I think you made the correct decision . As an experienced trekker I think this shows three things . 1. Weigh your bag 2. Stick to your plan don’t be influenced by others 3. If in doubt head down If not you get not only yourself but others in danger. Well done for doing the right thing and respect for having the courage to make it and share your experience.
Big respect to you for having the maturity to turn around. I was shocked at the weight of your packs and by your impluse decision on the route. Having said that, I've had a couple of similar / impulse driven experiences in Nepal and learned that's it's a fine line sometimes between being safe and healthy, or not. Enjoyed your report - it was refreshing. Thanks
Reminded me of my hike a years back in Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. I overpacked stuff that I totally had no need for during the hike. The second day of my hike I had to cover around 22km of ups and down. Although I made it and had a nice bed and dinner waiting for me, my knees started to give away on the fourth day. From then on all my subsequent multiway hikes I made it a point to pack less, use bag transfers if possible, book refugios wherever i could just to make the hike more relaxing! TMB has been on my list forever and I'm sure you guys will go back to tackle it! Cheers!!!
Hello, Adi here.. Must have been an emotional rolarcoaster experience. haha.. I actually did Torres del Paine. It was so beautiful. My backpack back then was about 12kgs, Everything went super smooth. But this time, we dont know what we were thinking haha.. We learned.. We will be back next year for sure. :)
If you do this kind of hiking, you should test everything in advance. Then you should know that your backpacks are much to heavy. You didn’t even knew the weight when you started? That’s really crazy. And always check the weatherforcast in the mountains before you start a trip.
That’s how people learn 😄 and we did check the weather forecast. We even went to the information centre for a check if it’s okay. But this is the TMB, no flexibility 😉 So it’s all or nothing
This is the first video I watched on your channel, and I subscribed immediately. Thanks for being genuine. Not all hiking trips could go as planned, and knowing when to quit is important, especially for safety reasons. I am certain that with this lesson learned, you will have a better experience during your other planned hikes. Thanks for the insight, as I am planning on taking on the TMB in the first week of this coming September 2023. I also cannot imagine walking 170 km with an 18 kg backpack. My backpack currently weighs around 8.5 kg (including all my sleeping and hiking gear), and no, I am not using baggage transfer. I'm still feeling nervous about the weight of my backpack. I did literally write down every single item with their weights and weighed my pack in multiple different variations. For this hike, I strongly recommend taking only what is 100% necessary-only the necessities, no comfort items.
Myra, chill, its okay, you don't have to explain so many times, about having to give up the trek. Scenery on your first day trek was beautiful😍, above all you look more beautiful & relaxed in the hotel room. Hope to see more of you 'tough guys' in the coming videos🎥!
Haha, at that moment I felt so ashamed.. it was just soo weird that it was not going to happen! But luckily, we had so many awesome adventures in Italy 😄😄 Can't wait to show you!!
With this video your being extremely useful to me and all other hikers! It will make us prepare more and train more than we had planned before going on our hikes. You also remind us that sometimes you really have to stop. You might actually save other people's lives with this video. Tnx a million!
Unless you are on a strict budget, there really is no need to camp along the TMB, so mistake number 1 was lugging all that camping gear around. I did the TMB solo a few years ago, when I was 50, in 9 days and it was BRUTAL physically. But it was also perhaps one of the most amazing, scenic adventures of my life. At the end of each day, I could barely stand, let alone walk. But somehow, I woke up every morning and felt much better. I stayed in hotels and AirBnBs every night except for two nights in rifugios, so that may have helped. It sucks that you couldn't continue, but I'm sure you'll be back.
We already went back this year!! 🤩 and as you said, we didn't camp this time. It is just to much to take together with our camera gear. We stayed in hotels en refuges. You can already check the videos from our first 4 days. The trek is really amazing! So crazy beautiful 😍
22kg....I did the TDM same year as you guys, went with my 16 yr son and camped it. Including 1.5L of water each and carrying freeze dried food for 4 days we each topped out at 8kg. I think too much weight that was a big part of your problems, but you know that by now ;-) 50L sac, if it doesn't fit in then it doesn't come. I have to say well done for posting a video of a trip that didn't go well. It makes a refreshing change to all the happy, smiley fantastic trips on YT, I dare say many others have a similar tale that they dared not share. Oh and there is nothing wrong with failing, some of the most successful people in the world have repeatedly failed before success. Good luck next time.
Wouh 8kg, well done!! Our biggest problem is all of our photo and videogear.. but, we don't give up haha, we will make it lighter! Thank you!! We did hesitate to post this, but as you said, I think it is important to also show the reality on YT. 😃
I completed this hike July 2023 with a 15kg bag. I also did the Col de Tricot variant but luckily had good weather and visibility. The views were amazing from the top. However, I also injured myself and ended up with sharp knee pain that almost took me out the next day while climbing the back to back Col de Balme and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Good call on turning around because the first few days are the MOST brutal of the entire hike. I'm surprised you didn't attempt to camp at Chalet de Miage. If you need help with planning a redo hike or if anyone else reading this needs guidance, I'm more than happy to share what I've learned. I camped through most of it so I know where all the spots are which I find a lot of guidebooks just kind of gloss over.
@@AndreiOutdoors Yeah no problem. I'm going to list them out assuming you are going in the traditional counterclockwise direction. These are only the campsites along the TMB. There are some more off the trail, but I don't think it's worth it to go off course if you can help it. Some of these campsites are free, some are paid. Because camping is limited, you want to stop by around 4PM each day to ensure you get a spot. Stage 1 - Refuge du Fioux, Chalet de Miage* (if you take the variant) Stage 2 - Gite/Camping du Pontet, La Rollaz, Refuge de la Balme, Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme*, Les Chapieux (in the meadows next to the tourist office) You should be nearing Italy at this point where there is only one campsite along the trail. I highly recommend you get an idea of your hiking pace and try to guess which refuge you can reach by the end of the day. Email them the day before asking if they have beds available. If you have to wild camp, the rule is only above 2500m. Stage 3 - no camping Stage 4 - Camping Monte Bianco la Sorgente (can only be reached via variant) Stage 5 - no camping Stage 6 - Camping des Glaciers* Stage 7 - Camping des Rocailles*, Relais d'Arpette (stay here only if you intend to tackle the difficult variant next day) Stage 8 - Auberge Gite Bon Abri, Hotel Col de la Forclaz*, Camping le Peuty Stage 9 - Auberge la Boerne* Stage 10 - You're supposed to be able to wild camp anywhere within the reserve but there were signs up when I went forbidding it around the lakes, Refuge la Flegere* (tap water in cable car station is supposedly safe) Stage 11 - Camping Bellevue I tried to list the campsites in order of how they appear but double check a map to get an idea of their exact locations. They aren't all perfectly set at the end of each stage. I put an * next to the places that I camped at if you want additional details about those places. Good luck and happy hiking!
