!
Price of camping: 15sfr
Facilities: toilets, hot showers, wifi (!), picnic tables
Food: sells a few snacks, 15min walk to supermarket and restaurants in Champex
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 5: LA PEULE – CHAMPEX
Serene Champex
Day 6: Champex – Fenêtre d’Arpette – Le Peuty
Distance covered: 15km
Elevation gain & loss: 1199m & 1139m
Trail time: 6.5hrs
Variations: stage 8 high route via Fenêtre d’Arpette
Highlights: The so-called hardest day of the trek, incredible uphill climb to highest point on the TMB at 2,665m, amazing views of Glacier du Trient
LE PEUTY
Having heard that there is no camping at Col de la Forclaz, the traditional end of stage 8, I detoured about 20min to Le Peuty, where a simple campsite sits below the mountains. There are excellent directions in the guidebook, but basically you just walk downhill along a winding road until you come to a small, level clearing. The facilities are really minimal, but the site has a great view and was pleasantly inexpensive.
Price of camping: 4sfr
Facilities: toilet block outside, small shelter to cook and eat under
Food: 5min walk to a very tiny shop selling sandwiches and a couple food items, plus a bar with drinks
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 6: CHAMPEX – FENÊTRE D’ARPETTE – LE PEUTY
Approaching the dreaded Fenêtre d’Arpette
Day 7: Le Peuty – Tré-Le-Champ
Distance covered: 16km
Elevation gain & loss: 1069m & 1178m
Trail time: 4.5hrs
Highlights: Crossed the border back into France, unobstructed views of Mont Blanc, wine with friends at a great camp site
AUBERGE LA BOERNE
There are several options for camping in Tré-Le-Champ and Argentière, but I was really happy with this spot in the garden of Auberge la Boerne. Campers get full access of the wonderful indoor bathrooms and it’s just a short walk to a massive supermarket (by mountain standards) so you can binge on tasty snacks on the cheap.
Price of camping: 8€
Facilities: bathrooms inside the Auberge, hot showers, wifi also in the Auberge
Food: hot meals at the Auberge, 15min walk to a supermarket in Argentière
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 7: LE PEUTY – TRÉ-LE-CHAMP
Crossing back into France
Day 8: Tré-Le-Champ – Lac Blanc – La Flegere – Chamonix
Distance covered: 17km
Elevation gain & loss: 760m & 1257m
Trail time: 5.5hrs
Variations: combined stage 10 & 11 into one day, included Lac Blanc variante, and arrived back in Chamonix
Highlights: The famed ladder section with vertical climbing, stunning alpine lakes, swimming in freezing cold Lac Blanc, descent from the mountain into Chamonix for the end of the hike!
CHAMONIX
Back in Chamonix, there are a number of campsites in and around the town, as well as a wide range of accommodation options throughout the area. Treat yourself to a hot shower and a comfy bed, you’ve earned it!
Read more: TOUR DU MONT BLANC DAY 8: TRÉ-LE-CHAMP – LAC BLANC – LA FLEGERE – CHAMONIX
One of the amazing Lacs des Chéserys
What to expect on the trail
Navigation
I’m an absolute potato when it comes to directions, and even I never got lost while hiking the TMB. On just a couple occasions, I was not 100% sure of which fork in the road to take, but there were usually people around to ask or I’d just whip out my very handy guidebook. Between TMB signage, painted trail markers on the rocks, and all of the guidebook’s detailed directions, it was easy to find my way around and I never once wished that I had a map with me.
Food
If you’re staying in mountain huts, all your breakfasts and dinners will be covered and will be delicious (so I hear). The huts also sell packed lunches for about 13€, so you could safely have ever single meal taken care of. Some campers ate their meals in the refuges, some bought food every few days from small shops, and some cooked every meal on a stove, so there is no shortage of options.
I personally had my mountain food, but I also bought bread and cheese in shops to supplement the pouch meals, and found it to be inexpensive and delicious. I paid about 1€ for baguettes and 4€ for good sized hunks of cheese in most places, but I even scored a free baguette from a refuge once when I went to enquire about buying one— it hadn’t sold that day so they just gave it away. Most refuges sell drinks (beer, soft drink, juice, coffee) for a few euro, as well. Every single day, you will pass by a refuge, most days also a small town with a shop or two, and every few days a supermarket— food is never far away!
