SLEDDING, SNOWSHOEING AND DINING UNDER THE STARS
An unforgettable winter experience for everyone
- Information
- Itinerary
- Location
- Additional Info
- FAQ
- Gallery
- Reviews
What's included
- 1 x glass of mulled wine / hot chocolate 2 x glasses of wine / tea
- Full qualified international mountain leader (IML)
- Pick-up / drop-off in the Chamonix-Valley or Martigny
- Rental of sledge, head torch, snowshoes and poles
- Personal gear (see gear list)
Wonderful winter moments for everyone!
This adventure is ideal for your entire family, all your friends or just you and your lover! Equipped with a sledge you will ride down a 2km long and fast track multiply times. After the sledging you will strap on your snowshoes and enjoy a beautiful and easy hike through a dark forest and over open powder fields.
You will reach a secret spot in the forest where an open fire with some delicious mulled wine is waiting for you. Grab a stick and grill your own sausage or marshmallows over the fire and enjoy being here in this cozy, lonely atmosphere.
For dinner you will go inside a warm igloo dome which is decorated with sheep skins and fairytale lights. You will be served a cheese fondue in a huge pot which will be placed in the middle of the table. With the the probably longest fondue forks which you’ve ever seen, you will dip bread and other side dishes into the cheese mix. To accompany the dish we serve white wine or tea.
Before heading back you will get to enjoy Anjas & Raphaels homemade Christmas cookies and a traditional digestive.
What to expect
This adventure evening is a unique experience packed with highlights:
- A beautiful surrounding far away from mass tourism nearby the village of Trient
- Some of the greatest night sky you have ever seen during our snowshoe hike
- Adventure and adrenaline on the 2km long, fast & windy sledging track
- Delicious and homemade food served in a unique, lonely location
- The most “adventurous” way to enjoy a cheese fondue
- Meet other interesting and like-minded people
- Wonderful moments to share with great people around the warm fire
- YOUR ITINERARY
Pick up
The Adventure Begins
Chamonix Valley / Martigny > Trient
Your friendly and charming guide will pick you up from your accommodation in the Chamonix valley (30 min) or in Martigny (20 min). A scenic drive over the mountains will take you to the beautiful village of Trient where all the evening will take place. The pickup time is around 17:00h but exact times will be confirmed at least 24hrs prior the start.
Sledding
Are you ready for some adrenaline?
You’ll be dropped off above the village. At the car park your guide will explain the principles of sledging, the safety rules and equip you with a head torch. Now it’s up to you to descent the windy, fast forest road down to Trient. The van will already wait for you at the bottom to take you back up to the top of the slope, if you’re keen for another ride.
Snowshoeing
Powder, stars and loneliness
One minute drive away you’ll start the snowshoe tour to reach the dinner location. If you have never done this before don’t worry it`s easy! Your guide will help you to strap on the snowshoes, adjust the poles to the right height and give you a brief introduction in how it works. The hike crosses some open powder fields and leads through a fairytale forest. The scenery is beautiful and you will be just alone with all the stars and the moon.
After about 20 minutes mostly flat walking you will reach the hidden spot in the middle of nature!
Fire apéro
Do it the 🇨🇭way
You can relax now and sit around the open fire. You’ll be served some freshly prepared mulled wine or some hot chocolate. With wooden sticks you’ll grill your own sausage or marshmallows over the open fire and listen to interesting stories around the campfire.
Igloo Dome
Romantic, cozy and so delicious!
A small path leads down to the igloo dome, where you’ll enjoy the traditional Swiss cheese fondue. You will be surprises by the cozy and warm atmosphere, inside the dome. Ready for cheese time? Your guide and chef will serve you the fondue with a huge pot full of cheese which will be placed in the middle of the round table. Equipped with the probably longest fondue forks you’ve ever seen, you’ll dip in the bread, the potatoes and the cornichons into the creamy cheese. Local white wine or tea will be served with the fondue. After the dinner a plate full of Christmas cookies and a digestive are served.
The way back home
Full of experience & full of cheese
A short 5 minute walk will take you back to the car park, from where you’ll take the transfer back home.
More about Vallée du Trient
Trient
Trient is located on the foot of an impressive glacier. In the 19th century huge ice blocks where transported by train and soled expensive in the big cities such as Paris. One of the steepest cog rail trains (87%) leads up to the Emosson dam. The water is used to produce electricity for the Swiss railway. Trient has a bright pink church and is also home for Raphael and Anja from Happy Tracks.
Vallée du Trient
The Trient Valley, a source of well-being in the heart of the Espace Mont-Blanc welcomes you for an authentic and unforgettable experience with family or friends. Unspoilt nature, unique attractions, exceptional panoramic views, villages steeped in history and a warm-hearted population are the major assets of a region ideally located close to Martigny (Switzerland), Chamonix (France) and Aosta (Italy). Composed of the villages of Vernayaz, Salvan-Les Marécottes, Finhaut-Emosson, Trient-Col de la Forclaz and Vallorcine, it is entirely connected by the spectacular Mont Blanc Express railway.
More about this tour
Personal preparation
Most of the evening you will spend outside in the snow so please wear warm, waterproof clothes. For the sledging we recommend to bring a helmet for your own safety. Your shoes should have a good profile, be waterproof and high ancle. It is difficult and not comfortable to strap snowshoes around sneakers. The profile of your sole is important to be able to break on your sledge. If you get thirsty or hungry during the trek please bring a small back pack with water and some snacks if needed. If you are coming from Chamonix please do not forget your passport as we are crossing the border.
