Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc - Staying at the Most Famous Rifugio | Day 7

Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) Day 7 hike from Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti, one of the most famous rifugio on the trek. After two comfortable nights in Courmayeur, we leave behind good food and warm beds… and begin a 1,000m ascent into the mountains. The climb takes us through forest trails, rocky switchbacks, and eventually opens up to breathtaking views of Mont Blanc on a clear blue day. Along the way, we make a stop at Rifugio Bertone, made an important decision of the day (high route vs easy route), and enjoy a scenic lunch with one of the best backdrops on the trail. By the end of the day, we arrive at one of the most famous huts on the TMB - Rifugio Bonatti. Known for its unbeatable views, this rifugio is also one of the biggest we stayed in… with 80 hikers sharing the space. 🗓️ Trip Details: Hiked the TMB self-guided from 6 to 18 September 2025 All accommodation and huts were booked independently via the official TMB website, individual refuge/rifugio/cabane websites, or by email We flew into Geneva Airport (GVA) and took a bus from Geneva Airport to Chamonix, where we started our Tour du Mont Blanc hike 📌 Things to know about the TMB: Distance and Duration: ~170 km hiking circuit around the Mont Blanc massif, crossing France, Italy, and Switzerland, with around 10,000m of ascent/descent. Route: Usually starts and ends in Les Houches (France) or Courmayeur (Italy) Best Time to Hike: Mid-July to Mid-August is peak season with stable weather, though earlier/later (June/September) can work with caution for snow or shorter days. Difficulty: Physically demanding due to daily, sustained ascents and descents (1,000m+ per day) 👍 If you enjoyed hiking with us, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more trekking adventures. ▶️ In the next chapter, we encounter the windiest day of our trek, tried a takeaway picnic from Bonatti and crossed into Switzerland, the most expensive section of the TMB Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 02:31 Start of trek 05:21 Above tree line 07:02 Scenic lunch spot 11:06 Rifugio Bonatti