Water
As for water, there are little troughs with eau potable every few hours, clean water at all the refuges, and even delicious glacier water in little streams along the way. I never felt very panicky about having enough water, and actually found that carrying only 1L at a time was a good way to keep my pack light. I didn’t really encounter anyone who was purifying their water, and certainly never felt the need to, so don’t stress about packing filtration systems, either.
Camping
All the campsites I stayed at (details in the Tour du Mont Blanc itinerary section of this post) were very nice: clean toilets, hot showers (at most sites), and reasonably priced from 4sfr to 14€ per night. For the most part, campsites are well described within the guidebook I recommended previously, but in a few instances, there were no campsites listed within hours of where I was hoping to stay. I found that other hikers usually seemed to know of a place if you ask around, and wild camping is a good plan B (although it’s not permitted in many parts of Switzerland, so refer to the guidebook). I only wild camped one night during my hike, but there are certainly places to get off the beaten path more frequently if that’s your thing. To make sure you’re camping legally, enquire inside one of the mountain huts and they will usually direct you to a nearby area where you can pitch your tent without being bothered (I did get asked to move once).
Cost of the TMB
When planning my own hike, I found that there wasn’t a lot written online about the price of things, and it really worried me, especially since the alps have a reputation for being expensive. Once I actually did the hike, though, I realised that you can spend as little or as much as you want to do the TMB. Staying in huts and hotels and eating meals in restaurants will be extremely pricey, but there are also opportunities to wild camp for free and eat incredibly inexpensively by cooking your own food and buying simple items from the market. Here are some specific examples of what things cost along the trail:
- Airport shuttle (Geneva to Les Houches) 30€
- Bus from Chamonix to Les Houches 3€
- Cable car ride along the trail 14€
- Fuel canister for camp stove 9€
- Baguette 1€
- Wedge of nice cheese 5€
- Bottle of wine 3€
- Pint of beer from a mountain hut 5€
- Sandwich from small shop 7€
- Dinner at a refuge 25€
- Packed lunch from a refuge 13€
- Camping in a basic spot 4-8€
- Camping at a nice site with showers and wifi 15€
- Bed in a gîte 15-18€
- Nice hotel in Les Houches, France 60-100€
- Nice hotel in Courmayeur, Italy 40-80€
- Night in refuge (includes dinner and breakfast) 60-80€
Packing list for the Tour du Mont Blanc
This will vary hugely depending on whether you’re camping or staying in huts and whether you’re cooking for yourself or buying food, so this is just what I packed for my trip (plus the things I wish I had brought).
Check out this post for recommendations on all the best gear: BUILDING THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE KIT: THE BEST HIKING & BACKPACKING GEAR FOR WOMEN
Hiking gear
- hiking backpack— I used a 50L pack and it was perfect. Surprisingly, I had by far the smallest bag of anyone that I saw camping along the trail, but people were carrying unnecessary items, if you ask me (jeans? a laptop?)
- waterproof backpack cover
- trekking poles— cannot stress this enough, I would not have been able to complete the hike without poles. Sometimes you are descending into valleys and your knees are screaming with the pain of a thousand suns and the only thing keeping you upright is your poles, so do not leave them at home.
- bladder— I managed with a 1.5L bladder and just filled up frequently, which helped with the weight of my pack. I also packed a 1L plastic bottle that I could fill up at streams throughout the day (and use to pour water into my bladder).
- hiking boots— I would really recommend some that come up high on the ankle for better stability. There is a fair bit of uneven ground, but also the steep ascending and descending on scree provides prime ankle-rolling opportunities.
Camping equipment
- tent
- sleeping bag— it’s usually around 10C at night, but I get quite cold, so I packed a bag rated to 5C (and was still sleeping in all the clothing I brought). Go for something warmer if you have room.
- mattress pad
- ultralight pillow
- camp stove— I actually ditched my stove and cookwear after the first few days, just cooking my mountain pouch food with cold water. If I had a second person to share weight with, it would have been fine, but I wanted to keep my pack as light as possible and I was already carrying a 2 man tent.
- gas canister— you’ll have to buy this in Chamonix or Les Houches since you can’t fly with it.
- cookware— I only carried a spoon to stir and eat directly from my mountain pouches, but these are the bowls I usually hike with.