@@HanhNguyen-uk8bc thanks. Still in the planing phase, so a few extra ideas are always nice. We plan to wild camp most of the way, but I like to be flexible.
Thank you soooooo much for you honest report. This is not only a learning experience for you but for all your viewers. Next time learn not only to take less stuff but also wear your pack better. Do yourself a favor and study how to adjust your pack. Thanks again. Don’t feel discouraged by this experience. You have what it takes. ❤
All adventures are great! So glad you listened to you bodies and came back. Wonderful memories for you both. Italy looks absolutely fantastic! So excited to see those too! #goals
Ah, life lessons. Great video to help others. Lessons: Twenty-ish kg is not that super heavy, but you have to train for it. Other options would include skipping a day, take the bus to the next town, rest. Or two days. Stay low in bad weather. We had great weather when we did this a couple of years ago, but last year trekking in Italy we had stormy days and stayed low. You are young! As the lessons pile up we things will go better! Cheers!
I am also planning to do the TMB this year and indeed, packing and preparing the right gear for the trek takes time. Maybe try to look into Ultralight Hiking (UL)? For example, for a 9-day trek, I expect my pack to weigh around 7-8 kg and this includes water and food. There are also enough small villages and towns in between the sections to resupply so you don't have to carry a lot of food. It's best indeed to listen to your body and decide not to continue the trek as it can be dangerous. I am sure you will complete this next time and looking forward to updates from you two
Hi, I just found this video. Me and my boyfriend did the TMB about 4 years ago and it was our very first long hike with a tent sleeping ... so we didn´t know how hard it is going to be and how extremely heavy our bags are going to be. We walked directly from Les Houches ( yes it was long, steep and boring part) and chose the same way like you in a first day. I had about 55 Kg that time and my bag had 20 kg. I thought I am not gonna make it, my back and neck was in pain all the time. We made about 130 Km and then we decided to quit. Since then I could not stop thinking about how hard it was and also how beautiful it was. This year we will do it again, but we love the ultralight backpacking now :D.
We had the same experience with our first attempt in 2019. Did the same alternative route and hurt my knee. We went back to Chamonix and felt sad for a day, then spent the rest of our trip in London. But, we came back in 2019 and finished it!!!! We were better prepared the next trip. Don’t give up on your dream of the Tour. You don’t have to do it all in one trip.
Hey thanks so much for sharing your journey! The experience you had will help you on the next one for sure! Keep on trekking on the trails! PS - This is called Type 2 fun!
You will definitely complete the next time. You both understand each other and care for each other . Wating to see amazing content from italy. Bro if possible please put 2 or more vlogs a week.
You really deserve more subscribers than you already have and I believe you will have such a big audience for the great quality . Thanks for this awesome videos. Keep up the good work
Did you train enough for this? was my first question that poped up, going for hikes is a way different game then this trail. Good decision to stop the trail after the second day, it would have been a hell to complete it, and maiby took back home an serrious injury.
I did the TMB at 15 on a school trip. Always remember being caught in a white out in waist deep snow in a bivvy shelter near the highest point. Best hiking trip ive ever done.
18 kilo packs? Mon dieu, I can feel your pain... please don't give up on hiking, it's such a great experience with less than half that pack weight which is possible even with a tent and sleep system.
Thanks for sharing guys, it was a good decision to stop, to continue would’ve been very difficult as I don’t think you would’ve got track fit with all that weight. A lesson for us all pair down your kit to only the essentials. Good luck for the next time as I’m sure you will do it then!
Train more and use the correct equipment. If weather was bad I simply had a day off and watched films in the tent. I learnt if your in pain or horrendous weather take a day. Its not a race
I noticed a few things - having been on the occasional high altitude hike and ski tour here and there myself 😉 : You weren't using digital maps, but a paper version. Paper maps a fine - as a back up. Only. The FAR better alternative is a digital map that uses your GPS to show you where you are on the map. This can be a life saver. In Switzerland, all hiking maps are available for free. For the entire country. In the highest resolutions. But for a 10-day tour, bring a power bank. If only to power the phone to be able to summon help. You did not seem to be using a web-based, local weather forecast system specialized on alpine forecasts. When on alpine hikes, I continously monitor the weather, just like I monitor the progress on the digital map. A wheather forcast would tell you if you had just one rainy day or 5. At multiple rainy days forecast: don't start the tour. When an experienced hiker (and an older couple that takes the hard "alternative", 10-day route probably is!) tells you to avoid a specific hike in rainy weather, you should ALWAYS take heed. Experienced hikers know these thing MUCH better, but we often feel we know just as well. This less than humble attitude can get someone into serious pickles. You did not seem to be very experienced or surefooted on the slightly steep but harmless decline @5:09. I think you could have endangered yourselves in the more challenging terrain that was still ahead. A 10 day ALPINE hike is a serious effort, because your body cannot recover for a day or two in between. For this hike duration and difficulty level, an alipne hiker should be at the top of his/her fitness or build up to this duration by doing a few 3-4 day hikes with recovery days in between and THEN do the big one as the culmination. To try it "cold turkey" in rainy weather without solid alpine experience and surefootedness seems to be a bit overambitious, imho. I think you did well to break off the hike. I'm only offering my observations and opinions here to give some inputs for your next try - not to criticize. Hope next time's the charm!
We just came back from the trek! 😄 true, max 12.5kg to keep it comfy. Liters doesn't matter, we have both big backpacks but they are super comfy, that's the most important
Hey guys, that's fine. Even experienced mountaineers climbing Mount Everest , call off at the last point of summit. Next time better luck. You guys are awesome and wonderful people.
