Swiss Alps summer vacation: Geneva to Chamonix & Mont Blanc
Embark on a Swiss Alps summer vacation tailored for the seasoned traveller. Discover Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn, on our expert-led Alpine Adventure.
Highlights
See famous summits and glaciers up close in France, Italy and Switzerland, including Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.
Discover the incredible geology and tectonic forces that shaped the Alps and learn about the history of mountaineering.
Traverse through famous mountain passes, each with its own unique story.
Travel by exhilarating travel by cable cars and mountain railways to reach amazing heights without a hard climb.
Stay in two excellent four and five-star hotels, guided by our expert Tour Leaders Prof Rob Butler and Dr Taija Torvela.
Aiguille du Gouter and Dome du Gouter
Overview
Take an unforgettable journey through the majestic Alps on this 7-day small group guided tour.
Alps vacation highlights
Join us for an exploration of nature’s grandeur, complete with expert insights, delicious local cuisine and unforgettable vistas. This tour is ideal for everyone from geology enthusiasts to those simply looking for an enriching holiday that’s big on discovery and relaxation.
Our Alpine tour is a unique opportunity to delve into the geological history and beautiful landscapes of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. You’ll see iconic mountains including Mont Blanc and the instantly recognisable peak of the Matterhorn. As you explore the charming Alpine towns, you’ll experience an exciting variety of transport, from leisurely walks, cable car rides and scenic train journeys.
Meet your Alps vacation tour leaders
Your tour is led by renowned geologists. Professor Rob Butler has spent years unravelling and explaining the history of the Alps to all levels of interested students and visitors (hear about a Day in the Life of Rob in the Alps here).
Dr Taija Torvela, is an associate Professor and an expert in earth structures and mineral resources.
We’re only running this tour once in 2025, so reserve your place soon!
Useful details about your Swiss Alps summer vacation:
- Start / finish: Your tour starts and finishes in Geneva, Switzerland.
- Activity level: Leisurely. Walks are generally easy and less than 1.5km (1 mile) on well marked paths and trails (view our activity level definitions). The tour will require boarding cable cars and gondolas.
- Transport: We will use a comfortable coach suited to the number of attendees. The tour also includes rides in several cable cars.
- Weather: Average June temperatures in the Alps range from a low of 9°C to a highs of 20°C (48°F to 67°F). Rain is always possible, so you should bring light waterproof clothing.
- Accommodation: We will be lodging in very comfortable hotels, several with iconic views of the landscape. See our list of hotels in the Need to Know tab.
Where you will visit…
Welcome to Geneva! Your adventure begins as you arrive at the Crowne Plaza Geneva Hotel which offers a free airport shuttle service. You’ll meet your tour leaders for a welcome drink late afternoon. Prof Rob Butler and Dr Taija Torvela will give you a warm welcome and an overview of the exciting journey ahead. Take this time to settle in, meet fellow travellers, and get ready for a week of exploration. Free evening.
- Hotel: Crowne Plaza Geneva
- Free evening
Start your day with a scenic drive through the beautiful Alpine foothills, which have been sculpted by ancient glaciers over millennia. Enjoy the dramatic landscapes as we make our way to the charming town of Samoëns. Free time to explore the town and find a spot for lunch.
Afterward, we’ll continue our journey through the valley of the Arve, stopping to marvel at incredible folded rock formations involved in creating the Alps.
By evening, we’ll arrive in Chamonix, where you’ll settle into our centrally located hotel for the next two nights and enjoy a group dinner in a local restaurant.
- Hotel: 5-star Hotel Hameau Albert 1er
- Group dinner
We start the day with a cable car ride to Le Brévent, where you’ll be treated to sweeping views of the western Alps and Mont Blanc. After taking in the stunning scenery, controlled by the underlying geology, we’ll head back to Chamonix for a group lunch.
The afternoon is dedicated to discovering Chamonix’s rich history through visits to the mineral and alpine museums.
Make the most of your free evening in the vibrant town of Chamonix and prepare for the next leg of our journey.