- mountain food— I brought about 5 pouches of food and they lasted for multiple meals, especially when eaten with a baguette. All of the pouch meals I had could be cooked with only cold water, even the ones that say they require hot water, you just need to leave the water in the pouch for a few hours rather than a few minutes. I would put water in the pouch in the morning and the food would be completely rehydrated and delicious by lunchtime, when I would just eat straight from the pouch. This site makes the most amazing mountain food, you’ll want to eat it all the time.
Clothing
I saved a lot of weight by packing hardly any clothing, but I basically wore everything to sleep. Long sleeve, fleece, down jacket, tights, fleece leggings, and wool socks.. I got really cold in my tent, despite a warm sleeping bag, so don’t skimp on warm clothing if you’re also someone who runs cold. Better to carry a few extra items than to not get any sleep at night because you’re freezing!
- 2x quick drying hiking tanks/shirts
- 1x long sleeve shirt
- 1x fleece pullover/zip-up for the evenings
- down jacket— really glad to have this at night and on the windy mountain passes
- rain jacket— I actually only used mine for about 2 hours over the entire hike, but other people have not been so lucky with weather, so it’s essential to have.
- 2x hiking/running shorts
- tights for chillier evenings and for sleeping (plus fleece tights if you get cold easily)
- 2x wool socks and liners— wash them as soon as you take them off at night and tie to the outside of your pack in the morning if they still aren’t dry. These toe sock liners are the best thing that ever happened to my feet in terms of preventing blisters!
- 1x comfy (and clean) socks for the night
- baseball hat/sun hat
- Tevas/similar sandals— something you can wear around the campsite, on short walks in the evening, and possibly in the showers
- 1x sports bra for the ladies
Personal bits
- knee strap— this hike has a cruel amount of steep descents that will wreak havoc on bad knees. I bought a knee strap specifically for this hike, since I get crippling knee pain even down gentle hills and my knee brace is huge and very metal, and I can’t recommend this strap highly enough. It fits snuggly right above your tibial tuberosity and puts pressure on your patellar tendon, which helps maintain normal tracking and reduces pressure on the posterior patellar surface. It was about $8, is super small so it doesn’t make your knee hot and sweaty, and it really made a world of difference for me.
- KT tape for blisters and hotspots— I struggled so badly with blisters and went through way more bandages than I ever anticipated, plus was given handfuls by multiple kind hikers who took pity on me, so come prepared if you too are prone to blisters.
- Naproxen— something for the aches that you will definitely have, preferably a strong anti-inflammatory to keep swelling to a minimum in your joints.
- Claritin— the pollen is out and about in the summer.
- hygiene kit— toothbrush, soap, the usual bits (I recommend bar shampoo and bar soap to save on space and weight)
- ultralight microfibre towel— I actually left this out to save weight, but I know that not everyone is willing to drip dry.
- sunglasses
- camera + extra batteries— I love my GoPro for long hikes like this since it’s super small and light, takes great photos, and is totally water/dirt/shock/Brooke-proof.
- TMB guidebook
Happy hiking! Feel free to leave questions in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.
The Comments
John Andrew
Hi, thanks for posting an amazing blog about the ultimate guide to solo hiking & camping the Tour du Mont Blanc. The Tour du Mont Blanc is a breathtaking adventure, and this ultimate guide to solo hiking and camping is a game-changer. From trail tips to gear essentials, it’s a comprehensive resource for anyone seeking the thrill of the great outdoors. With this guide in hand, you’ll navigate this iconic trek with confidence, embracing the serenity of solitude while forging unforgettable memories amidst the stunning Alpine landscapes.
Thanks for once again. Keep posting such types of informational blogs.
John
OMG, you saved me Brooke!
I’m John from Vietnam, Im about to do TMB this September and was so stressed due to the last minute planning. All the refuges are booked and i was gonna cancel this hike until i found this article.
Thanks the universe!
I hope you are having a great day exploring the world.
Thank you so much for sharing!
brooke brisbine
JohnHi John, I am so glad you found this article helpful, that makes me so happy!
Hope you had a phenomenal time on the trail, it’s one of the very best 🙂
xx bb
Mina
That was very helpful,
Thanks Brook, I hiked Lycian way in Turkey, wonderful but it would be my first time solo hiking in August. like to hike with you in some part of the world, would be happy to receive your friendship email.