Oh... it would be so scared and sad😢😢 but it's not your fault and I think you made a good choice though! But may I ask where was the suspension bridge in your film? I know you went to the clockwise direction but do you know exactly where it was? And what happened at the end of the bridge Was it broken..? I am asking because I go to do TMB this June with my dog... so if the bridge is broken I should avoid that section
I hiked the Camino (5 wks walking) my bag was 7kg but I didn't have to carry food or a tent, just 500ml water. Walking in rain is aweful, I did it & got the worst blisters ever ! I was worried how my knees would hold out ( osteo arthritis) but my feet swelling was the biggest problem 😆 Btw.just returned from Chamonix skiing tho' , for summer hiking St.Germaine is recommended 🤗
Thank you for the video! Nice to see the surroundings there, when i am planning my own trip. Sad to see you missed out on the top. Good luck on further expededitions!
Quote Kilian Jornet: A new project have a chance to go wrong. It's not a failure it's an #opportunity to do it again! Keep it up and thanks for posting. Dind't know about the ultimate route. It will help me for my prep to walk the tour in 2023. Wish more people show there efforts even it's not a full loop. It needs more bravery to stop and listening to your body.
Thank you Bjorn! 😄 and for sure it's an opportunity to do it again. We really hope already this year! Good luck with preparing! Hopefully we'll have some informational videos about the TMB in September haha 😄
i did about half the tmb. in my backpack i had spare socks, underwear, t shirt, toothbrush, soap and a bivi bag. that’s about it. i didn’t use the bivi bag as i stayed in lodges. you should carry way under 10 kg.
One big reason I like to hike in Europe is that I almost do not carry anything. I love the hut to hut experience. It just looks painful to carry that much while hiking.
Thx for an inspiring video. I’m not a extreme UL packer, however people often ask why I care so much about the weight and the single item every time I purchase new or pack for a trip. Less weight is just making hard trails more enjoyable. Current pack wait excluding gas, food and water 6,5kg no luxury items and hopefully not items i will not use at some point at a multiple day trip. Thx again!
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes after watching so many "success" videos one loses track of the fact sometimes things go wrong. You made a good decision to stop before real trouble. Too many people just continue until it is a disaster. Some thoughts after a very long life in the mountains. Yes, do everything you can to reduce weight, but make sure you take what you need to be safe. Train, train, train. I think with more practice even at those weights you would be fine - likely too much time touring around before the trek left you somewhat out of shape. First day or two, aim low (lower altitude, lower distance, etc.) to get into the rhythm of things and test how you are going to do - if you do too much day one you get blown out. If you find you could have done more, well, you can go ahead and up the pace. And my last point you also made - the mountains will still be there next month, next year. Better to try again than to get seriously hurt. Best of luck on your future travels.
Thank you! Yes we think it is important to also share 'true life'. We are actually making a second attempt for the TMB this year! But this time without camping.. and as you said: we'll be better prepared! 😄
@@LetsMeetAbroad I'll be on the tour with my wife during first two weeks of July. If you see a little old man and a little old lady, might be us! But first off mountain climbing with my son! Being old and retired is not all bad.
Guys, l don't know what to say... A few more hikes and you'll be crushing the miles and enjoying the rain and bad weather! My wife wants us to do the TMB this summer, we'll see! Thanks for sharing.
@@LetsMeetAbroad 🤣 That's the attitude! 💪Knowing what to expect will help you a lot (in this regard, l'm sure your video is helping many people). l've watched other videos and it seems the TMB gets VERY busy so l'm not too sure l want to do it anymore. If we were to do it though, it'd be great to meet you on the trail! 😊ATB.
You are not supposed to carry your backpack on your shoulders. Most of the backpack weight should be on your hips - that's why there is that strap on the bag.
it is not a failiure it just like a wise decision not to carry forward this time but tomorrow you made a new life in these trekking scenario and immerse in it like oneness with nature and you both able to complete it there always tomorrow u never give up but tomorrow you can catch in dont worry
Haha thank Jeroen! 😄 We did not really prepare.. but we are always active and go to the gym a lot, we thought that would be enough! For the next time (hopefully this year) we will do more running and walking the months before 😄
While I can applaud your decision to abandon the TMB when you did. It was the right decision. I cant help wonder about your terrible preparation for this trip. From the incredible weight of your rucksacks to the use of what looks like a pitch inner first tent. I am willing to bet that you didnt train properly by practicing with your full load weight for a 1 or 2 day mini hike camp etc. Doing this sort of thing would have opened your eyes to your mistakes before it mattered. Main thing is you made the right choice to stop, so hopefully next time you will make a great success of the TMB.
Yes, you are absolutely right. We recently did the Everest base camp trek with proper preparations and didn’t have a problem at all. We are planning to do tour de Mont Blanc probably this year with a lot of preparations 😄
Crystal clear videos... generally watch mountain treckker, Nomadic indian but yours video quality is best..which camera do you use for your vlogs please mention if possible..
Hello Ravindra, we are glad you enjoyed our video. We use the Sony a7sIII with Sigma 24-70mm lens. We have more info about our kit in the description :)
I hiked this trek, while camping, filming everything and it was hard. This year I hiked another one, and rain is a BITCH. I also had to quit this time, even though I finished it the year before feeling absolutely amazing. You are not weak or anything, your 'small' body (comparing it to my own) is not made for 18 kilos hiking up and down so much height in shit weather 😂
for long distances i always bring my backpack with maximum 10% of my weight.. im 60 kilos so my back weight max 6 kilos.. minimal and i can concentrate on nature because i have so much energy.. once i tried with 10 chilos but i sent 3 kilos back at the nearest post.. ahah
Thank you! 😄 true, we would love to film that more, but it feels a bit weird filming others.. Next time we will just ask more if they are ok with it! 😁
I have to say you guys have way too less subscribers for the quality of content you create. Its really interesting to watch. Keep it going. This channel is going to be big. All the best for your amazing journey!
