Calling on all Alps hiking experts for some advice
 

Hi all,

I've posted a couple of questions about a trip to Europe for next summer but I don't think I've been specific enough, so here goes hopefully a better attempt.

I want to do a challenging multi-day hike next year, preferably in the Alps, but am open to ideas. I have picked the Alps because I have fallen in love with the romance of Mont Blanc from images and stories of others. However, this year I did some hiking in the Dolomites - in the Val Gardena area - so I do know that height is not the only qualifier for awesome. I would definitely consider the Dolomites again but only if I was doing a via ferrata as I want more challenge than single day valley hikes next time.

I also would like to see Slovenia and Croatia but whatever I do I just want to find some water after the hiking week and also would like a city to explore at some stage.

My trip will be four weeks and I come from Australia.

Questions:
1. do you have recommendations on week-long hiking routes in the Alps that include challenge (I would like to hike for more than 3-4 hours a day - up to 7 or more)
2. Have you heard of this route:
http://www.guidecourmayeur.com/monte...igh-route.html

3. What are your thoughts on height of mountains? Does it matter for challenge, beauty etc?
4. I would like to do the Alps from the Italian side but am open to ideas. I would consider France, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia or even Germany.
5. Does anyone have ideas for the itinerary before/after the hiking based on my priorities above?
6. Is it a silly idea to do the Alps and then get to Slovenia/Croatia? The reason I would like to do this is because this year I saw Spain, France and Italy and I guess I feel like I should expand my cultural horizons. When you come from Australia you're never sure when you'll be back!
7. My budget for this trip would be well under €6000 if possible, including flights which cost around €1300. Is this doable? (I spent a lot more than that in six weeks this year but I didn't hold back and shopped a lot too!)

Thanks,
RT

Might be worth a shot to post questions in this message forum:

http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/europe.html

I'll only address question 6, but I don't consider any travel quest silly or most any travel combo in Europe undoable when you are travelling for 4 weeks.
From the Italian side of the highest Alps you can go to one of Milan's airports (by buses or train) in half a day and fly to one of major cities of Slovenia or Croatia. (Presumably if you are going to these countries to understand more of Europe then you will want to spend at least some time in the major cities.) So that is a full day of travel.

But you are likely to spend a full day of travel getting from any challenging hiking destination in Europe to any other interesting destination in Europe. There might be a few exceptions with great train or flight connections, and up to you if you would rather base your trip around the idea of easy travel logistics for destination hopping (I sometimes do). But while there are certainly people who think any travel that doesn't fit the mold of something they would enjoy is "crazy" and will try to talk you out of it, the reality is that Europe is well connected with major and regional airports, and if you can put up with a full day of being in transit, you can find affordable ways to travel the length and breadth of western Europe.

Thanks sandralist. I found that even when trips took seven hours or so I was ok. Flights tired me out more than trains but I managed doing two internal flights and I would imagine I'd have no more than that to do the things I want to do next time. And doing one or two travel days a week for me is fine, as long as they are not both full days! TBH I think I will find it slightly easier on my own, which I plan for this trip to be, as there was no one else to worry about, and when I had to do major airports and train stations alone this year I coped really well as long as I planned my trip well. I will check out that other forum.

Thanks as always,
RT

Sure. Hope that other website turns out to be useful. It seems to me that the biggest travel time-sucks for your wish-list involve transiting from or to airports to be in areas either where challenging hiking exitss or at untouristy beaches. With just a few exceptions, those types of destinations are not usually served by frequent public transportation. Something that occurred to me is that, using public transportation, it is not hard to get to Etna and Stromboli via pubclic trans. Then within half a day or less from either volcano, yuo can be lounging on a secluded beach. Not the serenity and majesty of the Alps, but still a challenging terrain that is something to write home about. However in July, temps for most of Sicily are often infernal, so getting to and from cooler Sicilian activity spots would be daunting in that regard.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/tr...cano.html?_r=0

http://magmatrek.it/it/

http://www.neverendingvoyage.com/str...olcano-island/

Perhaps have a look at an outfitter who sets up Alpine hikes for some ideas. For example:
http://www.alpineexploratory.com/hol...lkingalps.html

A friend of mine used those folks on two trips, the full Haute Route and a Dolomite trip, which were both superb. (I was supposed to join him but had to cancel for various reasons.)

But you may at least get some ideas from their itineraries.

P.S. sandralist's suggestion of posting on summitpost is also good.

That site isn't as active as it once was, but there are still some great pages on hiking and climbing in the Alps. You can start here and will probably get plenty of ideas:
http://www.summitpost.org/alps-western-part/155280