The best
Mina
brooke brisbine
MinaHi Mina,
The Lycian Way looks incredible, that’s definitely on my list! Hope you enjoyed the TMB & happy trails 🙂
xx bb
Aimee Frazier
Hi Brooke- Thanks for so much useful information! I’d love to know what knee brace you used – the link is broken. I’ll be trekking the TMB in September and will definitely need a knee brace. Thanks again!
Youtube Travel Here
Hello! Great blog article with a lot of useful information! I have a question: how many kg was your total backpack weight? I’m 70kg and my backpack weights 15kg. I’m not experienced with multiple day hikes but I do often hike a few hours day trips. I’m still doubting if I take too many kg or not. Because food for a few days is around 2kg and camping gear around 3kg so that’s already 5kg extra if you go camping! While non-camping people already take around 10kg in their daypacks
brooke brisbine
Youtube Travel HereOn the TMB, I’d estimate I carried around 16kg and I’m 58kg, but obviously this is SUPER personal– what one person can carry is not the same as another. I struggled A LOT with that weight at the time, but I can climb Class 4 routes with a 23kg bag now without issue, so fitness (and not just general fitness, but specific fitness with regard to carrying a pack) is also a major factor.
The best advice for anyone reading this is to train WITH pack weight prior to the trek!
Happy trails 🙂
xx bb
Emma
Hi Brooke,
This was such a useful article! Thank you so much for sharing. I was wondering if you’d be able to answer a query I have. We’re planning the trip for our honeymoon next year.
Is it possible to book accommodation/a home base (we’re thinking apartments through AirBnb) in some of the villages and then do some of the key trails each day. We would have a car, so would be able to drive to different sections of the trail each day to do some of the amazing hikes or trail runs.
If we have 7 days, we could book accommodation at:
– Chamonix for 2-3 nights
– Champex for 2-3 nights
– Courmayeur for 2-3 nights
Do you think we’d be missing out on some of the higher altitude hikes?
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks, Emma
brooke brisbine
EmmaHi Emma, so glad you found this post helpful! This is actually what my boss just did with her husband and their baby– basing out of a few towns, they were able to hike ~70% of the TMB as day hikes and then drive between towns to complete other sections. Your proposed itinerary would definitely be possible.
However, let me just warn that you will be missing out on the true TMB experience! If there’s not a super compelling reason to stay in town, I would strongly encourage you to book rooms in the huts so you can hike the full trail and really get into it– they are very comfortable, serve great food, and the social aspect is really fun. You can definitely still build in a rest day or 2 along the way, but I think it’s really worth it 🙂
Hope that helps, definitely let me know if you have further questions and I can also reach out to see exactly how my boss structured her itinerary with the car if that’s absolutely what you want to do.
xx bb
Sheilynne
Been searching for days trying to find a SOLO hiking blog for the TMB, and bonus a lady solo hiker! Well curated details and answered all of my questions without being so heavily wordy (which i end up losing interest in lol). Basically planning this on a whim this week for a September trip, cause hell, why not! From the PNW to the Tour du Mont Blanc <3
brooke brisbine
SheilynneAhh Sheilynne, thanks so much for reading and I’m so happy to hear about another solo lady getting out there on the TMB! Hope you had an absolutely fabulous time this September, it’s such a wonderful experience 🙂
Happy trails!
xx bb
Anne
HI Brooke, great to read all this information! I think I’m gonna do this. The TMB is said to be challenging, I wonder: is this because of exposed or otherwise dangerous passages?
I solo-hiked (and wild camped) the Alta VIa 1 in the Dolomites. It was challenging, and pushed my limits slightly, safetywise. Are there passages that were scary?
brooke brisbine
AnneHi Anne, thanks so much for reading and I SO encourage you to do the TMB! It’s not very exposed or dangerous, the challenge of the TMB just comes from the length and the elevation gain, which is not insignificant– nearly 2x the gain of AV1 (and only 1.5x the length, so yes, it is much steeper).
Wishing you a wonderful adventure!
xx bb
Aimee Frazier
Thanks for so much great, difficult information, particularly about camping! I am a wilderness guide, and have done lots of solo trips, but none in a foreign country. My question is about the knee brace you used. After all these years guiding trips with heavy packs, I also have screaming knees. It looks like the link no longer works. Might you have an updated link to the brace you used? Thank you so much!
brooke brisbine
Aimee FrazierHi Aimee, thank you so much for the sweet comment and apologies for the broken link! I realise this is probably too late to be helpful for your TMB trip, but for future reference, this is my favourite knee strap: https://amzn.to/3uio9tu
Happy trails 🙂
xx bb
Jack Tinberg
Thank you so much for this post. I have been finding it difficult to get all this information from one place! Planning my trip now and thank you for saving me a ton of time and $$$$.
brooke brisbine
Jack TinbergThanks for reading, Jack, I’m so glad to hear you found this post helpful 🙂
Happy trails!
xx bb
Alan
Hey Brooke,
So thinking of a last minute solo trip soon, late June.
