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Can you hear the call of the wild? An alpine mountain hutting holiday allows you to do things far away from the humdrum of everyday life. Wake up above the clouds, climb peaks above 3000m and have lunch overlooking chamois and ibex. Our small groups of up to 12 people including the leader allow a strong sense of cameraderie to be built. So if you have the stamina, a good head for heights and a spirit of adventure, make a date with the Alps for next summer.
Where can I go?
Ramblers Worldwide Holidays offers a selection of Alpine hutting holidays in Europe. The Tour du Mont Blanc is our most popular hutting holiday and has run sucessfully for over 20 years. High in the Stubai allows you to leave the valley on the second day, rarely dropping below 2000m before you return at the end of the fortnight. Our Across the Alps holiday snaking between southern Bavaria and the Süd Tirol in northern Italy has been tweaked for 2010. We now have more nights in mountain huts and more high level routes. Both the Gran Paradiso and Tour of Monte Rosa routes visit more remote and lesser known areas of the Alps, and have come in for particular praise from clients, selling out in 2009. All of the holidays above give the option of climbing peaks over 3000m.
Introduced in 2009, La Vanoise National Park in France has the famous 'Route des Glaciers', a balcony path which (believe it or not) winds its way between glaciers (but not across them!). Our new 11 day holiday follows some of this route. At grade C this is our easiest hutting tour for 2010, which we hope will attract both those new to hutting and also regular clients in search of a spectacular new walking area.
How fit do I need to be?
If you’re happy with the grade of walking required (between C and C+/B depending on the holiday) then hutting is no more demanding than a high grade hotel-based holiday, although you'll have to carry a pack. Don't let your age put you off! In 2009 our youngest hutter was 16 and our oldest 75. The average age is mid-50s to mid-60s.
Our hutting holidays are not technical climbing holidays, so we avoid routes where slings, karabiners, ice axes and crampons are needed. On all holidays we will all the same occasionally be using fixed ropes and climbing or descending short iron ladders - so you do need to have a good head for heights. On the Tour of Monte Rosa we rope up to professional local guides to cross the Theodulo Glacier - this is an easy glacier traverse and no previous experience is necessary.
View our walking grades >
Is hutting just for blokes?
Absolutely not. In 2009 we had more women on our Tour du Mont Blanc than men.
What's included in the price?
Pretty much everything. We include flights, transfers, all meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last, all transport described in the itinerary, the services of a Ramblers Worldwide Holidays leader... the only thing you may have to pay for apart from Alpine Association membership (see below) is drinks from the huts and the odd optional cable car or local bus.
Austrian Alpine Club (AAC)
Membership of an Alpine Association is necessary for all hutting holidays as it allows us to benefit from cheaper rates in many huts. Traditionally Ramblers Worldwide Holidays has recommended the Austrian Alpine Club (AAC). The cost of membership is not included in the holiday charge; a membership form will be sent with your holiday confirmation. Annual membership currently costs £38 if you were born after 1948 and £28.50 if you were born before. (Membership of another Alpine Club with full reciprocal rights is acceptable.) Membership of the AAC automatically gives you their insurance cover, which is in our opinion adequate to cover mountain walking. You need to make sure, however, that it covers all your insurance needs. If you do join another Alpine Association and take out alternative insurance cover, please check your insurance policy to make sure you are covered for guided mountain walking.
What are the huts (and valley hotels) like?
Many huts are in superb positions offering magical views - that's one of the reasons people love staying in them. They are, on the whole, very well equipped, welcoming and sociable places. Huts normally consist of a large common room cum dining room and mixed dormitories with bunk beds. The hut wardens normally try to reserve one of these dormitories for our sole use.
Hot meals, blankets and pillows are provided (you need only a sheet sleeping bag) and washing facilities are often excellent with hot water and showers. In the smaller or higher huts there may be no showers and only basic washing facilities. The Holiday Information Sheet specific to each hutting tour normally contains information on the facilities in each hut.
On all hutting holidays we stay at times in the valleys. Normally we stay in a small hotel or hostel-style accommodation in more remote areas. In hotels where we book twin rooms we also always reserve two single rooms. This means that two people of the opposite sex not known to each other before the holiday will not have to share a room.
What do I need to carry?
Definitely not the kitchen sink. Whilst you have to carry a pack containing everything you need during your holiday, with modern lightweight hi-tech gear readily available, your basic pack need weigh no more than 7kg (15lbs). In addition to this you'll need to fill your water flask and carry some picnic food. The leader has a rope and emergency shelter (both for use in emergencies only!) and the carrying of these is normally shared around the group over the duration of the holiday.
Our Holiday Information Sheets contain a suggested kit list for keeping your pack light.
View all our hutting holidays >
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