I love the fact that you guys are Transparent i can Emagine how Painful your knees was with all of those Huge Backpacks. I hiked last week to Grindelwald first Cliffs going Up was taft but going dow. Down i didn't even have that Heavy backpack but my knees was realy Hurting .I am watching all your video and Journey
Its smart that you quit then, the TMB was the first big trek i did with my friend and we had the same issue. Our packs were also 19 - 23 kilos, you only make this mistake once. We did the full tour with a couple of the alternative routes and it was amazing i can highly recommend it, but one thing to keep in mind the part of the trail you did was one of the easier ones there will be much longer and more difficult parts so you really need to be prepared even after you have been trekking for a week already. We did it clockwise, usually people do it couter clockwise. One thing that really helped us was waking up really early and just get going ,start walkling this way you're on the move the longest amount of time. If you want a sneek peak one of my mates took a drone with him and we made a small video: th-cam.com/video/cfpGmFPY_9E/w-d-xo.html
Haha yes it was a big life lesson!! Our TH-cam algorithm is now full of 'lightweight backpacking tips' haha. Like your video!! We really hope we can give the TMB a second attempt this year 😁
18 KILOS !! r u serious? u r not supposed to carry more than 10 percent your body weight on a long hike. I am 6 ft tall 187 cm guy 85 kgs bodyweight and i limit myself to 10 kgs backpack.
It's not a hard rule. I'm 160 cm tall, weigh about 64-65 kg, carried 10-12 kg backpack (including food and water) this year on a multi-day hike in the Alps and my back and legs were perfectly fine (the answer: Osprey backpack + years of playing tennis regularly, but mainly backpack :) ). But agree that 18 and 22 kg is an absolute overkill regardless of your height and weight. They didn't know that at the time (didn't research enough and didn't do test hikes with full backpacks). They made a wise decision, learned and they prepared better for the 2nd attempt. That's the main thing.
You have to talk in Hindi which can connect audience do some stuff related to India like indian food, culture etc. Although I really like your channel because I love trekking recently I went Kedarnath which was 16 km from the road
Thanks for watching,. 90% of audience is english speaking and most important Myra doesn't understands hindi. This is not my channel, this is our channel. So there is no point in making videos in hindi. Our channel is for everyone around the world who is intersted in travelling and adventures. It is not limited to certain country. Regards, Adi
@@LetsMeetAbroad Sorry I was in a mood earlier. I should not have created a barrier of entry. My apologies. When you get a chance look into the tools thru-hikers use. Homemade Wanderlust has some good content, but in general look up videos for long distance backpacking. Long distance backpacking at least my opinion is a bit of a different mindset which you again can find on TH-cam. I've personally thru-hiked the AT. Other well known trails commonly thru-hiked are the PCT, Te Araroa, CDT, etc.
I think you made the correct decision . As an experienced trekker I think this shows three things .
1. Weigh your bag
2. Stick to your plan don’t be influenced by others
3. If in doubt head down
If not you get not only yourself but others in danger. Well done for doing the right thing and respect for having the courage to make it and share your experience.
Thank you 😊 ☺️
@@LetsMeetAbroad would you mind dropping me the location of the long term parking place you could use for the duration of the trip?
Thanks
Big respect to you for having the maturity to turn around. I was shocked at the weight of your packs and by your impluse decision on the route. Having said that, I've had a couple of similar / impulse driven experiences in Nepal and learned that's it's a fine line sometimes between being safe and healthy, or not. Enjoyed your report - it was refreshing. Thanks
Reminded me of my hike a years back in Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile. I overpacked stuff that I totally had no need for during the hike. The second day of my hike I had to cover around 22km of ups and down. Although I made it and had a nice bed and dinner waiting for me, my knees started to give away on the fourth day. From then on all my subsequent multiway hikes I made it a point to pack less, use bag transfers if possible, book refugios wherever i could just to make the hike more relaxing! TMB has been on my list forever and I'm sure you guys will go back to tackle it! Cheers!!!
Hello, Adi here.. Must have been an emotional rolarcoaster experience. haha.. I actually did Torres del Paine. It was so beautiful. My backpack back then was about 12kgs, Everything went super smooth.
But this time, we dont know what we were thinking haha.. We learned.. We will be back next year for sure. :)
If you do this kind of hiking, you should test everything in advance. Then you should know that your backpacks are much to heavy. You didn’t even knew the weight when you started? That’s really crazy. And always check the weatherforcast in the mountains before you start a trip.
That’s how people learn 😄 and we did check the weather forecast. We even went to the information centre for a check if it’s okay. But this is the TMB, no flexibility 😉 So it’s all or nothing
This is the first video I watched on your channel, and I subscribed immediately. Thanks for being genuine. Not all hiking trips could go as planned, and knowing when to quit is important, especially for safety reasons. I am certain that with this lesson learned, you will have a better experience during your other planned hikes. Thanks for the insight, as I am planning on taking on the TMB in the first week of this coming September 2023.
I also cannot imagine walking 170 km with an 18 kg backpack. My backpack currently weighs around 8.5 kg (including all my sleeping and hiking gear), and no, I am not using baggage transfer. I'm still feeling nervous about the weight of my backpack. I did literally write down every single item with their weights and weighed my pack in multiple different variations. For this hike, I strongly recommend taking only what is 100% necessary-only the necessities, no comfort items.
Myra, chill, its okay, you don't have to explain so many times, about having to give up the trek. Scenery on your first day trek was beautiful😍, above all you look more beautiful & relaxed in the hotel room. Hope to see more of you 'tough guys' in the coming videos🎥!
Haha, at that moment I felt so ashamed.. it was just soo weird that it was not going to happen! But luckily, we had so many awesome adventures in Italy 😄😄 Can't wait to show you!!
With this video your being extremely useful to me and all other hikers! It will make us prepare more and train more than we had planned before going on our hikes.
You also remind us that sometimes you really have to stop. You might actually save other people's lives with this video. Tnx a million!
thank you, we are glad that this video helped you in some way :)
Unless you are on a strict budget, there really is no need to camp along the TMB, so mistake number 1 was lugging all that camping gear around. I did the TMB solo a few years ago, when I was 50, in 9 days and it was BRUTAL physically. But it was also perhaps one of the most amazing, scenic adventures of my life. At the end of each day, I could barely stand, let alone walk. But somehow, I woke up every morning and felt much better. I stayed in hotels and AirBnBs every night except for two nights in rifugios, so that may have helped. It sucks that you couldn't continue, but I'm sure you'll be back.