I haven’t done solo hiking or camping before so worried about the weight and competency with the tent gear.
I am happy to pick up food at refuges to remove that weight. Do you believe it is possible to not bring the mattress pad. Just bring tent, sleeping bag and maybe a light pillow?
Thanks,
Alan
brooke brisbine
AlanHi Alan, I hope you made it out onto the trail for your solo trip this summer! Did you end up camping? I hope you did indeed bring a mattress pad, as I would absolutely never EVER recommend backpacking without one– they aren’t very heavy and you would have an atrocious sleep. I’m sure you figured out the perfect system 🙂
Happy trails!
xx bb
Pablo Fernandez
One of the best guides online. Cheers!
brooke brisbine
Pablo FernandezThanks so much for reading & for your kind words, Pablo! Hope you had a fantastic time on the trail 🙂
xx bb
Michaela
I found the info very useful as I´m planning this tour (solo hike and camping like you) this August. Thanks for sharing!:)
brooke brisbine
MichaelaHi Michaela, so glad you found the information helpful!
Happy trails 🙂
xx bb
Dani
MichaelaMe too! Hehe also this August, see you there!
Thanks for info! I will try to carry 6 kg backpack with tent
Yu
Hi Brooke,
I’m from Taiwan:)
Thanks for this article, it is very helpful.
I plan to hike TMB solo in Jun this year, and I am wondering if it is safe.
If I hike along the main trail, Is there clearly marked on the road?
In your experience, how risky is it if I fully prepared? Thanks.
brooke brisbine
YuHi Yu, thanks for reading!
The TMB was my first solo backpacking trip and I found it to be absolutely excellent– safe, well-marked, trafficked enough that you’re not alone for too long, frequently punctuated by shops/restaurants in small towns, intermittently connected to transport… If you’re prepared for the physical challenge, then you could hardly find a better solo hike!
Hope that helps and happy trails!
xx bb
LM
Some spectacular photographs of spectacular scenery. Thanks for information on pricing. I am such a novice at touring possibilities I get a bit stuck on simple unimportant stuff. Example, do gas canisters in France have compatible fittings for gas stoves we buy here in Scottish camping shops? Thanks again for info.
Regards
LM
brooke brisbine
LMHi Lee, thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed my early attempts at photography 🙂
I had no issue finding compatible gas canisters; Chamonix draws hikers from all over the world, so it’s not hard to source outdoor essentials to fit any set-up. I don’t know if Scotland has a super unique fitting, but I suspect you’d be fine!
Hope that helps and happy trails!
xx bb
Jonathan
hello,
thank you for this article very helpful. When you planned your campsites did you have to reserve them, or did you just show up the day of and pay?
brooke brisbine
JonathanHi Jonathon,
Back in 2017, I just showed up for the campsites with no bookings whatsoever (I don’t think reservations were even possible at that time), but I can’t comment on whether this is still true in 2023.
If anyone else reading this has recently hiked the TMB, we’d greatly appreciate your feedback!
xx bb
Jonathan Lloyd
Hello/Bonjour,
Your guide has been the most helpful of any on the internet thus far! Thank you.
I would like to ask, how far in advance did you book on trail reservations (gite, refuge, or campsite)? A lot of guides recommend booking 6-9 months in advance. I like being flexible and hiking 25-30km days… Thoughts or recommendations on reservations?
Thank you! 🙂
brooke brisbine
Jonathan LloydHi Jonathon!
At the time I hiked the TMB, there were no reservations required at any of the campsites, so my itinerary was 100% flexible. This may not be the case for camping anymore, I’m not sure, but definitely if you plan to stay in refugios, you really should book in advance. As a solo person, I’d say you have a good shot at snagging a last-minute spot, and even the possibility of arriving day-of and getting a bed if someone cancels (this worked for me in the Dolomite huts!)– but it’s still recommended to have a tent as a backup.
