Still time to get your piste fix
Didn’t get your piste fix this winter? As the temperatures begin to soar in the UK, it’s not too late to book in some ski action this spring and what better way to escape the royal wedding weekend!
The ski season is still in full swing in Canada, where you can still enjoy full snow cover and great après ski. Canada undoubtedly offers some of the best snowboarding and skiing holidays in the world, with its fantastic snow record and impressive mountain ranges. From the more famous Whistler to the less known Big White and Silver Star, Canada has something to offer both experienced and newer skiers and snowboarders.
Canada is a bit further than the Alps but putting up with a few extra hours on the plane will surely be worth it once you land in this snowsure destination. Flight times range from 8 hours (London to Montreal) to 9.5 hours (London to Vancouver). Calgary is 7 hours behind GMT, Vancouver 9 hours behind and Montreal 5 hours behind.
Once there you will make you’re way around easily by using English, even in French province Quebec. In Canada, tipping is common practice with most places expecting a minimum of 15%. Failure to do so is seen as bad manners, so it is recommended that you always keep some small change on you. You are expected to tip bar and waiting staff, taxi drivers, porters, ski instructor and hotel maids.
Best of all, the locals are very friendly and welcome your visit. Service is efficient and even ski lift queues are rare; when they do happen they’re manageable and can be quite enjoyable!
Not sure where to head? Here are a few suggestions:
British Columbia
British Columbia offers some of the largest and most varied ski resorts in the world with excellent snow records with warm and welcoming hospitality. Accommodation standards throughout the region are second-to-none and with constant investment in ski areas and lifts the ski areas are unrivalled – large linked mountains and astounding terrain from well-planned beginner’s slopes to infinite off-piste. Multi-centre options and city add-ons offer flexibility and variety, allowing you to make the most of your time in this stunning region.
Alberta
Some of the most renowned Canadian ski resorts are located in Alberta. Similar to British Columbia, its ski areas are world-class; vast, efficiently-run mountains with helpful and welcoming on-mountain hosts and some of the best powder to be found anywhere – perfect for intermediate and advanced skiers to explore. Excellent tuition offered by highly qualified instructors means it’s a great starting point for beginners too. There’s something for everyone in this region, right from the extremities of heli-skiing to the uniqueness of elk-spotting on Banff’s main street!
Quebec
Located in east-central Canada, Québec oozes character and heritage. One of the most popular ski resorts in the region, Mont Tremblant, is located an hour and a half from Montréal Airport. It opened in the 1930s and offers a refreshingly different atmosphere to most of the larger Canadian ski resorts, but still with the same great quality of snow, ski area and facilities.
Neilson offers a wide range of superb trips allowing you to relax as hard as you like. From ski holidays Canada to ski chalet holidays closer to home in Europe, their unrivalled team of experts offer an amazing selection of ski holidays.
Sonia Turner is the Marketing Manager at Neilson Travel, specialist provider for ski holidays Canada and ski chalet holidays.
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