Hokkaido sits at the latitude of Rome, yet Niseko gets around 15 m of snow a winter, light enough to ski to your waist. Storms crossing the Sea of Japan from Siberia dump it night after night, which is why skiers now fly from Sydney and Hong Kong to Hokkaido rather than to the Alps.
The Alps still have the scale nobody else matches. Linked ski areas such as Les Trois Vallees in France and the Matterhorn area above Zermatt let you ski across valleys, and sometimes borders, for a week without repeating a run, and you eat lunch in a mountain hut rather than a cafeteria. North America answers with bigger single resorts, deeper snow inland and grooming done properly every night: Whistler Blackcomb, Aspen and the steeps of Jackson Hole.
The season does not end in April. From late June the Andes open above Santiago and Bariloche, and New Zealand’s Southern Alps run lifts above Queenstown and Wanaka until about October.
At a Glance#
- Biggest ski areas: the Alps, with Les Trois Vallees, Tignes and Val d’Isere, the Arlberg around St Anton and Lech, and the Dolomites.
- Steep and off-piste: Chamonix under Mont Blanc, Verbier, St Anton and Jackson Hole in Wyoming.
- Deepest powder: Niseko and the rest of Hokkaido, and the Hakuba Valley near Nagano in Japan.
- North America: Whistler Blackcomb, Aspen, Vail, Park City and Revelstoke.
- Summer skiing: Portillo and Valle Nevado in Chile, Cerro Catedral above Bariloche, and The Remarkables near Queenstown, roughly late June to early October.
- Lift passes: about CHF 70 to 90 a day in Zermatt, about 12,000 yen in Niseko, and often well over CAD 250 at the Whistler ticket window, so buy ahead or use Epic or Ikon.
The Alps#
The Alps hold most of the world’s largest linked ski areas, and you can reach them by train from Geneva, Zurich, Milan or Innsbruck. Chamonix, which hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924, is the base for serious skiers: the Aiguille du Midi cable car climbs to 3,842 m and starts the Vallee Blanche, a glacier descent of about 20 km that you must do with a mountain guide. Its pistes are scattered across separate areas linked by bus, so it suits experts more than families.
Across the border, car-free Zermatt sits under the Matterhorn and links over the Theodul pass to Cervinia in Italy, with glacier skiing at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3,883 m that stays open in summer. Verbier leads the Four Valleys, with Mont Fort’s steep faces and the best lift-served freeriding in Switzerland.
In Austria, St Anton am Arlberg links to Lech and Zurs for some 300 km of pistes and a loud apres-ski scene, while Kitzbuhel holds the Hahnenkamm downhill every January. France has the high, snow-sure purpose-built resorts: Les Trois Vallees (Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens) with about 600 km of runs, and Tignes and Val d’Isere with skiing into May. Italy’s Dolomites add the Sella Ronda circuit and the food, and Cortina d’Ampezzo co-hosted the 2026 Winter Olympics. For more resorts and costs, see Skiing in Europe.
Japan#
Japan’s appeal is snow quality and reliability. Hokkaido has Niseko, four linked resorts on Mount Annupuri about two hours by bus from New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, plus quieter Rusutsu, Furano and Kiroro. The terrain is gentle by Alpine standards, and the tree runs on deep days are the reason to go. An adult day pass covering all four Niseko resorts costs about 12,000 yen (about 80 USD).
On Honshu, the Hakuba Valley in the Japan Alps strings ten resorts along one valley, with steeper terrain than Hokkaido and the 1998 Olympic runs at Happo-one. Take the Hokuriku shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano, then a bus of about an hour. Everywhere, finish the day in an onsen. January and early February have the deepest snow; book Niseko lodging by summer for the Christmas and Lunar New Year peaks. Regional detail is on Skiing in East Asia and Skiing in Asia.
North America#
Whistler Blackcomb, two hours north of Vancouver, is the largest ski resort on the continent, two mountains joined by the Peak 2 Peak gondola above a pedestrian village. Coastal snow can be heavy and the base can be rainy, but the upper mountain is huge. In Canada’s interior, Revelstoke has the longest lift-served vertical in North America, and Banff combines Lake Louise and Sunshine Village with Rockies scenery.
In Colorado, Aspen spreads over four mountains, from beginner-friendly Buttermilk to the hike-to Highland Bowl, and Vail has its back bowls. Park City in Utah is the largest resort in the US and 40 minutes from Salt Lake City’s airport. Jackson Hole in Wyoming, home of Corbet’s Couloir, is mainly for advanced skiers. See Skiing in North America and Skiing in the United States.