- Hotel: 5-star Hotel Hameau Albert 1er
- Free evening
We’ll start early to beat the traffic through the Mont Blanc tunnel. Our first stop will be Courmayeur, where we’ll have a coffee in front of the awe-inspiring south face of the Mont Blanc range.
From there, we’ll drive down the upper part of the picturesque Aosta Valley. Its numerous castles and ancient bridges chart the valley’s importance as a route through the alps, since before roman times. We head into the Gran Paradiso National Park for a group lunch, at the alpine village of Cogne.
We can spend the afternoon finding out about the region’s ancient history of mining in the region’s museum.
By evening, we’ll arrive in the historic city of Aosta, founded in 25BC by the Romans. From the centrally located 4* Duca D’Aosta hotel, our base for the next three nights. From the hotel you can explore the Roman and Medieval remains and browse the excellent range of shops. Each evening you’ll have time to unwind in the hotel or perhaps take a stroll to cosy bars, cafes and restaurants serving excellent local cuisine.
- Hotel: Duca D’Aosta Hotel
- Free evening
Today, we’ll drive up the Valtourneche valley to the mountain village of Breuil (Cervinia) and take the dramatic cable cars up to a vantage point on the Swiss-Italian border. It provides stunning views of the Matterhorn.
Prof Rob Butler will lead a fascinating geological discussion, explaining the forces that shaped these iconic mountains. We will enjoy a group lunch in a superbly located alpine restaurant, returning to Breuil.
The rest of the day is yours to explore or relax before returning to Aosta and the Duca D’Aosta hotel.
Enjoy a relaxing evening in Aosta, we’ll spend our second night in Aosta.
- Hotel: Duca D’Aosta Hotel
- Free evening
After driving down the dramatic gorge of the Aosta valley, passing ancient castles and segments of roman roads, we will spend this day up in Val di Gressonney. The valley is an alpine gem full of little alpine farms.
We will take another cable car ride to see Monte Rosa and Lyskamm – another set of alpine 4000m peaks on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Monte Rosa is the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe, after Mont Blanc. Lyskamm at 4532m also known as Silberbast (literally “silver bast”), is renowned for frequent avalanches, leading to its nickname the Menschenfresser (“people eater”). We’ll be able to touch outcrops of former oceanic crust – and discuss how they came to be over 3 km above sea level.
After a tasty group lunch at another picturesque alpine restaurant and a short stroll across meadows to a tiny chapel, we can return to the valley. Our return down Val di Gressonney passes romantic waterfalls, villages, and the odd roman bridge!
If the weather restricts the cable car and view, we will spend more time visiting the local historical castles. Return to Aosta for final evening, group dinner and overnight stay.
- Hotel: Duca D’Aosta Hotel
- Group dinner
On our final day, we’ll drive back to Geneva via the historic Grand Saint Bernard Pass, the third highest road pass at almost 2500m (8100ft) in Switzerland. This scenic route offers more stunning views of Great St Bernard Lake and Mt Velan (3727m) and its glaciers, and a sense of the journey’s historical significance. With a leisurely lunch stop planned, we aim to arrive in Geneva by late afternoon, marking the end of our incredible adventure through the majestic Alps.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.
Double room for single occupancy is £450.
Your tour starts and finishes in Geneva, Switzerland.
The activity level is rated as LEISURELY requiring an average level of fitness (view our activity level definitions). The tour will involve only a small amount of walking in generally easy terrain, but will require good walking boots/shoes (please note, some paths may be uneven and loose underfoot). Walks are <1.5km (1 mile) long. This tour also involves boarding cable cars and gondolas.
The tour has been designed to involve minimum walking with the dramatic views being available from close to the coach stops. If short walks are an issue, alternative arrangements can be made, so please let GeoCultura know in advance.
Transport will be by small comfortable coach. The daily coach trips are generally no longer than 1-1.5 hours each way, except for the final day when the group returns to Geneva via the St Bernard Pass and Lake Geneva, but there will be leisurely lunch stop on route. The tour will include several cable car rides.
Average temperatures in the Alps range from a low of 9°C to a high of 20°C in June (48°F to 67°F). Rain is always possible, so you should bring light waterproof clothing. Insect repellent is recommended.
The tour includes:
- The services of your two expert guides who will be with the group throughout the tour, staying at the same hotels.
