Multi active family adventure holiday packed with water sports and walks in the French Alps Aiguille du Midi cable-car ride and canyoning with the family Whitewater rafting or hydrospeed ride on the River Arve Excellent centre based chalet accommodation outside Chamonix An exciting overnight at a mountain refuge on a 2 day mini trek with the children HOLIDAY CODE FCH France, Family, Multi-Activity, 8 Days 1 night mountain hut / refuge, 6 nights chalet, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners, max group size: 10, 6 days multi-activity, max walking altitude - 2385 metres VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE
PAGE 2 Introduction France's Chamonix Valley, with its spectacular backdrop of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, is the perfect setting for a family adventure holiday. Based at our comfortable chalet in the village of Argentiere, this superb activity holiday will ensure that your family gets the most out of their week in the Alps. This holiday is designed to involve the whole family, with a fun packed itinerary and the option to finish off the evening with a soak in the hot tub! Adapting the itinerary as necessary, the local guide will escort you on the activities and choose scenic day hikes along famous Alpine trails close to the border with both Switzerland and Italy. Activities offered include introductory canyoning, whitewater rafting or hydrospeed' on the River Arve, as well as the exciting high ropes course at the Chamonix Adventure Park. You will also be able to ride Europe's highest cable-car to the breathtaking viewpoint of the Aiguille du Midi, take the Mont Blanc Express train to Vallorcine and stay overnight in a mountain hut. Also available locally are swimming, ice-skating, biking and the summer 'luge'. This is an action-packed week of fun and adventure at the heart of the French Alps. If you are looking for a two-week holiday then you can combine this holiday with our Family Tour du Mont Blanc Walking Week Holiday, a mini-trek on this classic circuit. Is this holiday for you? Suitable for children from 8 years old With our comfortable chalet base and a variety of included activities, this itinerary should appeal to all families with active children. Our four walking days include cable cars to the top of the mountains and around 4-6 hrs of walking and up to 600m of ascent and descent. We have optional rafting, hydrospeeding, canyoning, an adventure tree tops course and rock climbing. There is also the option of taking the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi to 3842m. Also included in this exciting holiday is a walk to the Miage refuge where we overnight, meaning we need to carry our overnight things (sheet sleeping bags and teddy bear) in our backpacks. The walks are on good and wellmarked trails and they are suitable for children provided they are used to walking in the hills. The itinerary is suitable for children aged 8 and above, although children must be aged 12 to do the hydrospeed and canyoning (children under 12yrs will raft instead). Also note that height restrictions may apply for certain activities. The itinerary includes one night in a mountain hut, all other nights are at our chalet in Argentiere. Chamonix is served by several low-cost airlines flying into Geneva. You should allow approximately EUR200 per person if you wish to take part in all activities. Please see 'spending money' for activities break down. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group chalet in Argentiere in the Chamonix Valley. Meet at the group chalet in Argentiere just a few kilometres from Chamonix. The accommodation we use for the Chamonix Family Adventure is the Yeti Lodge chalets. The chalets have bright and airy rooms, south-facing sundecks with views to Mont Blanc, as well as a hot tub and sauna. On arrival you can relax and enjoy the stunning views of Mont Blanc. In the evening, you will meet your guide and have an informal chat about the week ahead. KE Land Only package services begin with dinner and overnight at Yeti Lodge.
