Home > Geneva > Independent Chamonix and Mont Blanc Tour from Geneva
USD $72.00
Independent Chamonix and Mont Blanc Tour from Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland
On this half-day or full-day independent tour from Geneva, cross the Switzerland-France border and visit one of the most famous villages in the French Alps, Chamonix, at the foot of towering Mont Blanc. Enjoy a scenic coach drive through the Arve Valley to the picturesque Alpine village of Chamonix, where you’re free to explore at your leisure. Full-day tour-goers can ride the Aiguille du Midi aerial cable car to the spectacular mountain summit, or add a train ride up to the dazzling Mer de Glace glacier.
After boarding an air-conditioned coach in Geneva in the morning, relax on an unforgettable 1.5-hour drive across the Switzerland-France border and through the picturesque Arve Valley to Chamonix. This stunning Alpine village is situated at the foot of majestic Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe at 15,780 feet (4,800 meters).
Choose from three tour options below. Each include round-trip coach transport, with a local assistant on board to answer any questions you have. On arrival in Chamonix, you are free to explore as you wish until you need to meet your coach at the agreed departure time later in the day. Transport Only (6 hours) For those crunched for time (or scared of heights), this half-day option is ideal. When you arrive in Chamonix, you'll have the rest of the morning to explore independently. Enjoy picturesque mountain views around every corner as you discover the town’s many delights, such as Parc Loisir, Musée Alpin, Lac Gaillands and Atelier Les Racines. Cozy up at a typical French bistro or chic Alpine chalet to indulge in the satisfying Savoyard specialty: fondue. Board the coach in the afternoon for the ride back to Geneva.
Aerial Cable Car (6 hours)This option includes a ticket for the famous Aiguille du Midi cable car. Ride up to 12,605 feet (3,842 meters) to a landing of permanent snow and ice, where you’ll be treated to jaw-dropping panoramas of Mont Blanc and the surrounding French, Swiss and Italian Alps. On a clear day, you may even see the Matterhorn; an icon of Switzerland. Sip hot chocolate or enjoy a meal at one of the highest restaurants in the world, overlooking the snow-capped peaks.
Re-board the coach in the late afternoon for the drive back to Geneva.
Aerial Cable Car and Glacier Train (10 hours)Enjoy an action-packed day in the Alps with this independent full-day option — the complete experience! Explore the beautiful town of Chamonix then head for the Aiguille du Midi cable car and admire the incredible views from the ride. Before or after this, depending on your schedule, hop on the Montenvers railway and ride up to Mer de Glace. Descend by gondola onto the glacier, where you can walk through ice caves that are carved out into the heart of the ice.
You also now have the possibility to add lunch to your tour!
Starter: buffet of salads, bread and soup Main course: choose chicken or fish with vegetables or veggie dish Dessert of the day: varies depending on the day
Re-board the coach in the evening for the drive back to Geneva.
A trip to Chamonix is a brilliant way to get a taste of the majestic Alps. This tour is the perfect way to get there and presents a number of options following your arrival. The on-board guide was knowledgeable and helpful but the real value of this tour is the location itself. _br/_ Naturally, given the landscape, the weather can play a big role in just what is possible following arrival but Chamonix offers so much: shops, many beautiful restaurants, hikes and of course the advertised gondola ride and/or train ride. Not knowing what the weather would be like, I waited until arriving in Chamonix to decide which activities to do. It's very easy to buy the tickets in the town itself. _br/_ Luck was on our side this day and the weather was phenomenal, so I opted to travel up the gondola to the Brevent and take a walk across the snowy landscape. The area was a hive of activity, with hikers, rock climbers and the majestic parasails; truly a sight to behold._br/_ I feel the independence of this trip is its best selling point - especially if you're happy to look after yourself and don't need a guide to lead you around. Chamonix is compact, with a new surprise around every corner, so do yourselves a favour and book a return trip to this beautiful town.
Review by: John H, March 2018
Everything went smoothly and the views from the top of the cable car are amazing! Bit short of oxygen at the top of the elevator though. The glacier was spectacular too, after an awful lot of stairs. Well worth the trip.
Review by: Mahrukh U, January 2018
The drive in itself was lovely... The driver was great and to be fair that what I paid for. However, the guide we had, a lady called Caroline was absolutely useless and not helpful at all. She couldn't even confirm correctly where the drop off and pick up points were and when I asked her a question for some information, I was abruptly brushed off.
Review by: Tammy M, November 2017
great day trip! lots of time for site seeing and getting a feel for the area
Review by: Tanja G, October 2017
wonderful
Review by: Fiona C, October 2017
On time with knowledgeable guide and very flexible.
