Sunrise Geneva

Hiking before the dawn can be challenging. The public transport is often unavailable so it is difficult to get to the starting point of the hike. Once you get the there it is hard to tell where to go as it is completely dark and you are surrounded by endless ocean of trees. It can get scary, especially if you go on the trail alone or with your partner who is also frightened.

However once you overcome these difficulties you often get rewarded. Already, at the start of the hike you get to see full range of stars, including those that are not visible in the cities due to light pollution. On the ascend you observe how gradually nature around you comes out from the darkness. How first rays of sun reflected by the sky illuminate clouds above (or below!) you. How the Moon slowly transition from being the brightest object on the sky to being almost invisible. And, at the end of your physical effort, you can finally relax, sit at the peak, drink hot tea and eat your favorite snack and observe how the Sun finally shows up over the mountain range to start another day.

This is what Sunrise Geneva has to offer – unforgettable experience of hiking in unique locations about 1 hour drive from Geneva to experience the sunrise from the peak.

Time of the trip

The best months to experience sunrise in Alps are March, April, August and September. There are a few reasons for that. Firstly, at altitude ~ 2000 meters above sea level there isn’t much snow left. Especially soft, fresh snow is often gone which makes it easy to hike to the top. Secondly, The Sun rises above the Alps at fairly convenient time – between 6:30 am and 7:30 am. Remember that for most hikes we need to wake up often at least 4 hours before the actual sunrise to have enough time for our morning routines, travel and comfortable hike.
Late spring and early autumn have also good chance for perfect weather. It is usually fairly warm with some clouds around – and a little bit of clouds is something that you want during the sunrise as it makes the view (and photos!) often even more interesting.

Typical schedule on the day of the hike

4 am – picking up participants from Geneva surroundings
5 am – arriving at the start of the hike
6:30 am – reaching the peak
7 am – observing the sunrise, relaxing
8:30 am – back in the car
9:30 am – return to Geneva

This is very rough schedule. Every trip is different and customized to meet the capabilities and preferences of participants.

Weather

For the best experience some of the trips can be cancelled or moved to another day depending on the weather forecast. The weather in the mountains can change abruptly and is hard to predict. However often at night and before the sunrise the weather can be stable. I always make a day or two before assessment whether we can go on a trip and in making the decision I take into account all the factors including: hiking experience of participants, predicted snow or rainfall and the height of cloud cover. The last one is especially important as it might be very disappointing to each the peak just to find out that instead of Sun we can only see they grayness of the clouds around us.

Equipment

Basic equipment for the hiking is required. Comfortable shoes, warm (or ideally rain-proof and wind) jacket, small or big backpack. Shoe gripes (spikes) are not required to have but depending on the time of the year and needs of participants they can be sometimes useful.

Physical shape

No marathon preparations are required ;). The hikes are mostly short (between one and three hours) however some physical effort is of course needed to reach the peak. Refer to your common sense or send me the email in case of doubts.

Sunrise from Tête de la Sallaz (recommended!)

Altitude: 2026 m
Hike starts at: 1290 m
Difficulty: ⭐⭐(medium)

Just 30 kilometers in a straight lane away from the Mont Blanc, Tête de la Sallaz overshadows a valley which every tourists passes through on their way to climbing the highest peak in Europe. Often during sunrises one can observe how clouds gather in the valley and lazily move. One can in details observe how the valley and the highest massif in Europe slowly wakes up.
The hike itself is not too difficult however it takes slightly more time to reach the peak. In case of difficulties it is possible to stop at altitude ~1900m and observe the sunrise from the viewpoint.

Sunrise from Le Môle

Altitude: 1863 m
Hike starts at: 1150 m
Difficulty: ⭐(easy)

Even though Le Môle is not the highest mountain (as per local standards) it offers almost 360 degree view from the peak. It is very comfortable peak to climb and rewards the climber with the opportunity to watch the Sun rising over the Mont Blanc massif. On the other side, on a good weather day the Geneva together with its lake is visible too.

Sunrise from Le Reculet

Altitude: 1718m
Hike starts at: 880 meters
Difficulty: ⭐⭐(medium)

Le Reculet is the second-highest peak of Jura mountains. Interestingly enough it is more popular than the highest peak – Crêt de la Neige as it offers much better view of Geneva and its lake. During sunrise one can observe the Sun coming over the Alps which are relative far away (about 70km in a straight line). It is the one of the best location to watch how Geneva city wakes up from the sleep.
It is very convenient option as the start of the hike is just 30 minutes away from the center of Geneva, however during the hike we gain ~800 meters in altitude, so some physical effort is required ;). It is possible to stop at 1400 meters and observe the Sunrise from the viewpoint.

Sunrise from Mont Vorassay

Altitude: 2303m
Hike starts at: 1400 meters
Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐(hard)

Mont Vorassay lies within the vicinity of Mont Blanc massif – just 7 kilometers away from its peak. It offers unrivaled view emblematic summits of Haute-Savoie region. You will be at the heart of the highest mountains in Europe.
Again, the hike itself is not too difficult. However reaching the starting point of the hike from Geneva takes about one hour and a half. Add to that pretty long hike (about two hours, depending on your fitness level) and often you need to wake up even five hours before the sunrise.

Your choice

Do you have some other peak in your mind reachable from Geneva? Or maybe you would rather experience a sunset? Feel free to Contact me and lets discuss.

All prices in Swiss francs.

Hike 🏔️	1 adult	2 adults	3-4 adults
Le Reculet	50 CHF	80 CHF	100 CHF
Le Môle Tête de la Sallaz	100 CHF	150 CHF	200 CHF
Mont Vorassay	150 CHF	200 CHF	250 CHF

What’s included in the price?

• Transport from and back to Geneva area
• Guidance of participants during the hike
• A few beautiful photographs (including post editing/processing on a request)
• Hot tea at the summit
• Headlights for everyone and NRC blankets

You are always welcome to contact me for any questions regarding the offer and hikes. I often reply on the same day.

Łukasz Jarocki
Email: lukaszjarocki@outlook.com
WhatsApp: +33 605764209