Cheap Skiing Holidays

Many people go on skiing holidays each year and make them their main holiday. They love the sport and enjoy the social aspect of the holiday, particularly the apres ski. For many parents it is also the chance to have an active holiday with their children.

In general, skiing can be expensive to begin with, as there is an initial investment in training and equipment. Therefore, more often than not, a skiing holiday can amount to more than a beach holiday. But it doesn't have to cost you a fortune, if you shop around you may just find a bargain in the snow!

There are many packages available which are cheap. These packages usually mean you staying in a cheap basic hotel or hostel but don't let that put you off as many are great value for money and also in good locations in the resort.

Your flights may also be at unattractive hours when many people wouldn't want to fly, but again if it gets you to your destination, you have to ask yourself whether it matters that much.

Cheap skiing holidays usually have everything included from transport, flights and ski passes. Although people should be aware that each package includes different things. For example some cheap packages may not include your lift/ski pass which in some resorts, for a family, could add hundreds of pounds to your holiday.

Another area to check the small print for is equipment hire. Most package holidays do not include this and the cost of hiring skis, snowboards,boots, helmets etc will soon add to your holiday bill. And even if you have your own equipment some package deals do not include the cost of transporting your equipment to resort. Some airlines now charge quite heavily for ski equipment carriage, so again check this carefully.

Another area to look at is ski insurance. There are some good deals out there but do ensure that you are covered for what you want to do. If you plan to ski off piste then check that your policy covers you for this. A cheap package including insurance will not help you if you are inadequately insured and end up with heavy medical bills to pay.

In summary, it is possible to find cheap ski holidays. You may be lucky but in most cases the accommodation will be basic and your flights may be at very unsocial hours. You may also have long transfers by bus to the resort. But this is all possible and there are ways to save money, but check the small print. In some resorts children do not pay to ski the mountain, avoid some resort restaurants as they can be expensive , borrow ski clothing where possible to see if you like it first.

And if you do enjoy the experience then after that initial investment in clothing and equipment, you don't need to make that investment again. So check out the bargains, but always read the small print!

By Will Smith