Preparation

The closest city, major airport and train station is Geneva. You then take a transfer to Chamonix and will be dropped at the chalet door. The transfer from Geneva takes approximately 60 minutes. There is also a train to Saint-Gervais-Les-Bains / Le Fayet where you can take the Mont Blanc Express train to Chamonix. 

You will be staying in either a luxury chalet or hotel in the Chamonix Valley, depending on which type of event you have booked. If you have booked a trip to an alternative destination, please contact us directly for further information.

The accommodation is twin room sharing. It may be possible to arrange for you to have your own room for an additional fee, subject to availability in the chalet or hotel.

Yes. The bedroom you are allocated in the chalet is yours for the entire time you are in Chamonix and you can leave anything you don’t need for your hike in your bedroom. Hotels in Chamonix will provide baggage storage but you will need to check out of your room. If you are on an event outside the Chamonix Valley and involve trekking between different places, please contact us to check whether it is possible to leave a bag in the accommodation.

The chalets we use may be located close to Chamonix town centre or further away from Chamonix. We recommend you bring everything with you that you need for your trip. It may not be possible to get into Chamonix centre in time to purchase the items you need.

3 meals a day are included. In our chalets, the CHX chef will prepare a 3 course meal in the evening, a large breakfast and picnic lunch to carry with you for the trek. You will also get breakfast, picnic lunch and evening meals in the hotel. Meals are also provided in the mountain refuge accommodation, but these are more basic meals.

Yes. CHX provides 3 meals but you will need additional snacks. Fruit will be available from the chalets but please bring snacks that you enjoy for trekking. 

Yes. In the chalets, we have our own chef providing food and for picnic lunches on the trek. Dietary requirements can also be accommodated in the hotels. We will ask in advance for any requirements and do our absolute best to accommodate these. Please note, it can be difficult to cater for dietary requirements if you are staying in mountain refuges during your event.

Yes, you will need to carry a day pack with an extra layer, waterproofs etc., 1-2 litres of water and your packed lunch. In limited circumstances, if you have a specific reason for not being able to carry your kit, the CHX team will do what they can to assist.

CHX will provide a full kit list. Generally gym / exercise kit is sufficient for most of our hiking events. However, you will need a good pair of walking boots with supported ankles and good waterproof layers. Some other items will be required for trekking and mountaineering events.

We recommend you use walking poles because it takes effort from your legs both up and downhill, helps to protect the knees, and with balance. We do have a few spare pairs but not enough for everyone so it is a good idea to have your own and practice walking with them. If you would like to borrow / hire poles on the event, you will need to contact us in advance.

Plan to have enough for a whole day hiking or trekking as you are unlikely to be able to refill during the day. 

This is a mountainous trek and a good level of fitness is required. It is also important to be confident on your feet because some of the trails are rocky and uneven. We may hike some ‘off-piste’ away from the main trails. The difficulty will depend on the type of event.

A good level of fitness is required for all Challenge events. Fitness can be in many different forms but strength, cardio fitness and endurance are all required. We will be hiking 7-8 hours, up and downhill, carrying a pack. You should be regularly exercising to at least one of the following levels:

• 2-3 high intensity exercise sessions per week (interval training; HITT; spin class etc)
• Experience of multi-day hiking in hilly terrain
• Able to cycle / run for 1+ hours multiple days in a row

Please note the fitter you are, the more enjoyable you will find this challenge.

Yes. If you are starting from a lower level of fitness, start gradually and build up. Please take advice from an exercise professional and always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise regime. Simply spending time walking with a weighted rucksack (assuming no pre-existing medical conditions) is a great way to enhance your fitness levels and strengthen key muscle groups.

Yes, we will provide a basic training plan as well as the chance to speak with our team, but also recommend you speak to an exercise professional who can tailor a plan specifically for you.

Absolutely not. The only things that are required are a good level of fitness, (or are happy to build your fitness), a smile and a desire to try something new.

You will be hiking for full days (approximately 7 hours) but with plenty of opportunities to stop and rest. A big percentage of this will be uphill. The majority of hiking will be on mountain trails but with some off-trail which could be difficult underfoot.

You will need to find a bush or rock off the trail and away from water sources such as rivers.  You are welcome to carry tissues, toilet roll or wipes, but you must also carry a small bag to take this away with you. You are asked to place a rock over the area you have used. 

We will have qualified Mountain Leaders guiding the trip. They are experts and hugely knowledgeable about the area. The CHX team will also be on hand to answer any questions.

Please speak to a member of the CHX team about this but hopefully we can manage this and it is not something that should prevent you taking part.

We may hike to over 2,500 metres and you may experience an above-usual feeling of fatigue.  However, it is very unlikely you will experience altitude sickness at these elevations. Arriving on the trip in a good physical state, and avoiding excessive alcohol will help the body adjust to the height. If you are taking on a higher level trekking or mountaineering event, altitudes may exceed 3,000 metres or even 4,000 metres, which may have a greater effect on your breathing and physical fatigue.

The guides have full first aid training and, in the first instance, will do what they can to look after you. In more serious circumstances, if necessary, we would call mountain rescue to evacuate you. It is important you have suitable insurance to cover this and the activity you are undertaking. 

In Chamonix you will have signal, but possibly not for the whole hike / trek so do not plan any calls or expect to always be able to respond to email while away in the mountains.

It will hopefully be pleasant weather during the months of our events. However, in the mountains it is unpredictable and there could be warm temperatures, rain or even snow so you need to plan for this. We will have a more accurate idea of weather closer to the time but please note that mountain forecasts can shift even within 24-48 hours of the event, so following the advice of CHX staff and the recommended kit list is important.