Where to Walk After the Tour du Mont Blanc

So… you’ve finished the TMB. What’s next?

You’ve circled Mont Blanc. Crossed the mountain passes, earned the café stops and talked the ear off anyone who paused long enough to listen to your adventure.

So where do you walk after the Tour du Mont Blanc? For most people, finishing it isn’t the end of anything. It’s the start. Once you’ve had a taste of crossing the Alps on foot – valley to pass to village – it’s hard not to want another go.

Cable cars in the Dolomites

The good news? The Alps are full of trails that build on the TMB. Some are tougher. Some are quieter. Some swap glaciers for lakes, or huts for a four-star hotel with a sauna.

Below are nine self-guided walking holidays we’d point any TMB walker towards. We’ve compared each one with the TMB on the things that matter once you’re on the trail – difficulty, terrain, where you sleep and whether your luggage goes on ahead. Macs Adventure has been arranging Alpine walking holidays for decades, so every detail comes straight from our own itineraries.

Short on time? Start with the comparison table, then jump to the trips that fit.

Trip	Where	Days	Distance	Grade	Where you sleep	Luggage transfers	Season
Complete Tour du Mont Blanc in Comfort (benchmark)	France, Italy, Switzerland	12	162 km / 99 miles	Tough	Hotels and inns	Yes	July–Sept
The Kitzbühel Alpine Trail	Austria	7	74 km / 45 miles	Moderate	4* hotels	Every day	June–Sept
Tyrol: Trails of the Wilder Kaiser	Austria	8	81 km / 51 miles	Moderate to strenuous	3–4* hotels + 2 huts	Except hut nights	June–Sept
The GR5: Lake Geneva to Chamonix	France, Switzerland	8	94 km / 58 miles	Moderate to strenuous	3* hotels + 2 huts	Yes	June–Aug
Dolomites Alta Via 1 Classic	Italy	10	87 km / 54 miles	Moderate to strenuous	2 hotels + 7 rifugi (dorms)	Start to finish only – you carry your pack	July–Sept
Highlights of the Alta Via 1 in Comfort (hotel-based alternative to the AV1 Classic)	Italy	9	91 km / 57.5 miles	Moderate	Hotels (private en-suite rooms)	Every day	Late June–early Sept
The Via Alpina	Switzerland	18	291.5 km / 181 miles	Moderate to strenuous	3* and mountain hotels	Every day	July–Sept
High Trails of the Julian Alps	Slovenia	8	73 km / 46 miles	Strenuous	3–4* hotels + 3 huts (dorms)	Except hut nights	July–Sept
High Trail to the Matterhorn	Switzerland	8	100 km / 62 miles	Strenuous	Hotels, guesthouses + 1 hut	Except the hut night	July–Sept
Walker’s Haute Route	France, Switzerland	15	195 km / 120 miles	Strenuous	Hotels, auberges + 3 refuges	None – you carry your pack	July–Sept
The E5 Alpine Crossing	Germany, Austria, Italy	8	80 km / 50 miles	Extreme	3* hotels + 1 hut (private room)	3 of 6 walking days	July–Sept

For a Gentler Follow-up

The Kitzbühel Alpine Trail

Austria · 7 days · 74 km · Moderate

This follows the best section of the KAT Walk through the Kitzbühel Alps, from Hopfgarten to St. Ulrich am Pillersee. It’s green, rolling country – broad ridgelines, limestone plateaus and Alpine meadows rather than glaciers. The high point is Kitzbüheler Horn (1,996m), with views across the Tyrol. Every night is in a four-star hotel with a small wellness area, so the sauna is never far away.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Easier. It’s graded moderate, with around 800m of ascent and descent on an average day.
Terrain: Well-waymarked paths, from wide tracks to a few steep, narrow sections where you’ll want sure feet.
Where you sleep: 4* hotels every night.
Luggage transfers: Every day.
Best time: June to September.
Solo walkers: Welcome, if you’re experienced.

Big views without the big days. A good pick if the TMB left your knees asking for a rest.

See the Kitzbühel Alpine Trail itinerary >

Kitzbühel alpine trail

Highlights of the Alta Via 1 in Comfort

Italy · 9 days · 91 km · Moderate

All the drama of the Dolomites' most famous trail, without a single night in a dorm. You start at Lago di Braies, the official start of the Alta Via 1, then walk its highlights through the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park and up to Rifugio Lagazuoi, passing traces of the First World War on the way. Rather than moving on every day, you spend two nights each in St. Vigil, St. Kassian and Alleghe, with Cortina at both ends.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Easier overall. It's graded moderate, with walks of 8–19km and up to 1,131m of ascent. The last walking day is the toughest, with a 1,600m descent.
Terrain: Footpaths and narrow mountain tracks up to 2,700m, with steep, exposed stretches and sheer drops in places. You'll need a head for heights, so it's not one for vertigo.
Where you sleep: Private en-suite rooms in hand-picked 3* and 4* hotels, several with wellness areas.
Luggage transfers: Every day.
Best time: Late June to early September.
Solo walkers: Not available, due to the terrain.