Hope that helps a little!
xx bb
Derek
Good’ay Aussie, great to have your expert advice.
Brooke , I have followed your advice and purchased the guide book you recommended.
I walked the Larapinta Trail out of Alice Springs in June 2022 and found it very tough (at 70) doing more than 12 kms a day. So I thought I would walk around Mont Blanc in twice the time.
My idea was to luxuriate in a Chalet with good wine and food every second night and to spend the intervening evening at altitude in the mountains in a tent. I am used to camping in the Snowy Mts in winter. I have bought a hyperlite back and am having a special (under 1kg dyneema tent) made for me in Japan.
Big question, walking in June before the crowds, would I be allowed to do it? (camp in the mountains outside the normal camping areas). What do you think from your experience?
brooke brisbine
DerekHi Derek,
I think that sounds like a wonderful adventure perfectly balanced with comforts, which the TMB certainly lends itself to. Throughout much of France and Italy, I found it easy enough to wild camp– sometimes in plain view, other times farther from the trail and rifiguios– but this is technically forbidden in Switzerland, so you’ll be confined to the (well-appointed) campsites here. If these aren’t open, I think wild camping would be unobjectionable, so either way, this should be very doable.
Happy trails to you!
xx bb
Wendy
Hello Brooke,
I have read through this vlog several times hoping I trek the TMB next month (travel restrictions…). I eat vegan and wondering if food will be difficult to purchase in the shops along the way. I don’t eat bread or cheese which I have read is a huge staple.
I will be tenting as well and wondering if there is anything you would change regarding your route if you were to do it again. I will be using yours as a guideline due to time.
Thank you for sharing such a fabulous informative vlog.
Cheers
Wendy
brooke brisbine
WendyHi Wendy,
I am SO sorry for the slow reply to your comment– maybe you can share if you were able to find anything vegan-friendly along the route, as others may have a similar question?
Hope you had a wonderful experience on this trail!
xx bb
Y
Hello, when you were camping — did you ever worry about your belongings in the tent especially when you’re away (e.g going for a shower)? How did you deal with that?
Thanks!
brooke brisbine
YAs you are, I was a little wary prior to undertaking the trek alone, but it ended up feeling incredibly safe to leave things in the tent while I went to shower or find cheese nearby. I’d imagine you’ll feel the same, but if not, it’s easy enough to bring any real valuables (camera, etc) with you.
Hopefully you have as wonderful an experience as I did!
Ben
Thanks for the website help lot more hikes plans for me.
brooke brisbine
BenHi Ben, so glad to hear it!
Happy trails 🙂
-Brooke
Aga
Hi Brooke,
Thanks for this article, so many helpful tips!
Did you leave your things and backpack in the tent in the evenings? I wonder how safe it would be to leave it for a while and for example go for a dinner or a walk in the evening.
Thanks!
brooke brisbine
AgaHi Aga, so glad you found this post helpful!
I never had any issues leaving my stuff in the tent– whether you’re wild camping or staying at a designated site, the TMB is (generally speaking) incredibly safe.
Happy trails!
-Brooke
Kristen
brooke brisbineHi Brooke,
Thank you so much for this great article! I see you stated that you recommend hiking boots with ankle support, do you always hike in hiking boots? I am not an avid hiker but the few I have done, West Highland Way, Inca Trail, and local hikes, I have done in running sneakers. I have been debating the need for hiking boots for this hike and cannot get a true feel if they are necessary or not. I like sneakers since I feel like they are more comfortable and you don’t get blisters which is important for such high mileage days however everything I have read for this hike say hiking boots. Thank you so much for your helpful tips!
brooke brisbine
KristenHi Kristen,
This is such a personal choice! I’d never go on an overnight hike without boots, but that’s because I have terrible ankles and really need the support. I know plenty of others (like you) would PREFER to hike in shoes, even on a multi-day trek… as crazy as it sounds to me 🙂
For the TMB, I’d REALLY encourage boots because of the rough, rocky terrain and steep ascents/descents (especially if you do the high variants, which often descend over scree fields)– but I actually saw a man doing it in Teva sandals, so clearly it’s a matter of preference. People also run this trail (not the high variants, though) as part of an Ultra, so they’d be in shoes as well.
I have also done the Inca Trail, and the real difference is the weight you’re carrying, the distances you’re walking, and the rugged trail conditions on this trek, which far outweigh the demands of the 4-day Inca Trail.
