In reply to wjcdean:
> I think the going rate for a private IFMGA guide is £350-£400 per day, which tallies with the price you've been quoted (assuming it's a 2 week itinerary). although you would also pay for your guide's uplift and hut costs.
You’ll be looking at a bit more than that these days.
> if you want to save money, you could acclimatise on your own (i.e. cut down days required with a guide) and/or try and do some jiggery pokery for mont blanc as the guide ratio will be 1:1 for eiger and matterhorn but could be 1:3 for MB. probably logistically difficult to orchestrate though.
The ratio for Mont Blanc is 1:2. Most guides aren’t the keen on climbing big routes with people totally unknown to them.
I’d probably run the trip like this.
Day 1: warm up day - Peigne Normal Route or Perrons Traverse
Day 2: Drive round to Grinlewald approach Mittleggi Hut
Day 3: Traverse Eiger - descend from Jungfraujoch Train. Stay in Grindlewald.
Day 4 drive round to Tasch, get train to Zermatt, walk in to Hornli Hut.
Day 5 climb Matterhorn descend to Zermatt.
Day 6 drive to courmayeur (rest day). Eat pizza.
Day 7 walk in to Monzio Hut
Day 8 walk in to Eccles Hut
Day 9 climb Innominatia Ridge. ( you could climb the Gouter, but this would be more fitting of your challenge) Descend to Gouter Hut.
Day 10 descend back to Les Houches.
Day 11 collapse/recover car from Val Veny.