What an incredible trip!
We had an amazing time. This is truly a one of a kind experience not to be missed if you happen to have an extra day in your trip! The tour guide left a lot to be desired, as she did not offer much of information about the area or the history of the mountain. However, you can totally get all that info online if you absolutely must. This is more of a “nature” trip, so historical info is not as crucial as it would be with lets say – a trip to Venice. The actual trip is long, but the bus is comfortable, and they do a pit stop half way through for breakfast and restroom break, same on a way back. This is a trip to be done only with a good weather. The elevation is so high, that if it is cloudy the actual point of the trip- the view would be impossible to enjoy. We were blessed and had an amazing weather all day long. The very top of the mountain is high up, and as advised by the tour guide it is best to get off mid way through, and acclimate to the change in air pressure. We only spent about half an hour in the mid way, and ended up feeling quite dizzy after about two hours on top. The top is incredible though! There’s a really nice 360 observation deck. Going down, there are also passages from alpinists to get down to the glaciers, that offer incredible views of the “back” of the mountain. The restaurant on top is top notch, and I strongly advise you to grub lunch there, if not for food, just for the idea of eating at the highest elevated restaurant in Europe! 😊 The mid point is quite incredible too. Off to the side from the building there are hiking trails. We took the one to the left, and ended up actually getting to the river you see running through the city, as well as basically cutting the mountain in half. Such a cool experience! We hike a lot, and the views offered by the mountain definitely topped our experiences at Sedona, Arizona, or the Garden of the Gods in Denver. Mind you, during this trip, once you get to Mount Blank, the entire day is at your own leisure. You are totally on your own, with just information to be back at a meet point at a certain time, some 5-6 hours later. At the end of the day you also get to go to the little town at the footsteps of Mount Blank, and spent an hour there walking around the charming streets, getting something to eat or drink. There are a lot of overpriced shops there for those who like to shop. We ended up stopping at one of the local bars with an outside veranda overlooking the mountains for a snack and a good Irish coffee. Definitely a trip to put on your bucket list. We would highly recommend it to the family and friends.