The best compromise in my eyes would be bringing both shoes and hiking boots. My parents are avid mountaineers and this is what they do– they wear shoes on flatter, less demanding days when they want to maximise comfort (and also when they’re just walking around the campsite) and then wear boots on the more demanding days. This requires some additional pack weight, but if you’d be bringing camp shoes anyway (I usually bring Birkenstocks), then it’s not an enormous jump to bring a light pair of runners.
I really hope that helps!
-Brooke
Jamie
Hi Brooke!
I was originally planning to hike TMB with a friend at the end of july/beginning of august. Unfortunately plans have changed and my friend is no longer able to come with. I’m pretty confident with solo travelling via hotels, but I’m not sure how confident I am to solo travel on a thru hike with camping only. Your page is helping me feel way more confident about doing this solo! How did you find the trail as a solo female hiker? You mentioned it being safe and that’s what I have read in multiple places. Were there any times you felt concerned about your safety? How were the people? Did you feel like there was always someone near you to help you out in case you got lost or were confused about something? Thank you so much in advance!
brooke brisbine
JamieHi Jamie,
I was actually in the exact same situation! I had planned to do the TMB with a friend, she backed out at the last minute, and I was really nervous about doing it alone– it was my first solo trek, I had to carry a 2-man tent and all the cooking gear by myself, and I’m not a great navigator. In the end, I just went for it, and it ended up being one of the best experiences of my life.
As you’ve read here and in other places, the hike is completely safe and I never once felt uncomfortable. The TMB is very popular, so you’ll never go more than a few hours without passing someone who can help if needed. The people on the trail were amazingly friendly (hikers are always the best kind of people!), and I made some really lovely friends that I hiked with for one or two days as our itineraries overlapped. Every day or second day at most, you will pass through a small town, so there are also plenty of points where you can take a rest day if needed or restock supplies.
Thankfully, the trail is super easy to follow. There are signs and markers everywhere and the main guidebook is really all you need, I didn’t even bring a map or GPS and was fine.
I would highly recommend camping, as it will give you the most freedom in terms of how far you go each day. This is great for a solo hiker because you might make friends and want to camp with them at a closer spot than you originally planned or you might be alone and want to keep trekking until 7pm because, well, why set up camp early if you’re alone?
I think if you can do it with a friend, you can do it by yourself, and you might just find that it’s far more rewarding that way 🙂
Happy trails, and feel free to ask any other questions you might have before July!
-Brooke
Hes
JamieHi Jamie did you/ are you still planning to do your trip?
Jamie
HesI wish! Brooke had great information and I was really excited to do it by myself however like most things these days. I had to cancel it because of the pandemic….I read that the trail has been really nice with the lack of people so I would have loved to still go, but I’m living in Korea and if we leave the country…we are legally obligated to do a 14 day quarantine upon return…not enough vacation days for that unfortunately. I hope to reschedule it for next summer if things start looking up!
Gosia
Hi Brooke! Thank you for your post 🙂
I was just wondering if you could give me a rough estimate of how much the total trek cost you (excluding your flights and travel expenses to reach the starting point)- but things like accommodations during and cost for food?
Thanks!
Gosia
brooke brisbine
GosiaHi Gosia,
I personally spent 90€ on accomodation for the entire trek, and that’s including one night where I paid 40€ for a B&B in Courmayeur, so it could have been much cheaper. All other nights were camping along the trail!
In terms of food, I had 2x mountain meals each day on the trail, so that’s about $25AUD each day + maybe $5 in snacks. I’m not sure where you’re based, but this is my favourite mountain food: http://packitgourmet.com
Hope that gives you an idea 🙂
-Brooke
Jen
I feel much confident now. Thank you and enjoy your new adventure !
Jen
Hi Brooke,
I’m so glad to find so much helpful info from your blog. I’m planning to hike solo for the first time in June. My main concern is about the trail. Were the trails clearly marked? Would I be able to tell which way to take especially when there’s no one around to ask on the entire TMB loop?
Thanks,
Jen
brooke brisbine
JenHi Jen, it’s great to hear that you found this post helpful!
I was worried about the same thing before my trek, especially since I am a really poor navigator… Thankfully, the trail is INSANELY well marked, with signs at just about every junction listing KMs and time to the next waypoint. I’d recommend having the guidebook pages with you, but you don’t need a separate map or GPS. Also, there are usually people to ask, it’s a popular trail 🙂
Hope that helps; happy trails!
