Maybe you're ski-friendless, maybe your partner doesn't ski, maybe you are just branching out because you can't possibly admin another group trip or you just want to go more often than your friends and family. There's lots of reasons people choose a solo ski holiday, you are not alone.
First things first
This is a great opportunity! Technically you can go wherever you want, when you want, at your budget, with no one to consider but yourself.
I am going to focus on skiing in Europe with my advice here.
Those of you who've never skied or snowboarded before, please visit the blog for more posts.
What are your holiday options then?
Finding a solo-friendly social holiday
Find a course/trip
Find a ride-buddy before you go
Going alone – Package trip
Going alone – Self Build
Solo-Focused Social Ski Holidays
Like I said, you’re not alone! There’s a few companies that offer Ski holidays specifically for solo and single skiers and snowboarders wanting a social experience.
The formula is often the same: Chalet or hotel with rooms on a single or shared basis, catered, with meals taken together as a group to offer the opportunity to mingle, and the expectation that people will ski together.
The weeks can vary from any-ability social holidays to ability-specific weeks, age specific or some are more like courses that offer guiding/instruction as part of the package.
Pros:
A ready built group to ski with
Guaranteed they’re all in the same boat and want the same thing
Enjoy a catered chalet experience
Cons
Only in specific resorts (Last look the companies cover only about 5 different resorts in the alps, mainly France)
Restricted to specific dates
Not for the overly budget conscious
Go to our Social Only Trips page to see the range on offer!
We will be updating this over the summer with next season dates as they launch
Group Ski & Snowboard Courses and Guided Ski Tours
These differ to the Solo-Focused Ski Holidays in that they are not specifically targeted to solo travelers, they are there to facilitate learning a specific skill or exploring a certain part of the world with the help of trained experts and guides. It just so happens that you book per person and join a group of people, who are quite often other solos or couples and small groups.
They offer the opportunity for socialising as well as exploring or improving your skills.
There’s a plethora of courses out there, and it can be incredibly time consuming to surf the entire internet…Luckily for you, we’ve done the work for you.
We will be updating this over the summer with the next season dates as they get announced
There’s the things you’d expect and the things you’d not ever considered
Brushing up on your skills to tackle the Black runs with confidence?
Trying a bit of off piste?
Learn park riding?
Or
Why not a Sail & Ski trip around the Norwegian Isles?
Learn to Powder Ski in Japan?
What about Cat-Skiing in Georgia?
Split board touring?
Pros
You’re certainly going to have people to ski with
You’re going to learn a lot
Way more options on location and price
Get to choose your own accommodation on some
Cons
Not all of them are packages with accommodation, which means more admin
Without accommodation its up to you to integrate for apres etc.
Instruction and Guidance = More money
You’re on a fixed schedule + being told what to do which isn’t everyone’s idea of a Holiday
Find a Ride Buddy
WELL, this is what SnowClans is all about, community.
Our aim is to build the biggest world-wide community of skiers and snowboarders, so that we will all have someone to ride with when the time comes.
Now, we know we’re not there yet but we are growing by the day.
Our Ride Buddies page lets you post an advert with its own dedicated discussion room that you admin, only viewable by members.
All adverts are searchable and indicate:
Dates
Location
Rider levels
Apres vibes
Current group (you, you plus one, children)
What you’re looking for in your buddies
Adverts can be to create a group to build a holiday or simply saying where you’ll be a looking for people in the same ski area.
Why did we build this?
Currently, people seek others out on various different Facebook groups and forums.
Cons
Posts often get lost in the discussion in groups as more things are posted
They aren’t easily searchable again
They rely on people giving out all the relevant info to make a decision.
No communal place to take the plans and conversations further
Some people on Facebook are absolute ****s and they aren’t well moderated.
Not everyone is on every Facebook group or forum, so reach is limited.
Pros
Facebook often already signed up to
Plan your own
Want tips on how to plan your own trip? I’ve done another post on that (coming soon)! Head to the blog to find out.
Ski tour operators are very much focused on mass market, with price pp calculated based on 2 people sharing and single rates often extortionately high and opaque.
Self build is often the way to go.
Check out the rest of the site and sign up to keep updated on deals and tips!