Guided 4x4 overland holiday traversing the Maritime Alps of Italy and France. Fully supported mountain adventure by 4x4 for those with their own off-road vehicles looking for a truly amazing journey.
5 nights
Price:from €425 pp HB
JUL to SEP
THIS HOLIDAY IS FOR 4x4 OWNERS WISHING TO CROSS THE ALPS
4x4, off-road adventure holiday in the Maritime Alps, Italy. This overland journey offers a wonder opportunity to 'escape' the daily routine for a few days and get away to the unspoilt and 'wild' regions of the southern Alps, that are only easily reached by 4x4. Ideal for those with their own 4x4 and are looking for an organised, led off-road tour of the southern Alps. We take you along some of the most wild and rugged tracks up to altitudes of almost 3000m. If you want adventure, excitement and to feel a strong sense of discovery, this is a chance to get off the beaten track and see the remote, wild and most sparsely populated areas of the Alps. Nature at it’s best for those who don’t mind a bumpy ride.
What's included: 5 nights HB accommodation |> maps |> 4x4 support vehicle and guide |> expedition schedule with full route notes |> 5 evening meals and breakfasts |> 4 picnic lunches |>Accommodation: 1 night camping at the start of the expedition - 1 night in 3-Star hotel at the end of the expedition - 2 nights in fully serviced mountain lodges - 1 night 'comfort' camping in the grounds of a mountain refuge at 2000m during the expedition - evening dinner in the restaurants of the hotels, lodges and mountain refuges, serving excellent local dishes.
What's NOT included - Fuel, wine and other beverages during your evening meals.
To book: Check or
email
or call +44 (0)845 0944 669.
HIGHLIGHTS
old military trails & fortresses # high mountain 4x4 traverse of the Maritime Alps # Mercantour national park # 200km / 4-day expedition along old military tracks and ancient salt trading routes # remote and wild alpine landscapes # free camping with vehicles amongst 3000m peaks.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Holiday starts in Ventimiglia. Drive to Ventimiglia where we all meet in a camping site for the start of the off-road adventure. An evening to meet other expedition members and discuss expedition details over dinner. View photos of where you'll be staying on your first night.
Day 2: EXPEDITION DAY 1 - the Lush, Green Coastal Alps. After breakfast, we commence our off-road journey into the Maritime Alps. Climbing up through the dense deciduous forests to an old mountain refuge, the trees start to thin out, and we are able to pause for a break and to wonder at the views leading back down to the mediterranean sea. Following the old abandoned dirt roads under the peaks bordering France, we reach our overnight accommodation in a mountain refuge.
Our Comment: From medieval villages to the roof of the Ligurian Alps, with spectacular views over the lush valleys down to the coast - you can see Corsica and even Elba on a dry, clear day. View photos taken during day 1 of this 4 day expedition.
Day 3: EXPEDITION DAY 2 - up into the Higher Alps.
Leaving our rustic lodge in the mountain forests, we head up the valley for cappuccino in the 'last town' and to wonder at the old citadels perched high up on the surrounding hills, that are so characteristic of this region. Refreshed, we are ready to begin a foreboding, dramatic yet magnificent ascent up a 2000m pass, full of 'torturous' bends on the way up. Lunch and a walk around one of the highest peaks gives you magnificent views to the west over France and to the east over Italy. Down and onward, we take a break in a remote mountain village built precariously at the top of a 150m rock face, before arriving at our overnight hotel accommodation in a medieval town famed for it's history of witches.
Our Comment: An long and strenuous ascent into the higher Alps and the 'gateway' to the Maritime Alps - very much a drive into the 'wilderness' and a day to remember. View photos taken during day 2 of this 4 day expedition.
Day 4: EXPEDITION DAY 3 - Old forts and 2000m high military tracks.
An early start and we are soon high up into the mountains again. Today, most of our journey will be above 2000m and the trail is rough and arduous. Up and over a pass and around one of the higher peaks reaching almost 3000m, we stop for lunch and a welcome rest. Straddling the Italian/French border, we follow the high trails to a refuge in one of the more remote areas of the Alps. At an altitude of over 2200m, you can take a walk and admire the late afternoon sun casting shadows around this high alpine wilderness. Heading west, we continue over a few more passes before finally reaching our camp for the night. This location gives you the opportunity to look up into a night sky void of virtually and light pollution - only few places in Europe are quite this.
Our Comment: A drive through a truly magnificent area of wild mountain terrain, traversing a 2000m plateau that is free from snow just 3 months of the year - a photographers' mountain paradise. View photos taken during day 3 of this 4 day expedition.
Day 5: EXPEDITION DAY 4 - French Maritime Alps.
Transfer day back to the airport. Up early and up over our next pass, overlooked by the ancient fortifications built during the power struggles of a bygone age. Down into France in the valley below, via a trail with more hairpin bends per mile than just about any in the alps, we relax a little with lunch by an alpine river. Returning to the foothills of the southern alps in the afternoon, we end the day in a comfortable hotel in a mountain village where we can all reflect on this epic 4x4 journey..
Our Comment: Few off-road routes take you through such varied terrain, landscapes and vegetation - across one of the few remaining Alpine wildernesses. View photos taken during day 4 of this 4 day expedition.
Day 7: DEPARTURE DAY. After breakfast, we say our farwells and head off on our own seperate ways. For those wishing to do a similar holiday but on foot, visit our hiking expedition pages.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Extend your stay: Extend your trip Stay for extra nights if you wish to make this a full 1-week of driving off-road in the mountains. Ask for costs per additional night, with guided or free days to explore on your own.
[1] Prices, in euros, based on 2 people sharing a double room, otherwise a single supplement applies.
[2] Your accommodation on the last night of this holiday will be in a 3-Star hotel, whereas during the hiking expedition you will be spend 2 nights in mountain lodges and 1 night camping in the grounds of a mountain refuge with full use of services.
[3] Accommodation throughout the expedition is on a full-board basis with local specialities of the area served in the evenings and picnic lunches during the days.
[4] Camping equipment can be provided if you wish not to bring your own, including air-mattresses (you should bring your own sleeping bags).
[5] You should be an experienced off-road driver and be quite comfortable with arduous, full-days of driving in the mountains. Heights and exposed edges are common during the 4-day journey. Itineraries are subject to change depending on local weather and mountain conditions.
[6] This expedition runs once a month during July, August and September when the old military roads are clear of snow. Since much of this expedition is above 2000m, the trails are pretty much under snow for the rest of the year. Specific dates will be dependent on the preferences of those clients making individual bookings. This expedition can be booked by individuals, couples and groups - we require a minimum of 4 people for this expedition to go ahead. For group bookings of 8 people or more, you are free to choose specific dates for which we will run this expedition exclusively for that group.
To book: Check or
email
or call +44 (0)845 0944 669.
NOTE:
1. Prices in 'euros' and based on 2 people sharing a double room,
otherwise a single supplement applies. Flights not included unless
specified.