-Brooke
José
Amazing thanks for sharing!!
brooke brisbine
JoséThanks for the comment & happy trails! 🙂
Bradley
Hi Brooke,
Fellow Sydney resident here!
Just wanted to say thank you for this awesome write up, it has really provided me with some invaluable insight into how I should approach the trip 🙂
I plan to hike the TMB early July next year, but considering I’m fairly new to hiking and have never done a solo hike in my life, I’m a bit concerned about the overall difficulty. Would you suggest I hold off attempting the hike until I have some more experience in this kind of thing?
I would very much like to mirror your approach to the hike, and suspect I will end up following your itinerary as closely as possible once I’m over there.
Thanks heaps, Brooke!
Brad.
brooke brisbine
BradleyHi Brad, so happy to hear you found these posts helpful and that you are planning to hike the TMB! It is truly incredible.
This was also my first ever solo hike and I’d definitely recommend it to you as the perfect introduction to hiking alone. It is a physically strenuous hike, sure, but the navigational demands are really minor, there are plenty of other people on the trail, lots of well-appointed campgrounds, and near-daily opportunities to pass through a town or take a rest day as needed. If you are confident in your ability to carry a heavy pack and make the long ascents, I wouldn’t worry about the rest!
Definitely let me know if you have any other questions about the TMB, I’m more than happy to share further details of my experience and just general trekking advice, having since done a lot more 5-10 day hikes around the world.
Happy trails!
-Brooke
Clare
BradleyBrad — TMB will be my 3rd solo hike. I recommend the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland (50 miles with the extra day to the coastal waterfall) and the northernmost 70 miles of the Kungsleden in Switzerland, each is 5 days.
Brooke — Thanks for this! I feel much more confident about my solo trip (which has been postponed for 2 years).
brooke brisbine
ClareThanks for reading and happy trails, Clare! Crossing my fingers that this will be your year 🙂
Yannick
Hi Brooke,
Thank you for sharing your experience. It sounds amazing.
Did you have to prebook the camp spots? or did you just show up and pay as your entered?
Kind regards.
brooke brisbine
YannickHi Yannick,
Apologies for the late reply, I’m travelling in South America at the moment and I haven’t had very reliable internet!
As for the campgrounds, no, you absolutely don’t need to book anything in advance. I didn’t have any trouble getting a spot and I think it’s very unlikely they would turn you away even if they were fairly crowded. Worst case, you can wild camp, but I sincerely doubt it will come to that. The campsites are large and there are often several options within a few kms.
Hope this helps and have a wonderful hike, the TMB is amazing!
-Brooke
Yannick
Hi Brooke, I love your website- it is really helpful!
Could I please ask if you had to book the campsites? or did you just show up at the campsite and request a place to stay?
Kind regards,
Geert
Thanks for all the info, I loved reading about your adventure.
Do you know what your total base weight was of your pack without water etc? Thanks!:)
brooke brisbine
GeertHi Geert, thank you for the kind words!
My TMB weight: 15kg total
base weight (bag and camping gear) 6kg
+ food 2.5kg
+ clothes, toiletries, electronics (camera, etc) 5kg
+ water 1.5kg
Hope this helps 🙂
-Brooke
Elliot
Thanks, this website has wonderful info. We will be doing the TMB in a couple of weeks. Do you think a jetboil is something that is necessary to bring? We were thinking of just buying food at convenience stores along the route. Are there enough of those that you won’t need to bring any freeze-dried meals?
brooke brisbine
ElliotThanks, Elliot!
Well, you have a few options for food along the TMB. The first is that you can buy hot meals at mountain huts (or restaurants when you pass through town), the second is that you can cook all of your own food, but the best option, in my opinion, is a combination of both! Food in the mountain huts can be really expensive (about 25€ per dinner), so it will really blow your budget out. Plus, there are a number of campsites that aren’t right next to a mountain hut or in a town, which will make it pretty challenging to get food (this is assuming you’re camping??).
When I hiked the TMB, I cooked but supplemented my dehydrated mountain meals with bread and cheese bought along the way. I even enjoyed an incredible pizza for dinner when I passed through Courmayeur!
Hope this answers your question– and have a wonderful time on the TMB, it really is amazing!
-Brooke