Saturday August 29th – Saturday September 5th 2020
High alpine pastures, peaks and passes with the backdrop of the iconic Monte Rosa. 6 days of guided walking incorporating some of the finest alpine walking and scenery on offer in the stunning NW Italian Alps.
The small town of Alagna Valseisia lies underneath the southern slopes of Monte Rosa and is the second highest mountain in the Alps. It’s the highest National Park in Europe and the town is a UNESCO World Heritage site with its beautiful indigenous Walser architecture.
The Monte Rosa town of Alagna (1119m) is our base for the week with one overnight away in Rima. This lesser-known, unspoilt special area provides nature in abundance and some of the finest walking in the Alps.
You will have a fully bi-lingual guide in Ruth as well as an assistant guide, Duncan Forbes, working alongside her. With 20 years of experience of Italy’s mountains Ruth is passionate about passing on what she knows and loves of these and the country. Duncan is very experienced and qualified in the mountains – amongst other things he is a member of the Brecon Mountain Rescue team.
The walks itinerary has been carefully worked out to incorporate some of the best scenery in the area while at the same time giving you a chance to acclimatise to Alpine walking. While the terrain is not technically difficult this is not a trip for beginners – some of the ascents and descents are long. To get the most from this trip, you need to be able to sustain and enjoy walking for a week with 8-hour days. We do, of course, stop frequently and we enjoy mountain refuges; the pace is not frenetic but it’s important to remember that these mountains are higher than those we have in the UK so it’s essential that you have good fitness.
Outline Itinerary:
Sat 29th: Arrival
Sun 30th: Wonderful high walk under the glacier (8hrs)
Mon 31st: High pass through some stunning lakes country (7hrs)
Tues 1st: Journeying to Rima and the next valley over the Col (6hrs)
Wed 2nd: Monte Tagliaferro – superb peak (which is optional), two high passes – our biggest day (8-10hrs)
Thurs 3rd: Options day.
Fri 4th: Ancient Alps villages and Passo Foric (8hrs) or options.
Sat 5th: Depart
Please note – walking times are approximate and incorporate stops.
Accommodation: our accommodation for the week will be at the lovely hotel Montagna di Luce (http://www.montagnadiluce.it/en/). Housed in a traditional Walser building it’s a delightful local 3* hotel. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms. Twins for single occupancy are possible but a supplement is payable.
The restaurant serves very good food much of which is sourced locally. Dietary requirements can be catered for.
On one night we will be in Rima – again in a lovely small hotel.
Travel:
Milan Malpensa airport is the easiest to fly to. Most low cost airlines fly there.
This will be our meeting point.
It is also possible to come to Milan from the UK by train with the overnight sleeper being a good option – booking in advance here is key to getting very good fares. Milan Central Station and Milan Malpensa are both well connected by train that takes 45 mins. This website is a useful starting point to plan European train travel: https://www.seat61.com/index.html
The week includes:
- All accommodation in 3* Hotel twin/double rooms with ensuite bathroom
- All packed lunches
- Fully guided walks
- Airport transfer from and to Milan Malpensa
- 5 evening meals at the hotel – we will eat out for the other two and these are not included in the trip price.
Cost: The cost of the trip is Euro 1,200 per person. Payment will be converted to £ sterling when due.
Booking: To book your place on the trip please email Ruth: Ruth@element-active.co.uk
You will then receive a booking form with deposit and final payment details. The minimum number for this trip to run is 8 people – the maximum is 12.
Do email or call (07507 189904) if there’s anything you’d like to discuss further before booking.