Winter Sports – what to do and where to go 2024

With 2024 here, if you haven’t already, you might be thinking about hitting the slopes and enjoying a great start to the new year with a ski holiday! Whether you’re a novice or expert, we want to help find you the perfect place to escape this winter. Even if you are not doing the traditional Skiing or Snowboarding holiday, Voyager Plus’s Winter Sports option provides cover for a variety of other activities which you can find by clicking here.

Where to go to enjoy some Winter Sports?

Whilst there are numerous places for you to go this time of year from Europe to America and as far afield as Japan and New Zealand, we have chosen a few places you may want to take a look at for your next winter adventure.

France

France is an obvious place to start with 251 ski resorts totalling over 10,000km of slopes, you’ll be sure to find somewhere to enjoy some winter activities. Whether it’s Val d’Isere, Tignes, Les Gets, Charmonix, Courchevel, Montgenevre, Megeve, Meribel, Morzine, or Avoriaz, the list is seemingly endless! Each and every resort is incredible in its own right but which is right for you?

If you are a complete beginner and looking to learn the ropes on the slopes, Courchevel could be an ideal location. With great nursery slopes, 96km of green runs and 240km of blue runs you would certainly be able to work your way up until you are confident enough to tackle the black runs! Plus, you can enjoy Michelin star restaurants and more in the village itself.

For the intermediates, check out Tignes on your next trip. Extremely well known and wildly popular, you can ski or snowboard on over 300km of pistes that are interconnected with the neighbouring Val d’Isere so be sure to check out both areas if you can!

Whilst Tignes and Val d’Isere boast over two dozen challenging black runs and incredible off-piste terrain, Chamonix is seen as a right of passage for many instructors. You’ll be met with some of the toughest terrain in France so be ready.

Switzerland

From Zermatt to St. Moritz, Verbier to Saas-Fee, there are plenty of options over the French border and into Switzerland. Verbier itself is the main resort in Switzerland’s four valleys which will provide some challenging slopes and exciting nightlife.

Saas-Fee will provide novices with an excellent area to learn. The nursery slopes are tucked away from the main area and allow you to learn at your own pace. Plus, more and more British ski schools are setting up in Saas-Fee so the language barrier is unlikely to be an issue.

Intermediates and experts alike will enjoy Zermatt. Described as a ‘Matterhorn Ski Paradise’, enjoy over 36km of groomed and ungroomed (but avalanche controlled) black runs, plenty of fresh powder, and Gravity Park for any freestylers! Whilst it may be hard to keep your eyes off the Matterhorn itself, if you do manage to peel your gaze away, you’ll find another 120km of red runs and some more stunning scenery all around you.

Canada

Although slightly further afield compared to our previous two destinations, Canada boasts some incredible places to enjoy some Winter Sports – including the largest ski resort in North America!

The ski resort in question is Whistler Blackcomb which is arguably one of the most sought-after ski destinations outside of Europe. Combining 2 mountains into one resort that offers over 200 runs and 5 terrain parks, there is plenty to try on your trip here. Plus, enjoy the abundance of great dining choices, shops and galleries along the pedestrian-only path in the village!

If you’re after a scenic ski where the views are largely unparalleled then you need to visit Lake Louise. One of the 3 Banff resorts, Lake Louise has one of the longest ski seasons in North America and has a variety of trails to cater for skiers and boarders of all abilities.

If you purchase a SkiBig3 pass then you will also gain access to the runs on two surrounding resorts, Sunshine Village – home to the only ski-in/ski-out lodging in Banff - and Mount Norquay – a smaller resort that is ideal for beginners!

Winter Sports on Voyager Plus

Here at Voyager Plus, our Winter Sports insurance covers a variety of activities, from Cross Country Skiing, to Tobogganing, Glacier Walking, to Sledging, and of course your classic on-piste Skiing and Snowboarding! (For the full list of Winter Sports covered on a Voyager Plus policy, please see the definition of Wintersports on page 12 of our policy wording).

To include cover for Winter Sports on your policy, you will need to add the Winter Sports policy option to your standard policy and pay the required additional premium. Simply select the Winter Sports policy option when purchasing your policy to benefit from the added cover.

Get a Voyager Plus policy with Winter Sports cover Today!

If you are planning on heading off on an adventure this winter, then don’t forget the importance of having a high-quality Winter Sports Travel Insurance policy in place to protect you before you travel.

Voyager Plus Travel Insurance policies offer 4 levels of cover, single trip and annual multi-trip options and include cover for the following:

• COVID cover included for Cancellation and Emergency Medical Expenses
• Emergency Medical Expenses up to £10,000,000
• Cancellation or Curtailment up to £10,000
• Baggage up to £3,500
• Missed Departure / Journey Disruption up to £1,000
• Personal Liability up to £3,000,000
• And much more.

Plus – with our Winter Sports add on, benefit from:

• Ski Equipment Cover
• Ski Pack Cover – Cover for the proportionate value of any ski pass, ski hire, or ski school fees
• Piste Closure Cover (Not available on Long Stay policies)

You can get a Voyager Plus Travel Insurance quote by clicking the “Get A Quote” button on our website or by calling our helpful team on 01483 806 680.

Get a Quote

Why is Ski Holiday Travel Insurance Important?

Whilst buying travel insurance for skiing may not be the first thing on the list when planning your getaway, it is certainly important for you to find and purchase an appropriate policy. Ski Travel Insurance can protect you against skiing related events such as … or providing cover for ski/lift passes.

Many standard travel insurance policies won’t provide cover for winter sports holidays and as such there would be no cover for activities such as alpine skiing, freestyle skiing or even more mainstream sports including ice skating/figure skating or ice hockey.

For ski insurance or travel insurance for winter sports other than skiing, click the link above and see if Voyager Plus can provide a policy that’s right for you.

This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute advice in any way. The information provided here is correct at the time of writing however please check the latest policy wording for the latest terms, conditions, and exclusions.