- All transportation costs from Geneva Airport
- Entry fees, local guide fees and activity fees, where arranged as part of the tour.
- All accommodation costs for the nights stated, assuming two people sharing a double room. Single occupancy rooms are available for a surcharge. See Single Supplement in ‘Need to Know’ tab.
- Six breakfasts, and five lunches and two group dinners
- All service charges and most gratuities.
The tour excludes:
- Travel insurance. Guests should carry their own health and travel insurance.
- Alcoholic drinks with meals are not included.
- Extra or optional activities not described in the tour.
- Dinners not included on four evenings.
- Personal expenditures, including bar bills, laundry bills, and the cost of meals on four free evenings.
- Air fares to Geneva not included.
- Passport and visa fees.
Our tour leaders are happy to provide suggestions for alternative activities for guests who prefer not to participate in certain parts of the tour walks or visits, or group dinners.
Night 1: Crowne Plaza Geneva, Geneva
Nights 2 and 3: Hotel Hameau Albert 1er, Chamonix
Luxury five-star hotel with spa, and member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux group. Located in the centre of Chamonix, so ideal for exploring the town on foot. Excellent customer reviews praising the impeccable service and friendly staff.
Nights 4-6: Duca D’Aosta, Aosta
Well-located four-star hotel in centre of historic city of Aosta with good reviews. Short stroll to local shops, restaurants and bars. Limited service hotel (no restaurant), but good breakfast and bar for evening drinks and snacks. Wi-fi in rooms and air conditioning.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternative accommodation of equal or higher quality or adapt the itinerary if required.
Deposit: A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.
Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.
Cancellation by participant: A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:
- Greater than 60 days before tour begins: Any monies paid plus half of the deposit will be refunded
- 30 to 59 days before tour begins: 35% of tour price will be refunded
- 15 to 29 days before tour begins: 25% of tour price will be refunded
- Within 14 days of tour or during the tour: No monies will be refunded
Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for additional details.
Your tour leaders
Rob Butler
Rob Butler is Professor of Tectonics at Aberdeen University; he is active in the Geological Society of London and is on the Board of the Scottish Geology Trust.
Rob is an enthusiastic and captivating spokesman for the earth’s geology. He delivers frequent talks on the landscapes and history of the Scottish Highlands (and other topics). Some of these may be viewed on his educational YouTube page, The Shear Zone. He has also appeared in the BBC’s Men of Rocks series.
As an expert tectonic geologist, Rob’s best-known research is on the structural geology of mountain belts (Scotland, the Alps, the Himalayas, the Apennines and Arabia), and he has worked extensively on the “Salinity Crisis” in the central Mediterranean.
Rob has won a number of awards from the Geological Society of London, most recently the first Dewey Medal (2018), awarded for significant contributions to geology through field work, leadership and promoting geoconservation.
Taija Torvela
Taija is an Associate Professor at the University of Leeds and an expert in earth structures and mineral resources. Taija has worked at Abo Akademi University in Helsinki, Finland, and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, as well as Leeds, and has spent time in industry, including working on the geological repository for containment of spent nuclear fuel in Finland.
Taija is passionate and experienced at communicating the complexities and uncertainties of interpreting earth processes. At present Taija is committed to promoting the understanding of how earth processes underpin societal needs for the energy transition, particularly the future challenges for stewardship of the required mineral and metal resources.
Aiguille du Dru from Chamonix, France.
Chamonix town with Mont Blanc range in the background.
The Duca D'Aosta Hotel, Aosta, Italy.
Testimonials
The Geology of the Pyrenees, Spain | Nick C, September 2024
Having now been on two GeoCultura tours I would recommend them to anyone with an interest in finding out about geology.
The tour leader and his assistant were great. I cannot emphasise how good the tour leaders on both tours have been. It is what has made the tours for me. Their knowledge and the ability to impart it to someone who is not a geologist and make it understandable has been amazing. After all I come on these tours to be educated.
The meals were spectacularly good.
The Geology of the Pyrenees, Spain | Paul W, September 2024
Dinosaur Short Tour, Canada | Wayne M, July 2024
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