From Introduction Level | Private Guiding
From Introduction Level | Private Guiding
♦ Experienced UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guides
♦ Learn techniques and climb rock routes
♦ From single to multi-pitch valley climbs
♦ Great for all ages
Check our Grading Page
Anytime
Valley rock climbing
Single-pitch rock climbing is a great and exciting activity for families, friends, and children, with plenty of scope for a fun and exciting day out.
From young age
Rock climbing is a safe and fun sport. The only real limit to participation is fitting a harness, rock shoes, and a helmet. Climbers as young as 4-6 can have fun testing their motor skills, solving problems, learning knots and belay techniques, and working on being comfortable in a steeper environment.
While most kids find the height fun and exciting, some younger members might be challenged. A gentle approach can help address this.
There is no upper age for climbing. Any session can be adapted with a pace that allows anyone to fully enjoy the physical and mental challenges climbing offers.
Established routes on bolted rock walls
We climb on cliffs near the valley floor or easily accessible by a lift. The walls are equipped with bolts and anchors in a safe and natural environment. Many cliffs in Chamonix offer learning and climbing opportunities for beginners and advanced climbers.
These are some of the venues we climb at:
The Gaillands:
The “Rocher des Gaillands,” mostly called “Les Gaillands,” is Chamonix’s biggest valley cliff. The main sector has a wide wall with numerous good single-pitch climbs and a few very good 3-4-pitch multi-climbing options. The rock is solid gneiss, and the cliff is extensively equipped with glue-in bolts and anchors. Other sectors can be found further up in the forest and offer great climbs on the same type of rock.
A nice “Buvette” has a shady terrace to enjoy refreshments, meals, or ice cream. You can also bring your picnic and sit on the large grass before the cliff.
Summer 2025
| No. of Participants | Half-day group price | Regular group price |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 participants | 380€ | 450€ |
| 4-6 participants | 500€ | 650€ |
You can book as a half-day or a full day. Expect around 3 hours of effective climbing as a half-day and 5-6 hours when booked as a full day.
We only arrange guides for private groups. The rate of the half-day or full-day is shared inbetween the participants.
Have a look at what is “Included” and “Excluded” under the price table.
Included
UIAGM/IFMGA guide
A professional mountain guide will lead, instruct the group, and ensure security.
Group equipment
All ropes, carabiners & safety gear
Excluded
Any cost not mentioned in the “Included” section. The most important ones are:
Personal equipment
Check the gear section.
Lunches & drinks
Bring a sandwich/water bottle
Insurance
You should make sure you are adequately insured. Check our page on insurance.
Lift tickets
Mostly we don’t need this, but it is possible to climb a bit higher using the lifts on warm days.
Transport
We strive to make meeting points easily reached with—the valley bus/train system. If we have cars (guide + potentially client car), we will use them when needed.
If we drive further away, the participants must pay the transport cost (fuel, parking, road tolls, tunnel fee, etc.).
You can book as a half-day or a full day. Expect around 3 hours of effective climbing as a half-day and 5-6 hours when booked as a full day.
We only arrange guides for private groups. The rate of the half-day or full-day is shared inbetween the participants.
Have a look at what is “Included” and “Excluded” under the price table.
Included
UIAGM/IFMGA guide
A professional mountain guide will lead, instruct the group, and ensure security.
Group equipment
All ropes, carabiners & safety gear
Excluded
Any cost not mentioned in the “Included” section. The most important ones are:
Personal equipment
Check the gear section.
Lunches & drinks
Bring a sandwich/water bottle
Insurance
You should make sure you are adequately insured. Check our page on insurance.
Lift tickets
Mostly we don’t need this, but it is possible to climb a bit higher using the lifts on warm days.
Transport
We strive to make meeting points easily reached with—the valley bus/train system. If we have cars (guide + potentially client car), we will use them when needed.
If we drive further away, the participants must pay the transport cost (fuel, parking, road tolls, tunnel fee, etc.).
We either drive together or meet at a set venue.
We walk together to the base of the cliff and pick a nice spot where there are suitable climbs for the group.
The guide will help the group get ready with harnesses and helmets and do a safety briefing.
Depending on how much time we have, the abilities and age of the participants, etc. the guide will be able to teach climbing techniques, belay techniques and plenty of other climbing-specific exercises.
We will mainly focus on single-pitch climbs, where the guide will set up several ropes and divide the group into small teams, that can be supervised from the ground.
With small teams (max 2 participants) we can do multi-pitch climbing routes.
The focus mostly is on having fun and climbing as much as possible. It is an active day out.
Shorts or long-legged pants
T-shirt
Light jumper
Rain jacket
Approach shoes/running trainers/boots
Flip-flops can be nice to have when it is warm.
Climbing shoes (can be rented for the day in most Chamonix sports shops)
Small, light & compact backpack
Helmet*
Harness*
*Sometimes the guide can provide these items. Just let us know in advance.
Food and drinks
Small first-aid set
Mobile phone
Sunscreen
Tour Grade: From 1/From A
Please read through the requirements for participating in this tour and follow the link to the “grading page.”
Technical Level
We take any level for valley rock climbing. The guide will teach and super-vise the group for the day.
Those who have a higher level and previous rock-climbing experience can climb harder routes.
Fitness
Anyone can try climbing. You don’t need to be extremely fit as we have plenty of easy routes to choose from. That said you will enjoy it the most if you are well-coordinated, not overweight and have some strength in your arms and legs.
General Information
Getting to Chamonix or the course venue
For most of our clients, the easiest way to get to Chamonix or the Alps, in general, is by plane. The nearest airport is Geneva.
Read more about getting to Chamonix here – Click here.
Valley accommodation
Not everyone wants the same accommodation type, so we rarely include Valley accommodation. Check our suggested hotels, B&B, and campsites on this page – Click here.
If you want us to include hotel nights in the price, please let us know what standard you are looking for.
Insurance
You must take out search & rescue, repatriation, and cancellation insurance. Read more about insurance here – Click here.
Safety
We believe our finest task is to give every client a unique mountain experience without taking unnecessary risks. The experience of the mountain guide, access to the most recent weather forecasts, and information sharing between guides are some of the important elements for making good and sound judgment calls. Suppose conditions or other situations render an attempt at a peak dangerous, avalanche conditions of a ski tour no longer possible, etc.. In that case, the guide will do his/her best to devise a good alternate plan. This might be a 100% change of the program. Emphasis is put on staying safe and having a great time!
Mountain huts
In some of our courses, we stay in mountain huts. On hut-to-hut trips, they are part of the itinerary; at other times, we use them as the starting point for a climb or ski tour.
The mountain huts offer basic accommodation in bunk-style rooms. Blankets and duvets are in the huts, so you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag. It is obligatory to bring a sleeping bag liner.
We are served a simple breakfast and a 3-course dinner (soup, main meal, dessert).
We will let the guardian of the hut know if you are on a special diet (vegetarians, allergies, etc.). Vegans will need to bring supplementary food.
There are hut slippers available for use inside the hut.
It’s helpful to bring cash for personal expenses (water, soft drinks, beer, lunches, etc.)
There is mostly no tap water in the huts, and you must buy bottled water.
You will be able to charge your phone.
Some mountain huts have showers. You must mostly pay for this; only a few huts can provide towels.
Make a booking
Please read through all the course information. Please make sure that you have the required level to join the course.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Read more about the booking process here – Click here.
We will need all to join a course to complete our “Participation Form.”
