New Zealand Winter: Skiing, snowboarding and extreme fun

People travel from all over the world to ski in New Zealand and it’s not surprising why.

Blessed with snow kissed mountains that stand as high as 3,700 metres and huge volcanoes covered with fresh powder, New Zealand is a ski and snowboarding paradise.

The ski season starts around mid-June and closes around the beginning of October, offering 4 months of play time for the serious and not so serious riders.

Slopes range from the totally novice to extreme black diamond skill levels and if you want that something special, heli-skiing will take you to remote slopes and glaciers far from the reach of road transport.

What’s even better is what the French call apres-ski.  When your body needs a bit of a rest from the slopes, the local resort towns of Queenstown and Wanaka nearby the ski-fields offer anything from a blast in a jet boat, a swing from a bungy or a night out at one of the many bars and clubs that pump until the small hours of the morning.

Here’s a little run-down of some of the best ski fields on offer: Continue reading New Zealand Winter: Skiing, snowboarding and extreme fun

Australia June – October: skiing, snowboarding and snowy mountains

Sassafrass Victoria AustraliaAustralia isn’t the first place that comes to mind when planning a winter holiday, especially when skiing, snowboarding or snowmen are on the cards.

What comes to mind are sun drenched beaches, wild kangaroos and babes in bikinis along with vast expanses of outback terrain and reptiles!

The fact is, skiing is definitely a happening thing in OZ, with around 15 ski resorts that offer anything from the basic cross country trails to full commercial villages!

The ski season generally runs from June until October, with the largest commercial resorts being found in Victoria and New South Wales. Most resorts are equip with serious snow machines so the seasons are pretty guaranteed to be a blast no matter what.

Let’s take a quick peek at some of the popular spots in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria (VIC) keeping in mind that there are other fantastic spots in Tasmania (TAS) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Continue reading Australia June – October: skiing, snowboarding and snowy mountains