Equipment list
To ensure a smooth and fun evening we recommend to bring the following equipment:
- Gloves
- Beanie / Headband
- Ski trousers or similar
- Suitable winter clothing (warm jacket / long underwear etc.)
- High ankle boots (e.g. hiking boots, Sorel boots, no sneakers!)
- Water / snacks
- Passport
- Helmet (highly recommended!)
Sledding slope
Sledding is an outdoor activity with lots of adrenaline! We make this experience as safe as possible with a good instruction, well-maintained gear and a professional secured slope.
Nevertheless, as in most outdoor activities, accidents can still happen. Please be aware that you descend the sledding slope at your own risk and Happy Tracks and the responsible guides cannot be held liable in the case of an accident!
Weather / snow conditions
The activity depends a lot on snow and weather conditions. It is possible that the tour has to be cancelled last minute due to unfavorable conditions. In this case we will give you a full refund or you can choose another date.
The sledding slope is not always possible due to snow and safety conditions. The community of Trient decides if the slope is open or closed and if it is safe to use. If the sledding is not possible, we will provide you a 5.- € discount / person but we cannot cancel the entire tour and refund you.
Pick up
We will pick you up from your accommodation in the Chamonix-Valley or in Martigny. Please be ready with all personal gear to the confirmed pick up times to guarantee a smooth and hassle free experience. If you decide to meet us directly in Trient, we'll communicate the exact meeting point and time the latest 24hrs prior to the start of the event.
User Reviews & Comments
Anthony Clapham
Best day of our lives!!! Amazing experience It’s Christmas Eve, snow everywhere and we were met by a warm lady named Anja. She picked us up from chamonix bang on time and took us to our location where the snow treck would start in Switzerland. We got there and started off by going down the 3km sled slope, there were 7 of us and it was so fun!! My Nan joined us with her friend and even though they weren’t as fast as us, Anja was very patient and we all enjoyed it so much... even my Nan. After the sled we got our snow shoes on and off we began on or 45 min treck. It’s not easy but so rewarding. When you get to the camp where the fire is roaring and the igloo gleaming you are simply in heaven! Mulled wine, hot chocolate and tea is offered. Sticks given for your marshmallows and swis sausages to cook on the fire as an appetiser for the real treat, the igloo. Inside the igloo we were greeted with homemade Fondue and so much bread, mushrooms and more mulled wine. Rafael and Anja left us too it and we had a great time inside the handmade igloo and it was very comfortable inside. We were they given biscuits and a nice shot of the local schnapps gunipee (sorry if that’s spelt wrong). We eventually were ready to get home and they took us back to our chalet in chamonix. This is a superb trip and I cannot speak high enough of both Rafa and Anja. They make it so special and we will be back for sure! Best purchase we have made :) Merry Christmas
29/11/2020
Anne-Marie C.
So glad we stumbled across happy tracks when searching for unique evening experiences during our stay in Chamonix. Anja and Raphael were really accommodating, fitting us in at short notice. We did the evening snowshoe walk with sledging followed by igloo & wine in the igloo in beautiful surroundings. It was a really unique & memorable experience. Our group of 7 all had an amazing time. Would definitely recommend!
04/01/2020
Rosie H.
Anja and Raphi are awesome...they show you such amazing places, great local knowledge and were always super helpful. They are always up for a laugh and treat you so well. I had a fantastic time with them. Cheers!
29/12/2019
Adele H.
Where to start singing this couple's praises? Just the nicest, kindest people to deal with! My day started with a beautiful snowshoeing trip with Anja, who could not have been more patient with me, despite the fact I'm a novice with some big fear issues. She packed a lovely lunch which we enjoyed in the most idyllic, isolated spot. That evening my family and I went on a short snowshoeing trip to a lovely outside fire, where we cooked sausages, home-made bread and marshmallows, and drank hot chocolate and mulled wine, and then went into an igloo where we had amazing cheese fondue and homemade biscuits. The day with Happy Tracks was an absolute highlight of our holiday, and Anja and Raphael are incredible hosts. Do not hesitate to book!
01/03/2019
Nick
Picked up on time, very friendly, took about 20 mins to get to the place. Provided with snow shoes, we trekked through the snow and into the woods where we sat by a campfire , had about 4 glasses of mulled wine each and toasted sausages, made bread and shared a cheese fondue.Very romantic. A defo must! Ran by a lovely couple who speak great English.
15/02/2019
Sophie M
We were a group of 8 ranging in age from 10 to 50 and we had a fantastic evening with Happy Tracks which catered for all of us. A guided snowshoe under the stars into the wilderness, and the camp with a fire and mulled wine brewing (a delicious non-alcoholic cinnamon and apply punch was also available). We toasted local delicacies over the flames before heading to our fairlight-lit igloo for fondue, wine and digestifs, and a walk back under a full moon. Thanks guys, it was a memorable trip and a must-do for anyone visiting the Chamonix area.
14/02/2018
Meredith
Most fun experience! Highly recommend this to anyone on the must do list while visiting Chamonix. It was such a fun family experience. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time.
29/01/2018