The Andes and New Zealand#
Southern-hemisphere skiing runs from about late June to early October. Portillo in Chile, about two and a half hours from Santiago by road, is a single yellow hotel on the Laguna del Inca, sold mainly in week-long packages, with steep terrain and no town. Valle Nevado and its neighbours are closer to the city for day trips. In Argentina, Cerro Catedral above Bariloche is South America’s largest ski area, with Patagonian lake views. More on Skiing in South America.
New Zealand’s resorts are mostly treeless bowls reached by gravel access roads. From Queenstown you ski Coronet Peak and The Remarkables; from Wanaka, Cardrona and Treble Cone; and Mount Hutt serves Christchurch. Australia’s Thredbo and Perisher in New South Wales round out the region on Skiing in Oceania.
Off the beaten track#
For lower prices and wilder terrain, look at Gudauri in Georgia, a modern resort on the Georgian Military Road with cheap heli-skiing, or Gulmarg in Kashmir, where a gondola climbs towards Mount Apharwat for big off-piste descents (check current travel advisories first). Are in Sweden has the Nordic version, low and wooded but lit for night skiing. Other options are on Skiing in Central Asia, Skiing in South Asia, Skiing in the Middle East and Skiing in Africa.
When to go#
In the Alps and North America, the season runs from early December to mid-April, with the most reliable snow from mid-January to mid-March. Christmas, New Year and February school holidays are the busiest and most expensive weeks. March gives longer days and sun, and high resorts such as Val Thorens, Tignes and Zermatt hold good snow into late April. Japan’s powder peaks in January and February. In the southern hemisphere, aim for late July to early September.
Costs and booking#
Lift tickets are the big variable. In Zermatt, a day pass costs about CHF 70 to 90 (about 90 to 115 USD) depending on the date; in Niseko about 12,000 yen; at the Whistler ticket window often over CAD 250 (about 180 USD) for a peak day. North American resorts reward buying online ahead, and two multi-resort passes sold from spring cut the cost if you ski more than about five days: Epic covers Whistler, Vail and Park City, while Ikon covers Aspen, Jackson Hole, Zermatt and Niseko. In Europe, a week in a chalet or self-catered apartment with a six-day pass is usually cheaper than the equivalent in Colorado, and Japan is good value once you are there.
Book flights and lodging for Christmas, New Year and February half-term by early autumn. The first two weeks of January and most of March are cheaper and quieter at almost every resort.
Safety#
Buy travel insurance that explicitly covers winter sports, and off-piste skiing if you plan to leave the markers; rescue and helicopter evacuation are not free in most of the Alps. Wear a helmet. Off-piste, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe, check the local avalanche bulletin every morning, and hire a guide for glacier routes such as the Vallee Blanche, where crevasses are hidden under snow.
Avalanches
Most avalanche deaths happen off-piste in slides triggered by the victims or their group. If the bulletin is at level 3 (considerable) or higher, stay on open, marked runs unless you are with a qualified guide.
Best ski resorts in the world#
More Things to Do#
World skiing FAQs#
What is the best ski resort in the world?
There is no single answer. Zermatt and Chamonix lead for scenery and terrain in the Alps, Whistler Blackcomb for sheer size in North America, and Niseko for powder. Strong skiers rate St Anton, Verbier and Jackson Hole most highly.
Where can you ski in summer?
In the southern hemisphere from about late June to early October: Portillo and Valle Nevado in Chile, Cerro Catedral in Argentina, and Queenstown and Wanaka in New Zealand. In Europe, Zermatt’s glacier at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise keeps some runs open in summer.
Is skiing in Japan better than the Alps?
For snow, often yes: Hokkaido and Hakuba get far more and lighter snow. For terrain and size, the Alps win, with linked areas of 300 to 600 km of pistes against Niseko’s four resorts.
How much does a ski holiday cost?
Lift passes run from about 80 to over 180 USD a day, before lodging, rental and lessons. A week in the Alps in a self-catered apartment with a six-day pass is usually the cheapest of the big destinations; Colorado at peak season is the most expensive.
When is the best time to ski in the Alps?
Mid-January to mid-March gives the most reliable snow. March has longer, sunnier days, and high resorts such as Tignes, Val Thorens and Zermatt keep good snow into late April.
Do I need special insurance for skiing?
Yes. Standard travel policies often exclude winter sports, so buy cover that includes skiing, mountain rescue and, if you go off-piste, skiing outside marked runs.