Ski trips require a different type of planning and organising to other holidays. Whilst you can get away with a few pairs of trunks and a bottle of sun cream if you’re going to be stretching out on a beach in the Caribbean, you need to do a bit more in the way of forward thinking when you’re packing for the piste.
Clothing
You don’t have to join the fashionistas of Aspen when you queue up for the ski lift. But a good ski jacket, boots, goggles and gloves are fairly standard clothing items that you should remember to pack unless you are planning for hypothermia or ski blindness. There’s a whole world of shops, websites and labels dedicated to ski clothing and accessories and it just comes down to your fashion sense and budget when you kit yourself out for the slopes.
Ski Pass
Sometimes this will be included in your holiday but often you have to buy your ski pass separately. Don’t forget to include it in your holiday budget – ski passes often don’t come cheap.
Boot and Ski Hire
This is another thing that people often leave off their list. If you’re planning to hit the slopes every year, you might consider investing in your own boots and skis. However, if you’re a first-timer then you’re far better off hiring boots and skis until you know if you’ve caught the skiing bug.
Travel Insurance
If you’re a regular skier, you probably have dedicated travel insurance in place. However, a lot of regular policies don’t include winter sports so make sure you check when you buy your holiday insurance. It might be worth looking at a specialist company for your winter ski travel insurance as you’ll get some peace of mind about medical cover and repatriation.