A Guide To Ski Holidays

This winter does not need to be so grim and depressing. Although the weather is far from pleasant, many families, couples and individuals feel that this is a perfect excuse to stay indoors during the holiday season and keep their children indoors during half term. Often people find it very difficult to function because of the cold rainy days, often some take regular trips abroad to a sunny region but this can be a costly affair and not everyone can afford to do this. One ideal way to enjoy the cold weather is take yourself, your partner or your friends skiing.

A skiing holiday is best enjoyed during the winter periods in the alpine regions. There is nothing more exhilarating and uplifting than keeping active whilst having the option of enjoying a relaxing holiday. There are numerous resorts and ski chalets that are offered each year at affordable prices, the problem are trying to find the ideal resort for you.

The first step to take is to look up ski chalets and resorts. If you are taking your family and have children under the age of 7 going, then your main concern is finding a resort with family friendly services, possibly with a creche available and a kids activity programme. There are plenty of resorts that have kids activities planned and opportunities for private lessons, it is worth the extra expense, and however there are packages available, which may give you a discount on accommodation. The main thing is to have a resort that allows beginners to learn and not feel daunted or overwhelmed by the number of expert skiers that are possibly going at the same time.

If you do not know what ski chalets are, put simply they are a wooden house or building usually in the Alpine mountains. They are also known as Swiss chalets, as the term derives from the Franco-Provencale part of Switzerland. These chalets are kept to the highest quality, provide good privacy for couples, groups or families and are usually within close proximity of the ski slopes. They are most popular amongst groups of friends and families because of the homely relaxed feeling and the impressive mountain views they are situated by. A point to remember about chalets is that they can come with self-catered kitchen appliances and with bathroom or toilet facilities.

The next thing to remember when booking a ski holiday is the transportation between the airport and the actual ski resort. Many underestimate the journey of this trip as some resorts only have ski lifts available, but the airport may be a fair few miles away and getting a taxi can be very expensive (sometimes almost as much as the accommodation itself). It is a good idea to book for a package that includes transportation, or look into cheap car rental if you are feeling confident enough to travel on your own.

It is also worth talking to others who have experienced the Alps, but if you are a first time skier then you will need to look up safety precautions and book a few lessons on a dry slope. This gives some indication of what to expect and it makes the instructors/guides work easier for when you turn up to the holiday.

Once you have booked up and organised your trip, including buying the ever vital holiday insurance, you will need to make a list of things to take in terms of ski goggle, ski outfits, gloves, hats, warm clothing, skis etc. It would be advisable to use new equipments and not hand-me-downs, unless they are of course in good condition themselves. There are many ski shops tucked away in the streets of London, as well as sport shops and online websites that offer low priced sportswear and equipment. It is well worth the money if you buy good quality products, as they are likely to last longer.