travel INDEX
Bored with a normal skiing holiday? Tired of half-term lift queues and skiing the same old runs? James Turner takes a look at some of the alternatives worth putting on your snow ‘to do’ list
adrenaline winter
Igloo Hotel snowmobile safari
Inside the Arctic circle in Northern Norway is a winter wonderland every snow lover should visit once in their life.
The coastal town of Alta is the gateway to mile after mile of the wild Arctic tundra. The coolest place to stay is the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, constructed each winter entirely from snow and ice. It has 30 bedrooms, in which guests sleep on ice beds with reindeer skin mattresses (extreme winter sleeping bags are also provided). There is also an ice bar serving vodka in ice glasses, an ice chapel and amazing ice
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sculptures around every corner. The hotel, which is usually open from January to April, is kept between -4 and -7 degrees, while the outdoor Jacuzzi is the perfect place from which to watch the Northern Lights. The Igloo Hotel operates its own snowmobile safari. You get to drive yourself out into the Arctic wilderness on easy-to-operate machines which can reach speeds of 50mph on the flat snowy plateau. It’s an exhilarating way to explore the vast white expanse.
www.getskiing.co.uk has a trip departing on Feb 11, from £499 per person
including flights, transfers and half board for two nights. Snowmobile safari is £250 for two full days.
Heli-skiing
The best way to avoid the queues and be the first to ski virgin snow is heli-skiing. Your own personal ski lift takes you to the top of a mountain for the most amazing top to bottom adventure. New Zealand boasts some of the world’s best heli-skiing. The Southern Lakes region, comprising Queenstown and Wanaka, brings together 5,500sq km of ski terrain across nine different mountain ranges
with more than 400 potential runs. Clearly heli-skiing is a high octane experience with a price tag to match, but one you will not forget in a hurry!
www.getskiing.co.uk can arrange Heli for £500 per person, per day for three lifts plus guide, based on a group of eight. Additional charges for flights and accommodation.
Ski Joring
If you would prefer a more relaxed pace, then ski joring is for you.
Ski joring sees a skier pulled along by a pony or horse – a bit like a snow
www.indexmagazine.co.uk
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