A Christmas Ski Holiday for Young Travellers Have you always dreamt of a white Christmas but thought
skiing in Europe was only for investment bankers, moviestars and royalty? Many youth travel specialists offer greatskiing package that will allow independent travellers to jointhe jet set and experience the magic of Christmas in theAustrian Alps.
White ChristmasThe 7 night Ski Hopfgarten Xmas package, which departs fromLondon on the 23 December, costs R3 280 per person on a B&Bbasis. In addition you need to add on your ski pass (R1 350) andequipment hire (from R375). If you are a beginner, then ski orsnowboarding lessons are strongly recommended, and these costfrom R750. Anybody purchasing a ski package will also receivethe following discount options from Snowscape: 10% discount onshop purchases, 15% on clothing hire, first lesson free and 20%on extra lessons booked. Add in your
flights to Londonfrom R3825 (ex Jhb, student and youth fare excl airport taxes)and you are looking at around R9000 for your most memorable Xmasever!
On the SlopesThe
idyllic Austrian village of Hopfgarten lies at thefoot of the Hohe Salve Mountain, which rises to a peak of 1829m.It is everything you'd expect a ski resort in the heart of theAustrian Tyrol to
be: traditional fairy-tale wooden chaletscluster around a twin-turreted church, snow-laden fir treesnestle beneath the impressive Austrian Alps.
Youth travel specialists have been taking skiers to Hopfgartenfor over 20 years and now with a large investment by the SkiWelt region, Hopfgarten and its neighbouring villages are partof one of the largest network of artificial snow making machinesin Europe - ensuring the best possible snow conditions over all250km of piste.
Hopfgarten is great for all levels of skiers and snowboardersand the friendly and informal atmosphere of the village makes itthe perfect destination for young travellers. In addition, ifracing down a mountain is not enough to get your adrenalinepumping then you can try some of the optional excursions onoffer which include tobogganing, sleigh rides, tandemparagliding or ice skating on a frozen alpine lake. And after anenergetic day on the slopes the fun really starts with thetown's infamous nightlife offerings.
About the author:
STA Travel is theworld's largest travel company catering specifically to theneeds of students and young people. STA and Contiki Holidays areoffering a 7 night ski package to South African travellers thisChristmas.