Review by: Rosie W, October 2017
Absolutely beautiful place and much recommended as a visit. We did the independent tour which effectively meant transport only with a little bit of information and a guide at the start. At first we were told we have to come back 2 hours later which was not enough time but then the guide said we were fine to come back on the later coach giving us 6 hours which was great and the right amount.
Review by: Frances, October 2017
This tour is operated by Key Tours. It was a full bus that day. The guide, Neil, was very informative. He gave out really useful tips on what to do in Geneva. It got bad when we were almost in Chamonix. He realized he didn't have enough tickets to accommodate everyone and the train wasn't working that day so he had to give everyone a refund . He also didn't give clear instructions - lots of people were confused all throughout. He first said there's going to be 1 ticket per group, but we didn't know he changed his mind and gave everyone a ticket instead. He was very disorganized. We spent about 20-30 minutes getting our tickets from him no instructions for this, just word of mouth from the other guests. He told everyone he's going to wait for everyone to come down at 12:16 and leave with the bus going to Gustav for lunch. It was already around 10:30 at that point, and it takes about 30 minutes just to get to the top of Mont Blanc, where the cable car takes you. Also, the cable car going up and down only runs every 30 minutes. By the time we got there, it was already past 11. Everyone tried to get back at 12:15 and lo and behold when we got there he said he's leaving at 12:30! Since we booked lunch, we either have to wait for him til 12:30 or find our way to Gustav, where lunch will be served. VERY disorganized.
Review by: Moeen S, October 2017
It was good
Review by: Joebutkovich, September 2017
I did the full day tour. It was a full day without feeling to overwhelmed or busy. Luckily we were able to take the cable car all the way to the highest point. Some days if it's too windy you can't and there is no refund. This is considered an independent tour, so you dont have a guide with you every step of the way. Probably a good thing. Neil was very informative and offered a lot of tips but he seemed very grouchy and talked to us more like we were children. Trust me, there a lot of ways to get your point across without talking to us like children. The restaurant that was optional was well worth the price. It was very good and plenty to pick from. The train ride to the glacier was also very nice. It's a lot of steps down, but it's even more or feels like more coming up. It's very cool to see even though the caves are manmade, it's neat to say you were inside the glacier.
Review by: Jinny L, September 2017
Had a great time, the only reason I'd give it four stars instead of five is because of something really that they cannot control, but sometimes the weather in Chamonix-Mont Blanc can make it difficult to enjoy certain sights and activities. They do not know whether all the gondolas will be operating or what kind of visibility there will be until they get there and so there is no guarantee that you'll get the experience that somebody else has. That being said, if you have some flexibility you should make sure you go on a day when the weather is nice. It was raining the day I went, which made it cold and when we hiked into the glacier we got completely soaked and remained that way for the rest of the afternoon. That's not the tour's fault but it's something to keep in mind! We were thankfully able to accomplish all that we wanted which was go to the summit although we couldn't see anything except clouds and we hiked into the ice cave glacier. I can only imagine it would've been more amazing if we could've gone on a day that was sunny.
Review by: Connie B, August 2017
This is a great tour. Neil was informative and shared lots of ideas and wisdom in visiting Geneva. Chamonix and Mont Blanc were spectacular. I'm sorry we only planned a half-day visit. Take the whole day tour and go clear to the top of the mountain.
Review by: Tana B, August 2017
You can't visit Geneva without going to Chamonix and Mont Blanc. Awesome excursion. Very well organized.
Review by: Arnold J, August 2017
The weather was so poor that the rating is meaningless. It didn't stop raining and the mountains were covered in thick low cloud.
Review by: Gabriela M, August 2017
It was an ok tour. They had a comfortable tour bus and it was a nice drive to the mountain from Geneva. They were easy to find and on time. They were polite, but not very informative or interesting. It was a cloudy day, so we couldn't get all the way up to the top of the mountain. But it was enough to just get half way up. The gondola ride was nice and smooth. The views are AMAZING!_br/_ Next time we may just get a Lonley Planet guide book, rent a car and go explore on our own:
Review by: Morgan M, July 2017
Neil was awesome and the tour was awesome. Reccommend doing the full day as the half day doesn't include much and doesn't allow you to really experience everything there is to see. Ice cave was incredible, definitely worth the 400 stairs.
Review by: Edward N, July 2017
I came back with lots of good pictures. Be prepared for a long line to go up Mont Blank in the gondolas I spent an hour in line. I spent 5 minutes on top, and then rushed back down but still missed the midday bus back to Geneva. You should plan to spend the whole day, you'll feel less rushed and can also take the train to see the glacier. It was also hard to breath on top of Mt. Blanc, but I still got some good pictures there of the mountains and the hang gliders. Chamonix was pleasant enough to spend some time in hanging out.
