The Tour du Mont Blanc is the ultimate tour of the European Alps. During the trip, hikers earn fantastic views of the highest mountains in Western Europe, climb over 11 mountain passes (depending on route and weather), and get a chance to eat lots of excellent French, Italian, and Swiss cuisine. The standard 170-kilometer (106-mile) route takes about 10 days, though the trip can be made longer with a smattering of side-trips along the way. Our trip’s cumulative elevation gain was about 12,000 meters (40,000 feet), so the hike is often physically challenging — though achievable by most people with decent fitness.

The refuges along the way make this hike unique, because the services they provide make it possible for hikers to bring significantly less gear than they might otherwise on a trip of this length. We completed the trip without carrying a tent, sleeping bags or sleeping pads, and we carried only a minimal amount of snack food, instead eating most meals at the refuges and picking up lunch supplies from bakeries.

Set at least two weeks aside total for the flights in and out of Europe, a couple buffer days for bad weather, and the trek itself.