Our base for this Alpine Training Course is in the Swiss Alpine village of Arolla, which provides some of the best introductory mountains in the Alps. They have everything to offer close at hand: rock, glaciers, ice, brilliant scenery and peaks such as La Luette (3548m), the Pigne d’Arolla (3796m), La Eveque (3716m) and Mont Blanc De Cheilon (3870m). Arolla is a very cost effective base as there are no extra costs for lifts or cable cars.

The Arolla Alpine Training course will focus on teaching the key skills required for safe and successful mountaineering in Alpine areas and will provide an excellent foundation for further Alpine courses and many of our expeditions. The skills taught through mountain days include: glacial travel, crevasse rescue, roping-up, ice axe & crampon technique and movement in Alpine terrain.

Previous Experience & Fitness

You should have a good level of fitness as Alpine Mountaineering can be very tiring. Normally we would expect you to be able to enjoy consecutive 7-8 hours days in the British mountains with a medium pack. No previous experience with crampons and ice axe is required.

Mont Blanc Extension

You can extend your stay in the Alps and transfer to Chamonix for a 4 day Mont Blanc extension, the highest peak in Western Europe.  The previous course is essential to gain the acclimatisation required to climb Mt Blanc. To add this extension go to the Dates and Prices Tab and select the extension.

Saturday: Arrive in Chamonix and check into your hotel. Evening meeting with your Guide. (H, B)
Sunday: Go up to Cosmiques (3613m) or Gouter Hut using a variety of cable cars and trains
Monday: Ascent of Mont Blanc (4810m) and return to the hut or valley hotel
Tuesday: Reserve summit day or Cosmiques Arête etc
Wednesday: Breakfast and departure

Please note this is a suggested itinerary and the actual programme may change as a result of weather, conditions on the mountain, availability of mountain huts and individual levels of fitness. If due to any of these reasons a summit attempt is not possible then we usually switch our attentions to Gran Paradiso or another similar objective. If any extra costs for accommodation, transport or food are incurred beyond the suggested itinerary then you will need to pay these directly.

• Instruction/guiding
• Guides Expenses
• Hut accommodation (half board) and valley hotel accommodation on a B&B basis
• 15% off the RRP on clothing and equipment purchases from Adventure Peaks shop

• Transport to course venue
• Insurance
• All lunches and valley evening meals
• Telepheriques (approx £50)
• Transport during the course
• Personal equipment

Valley accommodation is booked from the night of your arrival, with guiding starting the following morning. Check out is normally the morning after your course finishes. This is booked on a twin or double room basis: however single rooms will be provided where there is not a member of the same sex to share with. Additional nights in valley hotels can be booked through Adventure Peaks at preferential rates. When in the mountains we use Alpine huts where rooms are normally on a dormitory style basis.

It is vitally important that you have adequate travel insurance for your trip with Adventure Peaks. We recognise the complexity and variety of choice in the insurance market and know that many of you either have your own preferred insurer or have annual multi trip cover in place already. If this is the case, please ensure that your insurer is aware of your Adventure Peaks itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken.

Adventure Peaks do not provide any advice on travel insurance, although it is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have travel insurance which covers the activities which you are likely to be undertaking on your holiday. Cover must include emergency medical, helicopter evacuation, repatriation and rescue expenses.

It is strongly recommended that suitable cancellation insurance is purchased at the time of booking as all deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Suggested insurance companies include:

Expeditions or Treks

• HCC Medical Insurance Services LLC  Tel: +1-800 605 2282
• Travelex Insurance Services  Tel: +1-800 228 9792
• True Traveller Insurance Tel: 0333 999 3140 for treks including over 4500m
• Austrian Alpine Club (UK) Tel: +44 (0)1929 556870 (up to 6000m)
• Snowcard  Tel: +44 (0)1295 660836
• The B.M.C.  Tel: +44 (0)161 445 6111 (please note the BMC cannot cover Mt Damavand)
• Dogtag  Tel: 0800 036 4824 (UK residents only)
• World Nomads  (up to 6000m)
• Insure for Less  (Australians only)

Treks only:

• Campbell Irvine  Tel: +44 (0)207 938 1737
• Rothwell & Towler  Tel: +44 (0)845 908 0161
• J S Insurance  Tel: +44 (0)844 848 1500