Review by: louella.starr, June 2017
The trip to Chamonix from Geneva was enough to enjoy the beautiful countryside. But arriving in Chamonix and spending some time viewing the Mont Blanc massif is something to behold. It was a beautiful day,..... perfect for walking around, shopping for souvenirs and enjoying lunch in one of the local restaurants in clear view of the snow capped mountains...it was great!! The people are friendly and very accommodating...if you have extra days to spare, Chamonix will be a great choice._br/_ This was another day trip with Viator that worked out so well....thanks!!
Review by: Luis V, June 2017
This is an awesome tour. Our guide was Neal, very informative and gave useful info in a fun way. We bought the sky card from him once in the place for 84CHF and that gave us access to the Cable car and the Aiguille du Midi, the Mer de Glace train, and other attractions. The town itself is beautiful with lots of places to eat and things to do. This was a perfect opportunity to see the French Alps and some of its glaciers. Be aware that although the excursion is advertised to take around 6-6.5 hrs, it really departs at 8:30am and returns 10hrs later at the Gare Routiere in Geneva. If you have a free day there, do it... 100 recommended.
Review by: Gladys G, June 2017
Great tour! Worth every cent. The cable car was the first on our agenda. When the guide saw that the cable car was not working, he quickly changed course and asked us to go on ice train. After we did the train and returned, the cable car was operational again. We went on it and completed the whole tour. Good job!
Review by: Ana C, June 2017
Impresionante! muy recomendado por las vistas y la experiencia de estar tan alto.
Review by: ebit927, May 2017
It was such an amazing experience! The view was breathtaking. If you only have limited days in Geneva, this 1-day trip to Chamonix and Mont Blanc is highly recommended. Our tour guide, Neil was really nice, friendly and informative. He gave detail explanation about the trip and also some great tips on other places as well.
Review by: May k, April 2017
Highly recommended!!!!
Review by: Leah S, March 2017
I would 100 recommend this tour, my partner and myself throughly enjoyed it. The whole experience is worth every penny, the views of the french alps and the Mer De Glacé are priceless. You meet at the bus station for 8:15am, make sure you have your passport because if the border police stop the bus and ask to see passports and you don't have yours the tour guide will send you back to Geneva, it's not that their being mean they physically do not have any control over it. Anyway, the tour guide goes through every bit of information in regards to the tour on the journey to Chamonix, if you have booked a half day tour and wish you went for the full day then fear not, you can upgrade there and then with the tour guide. When you arrive at Chamonix the tour guide will take you to the cable car check in area and see you on your way. You travel up to the first peak, the north Peak as it's called and there you'll find breathtaking views of Mont Blanc, there are toilets and a souvenir store. There is another peak you can access called the Central Peak which is higher than the North Peak, there you'll find even more breathtaking views of the alps and the opportunity to enter into a glass box over looking the alps. You'll be 3842m high above the ground, stood in nothing but a glass box looking straight down at the mountains. PLEASE do this even if you are scared of heights, you will regret it if you don't. Such an amazing experience. Once you've finished with the mountains you can descend back to ground level and explore the town of Chamonix, again this is a must, plenty of cool and quirky bars, restaurants and shops. The sun was shining when we were there and we sat outside the Moo bar with a cold alcoholic beverage looking up at the alps. : _br/_ If you have opted for the full day tour, in the afternoon you catch the red train up to Mer de Glacé, it drops you off at the station and you catch a cable car down into the mountains and then you're faced with 450 steps down to the ice caves, remember if you walk down you have to walk back but it's not too bad because you have sections where you can stop off to catch your breath. The ice caves are amazing and again a must see, their worth the 900 steps._br/_ This tour is a MUST, it's one of the best things I have done to date and I've travelled and experienced plenty of breathtaking views._br/_ Pictures do not do the beautiful views justice.
Review by: brumac65, February 2017
a very good day
Review by: Lisa S, January 2017
Chamonix and Mont Blanc are absolutely wonderful and I would highly recommend you visit them both if you can. What I do not recommend is using Viator or KeyTours. For me, one of the main reasons of booking an organised excursion is to benefit from the services and knowledge of a tour guide. _br/_ Yes, there was a 'guide' on board our coach Neil but he really couldn't give two hoots about what we did or whether we enjoyed our day. He really did give the impression that we were an annoyance to his day. He spoke to us on the coach like we were a class of five-year-olds. Once we had disembarked, he told us where he would be at various points throughout the day and gave us maps with the phone number of a hotel on should we need any help. That was it. He didn't accompany us on either the cable car nor the train so we had no nuggets of information. _br/_ Also, be warned that the cable car will only operate if the weather allows, and as Neil gleefully told us, there won't be a refund if it isn't operating on the day of your trip._br/_ Personally, I felt that the train ride was a waste of time and money. The ice cave wasn't open on the day that we went so we had to wait an hour for the return train and the only thing that was at the glacier was on overpriced cafe._br/_ However, Chamonix is gorgeous and the views from the top of the cable car were spectacular. Stepping into The Void is an unforgettable experience and the staff are more than happy to take lots of photos for you._br/_ Upon my return home I have recommended going to Chamonix and Mont Blanc to everybody but have added that it's probably best and cheaper to go independently as I felt that this organised excursion offered poor value for money.