We already went back this year!! 🤩 and as you said, we didn't camp this time. It is just to much to take together with our camera gear. We stayed in hotels en refuges. You can already check the videos from our first 4 days. The trek is really amazing! So crazy beautiful 😍
22kg....I did the TDM same year as you guys, went with my 16 yr son and camped it. Including 1.5L of water each and carrying freeze dried food for 4 days we each topped out at 8kg. I think too much weight that was a big part of your problems, but you know that by now ;-)
50L sac, if it doesn't fit in then it doesn't come.
I have to say well done for posting a video of a trip that didn't go well. It makes a refreshing change to all the happy, smiley fantastic trips on YT, I dare say many others have a similar tale that they dared not share.
Oh and there is nothing wrong with failing, some of the most successful people in the world have repeatedly failed before success.
Good luck next time.
Wouh 8kg, well done!! Our biggest problem is all of our photo and videogear.. but, we don't give up haha, we will make it lighter!
Thank you!! We did hesitate to post this, but as you said, I think it is important to also show the reality on YT. 😃
I completed this hike July 2023 with a 15kg bag. I also did the Col de Tricot variant but luckily had good weather and visibility. The views were amazing from the top. However, I also injured myself and ended up with sharp knee pain that almost took me out the next day while climbing the back to back Col de Balme and Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. Good call on turning around because the first few days are the MOST brutal of the entire hike. I'm surprised you didn't attempt to camp at Chalet de Miage. If you need help with planning a redo hike or if anyone else reading this needs guidance, I'm more than happy to share what I've learned. I camped through most of it so I know where all the spots are which I find a lot of guidebooks just kind of gloss over.
Hey Mate. It would be much appreciated if you share the camping spots. Trying to do my plan for next June. Thanks
@@AndreiOutdoors Yeah no problem. I'm going to list them out assuming you are going in the traditional counterclockwise direction. These are only the campsites along the TMB. There are some more off the trail, but I don't think it's worth it to go off course if you can help it. Some of these campsites are free, some are paid. Because camping is limited, you want to stop by around 4PM each day to ensure you get a spot.
Stage 1 - Refuge du Fioux, Chalet de Miage* (if you take the variant)
Stage 2 - Gite/Camping du Pontet, La Rollaz, Refuge de la Balme, Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme*, Les Chapieux (in the meadows next to the tourist office)
You should be nearing Italy at this point where there is only one campsite along the trail. I highly recommend you get an idea of your hiking pace and try to guess which refuge you can reach by the end of the day. Email them the day before asking if they have beds available. If you have to wild camp, the rule is only above 2500m.
Stage 3 - no camping
Stage 4 - Camping Monte Bianco la Sorgente (can only be reached via variant)
Stage 5 - no camping
Stage 6 - Camping des Glaciers*
Stage 7 - Camping des Rocailles*, Relais d'Arpette (stay here only if you intend to tackle the difficult variant next day)
Stage 8 - Auberge Gite Bon Abri, Hotel Col de la Forclaz*, Camping le Peuty
Stage 9 - Auberge la Boerne*
Stage 10 - You're supposed to be able to wild camp anywhere within the reserve but there were signs up when I went forbidding it around the lakes, Refuge la Flegere* (tap water in cable car station is supposedly safe)
Stage 11 - Camping Bellevue
I tried to list the campsites in order of how they appear but double check a map to get an idea of their exact locations. They aren't all perfectly set at the end of each stage. I put an * next to the places that I camped at if you want additional details about those places. Good luck and happy hiking!
@@HanhNguyen-uk8bc thanks. Still in the planing phase, so a few extra ideas are always nice. We plan to wild camp most of the way, but I like to be flexible.
Those packs are HUGE!!
You were unlucky with the weather, you can do it next year 👍 but drop at least half the weight.
Yes, true
Thank you soooooo much for you honest report. This is not only a learning experience for you but for all your viewers. Next time learn not only to take less stuff but also wear your pack better. Do yourself a favor and study how to adjust your pack. Thanks again. Don’t feel discouraged by this experience. You have what it takes. ❤
I hope so! 😃 Still feel stupid about it haha. But yes, it was a big lesson! Never do something out of excitement without preparation 🙈
@@LetsMeetAbroad we’ve all been there girl.
All adventures are great! So glad you listened to you bodies and came back. Wonderful memories for you both. Italy looks absolutely fantastic! So excited to see those too! #goals
Yep, it was a wise decision! 😄 and we had a great time in Italy! We fell in love with that country haha. Can't wait to share it with you 😊
Ah, life lessons. Great video to help others. Lessons: Twenty-ish kg is not that super heavy, but you have to train for it. Other options would include skipping a day, take the bus to the next town, rest. Or two days. Stay low in bad weather. We had great weather when we did this a couple of years ago, but last year trekking in Italy we had stormy days and stayed low. You are young! As the lessons pile up we things will go better! Cheers!
I am also planning to do the TMB this year and indeed, packing and preparing the right gear for the trek takes time. Maybe try to look into Ultralight Hiking (UL)? For example, for a 9-day trek, I expect my pack to weigh around 7-8 kg and this includes water and food. There are also enough small villages and towns in between the sections to resupply so you don't have to carry a lot of food.
It's best indeed to listen to your body and decide not to continue the trek as it can be dangerous. I am sure you will complete this next time and looking forward to updates from you two
Thank you Katrina, yes we are preety determined to do it again. This time we will keep it around 7-8kgs. :)
Which month are you planning to do it?
@@LetsMeetAbroad we are starting the trek on July 22 ;)
Hi, I just found this video. Me and my boyfriend did the TMB about 4 years ago and it was our very first long hike with a tent sleeping ... so we didn´t know how hard it is going to be and how extremely heavy our bags are going to be. We walked directly from Les Houches ( yes it was long, steep and boring part) and chose the same way like you in a first day. I had about 55 Kg that time and my bag had 20 kg. I thought I am not gonna make it, my back and neck was in pain all the time. We made about 130 Km and then we decided to quit. Since then I could not stop thinking about how hard it was and also how beautiful it was. This year we will do it again, but we love the ultralight backpacking now :D.
