Ski holidays in North and South America

North and South America

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!

Ski holidays in Argentina

Argentina

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As spring and summer sun melts the snow in the Northern Hemisphere, savvy skiers pack up and travel south to the great ski centers in South America where the ski season begins in mid-June and runs to October. You’ll find the best conditions in July and August.

Argentina is an intriguing and massive country and its people are passionate, with football and the tango both being favourite national pastimes. Buenos Aires is grand and sophisticated and is one of the world’s greatest cities, while in the south of the country is the desolate yet stunning Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Argentina’s ski season runs from around June to November and the country’s many ski resorts are scattered across the Andes, which form the backbone of Argentina.

Chapelco is located in the northern reaches of Patagonia and is a beautiful resort with great snow and skiing conditions throughout the ski season. The town that serves Chapelco is the charming San Martin de los Andes, which boasts fine restaurants and friendly locals.

Las Leñas ski resort is perhaps Argentina’s best and features more than 40 miles of pisted runs and mile upon mile of off-piste terrain. Resort accommodation is located very close to the slopes, with some hotels boasting ski-in, ski-out accessibility, while alternative winter activities here are extensive.

Cero Catedral ski resort has some quality slopes, especially those situated high up on the mountain, which are only accessible by hiking or helicopter. The resort does get quite crowded during holiday periods and weekends; however, the close-by town of Bariloche offers an atmospheric retreat and facilities are good here.

Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini International Airport is the main point of entry into Argentina, lying about 25 miles south of Buenos Aires. Flights arrive here direct from many European and North American cities and they also depart for Bariloche throughout the day. Rail travel in Argentina is non-existent, while travelling by bus can be uncomfortable due to the long distances involved.

http://www.turismo.gov.ar/

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!

Ski holidays in Bolivia

Bolivia

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As spring and summer sun melts the snow in the Northern Hemisphere, savvy skiers pack up and travel south to the great ski centers in South America where the ski season begins in mid-June and runs to October. You’ll find the best conditions in July and August.

Though by no means the best place to look for skiing in the Andes there are some skiing areas in Bolivia, a couple of tiny resorts and some good ski-mountaineering opportunities.

Despite being a beautiful and vast country, Bolivia is one of the least visited countries in South America owing to its out-of-the-way nature. It is situated in the middle of South America and is surrounded in all directions by the Andes and jungle. Bolivia is famed for its Inca connection and its stark landscape of towering Andean peaks and dense Amazon jungle, while La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. However, one of Bolivia’s most endearing sights is Lake Titicaca.

Chacaltaya is Bolivias one and only ski resort and it is located in Cordillera Real. While it is open year round, the ski lift only operates in the rainy season, with the ski season starting as early as mid-September. However, due to the lofty altitude at over 17,000 feet, skiing here late in the season can be treacherous.

Entry into Bolivia by air is through La Pazs El Alto International Airport, which sits at nearly 13,000 feet above sea level and is one of the world’s highest airports. Large planes cannot land here because of the high altitude and direct flights from worldwide destinations to La Paz are limited. Many international arrivals must go via another city. You can also get to Bolivia by bus from Peru, Argentina and Brazil, although this usually involves at least one change.

Travel inside the country between major cities is best done by air as the roads are unforgiving and although cheap, buses here can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. Driving here can also be very difficult as potholes and rough tracks are common and tourist facilities are lacking.

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!

Ski holidays in Canada

Canada 

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Canada is a massive country covered in beautiful and diverse terrain. This sparsely populated land is home to cosmopolitan cities and a range of excellent cultural attractions. Activities in the great outdoors abound here and include fantastic skiing and snowboarding as well as hiking and camping. The ski season is typically from December to April, but many resorts are open year round and offer a variety of activities.

Banffs Sunshine Village is located eight kilometres west of Banff town and rests on the Continental Divide, giving the advantage of a long ski season and good powder snow. Care and consideration has been used to fit in with the beauty of the Rocky Mountains and Banff National Park (the oldest and most famous of Canadas National Parks). Most of the runs cater for intermediate levels of skier.

Whistler/Blackcomb Mountain is two hours from Vancouver and is the biggest ski area in North America. A huge array of pistes and perfect snow, coupled with advanced, high-speed lift systems and friendly staff make Whistler/Blackcomb one of the worlds top ski destinations. The purpose-built, yet traditional-looking resort is full of facilities and boasts a pedestrianised centre. Both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains combine to offer 216 runs over 3,200 hectares of diverse terrain with a vertical drop of 1,632m.

Calabogie Peaks ski resort is nestled against the breathtaking backdrop of Dickson Mountain and Calabogie Lake in the Ottawa Valley. It is the highest public ski mountain in Ontario and noted for its magnificent range of all-level ski runs that serve as the main attraction in winter. Calabogie Peaks features a 230-metre vertical drop and 20 excellent pistes, of which the longest is two kilometres. Additionally, the ski resort has 24kms of cross-country trails.

Devils Elbow is located northeast of Toronto, above Lake Ontario, and offers 11 runs of varying levels of difficulty. The ski resort itself is cosy and family-friendly, with a relaxed atmosphere. Devils Elbow encompasses 11 slopes and snowboarders have access to an exciting terrain park.

Mont-Sainte-Anne is noteworthy for its top class terrain park and 56 high quality runs. It is located close to the historical city of Québec and has the highest night skiing vertical in Canada. All the necessary amenities are available, including an outstanding ski school, a comprehensive selection of shops and accommodation and an array of enticing eateries. There are also 223kms of groomed cross-country skiing trails.

Airports in Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal serve as the dominant hubs for international flights entering Canada. From those hubs, you can easily get flights to areas closer to the ski resort you are headed to. Calgary International Airport is the main airport for Banff and Lake Louise. Those headed to Apex Mountain resort can take a connection from Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto to Penticton Regional Airport (30 minutes from the resort) or Kelowna Airport (two hours from the resort). Vancouver International Airport is the gateway to Whistler/Blackcomb.

http://www.canada.travel/

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!