Review by: M N A, January 2017
This was a fantastic tour. Do the full package, it definitely is worth it.
Review by: JOTI D, November 2016
Awesome!
Review by: Trinhity, November 2016
Don't forget your passport on this one! Amazing, breathtaking, words don't do it justice, tour. I loved it being highly independent, the tour guide dropped us off at the cable car base of Mont Blanc and told us exactly where and when to meet and the rest was up to us. Taking the cable car up was amazing and just spending hours up on Mont Blanc was surreal. Please dress appropritely, I was dressed for Geneva weather, and it slipped my mind that I was going about 12,000 Ft up on a mountain covered in snow. The best tour I took from Geneva, hands down. Also Chamonix is quiant and just beautiful at every turn. A MUST SEE.
Review by: Taiyaba G, November 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Angeline K, November 2016
Really great day seeing the sights of Charmonix and Mont Blanc. It's really an experience of a lifetime. The only reason why I didn't rate this a 5 star was because we were only told on the bus whilst going there that the train going to the ice cave wasn't running.
Review by: CHINTHAKA B, October 2016
Amazing tour. Wonderfully guided by Neel with his funny way of explanation. Ride to the top of Mont Blanc was a life time experience.
Review by: Nooh A, October 2016
Excellent experience but I believe the price is a bit too much for a ride to champ nix and a cable car ticket. A bit annoyed as I wasn't informed there was no train available even though I booked and confirmed it.
Review by: Aunnawa T, October 2016
The tour was great because of the tour guide whose name is Neil. He spoke english clearly so that I clearly understand what he wants to communicate. His style of speaking get my attention so I want to listen to his story. The weather on that day was great. I have a good time with clear sky and mountain view. However, the train to go to the cave was closed so I cannot complete everything in the program this time. The tour refund the money back which is good.
Review by: ginters13, October 2016
The bus stop was easy to find and the guide was very informative. It was nice to be able to go see things on your own time. Unfortunately, the day that we went was raining and cloudy, so the views were disappointing. Also, the tour to the glacier and ice cave was closed that day so they said we could go to a scenic point instead, but because of the rain and clouds you couldn't see anything at all. So, I basically paid for the second part of the trip and didn't get to do it and didn't get my money back. Overall, the tour was great and the town was fun to explore.
Review by: ismaelandrade, September 2016
Amazing and well organized tour! Mont Blanc is beautiful and Charmonix is a nice place! I strongly recommend!
Review by: Cheryl H, August 2016
My husband rates this as his favorite part of our trip. He went to the top of mountain on the cable car. I stayed down below and walked around this charming town. We did not have a guided tour however the man in charge on bus did do some informative talk about the surroundings. The views were amazing!!
Review by: Robert H, July 2016
Fascinating scenery, encountered mountaineers, great views
Review by: Robert H, July 2016
Top tour
Review by: Lawrence S, July 2016
Simple combination of transportation along with pre-purchased lifts, not too big on tour guide, but inexpensive! Lunch hotel a great bargain.
Review by: Wendy T, July 2016
Awesome!
Review by: Anita C, July 2016
Great tour! Loved doing it at our own pace and having freedom to meet up if we wanted. Cable car and train to ice cave are definitely worth it. Would definitely recommend
Review by: Kay V, June 2016
Amazing scenery and a beautiful town of Chamonix made the trip totally worth while. Unfortunately we didn and #39;t get to see Mont Blanc as the weather was not in our favour...but we did have snow! The tour is perfect if you want some free time and not be forecably lead around...stick to the timetable!
Review by: Aatif M, June 2016
one guide only for 2 buses. _br/_ We were just given directions and then left on our own!!!
Review by: zlatka_onkova, June 2016
Amazing trip and Viator have great customers service fast in response and able always to accommodate your needs
Review by: Lucila C, June 2016
It was a cloudy day, but the landscape is awesom.
Review by: beth e, June 2016
Everything in order as promised. Our guide gave us all the info we needed, and the day was perfect on the mountain. Nice and well-run.
Review by: Colin H, May 2016
Awesome tour and Neil the tour guide was really friendly and made the trip enjoyable.
Review by: Pete C, May 2016
Great trip... we were extremely lucky that the day was bright and clear, providing views to France, Italy and of Geneva. Highly recommended. Would opt for the longer trip next time we chose the 6 hour trip with Cable Car to allow for more time to explore Chamonix.
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