So you've decided you're going to ski no matter what
Good for you! That's the kind of energy we love.
But where do you start and what are your options?
Here at Snowclans we are The Solo Ski People, so we've spent a lot of time researching this and that's why we started in the first place.
You may have already been on a solo ski holiday and you're thinking about trying something new or maybe you've never even been and you're starting completely afresh. In this we will cover your main options and the pros and cons to each. Whatever you choose, you're in luck, at Snowclans we provide them all so browse the site when you're done and join for updates.
How to go on a solo ski holiday
Specialist companies
Group ski holidays for solo travellers
Are there companies that are specialising in organised holidays for Solo skiers? Yes! And I've been a customer of a few.
These options are great because you know everyone you meet will be in the same boat, ready to have a social week and ski with new people.
These range from social trips which focus on providing a group of fellow skiers in one chalet or hotel, right up to amazing adventures and chances to tour new areas or learn new skills.
Adventure holidays
Aren't for those who are looking for a slower paced holiday
Instruction/ guidance adds some cost
Social holiday Cons
Basically - it's limited choice
If you're simply looking for a social trip, the range of resorts that they cater for is limited
Budget and accommodation range limited
Who you're going with pot luck
These arn't all singles ski holidays if that's what you're looking for
Finding options that suit you is the difficult part, but never fear...
We list them on our trip pages so have done the leg work for you and we keep updating as we find more.
Package Holidays
We know, we know, package holidays are the easiest way to book a holiday and they often come with some great money saving deals.
Alas, the world is simply not built for solos and the same goes for the ski industry.
The vast majority of big Ski Holiday providers base their products on 2 sharing for rooms or per person pricing for larger properties.
That means a single person can't browse their websites looking for an all inclusive and know how much they will pay, they're always left waiting on responses and it makes it a lot harder to compare lots of options.
Check out our blog for some features of the best providers that you can browse.
Self Build
Another option is building the holiday yourself, the world is your oyster, you can flex every element to your needs.
Whilst it has the potential to be overwhelming it offers some great opportunities for exploring new areas, traveling on less busy off peak days, going for more or less than a week, the list goes on.
We could build an entire website on your options (and we are) so join us and you'll be kept updated as we launch guides to different resorts and areas. For now follow us on socials for a constant stream of hints, tips, new areas, transfer options etc.
What are the accommodation options for solos?
Chalets - Shared Chalets ('Hotel style")
Not very common
Hard to find and browse availability
Often still sold on a per-person / based on 2 people sharing price = always waiting for an inquiry to be answered.
Search our collection here where we have clear single occupancy policy and prices.
Chalet hotels
Bigger than chalets and therefore less personal and harder to integrate with others
Great all-in catering options for ease of planning and value
Easier to find on 3rd party booking sites
See this post on the difference with shared chalets
Hotels
Provide a more 'connected' and social feel than self catering accommodation
Who doesn't like a buffet breakfast???
Single supplements are extortionate
Single room availability is rare.
Apartments
Kitchens to self cater to keep costs down
Studios in smaller resorts offer better accommodation value vs hotels
Least social interaction of all the options
Finding other people to ski with
You may have found yourself here because you're in the position where you don't actually know anyone else who skis or for various reasons you don't want to or can't go with them if you do.
What about if you're trying to change that?
If you're lucky you might have a local dry slope or snow centre with a Ski Club, have a quick google.
If that isn't an option, you can trawl the key forums e.g. SnowHeads or Various Facebook groups As ever with the internet, it is a minefield:
Informal group bookings on forums and Facebook groups aren't always comfortable for everyone
Facebook groups move on quick so adverts are lost and are hard to search
Some people are tw*ts - I personally had my posts deleted by a homophobic admin who had nothing better to do with his life than prevent me from finding people to ski with.
They often require a lot of back and forth to find out all of the information
It's not centralised - not everyone is everywhere
There's no space provided for organising etc. on the platform.
That's why we built our community pages
Find ride buddies
Buddy adverts are distinct, permanent adverts
See all the information upfront
Each has their own discussion room
You can direct message the advertiser
Communities
Based off life stage or riding ability, our aim is to bring like-minded riders together These are discussion rooms like you would find on Facebook, so drop a message and introduce yourself.
Whatever you choose, good luck! We hope you make it out to the slopes.
If you'd like our help, use our Travel planning service.
For now follow us on socials for a constant stream of hints, tips, new areas, transfer options etc.
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