Thanks for sharing this Klara, that sounds very painfull. We are also planning to do TMB this year in September problaly
We had the same experience with our first attempt in 2019. Did the same alternative route and hurt my knee. We went back to Chamonix and felt sad for a day, then spent the rest of our trip in London. But, we came back in 2019 and finished it!!!! We were better prepared the next trip. Don’t give up on your dream of the Tour. You don’t have to do it all in one trip.
Thank you Kerelin for the inspiration, yes we will do it for sure.
Hey thanks so much for sharing your journey! The experience you had will help you on the next one for sure! Keep on trekking on the trails! PS - This is called Type 2 fun!
Haha true! Thanks Dan 😄
You will definitely complete the next time. You both understand each other and care for each other .
Wating to see amazing content from italy.
Bro if possible please put 2 or more vlogs a week.
Hello Hemang... thankls for watching :) yess, we will be doing it next year for sure.
You really deserve more subscribers than you already have and I believe you will have such a big audience for the great quality . Thanks for this awesome videos. Keep up the good work
Thank you so much!! 😄
Best advise I can give is PPP. Practice, Plan and Preparation
Thank you for sharing!
Did you train enough for this? was my first question that poped up, going for hikes is a way different game then this trail. Good decision to stop the trail after the second day, it would have been a hell to complete it, and maiby took back home an serrious injury.
No, we didn’t really plan things well. But we will do this trek again with proper preparations 😄
@@LetsMeetAbroad looking forward to the new attempt! Maiby book huts instead of bringing camping gear will reduce the weight allot? Take care,
I did the TMB at 15 on a school trip. Always remember being caught in a white out in waist deep snow in a bivvy shelter near the highest point. Best hiking trip ive ever done.
Ah thats amazing, we will try to do it this year
18 kilo packs? Mon dieu, I can feel your pain... please don't give up on hiking, it's such a great experience with less than half that pack weight which is possible even with a tent and sleep system.
Thanks for sharing guys, it was a good decision to stop, to continue would’ve been very difficult as I don’t think you would’ve got track fit with all that weight. A lesson for us all pair down your kit to only the essentials. Good luck for the next time as I’m sure you will do it then!
Train more and use the correct equipment. If weather was bad I simply had a day off and watched films in the tent. I learnt if your in pain or horrendous weather take a day. Its not a race
I noticed a few things - having been on the occasional high altitude hike and ski tour here and there myself 😉 :
You weren't using digital maps, but a paper version. Paper maps a fine - as a back up. Only. The FAR better alternative is a digital map that uses your GPS to show you where you are on the map. This can be a life saver. In Switzerland, all hiking maps are available for free. For the entire country. In the highest resolutions. But for a 10-day tour, bring a power bank. If only to power the phone to be able to summon help.
You did not seem to be using a web-based, local weather forecast system specialized on alpine forecasts. When on alpine hikes, I continously monitor the weather, just like I monitor the progress on the digital map. A wheather forcast would tell you if you had just one rainy day or 5. At multiple rainy days forecast: don't start the tour.
When an experienced hiker (and an older couple that takes the hard "alternative", 10-day route probably is!) tells you to avoid a specific hike in rainy weather, you should ALWAYS take heed. Experienced hikers know these thing MUCH better, but we often feel we know just as well. This less than humble attitude can get someone into serious pickles.
You did not seem to be very experienced or surefooted on the slightly steep but harmless decline @5:09. I think you could have endangered yourselves in the more challenging terrain that was still ahead.
A 10 day ALPINE hike is a serious effort, because your body cannot recover for a day or two in between. For this hike duration and difficulty level, an alipne hiker should be at the top of his/her fitness or build up to this duration by doing a few 3-4 day hikes with recovery days in between and THEN do the big one as the culmination. To try it "cold turkey" in rainy weather without solid alpine experience and surefootedness seems to be a bit overambitious, imho.
I think you did well to break off the hike. I'm only offering my observations and opinions here to give some inputs for your next try - not to criticize. Hope next time's the charm!
Thank you so much Chris for your inputs, we will prepare it better for next year :)
They say this track must be made with a 35 max backpack 12,5 kg max ,do you reckon so ?
We just came back from the trek! 😄 true, max 12.5kg to keep it comfy. Liters doesn't matter, we have both big backpacks but they are super comfy, that's the most important
Hey guys, that's fine. Even experienced mountaineers climbing Mount Everest , call off at the last point of summit.
Next time better luck. You guys are awesome and wonderful people.
Thank you 😊
Thank you for sharing this, I’m sure it was hard to decide whether you would share it! I think it was important that you did.
Thank you so much!
So glad you went back ! Very sensible ! You are young. There will be other opportunities ! 💕🌷
Thank you, we actually did the trek again this year, it was amazing, Videos coming soon :)
Oh... it would be so scared and sad😢😢 but it's not your fault and I think you made a good choice though! But may I ask where was the suspension bridge in your film? I know you went to the clockwise direction but do you know exactly where it was? And what happened at the end of the bridge Was it broken..? I am asking because I go to do TMB this June with my dog... so if the bridge is broken I should avoid that section
Without tent etc. I use a 32 liter backpack weighing about 7kg, including tent etc. I use a 40 liter backpack weighing about 10kg.
I hiked the Camino (5 wks walking) my bag was 7kg but I didn't have to carry food or a tent, just 500ml water.
Walking in rain is aweful, I did it & got the worst blisters ever ! I was worried how my knees would hold out ( osteo arthritis) but my feet swelling was the biggest problem 😆 Btw.just returned from Chamonix skiing tho' , for summer hiking St.Germaine is recommended 🤗
Thanks for sharing your story with us. We will attempt to do it again this year. :)
Thank you for the video! Nice to see the surroundings there, when i am planning my own trip. Sad to see you missed out on the top. Good luck on further expededitions!
Thank you!! We exactly go for a second attempt this year 😄
Quote Kilian Jornet: A new project have a chance to go wrong. It's not a failure it's an #opportunity to do it again! Keep it up and thanks for posting. Dind't know about the ultimate route. It will help me for my prep to walk the tour in 2023. Wish more people show there efforts even it's not a full loop. It needs more bravery to stop and listening to your body.
