MOUNTAINS & VILLAGES OF CORSICA This was well up there with the best walking holidays I have been on. There really was nothing to criticise and even the weather was as close to perfect as you are ever likely to get in the mountains.
Chalet Chamonix: Cols, Cake, Cable Cars, Conversation. An excellent trip which was very well organised by Exodus and enabled us to explore the Chamonix Mont Blanc area quite thoroughly. The different walks had their own characteristics and there was surprising variety each day; you do need to be fit to enjoy the walks as there is a significant amount of ascent and descent at a reasonably fast pace. The views are incredible with lush vegetation snow capped peaks, blue skies and glaciers. We travelled in late July and there were still plenty of alpine flowers, lots of butterflies and we saw marmots on one day. The weather was mostly good with just one wet day. The free bus/train pass provided for the local area is very convenient.
Our group of ten all got on extremely well and enjoyed great chats and laughter throughout the week.
Chalet Chamonix was a fabulous place to stay; very comfortable rooms, a short walk to the town and outstanding food cooked by the very welcoming hosts, Liz and Clare. The lounge area was a great place to relax after walks and enjoy the homemade cakes and tea and the honesty bar worked well too.
This shortened version of the Tour du Mont Blanc was truly magical, and it was a good way to experience part of the TMB for the first time without committing to the full 10 day circuit. It was nice to find an option of a guided-hike at a very reasonable price. Given the price point, I would say that my expectations were met. I wasn't expecting all the bells and whistles that some other much more expensive tour groups offer, and that's okay with me. With that said, I think it's well worth the extra money to upgrade to the double-room option and I'm happy my friends and I opted for the upgrade. The other hikers in my group were absolutely fantastic and so encouraging which, while out of anyone's control, is really what made this trip so special. Having had a taste of this shortened version of the TMB, I would love to go back to complete the full circuit, and would consider choosing them again.