The Alta Via 1's big views with your own room every night. Three of the days are optional loop walks, so you can take a rest day whenever your legs ask for one.

See the Highlights of the Alta Via 1 in Comfort itinerary >

man and woman hiking the Alta Via 1

Tyrol: Trails of the Wilder Kaiser

Austria · 8 days · 81 km · Moderate to strenuous

A week around Austria’s Kaiser mountains – the jagged Wilder Kaiser (“wild emperor”) and the gentler Zahmer Kaiser (“tame emperor”). You start in Kufstein, with its fortress and cobbled streets, and follow sections of the Eagle’s Way to the baroque town of St. Johann and on to Walchsee. Two nights are spent up high, at the Gaudeamushütte and Stripsenjochhaus.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Similar in places, shorter overall. Days run 10–16km with 540–1,100m of ascent.
Terrain: Woodland trails, rocky mountain paths, boulder-strewn stretches and faint grassy tracks. A few sections use cables and handrails, with an alternative route if you’d rather skip them.
Where you sleep: 3–4* hotels and guesthouses, plus two mountain huts. We book private hut rooms with en suites wherever we can.
Luggage transfers: Every day except the two hut nights, when you carry a small overnight bag.
Best time: June to September.

A good balance of hut nights and hotel comfort, on a smaller scale than the TMB.

See the Trails of the Wilder Kaiser itinerary >

man standing on a rock looking at the view on the Wilder Kaiser route

For the TMB Rhythm, with Fewer People

The GR5: Lake Geneva to Chamonix

France and Switzerland · 8 days · 94 km · Moderate to strenuous

The GR5 runs the length of the French Alps, and this first Alpine section finishes in Chamonix – home turf for any TMB walker. You start on Lake Geneva in Montreux, cross to the French side at Novel and weave across the border past the Dents Blanches and Dents du Midi. The last day ends on Le Brévent (2,525m), face to face with the Mont Blanc massif, before a cable car drops you into town.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Similar. Days average 18km with significant ascent, and the longest is 26km.
Terrain: Woodland trails, rocky mountain paths and gravel tracks. The climb to Le Brévent has light scrambling and two short metal ladders.
Where you sleep: Five nights in 3* hotels, one in a private room in a mountain hut and one in a mixed dorm.
Luggage transfers: Included.
Best time: June to August.
Bonus: A free day in Chamonix at the end.

The same rhythm as the TMB, with fewer people – and a final view back across the mountain you’ve already walked around.

See the GR5: Lake Geneva to Chamonix itinerary >

The GR5_ Lake Geneva to Chamonix_Leaving Refuge De Chesery on way to Samoen

Dolomites Alta Via 1 Classic

Italy · 10 days · 87 km · Moderate to strenuous

Italy’s best-known hut-to-hut route runs south through the Dolomites from Lago di Braies to Belluno. Glaciers give way to pale limestone towers, scree slopes and green valleys. You’ll stay at rifugi such as Lagazuoi, Croda da Lago and Coldai, with hotel nights in Cortina at the start and Belluno at the end.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: A step up. Days are shorter (8–17km), but ascents reach 1,100m and descents 1,700m. Some steep, exposed sections are secured with ropes, so it’s not one for vertigo.
Terrain: Switchback paths, scree, narrow tracks and rough mountain ground.
Where you sleep: 3* hotels in Cortina and Belluno, and seven nights in rifugi (mixed dorms).
Luggage transfers: Your main bag goes from Cortina to Belluno. Between huts, you carry your own pack.
Best time: July to September.

If the hut nights were your favourite part of the TMB, this is your natural next step. Less hotel, more camaraderie – and better pasta.

See the Dolomites Alta Via 1 Classic itinerary >

Read our TMB vs Alta Via 1 comparison >

Man and woman walking through a pasture on the Alta Via 1

High Trails of the Julian Alps

Slovenia · 8 days · 73 km · Strenuous

A quieter corner of the Alps. You start at Lake Bled, climb onto the Pokljuka plateau and then go hut to hut through Triglav National Park, beneath Mount Triglav (2,864m), Slovenia’s highest peak. The route drops past the Valley of the Triglav Lakes and the 78m Savica waterfall to finish on the shore of Lake Bohinj.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Similar or harder. It’s graded strenuous, with daily walks of 8–15km and ascents of up to 1,300m.
Terrain: Rugged mountain paths – less manicured than in France or Switzerland – with steep, exposed stretches and one short via ferrata section (about 10m) along a ledge.
Where you sleep: Four nights in 3–4* hotels and three in mountain huts (dorms).
Luggage transfers: Between hotels. On hut nights, you carry a day pack with your overnight things.
Best time: July to September.

Alpine scenery with a fraction of the crowds, and a lake at each end of the walk.

