Design your preferred itinerary
Choose the best route, daily stages and overnight locations, then use the platform to act when accommodation starts accepting bookings.
Expert itinerary planning
Design your itinerary with a trail expert.
Whether you are planning before accommodation reservations open or building around the options still available, we’ll help you create an achievable itinerary for your group, dates and priorities.
5.0
From 40+ Expert Access reviews
60 min
Focused planning consultation
Your trail
Matched with a relevant specialist
Your group
Hiking companions can join
Help whenever you begin
An itinerary designed for you or your group
Our specialists adapt the planning session according to whether reservations are yet to open, currently opening or already becoming limited.
Build around availability
Compare the accommodation currently available and shape an itinerary that meets your group’s requirements and preferred dates.
Explore what is still possible
Identify workable overnight locations, route adjustments and transport connections that can make your trip possible.
Personalised advice
Get help with decisions that shape your hike.
Every group is different. Select a topic to see the questions you can work through with your trail specialist.
Swipe to explore planning decisions →
Daily difficulty
Set achievable stages around your group’s hiking experience,
pace and preferred daily hiking hours.
Accommodation
Compare mountain huts, hotels, room types, overnight
locations and the availability relevant to your dates.
Route choices
Understand the benefits and trade-offs of main routes,
alternatives, hiking direction and trail highlights.
Transport
Use seasonal buses, trains and lifts to connect your journey
or make particular stages more achievable.
Timing
Consider season, snow conditions, accommodation opening
dates and the implications of your travel window.
Your priorities
Build around the landscapes, experiences, room preferences
and trail moments that matter most to your group.
Expert Access
A personalised itinerary and the tools to book it.
Work collaboratively with your specialist, then continue planning and booking independently with complete access to The Hiking Club platform.
What’s included
€199 per hiking group
- A 60-minute video consultation with a specialist for your trail
- A personalised itinerary designed around your group
- Accommodation options and availability considered during planning
- Complete access to The Hiking Club planning platform
- A recording of your consultation
- Your hiking companions are welcome to join
How Expert Access works
From your first questions to a plan ready to book.
A focused process that gives you expert input while keeping you in control of your self-guided adventure.
Choose your trail
Purchase Expert Access for the multi-day hike you are planning.
Schedule your consultation
Select a convenient time and tell us about your trip preferences.
Plan together
Design your itinerary with your specialist using route, accommodation and seasonal transport information.
Book accommodation
Make reservations directly and set alerts for locations that have not yet started accepting bookings.
Continue independently
Prepare for your trip, track your bookings and download your custom GPS map files through the platform.
Meet our trail experts
Matched with someone who knows your trail.
Choose your trail and we’ll match you with a specialist who has direct experience of the route or region.
Co-Founder · Alpine Trail Specialist
Brendan
More than 10 years of experience hiking and planning multi-day routes across the French and Swiss Alps.
Co-Founder · Dolomites Specialist
Susan
More than 10 years of hiking and via ferrata experience across the Dolomites, including over 10 trips to the region.
International Mountain Leader
Jonas
A locally based mountain professional with particular expertise in the Pennine Alps and Alpine trail running.
International Mountain Leader
Ricky
A mountain professional specialising in the West Highland Way and the landscapes of the Scottish Highlands.
Customer experiences
Planning feels easier with the right expert beside you.
Read how other hikers used Expert Access to resolve their questions, adapt their route and create an itinerary ready to book.
from 41 reviews of Expert Access
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“Brendan was incredibly helpful with trip planning and providing insights to assist with booking. This app is the best!”
Cara STour du Mont Blanc: Expert Access
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“The Hiking Club App saved me hours planning my Tour du Mont Blanc hike. It's easy to navigate and very helpful to be able to have multiple itineraries. The one hour consultation with Brendan was invaluable. I highly recommend to anyone looking to do this hike or the other ones they are connected with.”
Trent PTour du Mont Blanc: Expert Access
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“What a fantastic meeting! I didn’t realize how much the route could be changed to incorporate a variety of hiking abilities, and things people wanted to see. We are very excited to do our hike.”