PAGE 3 CHALET MEALS D Day 2: Walk to the Valley of the Bears and the Swiss border. Return by train. We begin our week with an easy acclimatisation walk. Starting from your accommodation we walk through the old town of Argentiere and through the neighbouring hamlets of Frasserands and Monroc to reach the Col des Montets at 1461m. Here we can visit the Nature Reserve des Aiguilles Rouges and discover rich and diverse flora and fauna of the region. We continue over this historic pass into Vallorcine, the valley of bears, all the bears have long since gone, but this beautiful valley provides opportunities for a variety of walks depending on your families experience. Walking on good trails we follow the 'Route des Diligences' and find a meadow stop for our picnic lunch before reaching our destination today, the Swiss frontier where there's an opportunity to buy Swiss chocolate! We complete our day by taking the historic Mont Blanc train back to France. CHALET DESCENT 330M ASCENT 250M TIME 3-4 HOURS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 10KM MEALS BLD Day 3: Possibility to take the Aiguille du Midi cable 3800m, afternoon optional rafting or hydrospeeding. The Aiguille du Midi cable car leaves from the centre of Chamonix. It is a journey of two stages. The first brings visitors to the Plan de l'aiguille at 2300 metres. The second stage traverses the glacier of Les Pelerins, before rising up the North Face. Often in summer it is possible to spot climbers on their way up this face towards the summit of the Aiguille. From the top station at 3800 metres the view of the Alps is incredible, with several terraces from where visitors can take in the spectacular views of the Swiss, French and Italian Alps. On a clear day it is possible to see the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and the Grand Combin. An elevator inside the rock rises the final 42 metres to the top terrace at 3842 metres. This is the closest you can get to Mount Blanc without climbing! We then descend to the mid station at Plan de l'aiguille and have our picnic lunch. After our final descent, we head off to get wet with a fun, fast and furious journey on white water along the River Arve through the centre of Chamonix itself. Choose from Rafting or 'Hydrospeed' which is swimming with a helmet, flippers and a block of plastic as a float! To raft you must be 8 years old, 1m 20 in height and for Hydrospeed at least 12 years old and 1m 50 in height and be able to swim. Both the cable car and the Hydrospeed/rafting are optional, and should be paid for locally. Dinner will be at a restaurant in Argentiere. CHALET MEALS BLD Day 4: Balcony walk from top of the Flegere to Plan Praz. Mont Blanc Panorama walk. This walk visits the Aiguilles Rouge Nature Reserve with a landscape of granite cliffs, wildlife, and often old snow left over from the winter. Our route begins at the Flégère cable car where we take advantage of a ride up to our trail at 1877m! This lovely balcony walk gives us impressive views of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley a fantastic way to view Western Europe's largest mountain and surrounding peaks. After arriving at the next cable car, Plan Praz at 2000m, we will stop for our picnic lunch. From here the views of the glaciers and mountains are simply incredible and in fine weather we can watch the paragliders taking off and playing on the warm air! We then save our knees by taking the cable car down right into the heart of Chamonix where we can visit one of many ice cream shops! If time allows it's then possible to walk a little more along the by the glacial River Arve back towards your accommodation. Distance: 6km along the balcony walk, optional 6km from Chamonix to Argentiere.
PAGE 4 CHALET ASCENT 180M DISTANCE 6KM MEALS BLD DESCENT 100M TIME 4-6 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 5: Possibility to go canyoning or rock climbing. Afternoon free for optional biking or luge or swimming. Canyoning involves wearing protective gear whilst descending steep gorges and river courses. This can involve abseiling over rocky steps, jumping and sliding over waterfalls and swimming through hidden pools. Professional guides will give you detailed instruction and equipment to allow you to enjoy the thrills of one of the region s best canyons. To take part in this activity (canyoning) you should be at least 9 years old, and weigh a minimum of 35kg and be able to swim well. It is reasonably exhilarating. For those who would prefer a drier experience, there is the option to challenge yourself with rock climbing. Join a professional guide at Chamonix's lakeside crag to learn the skills and techniques to scale a rock face and abseil by yourself back to terra firma! Both the canyoning and rock climbing are optional activities and payable locally. Lunch today is in one of the town s many cafes and the afternoon is then free for you to explore. You may wish to relax. Or, if you are in need of more adventure your guide will help you organise another activity - you can take the train up to the Mer de Glace Glacier and Ice Grotto, hire bikes, ride the Chamonix Luge, or check out the flumes at the swimming pool. All activities payable locally. CHALET MEALS BLD Day 6: