Climbing Gran Paradiso: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

Rising to 4.061 meters in elevation, Gran Paradiso is the tallest mountain solely located within Italy. It also happens to be an easy peak to climb, making it an attractive destination for first-time and novice mountaineers.

The ascent usually takes two to three days, depending on how well you acclimatize. The first day is the approach and involves hiking to the mountain hut. You will then either spend the night in the Rifugio Chaboud or Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II, where you can enjoy authentic mountain hut ambiance and fantastic views.

Summit day is the highlight of the trip and requires some glacier travel with ice ax and crampons as well as some mixed ice and rock scrambling to get to the summit.

Stunning scenery

Situated in Gran Paradiso National Park, both the approach to and ascent of the mountain are incredibly scenic. Enjoy great views all the way up to the summit of the surrounding forests and valleys. Once you’re at the top, gaze over the glacier you've conquered to get there and get iconic views of Mont Blanc.

Perfect for beginners

Gran Paradiso is consistently ranked as one of the top mountain peaks for novice mountaineers. While a good level of physical fitness is required to reach the top, only a bit of ice climbing and glacier hiking is needed. The skills to do so can all be taught on the mountain, making it the perfect climb for anyone.

Enjoy the journey

While reaching the top are the ultimate goal, the entire trip up Gran Paradiso is part of the experience. Get the chance to see native wildlife, including eagles, ibex and lynx as you hike through the park and up the base of the mountain. Stay in an authentic mountain hut before summit day and take in the ambience. Finally, enjoy a thrilling ascent and descent on summit day.

During the summer months, the weather for climbing Gran Paradiso is ideal. Average temperatures on the mountain hover between 8ºC to 12ºC. Weather on the mountain can be fairly unpredictable, but the summer months tend to be the driest.

Any trip to Gran Paradiso generally begins with a flight into either Geneva International Airport (GVA) or Turin’s international airport (TRN). From here, Port Valsavarenche is only a few hours drive away. Many guides also will opt to meet you in either Turin or Chamonix.

Italian

+39

Euro

June to September