Suzanne BBernese Oberland: Expert Access
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“Susan is a wealth of knowledge and so easy to work with. She has been extremely helpful with all things AV 2 and quick to respond to our emails. I recommend the expert access 10/10!!”
Amy MAlta Via 2 (Dolomites): Expert Access
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“The absolute best way to plan a trip for Alta Via 1. Incredible detail, info and links! So glad I found it.”
Cassandra KAlta Via 1 (Dolomites): Expert Access
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“Very good to speak to and flexible about times to meet online. Knows the details of so many mountains and the pros and cons of times of year and lodges and weather etc”
Nathan E JWalker's Haute Route: Expert Access
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“Working through this process of creating your route and bookings can be a challenge, The Hiking Club tools and coaching helps to eliminate some of the stress. Brendan is insightful and great to work with...”
Stuart MTour du Mont Blanc: Expert Access
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“We had an expert call with Susan. We were thrilled with the service. She took what we thought would be a very onerous process of organizing our hike and broke it down and simplified it. In less than an hour, our whole trip was arranged beautifully. Thank you!”
Ronald SAlta Via 1 (Dolomites): Expert Access
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“I am planning an AV1 hiking trip for the family this September and we used the Hiking Club to plan the route, book the accommodations and plan our side trips. Working with Susan was such a pleasure! She made the trip planning fun and made all the planning anxiety disappear!”
Michele CAlta Via 1 (Dolomites): Expert Access
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“Worth every penny! The app itself is incredibly helpful, and the consultation was fantastic. Not sure how we would have planned our trip without The Hiking Club!”
Jonathan SAlta Via 1 (Dolomites): Expert Access
- Expertise matched to your trail. Work with a specialist who has direct experience of the route.
- Plan together as a group. Invite your hiking companions to join the consultation.
- Revisit the advice anytime. Receive a recording of your consultation for future reference.
Already have an itinerary?
Get answers or a second opinion.
Choose a standalone consultation if your itinerary is largely complete and you only need focused advice or an expert review.
Does not include planning-platform access or personalised itinerary design.
30-minute consultation
Planning Q&A
Resolve specific questions about your route, accommodation, transport or trail logistics.
Book a consultation60-minute consultation
Itinerary review
Work through your complete itinerary with a trail specialist and discuss improvements, risks or alternative options.
Book a consultationWhat is included in Expert Access?
Expert Access includes complete planning-platform access, a 60-minute itinerary-planning consultation with a relevant trail specialist and a recording of your session. Your hiking companions are welcome to join the call.
Can you help before accommodation bookings open?
Yes. This is an ideal time to design your preferred route, daily stages and overnight locations. You can then use the platform’s booking information and alerts when reservations open.
Can you help if accommodation is already booking out?
Yes. We can explore the available options during your consultation and consider different overnight locations, hiking directions, route lengths or transport connections. The options available will depend on your dates, group size and flexibility.
Will the specialist design my itinerary for me?
Expert Access is collaborative. Your specialist works with you to develop an itinerary around your group, dates and accommodation options. You remain involved in the decisions and make your reservations directly.
Do you make accommodation bookings?
No. We help you identify suitable accommodation options, but you make and manage reservations directly with each accommodation provider.
Do you guarantee accommodation availability?
No. Availability can change until an accommodation provider confirms your reservation. We help you understand the available options and adapt your itinerary where necessary.
Does Expert Access include ongoing consultation?
Expert Access includes one focused 60-minute planning session and its recording. It does not include unlimited consultation or ongoing itinerary redesign. Additional consultations can be booked separately.
Is this a guided hiking service?
No. Expert Access is an itinerary-planning service for self-guided hikers. It does not replace professional guiding, local safety advice or checking current trail and weather conditions.
Expert Access
Design an itinerary that works for your group.
Plan your route, accommodation and daily stages with a specialist who knows your trail—then use the complete platform to book, prepare and navigate your hike.
€199 60-minute consultation and complete platform access