Start of the 2 day trek on the Tour de Mont Blanc. Walk from Les Houches cable car to Miage Refuge (1560m). Today we need to be organised and pack our little rucksacks to start a 2-day walk along the world famous trail of the 'Tour du Mont Blanc'. We set off for our adventure from Les Houches and enjoy stunning views of the Chamonix Valley as we use the cable car to gain 900 metres of elevation. We cross under the Bionnassay Glacier and head up to the Col de Tricot (2120m), before making the steep descent of around 45mins to the Miage pastures and chalet/refuge. Here we have the afternoon to explore this hidden river valley, with its farm animals and views to the glacier. We spend the night in characterful accommodation hosted by the Orsett family, having dinner in the hut. Please note that this walk can be adapted to suit most fitness levels and age groups. Our accommodation will be in a non-segregated mixed dormitory. You will be required to bring with you a sheet sleeping bag (in your backpack with your overnight belongings), blankets are supplied. With the sound of cow bells and the fabulous views, staying in this high and remote mountain hut is an experience not to be missed! MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 600M DISTANCE 9KM MEALS BLD DESCENT 560M TIME 4-6 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 7: Descend from Le Truc (1720m) to Les Contamines Adventure Park (optional). Return to Argentiere. After our breakfast in the chalet, we make the short ascent up to the alpage or Alpine meadow at Truc. Here, we have the option of walking up to the viewpoint summit of Truc for 360 degree views. We then have a gentle descend from the col to Le Truc (1720m) where there is a refuge at which we can have a coffee. We continue our descent through a forest of tall pines on a wide track to the small town of Les Contamines. We then walk a little further to the adventure park where we have our picnic lunch by the lakeside. Here, we can experience the high life travelling from tree to tree through the forest, using rope bridges, Tarzan swings, Tyrolean wire slides, rope ladders and cargo nets. There are different circuits for different ages / sizes of children. For the fun yellow & blue
PAGE 5 route you have to be 8yrs or older and at least 1 metre 20 centimetres tall. Entrance for the tree tops adventure trail is optional and payable locally. From here we transfer back to Argentiere for a well-deserved rest and final dinner. CHALET DESCENT 600M ASCENT 150M TIME 3-4 HOURS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 8KM MEALS BLD Day 8: Departure day. KE Land Only package services end after breakfast. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included A professional English-speaking guides and local instructors All transfers Cable cars (apart from Aiguille du Midi) involved in the itinerary All accommodation as described in the trip dossier Meals as detailed in the meal plan What's Not Included Travel Insurance Visa fees (if applicable) Airport transfers Activities (Aiguille du Midi / rafting / hydrospeeding / canyoning / rock climbing / tree tops) Miscellaneous personal expenses Meal Plan All meals are included in the holiday price from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 8. Food The food in Yeti Lodge is varied and plentiful. Continental breakfasts, packed lunches, afternoon tea and full 3-course evening meals are included. Yeti Lodge has an honesty bar for wine and drinks with your meals. Certain days you will receive a packed lunch. In the mountain hut night you will be served wholesome mountain food. Joining Arrangements & Transfers The group will rendezvous at the Yeti Lodge in Argentiere on the evening of day 1 of the trip itinerary. For clients arriving by air, the easiest way to get to Argentiere is to fly to Geneva Airport and make use of an airport transfer service. We recommend mountaindropoffs.com. KE clients can get transfers from 30 each way by entering the promo code YETI. Please note that transfers are subject to availability and your flight details are required a minimum of 72 hours before your arrival in Geneva. Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be
PAGE 6 provided with your booking confirmation. If you are driving to Chamonix we will provide route details and directions to the group hotel/chalet in Argentiere. Parking is available for clients arriving by car. Accommodation During this trip, the group will spend 6 nights in chalet-style accommodation at Yeti Lodge in Argentiere. The apartments in Yeti Lodge all enjoy bright and airy rooms with floor-to-ceiling picture windows with private southfacing sun-decks facing Mont Blanc, real fireplaces, satellite TV/DVD and free Wi-Fi. The chalet has a sauna, hot tub and wonderful views. The family rooms are twin, triples or quads with either en suite or shared bathrooms depending on availability. The group will also have use of a comfortable lounge area. Yeti Lodge offers secure car parking and is non-smoking. One night will be spent in mixed dormitory style accommodation in a mountain hut. Group Leader & Support Staff The group will be accompanied by an experienced English-speaking professional leader throughout the holiday and during the