Thank you Bjorn! 😄 and for sure it's an opportunity to do it again. We really hope already this year! Good luck with preparing! Hopefully we'll have some informational videos about the TMB in September haha 😄
Really liked this one. Shows the tougher points of adventure travel. Well done!
Thanks so much Matt :)
i did about half the tmb. in my backpack i had spare socks, underwear, t shirt, toothbrush, soap and a bivi bag. that’s about it. i didn’t use the bivi bag as i stayed in lodges. you should carry way under 10 kg.
Haha yes, you’re right
One big reason I like to hike in Europe is that I almost do not carry anything. I love the hut to hut experience. It just looks painful to carry that much while hiking.
Yeah, that is true. We did it last year hut to hut and absolutely loved it 😍
Sorry your Trekk didn't go as planned. It is such a beautiful trek and hopefully you guys will get to do it again soon.
thanks, yes, we are hoping to do it this year :)
Thank you, thank you very much for this video!!!
Thanks for watching :)
Thx for an inspiring video. I’m not a extreme UL packer, however people often ask why I care so much about the weight and the single item every time I purchase new or pack for a trip. Less weight is just making hard trails more enjoyable. Current pack wait excluding gas, food and water 6,5kg no luxury items and hopefully not items i will not use at some point at a multiple day trip. Thx again!
6,5kgs , that’s impressive. We would try to keep it down under 10kgs next time
What the heck are in those bags??? Would love a gear walk through to get an idea of what you were carrying hhaha
Haha 🙈🙈 a lot of camera stuff, food and heavy camping stuff…
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes after watching so many "success" videos one loses track of the fact sometimes things go wrong. You made a good decision to stop before real trouble. Too many people just continue until it is a disaster.
Some thoughts after a very long life in the mountains. Yes, do everything you can to reduce weight, but make sure you take what you need to be safe. Train, train, train. I think with more practice even at those weights you would be fine - likely too much time touring around before the trek left you somewhat out of shape. First day or two, aim low (lower altitude, lower distance, etc.) to get into the rhythm of things and test how you are going to do - if you do too much day one you get blown out. If you find you could have done more, well, you can go ahead and up the pace.
And my last point you also made - the mountains will still be there next month, next year. Better to try again than to get seriously hurt.
Best of luck on your future travels.
Thank you! Yes we think it is important to also share 'true life'. We are actually making a second attempt for the TMB this year! But this time without camping.. and as you said: we'll be better prepared! 😄
@@LetsMeetAbroad I'll be on the tour with my wife during first two weeks of July. If you see a little old man and a little old lady, might be us!
But first off mountain climbing with my son! Being old and retired is not all bad.
Guys, l don't know what to say... A few more hikes and you'll be crushing the miles and enjoying the rain and bad weather! My wife wants us to do the TMB this summer, we'll see! Thanks for sharing.
We really hope we can do the TMB also this summer!! And now with a bit more preparation haha. 😃
@@LetsMeetAbroad 🤣 That's the attitude! 💪Knowing what to expect will help you a lot (in this regard, l'm sure your video is helping many people). l've watched other videos and it seems the TMB gets VERY busy so l'm not too sure l want to do it anymore. If we were to do it though, it'd be great to meet you on the trail! 😊ATB.
You will make it. The journey matters more than the destination.
yes, we will try it next year again :)
No worries, you 'll make it next time! But have in mind that carrying 22kg on your back it's way too heavy for the TMB, you should reduce it by 10kg.
Yes, that’s our plan for this year. We will probably do it in September
Thanks for the honest story. Props for your excellent production values. Sell the script to Netflix?
Maybe one day! haha
Well done. Wishing you all the very best for the next time!
Thanks!! 😄 Hopefully next year!
You are not supposed to carry your backpack on your shoulders. Most of the backpack weight should be on your hips - that's why there is that strap on the bag.
haha of course we know that, but the weight was just so heavy that our backpacks couldn't handle the load. It was hurting like crazy on the hips
Never give up.. Love from Nepal 🇳🇵
it is not a failiure it just like a wise decision not to carry forward this time but tomorrow you made a new life in these trekking scenario and immerse in it like oneness with nature and you both able to complete it there always tomorrow u never give up but tomorrow you can catch in dont worry
Thanks for the encouragement Praveen :)
Hi! You guys look pretty fit. How did you physically prepare for the TMB?
Haha thank Jeroen! 😄 We did not really prepare.. but we are always active and go to the gym a lot, we thought that would be enough! For the next time (hopefully this year) we will do more running and walking the months before 😄
what time of year was this filmed ?
Last September 😀
was it your first ever hike?
No, we have done Everest base camp, Annapurna circuit, Patagonia trek and many more, but never with 24 kilos of backpacks haha
Thank you, a great video.
Thanks Craig :)
Thank you
While I can applaud your decision to abandon the TMB when you did. It was the right decision.
I cant help wonder about your terrible preparation for this trip. From the incredible weight of your rucksacks to the use of what looks like a pitch inner first tent. I am willing to bet that you didnt train properly by practicing with your full load weight for a 1 or 2 day mini hike camp etc. Doing this sort of thing would have opened your eyes to your mistakes before it mattered.
Main thing is you made the right choice to stop, so hopefully next time you will make a great success of the TMB.
Yes, you are absolutely right. We recently did the Everest base camp trek with proper preparations and didn’t have a problem at all. We are planning to do tour de Mont Blanc probably this year with a lot of preparations 😄
Please make a trip to Laddakh and also explore North East trip 🙏 😊
Please ! Please !
We would love to see😍😍
Please also make a trip to VALLEY OF FLOWERS in Uttrakhand , Badrinath Dham Road😍😍😍😍😍
I also want to go there
Yes, of course we will :) Thanks for the recommendation :)
Good decision to come back....
Crystal clear videos... generally watch mountain treckker, Nomadic indian but yours video quality is best..which camera do you use for your vlogs please mention if possible..