See the High Trails of the Julian Alps itinerary >

forest and mountains in Julian Alps

For a Bigger Challenge

High Trail to the Matterhorn

Switzerland · 8 days · 100 km · Strenuous

Walk south from Brig to Zermatt through the Valais, home to the Alps’ greatest collection of 4,000m peaks. From the Simplon Pass you head to Visperterminen, then Saas-Fee for a free day, before Grächen, a night at the Europahütte and the final stretch into Zermatt with the Matterhorn ahead. The last day can include the Charles Kuonen bridge – at around 494m.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Harder. Days typically last 6–7 hours on steep ground, with fixed ropes and handrails on the trickiest passages.
Terrain: Mountainous, exposed and rocky throughout. Parts of the Europaweg have closed over the years after rockfall, so you may follow alternative routes or use local transport around them.
Where you sleep: Hotels and family-run guesthouses, plus one night at the Europahütte.
Luggage transfers: Every day except the Europahütte night.
Best time: July to September.

The TMB’s more ambitious sibling – shorter, but steeper and more exposed.

See the High Trail to the Matterhorn itinerary >

female walking on the Matterhorn

The E5 Alpine Crossing

Germany, Austria and Italy · 8 days · 80 km · Extreme

The classic north-to-south crossing of the Alps, from Oberstdorf in Bavaria, through the Austrian Tyrol, to the Merano area in South Tyrol. Three countries in a week. Our itinerary is planned to avoid the busiest stretches, and one night is at the Bellavista hut – in a private room, with an outdoor sauna and jacuzzi.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Harder. We grade it extreme: 6–9 hour days, 1,000–1,500m of ascent or descent on average and a high point of 2,995m.
Terrain: Scree, rock and exposed high pasture, with fixed ropes in places. Expect patches of snow, even in midsummer.
Where you sleep: 3* hotels and guesthouses, plus one night at the Bellavista hut.
Luggage transfers: On three of the six walking days. On the others, you carry what you need for the night.
Best time: July to September.

The same sense of achievement as the TMB, with tougher days to earn it.

See the E5 Alpine Crossing itinerary >

Two women hiking the E5

Walker’s Haute Route

France and Switzerland · 15 days · 195 km · Strenuous

Chamonix to Zermatt – Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn – through the Pennine Alps. The route stays below 3,000m and needs no climbing kit, but it’s the biggest undertaking here: roughly 12,000m of ascent over 13 walking days. Along the way you’ll pass Champex, Cabane du Mont Fort, Arolla and Zinal before the Europa Hut and the walk into Zermatt.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Significantly harder. Walking days run 10–19km over high passes, with fixed ropes and handrails on the trickiest sections.
Terrain: Exposed, rocky and rough, with large snowfields on the highest passes early and late in the season.
Skills: You’ll need previous high-mountain experience and good navigation, as the weather up high can turn quickly.
Where you sleep: Nine nights in 2–3* hotels, two in auberges (private rooms) and three in mountain refuges (dorms).
Luggage transfers: None. The overnight stops are too remote, so you carry your pack every day.
Best time: July to September. Not available to solo walkers.
Shorter options: Walk the Walker’s Haute Route West (Chamonix to Arolla, 8 days) or East (Arolla to Zermatt, 9 days).

If the TMB felt like a challenge, this is the next level.

See the Walker’s Haute Route itinerary >

Walker's Haute Route - Europaweg - Ladders

For the Long Haul

The Via Alpina

Switzerland · 18 days · 291.5 km · Moderate to strenuous

Cross Switzerland on foot, from near the Liechtenstein border to Lake Geneva. You’ll cross 14 Alpine passes and six cantons, walk beneath the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and stay in Engelberg, Grindelwald, Kandersteg and Gstaad before finishing in Montreux.

How it compares to the TMB

Difficulty: Similar day to day – it just keeps going. You’ll average 18km and about 1,000m of ascent a day, though most days can be shortened with public transport.
Terrain: Woodland, grassy paths, moraine, scree and rocky mountain trails, with light scrambling and cables in places. Walking poles are essential.
Where you sleep: 14 nights in 3* hotels and three in mountain hotels, always in private rooms.
Luggage transfers: Every day.
Best time: July to September. Not available to solo walkers.
Shorter options: Walk the Via Alpina East (Zürich to Grindelwald) or Via Alpina West (Grindelwald to Montreux), 10 days each.

For walkers who loved the journey of the TMB more than the finish line. Fewer crowds, more country.

See the Via Alpina itinerary >

waymarker on the Via Alpina

More Alpine Ideas

Not quite seeing your next trip yet? These walking holidays are worth a look too.

French Alps walking holidays: classic Alpine scenery at a gentler, more flexible pace.
Bavarian Alps walking holidays: lakes, forest trails and lower altitudes, with a longer season than the TMB.
Via Francigena: a historic pilgrim route over the Alps. Less about peaks, more about purpose.