activities by qualified instructors. Altitude The altitudes on this holiday are not extreme and the maximum altitude attained is no more than the equivalent of a pressurised cabin on an international flight. You may feel the altitude the first time you trek above 2000 metres but all that is required is a slower pace to compensate. You should pay particular attention to your hydration levels while trekking above 2000 metres. Spending Money ACTIVITY PRICES. (All prices are per person) Aiguille du Midi lift: 50 Rafting 2hrs: 40 Hydrospeeding 45mins: 45 Half-day Canyoning: 75 Half-day Rock Climbing: 75 Tree Tops Adventure, Les Contamines: 15 to 20 depending on course You should allow approx 200 per person for the activities An additional sum of min 50 per person should be allowed for entrance charges to swimming baths, ice rink etc. and a few drinks, tipping and personal expenses. There are ATM's in Argentiere and Chamonix. All prices are approximate and are subject to change without prior notification. Guidance On Tipping Tipping is the accepted way of saying thank you to your leader and local team. Tipping is entirely voluntary and should be dependent on good service. We advise you to tip as a group. Free KE Gift
PAGE 7 We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for 24.95. Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Baggage Allowance For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. Luggage with wheels is useful for this holiday. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline. On the day/night that you are walking to the mountain refuge there is no baggage transfer. Everyone will need to carry their overnight belongings including a sheet sleeping bag. We recommend that you keep your backpack as light as possible. Of course you may wish to carry some of the children s belongings in your pack as well. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at:
PAGE 8 http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate Generally, the temperatures that we can expect to encounter during the day will be reasonably warm, ranging from around 18 to 28 C. At night in Argentiere, we can expect the temperature to drop to between 10 and 15 C. The weather is usually stable at this time of year, but mountainous areas do generate their own weather systems and occasional rain and even stormy weather cannot be ruled out. Maps Mont Blanc Tour And Massif Pocket Map 1:50,000 Libris Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes The dates above are for the LAND ONLY itinerary, joining at the group chalet in Argentiere. The nearest airport is Geneva, approximately an hour's drive away. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' and 'Flights' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Geneva. These include Easyjet who have flights from London, Manchester, Liverpool & Glasgow and Jet 2 who have flights from Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Birmingham & Belfast. Other airports may be available. If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection.
PAGE 9 Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or e-mail, or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at www.keadventure.com, and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: www.junipertrust.co.uk. KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too!
PAGE 10 Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.
PAGE 11 Equipment List Please try to keep the weight of your baggage to a minimum. See the baggage allowance section for further details. You Must Bring The Following Items Walking/Hiking boots Trainers Old trainers for canyoning and rafting (that you don t mind getting wet) Socks Trekking trousers Underwear Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Thermal baselayer - leggings for rafting Baselayer shirts T-shirts and/or casual shirts Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt with collar (for sun protection) Fleece jacket or warm jumper Lightweight waterproof jacket Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Lightweight thermal or fleece gloves Sheet sleeping bag Daypack 30 to 40 litres (depending on how much of the kids' stuff you want to carry) Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Water bottles (approx 1 litre per person) Swimwear (at the public Chamonix swimming pool these must be Speedos or lycra type swim shorts) Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Small towel Torch and spare batteries Basic First Aid Kit - You should bring your own personal first aid kit consisting of the following: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium) painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, Insect repellent
PAGE 12 (DEET), and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets are a good idea. NB There are excellent medical facilities in Chamonix. The Following Items Are Optional Shorts Walking poles Insect repellant Travel clothes Pen-knife (note: always pack sharp objects in hold baggage) Repair kit (eg. needle, thread, duct tape) Camera Toys / games / books etc Notes All specialist equipment required for the activities on this trip are provided. Please note: This document was downloaded on 7 Apr 2018, and the trip is subject to change.