When the ski slopes call, why not think off-piste with these cool winter experiences.
Skiing one day, wildlife tours the next
You can be assured of a mind-blowing and luxe snow holiday when you head to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. The skiing and snowboarding on Rendezvous and Après Vous is world-class. As a bonus, Jackson Hole has something many other resorts don’t – incredible wildlife tours into Yellowstone National Park (celebrating its 150th year), Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge. Scenic Safaris has a range of wildlife tours with regular sightings of bison, moose, elk, coyotes and wolves; not to mention jaw-dropping landscapes.
For luxury accommodation The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole is unbeatable. Rooms have rustic furnishings and open fireplaces. The spa and heated outdoor pool are the best spots for easing sore muscles after a day on the slopes. Then the expert concierge team can organise your incredible wildlife experiences.
Heli-ski at Alaska’s Tordrill
When you check in to Alaska’s Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in winter, there’s only one thing to do: heli-ski. You have some of the deepest runs and most pristine powder at your disposal. Not to mention North America’s longest-running winter season and 15 metres of snow a season. When you’re not on the slopes, plunge into frozen lakes, go fat-biking, or try snow-shoeing.
Drive a Porsche on snow in Finland
Have you always avoided driving in the snow? Now’s the time to break the ice. Porsche’s ‘Ice Experience’ in Finland sees you spend five unforgettable days zipping around extreme landscapes in the brand’s latest sportscars. Instructors teach the basics of ice driving followed by an intensive driving experience on snow and sheer ice. You’ll stay in luxe accommodation, eat well and get your heart racing.
Enjoy bubbles below zero in Switzerland
Remarkably, there are multiple destinations in Switzerland where you can not only wander on a glacier, but also walk inside it. Jungfrau – aka the ‘Top of Europe’ – in the Bernese Alps is one such place, where the magical Ice Palace welcomes you with carvings of bears and penguins, plus (if you are VIP) an achingly-cool Ice Bar. Bubbles below zero, anyone?
Stay in a luxury ski chalet in Japan
One Happo is the kind of ski chalet you could imagine squirreling yourself away in for years. Perhaps with a martini in hand. This luxe home in Japan’s Happo One ski region (you’re 100 metres from the gondola) comes with every trimming imaginable, from a fully-stocked wine cellar to a glass-topped pool table, onsen and sauna. What better way to revive after a day playing in powder?
Visit Antarctica by private yacht
Just visiting Antarctica is a life-changing experience. Imagine exploring this icy continent on a private yacht, and by helicopter. That’s what Pelorus promises on its expeditions around the world’s most southern continent. Embark on whale-watching cruises, then drop in on glaciated mountains above fjords and icebergs, your skis and poles in hand, and your imagination piqued. So this is what it means to be alive.
Get adventurous in Utah
Utah’s Deer Valley winter resort has always been exclusive. But above and beyond strapping on your skis or snowboard, there are diversions aplenty to have you playing in this powdery paradise. Check in to the Montage resort and sign up for a roll-call of adventure activities, from hydrofoil flights and skimboarding to heli-skiing and off-roading. Hold on to your ski hat.
Catch a helicopter to New Zealand’s highest peak
The concierge team at A Touch of Spice deliver the kind of winter experiences you can only dream about. Like catching a helicopter to New Zealand’s highest peak, Aoraki Mt. Cook, landing among the crevasses of the Tasman Glacier and wandering through seracs, icefalls and caves of ancient blue ice.
Soak surrounded by snow in the Swiss Alps
A trip to Iglu-Dorf Zermatt is a pinch-me moment. Sit in a hot tub in the snow while looking up at the majestic Matterhorn and the mountain ranges fringing Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The property has igloos at 2,727 metres, along with a restaurant and bar, pools and hot tubs, both indoor and out. Enjoy fondue in the afternoon on the sun terrace, admire the incredible ice art, enjoy your icy abode and be mesmerised by the eye-popping views.
Fly by private charter around the world
Pack your stamina alongside your ski boots – Scott Dunn’s ‘Epic Round the World Ski Trip’ is not for the faint of heart. The 33-day snow-chasing sojourn sees you enjoy blue-sky days at Zermatt in Switzerland, tackle Aspen Snowmass in the US, and climb to lofty heights at Whistler in Canada – among other destinations. And in true Scott Dunn style, you fly private charter and stay in glitzy mountain resorts.
Discovery Tours at Thredbo
While Thredbo’s runs are worth waiting in line for, nothing’s better than lift-queue priority – and you get it with the mountain’s new daily ‘Discovery Tours’. The three-hour tour caters to intermediate and advanced skiers and riders, with a guide showing you the best-kept secrets on the mountain.
The Kareela Supper Club presented by G.H.Mumm is also new this winter, with guests transferred by gondola and snowcat up to the legendary Kareela Hutte for bubbles and fireworks. Thredbo’s Sunrise Sessions see snow lovers up before dawn to ride the snowcat to Australia’s highest lifted point to watch the sun rise.
Looking for more inspiring Signature Luxury Travel & Style stories? Try these…