Hello Ravindra, we are glad you enjoyed our video. We use the Sony a7sIII with Sigma 24-70mm lens. We have more info about our kit in the description :)
I hiked this trek, while camping, filming everything and it was hard. This year I hiked another one, and rain is a BITCH. I also had to quit this time, even though I finished it the year before feeling absolutely amazing. You are not weak or anything, your 'small' body (comparing it to my own) is not made for 18 kilos hiking up and down so much height in shit weather 😂
Thank you!! Friendly words, makes us feel a bit better about it haha ☺
Mooi, knap gedaan.
for long distances i always bring my backpack with maximum 10% of my weight.. im 60 kilos so my back weight max 6 kilos.. minimal and i can concentrate on nature because i have so much energy.. once i tried with 10 chilos but i sent 3 kilos back at the nearest post.. ahah
Thanks for sharing!
What time of year was this?
This was in September
@@LetsMeetAbroad early September or late September?
without gps maps!!!! every beginner learn the pain of the weight very soon :) Every one dont worry.
You both are amazing. Sometimes show your interaction with other people, it will make the video more interesting.
Thank you! 😄 true, we would love to film that more, but it feels a bit weird filming others.. Next time we will just ask more if they are ok with it! 😁
I have to say you guys have way too less subscribers for the quality of content you create. Its really interesting to watch. Keep it going. This channel is going to be big. All the best for your amazing journey!
Thank you so much 😊
Awesome 🔥🔥💯
Thanks
Pay attention to Safety in the journey from next time onwards, you have made a good journey.#
Thank you, we will :) :)
when is your next video.
hey, you are the guy from quora right?
I love the fact that you guys are Transparent i can Emagine how Painful your knees was with all of those Huge Backpacks. I hiked last week to Grindelwald first Cliffs going Up was taft but going dow. Down i didn't even have that Heavy backpack but my knees was realy Hurting .I am watching all your video and Journey
Thank you so much Naima, yes hiking can be tricky sometimes if our body is not used to the repetitive load. Grindelwald must be beautiful!
17:55 i camped the tmb with an 11.5 kilo backpack, i don't know what you all bring op there :)
Hey Niels, we had a lot of camera gear and we packed a lot of food which was not really necessary :/
Hlo adi bhai you ignited my dream to go for a mountain trekking. Love and respect from bottom of my heart 🙏🏻
Thanks for watching :)
Its smart that you quit then, the TMB was the first big trek i did with my friend and we had the same issue.
Our packs were also 19 - 23 kilos, you only make this mistake once.
We did the full tour with a couple of the alternative routes and it was amazing i can highly recommend it, but one thing to keep in mind the part of the trail you did was one of the easier ones there will be much longer and more difficult parts so you really need to be prepared even after you have been trekking for a week already.
We did it clockwise, usually people do it couter clockwise.
One thing that really helped us was waking up really early and just get going ,start walkling this way you're on the move the longest amount of time.
If you want a sneek peak one of my mates took a drone with him and we made a small video: th-cam.com/video/cfpGmFPY_9E/w-d-xo.html
Haha yes it was a big life lesson!! Our TH-cam algorithm is now full of 'lightweight backpacking tips' haha. Like your video!! We really hope we can give the TMB a second attempt this year 😁
Better to stop when your'e in serious pain than continue and gain a lifetime injury.
Your packs look massive
Yep they were, it was not fun at all
Bro please make videos in also hindi language bcoz u deserve more subscribers and millions of views . your video editing is very impressive ❤️❤️🇮🇳🇮🇳
Thank you :)
Nice place nice view my friends.
Yes, thank you
Good video.
Love to know about dutch culture. Make video on the difference between indian and dutch culture.
Will come 😄
Hi from Pokhara, Nepal
We love Pokhara.. We will be back there soon
the real different between India and Europe is our roads are dirty and their roads are clean with natural beauty
When did you do that? Date please
We did it in September 😃 2nd week I believe
If the hike is such an epic hike... pack less than you want. Every 100 grams is weighing in big time. I don't even pack 22 kilo's for 3 weeks ;-)
Yeah, it was a rookie mistake but we learned..
Myra ma'am you are the best 🙂
Thank you
First view
Really tensed to see this video. Felt like seeing an action movie.....Worried for safety...
Please please 🥺 React to "Sau Asmaan" song From the movie Baar Baar Dekho with your girlfriend.
Both cute couple
Thank you
10k coming soooon
Yeah it came 😄🎉
🥰🤘
*He seems lost* 😁🤘🧡💛
:D :D
18 KILOS !! r u serious? u r not supposed to carry more than 10 percent your body weight on a long hike. I am 6 ft tall 187 cm guy 85 kgs bodyweight and i limit myself to 10 kgs backpack.
Haha yep, we know now 😅
It's not a hard rule. I'm 160 cm tall, weigh about 64-65 kg, carried 10-12 kg backpack (including food and water) this year on a multi-day hike in the Alps and my back and legs were perfectly fine (the answer: Osprey backpack + years of playing tennis regularly, but mainly backpack :) ). But agree that 18 and 22 kg is an absolute overkill regardless of your height and weight. They didn't know that at the time (didn't research enough and didn't do test hikes with full backpacks). They made a wise decision, learned and they prepared better for the 2nd attempt. That's the main thing.
You have to talk in Hindi which can connect audience do some stuff related to India like indian food, culture etc. Although I really like your channel because I love trekking recently I went Kedarnath which was 16 km from the road
Thanks for watching,. 90% of audience is english speaking and most important Myra doesn't understands hindi. This is not my channel, this is our channel. So there is no point in making videos in hindi. Our channel is for everyone around the world who is intersted in travelling and adventures. It is not limited to certain country.
Regards, Adi
How the hell you tried to do the TMB with 22 kg on your back? No wonder why the knee was giving up...
Haha we tried the next year with 12kgs and it was totally fine
It’s always weird to watch non-thru hikers hike these trails.
When are you are thru hiker?
@@LetsMeetAbroad Sorry I was in a mood earlier. I should not have created a barrier of entry. My apologies. When you get a chance look into the tools thru-hikers use. Homemade Wanderlust has some good content, but in general look up videos for long distance backpacking. Long distance backpacking at least my opinion is a bit of a different mindset which you again can find on TH-cam. I've personally thru-hiked the AT. Other well known trails commonly thru-hiked are the PCT, Te Araroa, CDT, etc.
Superb
Thanks
Love from lndia of jharkhand so cute
Thank you so much 😊