Spending a winter vacation gloriously skiing across snow-covered mountains is a surreal escapade. The ice-cold breeze you feel while effortlessly gliding across miles of snow-covered skiing tracks is unique by nature and a priceless experience to relish. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit iconic skiing locations across the globe, spending hefty amounts in the process. This shows just how exhilarating the overall experience is. Ski once and, chances are, you might get hooked for life!
The possibilities are endless once you decide on a specific location for the event. Ranging from the challenge of the landscape to the additional features offered, like food and free souvenirs, skiing has lots to offer for people of all choices and categories. While the existing weather conditions play a crucial part in deciding when to ski, you can always visit these places simply as an audience. Professional skiers can ski through awry climatic conditions as a form of challenge. We do not recommend beginners to attempt such acts unless being constantly monitored and controlled by an expert. Read this article for a comprehensive guide on preparing for a skiing adventure and the best locations to aim for around the world.
Pre-requisites for a Skiing Trip
While there are no hard and fast rules to focus on regarding a ski trip, there certainly are a few aspects that you need to be mindful of. Proper planning can significantly improve the experience. Hiring or taking help from professionals is great for handling the trip smoothly and without any mishaps. Ski Trip Guide contains the most information you might need for planning and executing a trip. All you need to do is learn the requirements and intricacies of skiing from that guide or any other source you might feel is right for your needs. Professional guides and agencies can even offer you packages — occasionally with discounts — to make your trip even more relaxing. They will plan the whole trip for you, based on your demands, as much as possible. You only need to be ready for an intense flow of adrenaline once you begin your first descent down the slope.
The array of equipment that you need is pretty standard and is widely used among the people who live in such extreme climates. Make sure you wear thick, warm clothes to survive the immense cold. We suggest you wear multiple layers of clothing, along with heavy gloves and socks. Of course, specialized skiing boots and poles are needed and can either be acquired personally or rented from the venue. Do not forget to wear a helmet, even if you feel like you do not need one. One wrong manoeuvre and a hit on an unprotected head can cause misery for life. Make sure you are adequately informed and properly prepared before setting out to ski in the snow.
Ideal Skiing Locations to Visit
Among the many iconic skiing locations spread around the world, we have tried to include the most ideal spots for general tourists. Every place has a feature — not entirely unique but mostly specific to it. Go through the list, pick your location, and if all else falls into place, just go for it!
Whistler Blackcomb – Canada
Every professional skier has already been to or wishes to visit Whistler Blackcomb once in their life; that is how popular this location is! Any list of top-rated ski places will certainly have this iconic spot in Canada ranking high — if not the top. The terrain is vast and provides difficulty levels for skiers of all experience ranges. The resort boasts state-of-the-art facilities for aspiring skiers, along with additional facilities to just sit back and relax. Weekly and monthly courses are available for beginners to learn the art from experts hands-on.
Located somewhat close to the city of Vancouver, tourists can even visit the place for a day-long experience before returning to their hotels at night. Various mountains fall within the resort’s perimeters, which is a rare sight among most other skiing locations around the world. These mountains are connected by lifts that can transport visitors between them. The scenes that you can witness from these elevated locations can give you an experience like no other.
Zermatt – Switzerland
Situated in the legendary Swiss Alps, the Zermatt resort is a must-visit for passionate skiers from all around the world simply because of the altitude. The resort was intentionally built high in the Alps to provide a vast space for skiers to slide down while gazing at the Matterhorn’s peak from a distance. In fact, the other side of the mountain falls in Italy. Skiers who take the initiative to go over the mountain to the other end can also claim to have visited the country, courtesy of a skiing trip in Zermatt. Many people choose Suvretta House to spend their vacations in the Swiss Alps. However, the place does not provide any ice skiing facilities, making it unfit for passionate skiers. Zermatt is the way to go for them.
Additionally, mountain hiking and trekking are also great facilities available to the visitors of Zermatt. The famous Haute Route in the French Alps is adjacent to the place and can be explored by tourists. A long trek through the Matterhorn Glacier can be a walk to remember! Do bear in mind that none of these activities are open to visitors without a guide or expert. After all, these are dangerous places and require certain skill sets and expertise to conquer.
Baqueira Beret – Spain
The largest skiing resort in Spain, the Baqueira Beret, is situated in the Pyrenees mountain range and is very close to the border of Andorra. This resort is not as big as the aforementioned places but certainly packs a punch with the astonishing beauty of the place alone. The off-piste activities the resort provides are unique and, if attempted, can be a memorable experience for anyone.
Multiple snow-covered hills can be climbed and crossed by lifts carrying many tourists simultaneously. Once you are up there, the entire venue can be viewed from a great height. You can see the many skiers gliding wildly in the snow, while others are simply relaxing nearby. Some may just be enjoying a nice, hot meal with friends and family on the ice. Baqueira is famous for the significantly noticeable change in the flavour of the food they provide, compared to other, general parts of Spain.
Hakuba – Japan
Japan is not necessarily renowned for annual snowfalls or ice-covered mountains. However, the country does host some of the best skiing resorts in the world. Located in the Japanese Alps, Hakuba is a region consisting of multiple skiing resorts that are superior in quality and features compared to some of the other existing resorts in the country. This is a massive locality built across the mountain range, which makes it easy for tourists to visit beautiful resorts like Norikura Onsen, Cortina, Happo One, and a few more. The simple fact that visiting Hakuba is enough to give you a variety of experiences provided by the many resorts situated there is thrilling for most aspirants. General exploration of Japan requires tourist passes in most places. Visiting Hakuba counters that, as there are multiple locations within this region that you can access with ease.
Perhaps the best feature of Hakuba is the relative lack of visitors throughout the year. Even during winter — the ideal season for skiing –, you will only witness a handful of tourists scattered around the venue. This is because of the locations of the resorts, as they are situated very close to each other. The whole area is a collection of elegant resorts, providing various forms of traditional Japanese feasts for visitors. Many returning tourists visit Hakuba every year, mainly because of the cultural significance of the place.
Chamonix – France
France boasts of some of the most luxurious ski chalets in France, the mesmerizing Chamonix skiing resort at the base of Mont Blanc being one of them. Local skiers along with the ones from Switzerland and Italy constantly visit the Chamonix because of the strategic placement of the venue. Many people know the place due to it being the host for the first-ever Winter Olympics in 1924. Inspired historical fanatics visit the venue solely because of a showpiece event like the Olympics once taking place there. In fact, the Haute-Savoie track is the only piste in the world that is officially recognized by World Cup authorities.
Professional skiers claim that the snow in the endless pistes of Chamonix is perfect for skiing due to the sheer height of Mont Blanc and the glaciers around it. Ranging from highly difficult terrains to smooth icy surfaces, the resort has it all. Be it a professional attempting to ski through dangerous terrains or an amateur opting for his or her first attempt at skiing, Chamonix is the ideal place to visit.
Final Thoughts
Skiing is an extremely enjoyable sport that positively contributes to both the physical and mental wellbeing of a person. This is a unique and fun experience for people who have never had the pleasure. Chances are, once you have had the first taste of skiing on ice, you will feel a strong bond with this activity and potentially return every year if possible. Having proper knowledge of all the intricacies of skiing can go a long way to ensuring a remarkable and memorable trip.
