FAQs for Trip Organisers
Your questions, answered
When is best to take your group will greatly depend on what you are looking for. The most popular time for schools to schedule their annual ski trip is during the February half-term holiday. This is chosen because it is the height of winter, the snow is good, and the resorts are lively. However, because this is a peak time, demand is high, and unless you book early, availability can be limited. It can also be more expensive.
Easter skiing is also very popular; however, if Easter falls later in the year, snow may be lacking in some areas. If you are looking for the best value with more skiing for your money, the best time to book is between Christmas and the February half-term holiday. We can discuss your options with you and find a time that best suits your group and budget.
Yes, that is no problem at all, you may be required to pay a little more, but we can help you find the most cost-efficient trip for your group.
Every ski trip is different, and so the costs involved can vary quite a lot. Things such as location and time of year have a significant impact on the cost of a ski trip, as well as whether you choose to travel by plane or coach, the size of your group, and the type of accommodation you choose to book. However, a European ski trip should cost between £700-£1200 per pupil and a trip to the USA and Canada between £1000-1600.
Our 5-day package is growing in popularity every year, with over 87% of clients now opting for our 5 day ski option. Your group will enjoy more convenient travel to your chosen resort and Monday to Friday skiing. This allows you to avoid any weekend difficulties on the slopes.
Most groups opt to include 5 hours of instruction per day to give the pupils 25 hours of ski instruction in the week as opposed to 24 in the standard 6 day / 4 hour package.
Some groups do choose to do less than this, particularly with younger groups as it can be a lot for the children. On the other hand, some groups choose resorts that offer floodlit skiing at night, allowing you to ski for up to 12 hours per day.
The altitude of a resort impacts how much snow it is likely to receive. If you are planning a ski trip in early or late in the season, the higher the altitude the better. The snowline is the point at which snow struggles to melt, this is around 2000m. If a resort has skiing above this altitude, or has a glacier for skiing, the term ‘snow sure’ may be used. However, it is important to bear in mind that higher altitude also means lower temperatures and more extreme weather conditions.
Dry snow is the best type of snow for school groups and beginner skiers. Dry snow slows you down and provides a soft landing to fall in. Dry snow will now form a ball when you try to make a snowball, that is how to recognise it.
This scenario is very unlikely. We have years of experience in sending groups on ski trips, and we can advise you fully on the best resorts for the time of year you plan to visit. We only send groups on trips we are confident they will enjoy, and that is what sets us apart from our competitors. If you are seriously concerned, you can choose a resort with altitudes of above 2000m, which is identified as snow sure.
The resort closing date is dependent on when Easter falls, and that is pretty much the way every ski resort in Europe operates. Some resorts listed Radstadt, Eben are smaller satellite resorts, and they tend to close early because there aren’t enough people to keep the resorts open so instead, they funnel them into the bigger resorts.
In 24 years of operating in the Sportwelt region not once have we had to move groups out of Sportwelt due to lack to snow, however, if we feel the group aren’t going to have a good experience then we would move them to nearby Obertauern (open from 1st November until 1st May). Should we ever need to, we also have two glaciers that are open all year round in under 40 minutes of travelling time, one of which is included in our lift pass.
When we first started operations here, we chose this resort for its excellent snow record. When it snows from either the north or south it’s central alpine position means that snow falls on the Salzburger area. Recently snow conditions have been exceptional, however, the three years prior when most resorts in France and Italy struggled to open, Salzburger Sportwelt opened on time and with all interconnected slopes between Alpendorf, Wagrain and Flachau fully operational. We were moving groups from Italy over to Sportwelt because of this.
The resort has invested over 80 million euros in its infrastructure in recent years, and there are now 450 snow cannons between Alpendorf, Wagrain and Flachau alone. As soon as it’s cold enough, even before the first snowfalls, these are switched on to create an artificial layer of snow. The chemicals prolong natural snow on top to such a point that at the end of the season they have to remove snow to make way for the farming season.
The colours identify the speed at which you can expect to come down the slopes. Most resorts have nursery runs which allow beginner skiers to practice without too much speed. After an initial few days of nursery slopes, skiers may wish to graduate to green and blue runs. If you are taking a group of mixed ability, you will need some good red runs, and potentially even black runs. Black runs are the most difficult and should be attempted by only experienced skiers.
FAQs for Parents
Every ski trip is different, and so the costs involved can vary quite a lot. Things such as location and time of year have a huge impact on the cost of a ski trip, as well as whether you choose to travel by plane or coach, the size of your group and the type of accommodation you choose to book. However, a European ski trip should cost between £700-£1200 per pupil and a trip to the USA and Canada between £1000-1600.
What exactly is included will depend on what the party leader has booked. However, the guide below should help give you a better idea of what you can expect to be included in the package.
There are so many benefits of school travel for children, including learning, personal growth and social skills. We have created some resources to outline how taking part in a school trip can greatly benefit your child.
How they will be travelling will depend on what the party leader has booked. This could be by plane, coach, train or even a ferry.
We take travel safety seriously. We audit our transport providers and only choose transport services we believe to be safe and reliable. You can find out more about our commitment to safe transport on our transport page.
We have a good variety of accommodation available on both our ski trips and our education tours. You can find out more about our accommodation options on our accommodation page.
Room allocation is generally organised before travel. The party organiser will be in charge of who your child shares a room with. It may be that they will let the children choose who they wish to share with, or they will assign rooms.
What your child will be doing on the trip is again up to what the party leader has organised. However, it will generally be a good mix of learning and socialising. If they are going on a ski trip, they can of course expect to be doing plenty of skiing or other snow activities. There will also be Après ski, which you can find out more about on our Après ski page. If they are on an educational tour, they will likely be visiting lots of sites relevant to the trip. They may also have the chance to socialise and attend fun activities in the evenings.
Your group leader will issue a list of what your child should bring nearer the time of your trip. You should ensure they pack the things on the list, but also keep in mind things that they might need personally. For example, if they wear glasses or contact lenses, you will need to pack everything they need. You can find out more about what you will need to pack here.
They can bring a mobile phone, however they may have limited opportunity to use it. For many activities, including skiing, we would always recommend they leave their phone in their room. There is limited phone service at most resorts, and there is a high risk of losing or damaging your phone. The party leader may also limit the use of phones during educational tours, particularly during activities, to make sure your child is experiencing as much as possible.
Please bear in mind that often pupils will not be in an area with a signal or they are simply so busy enjoying themselves that they forget to phone. If you have any anxieties, you should be given a contact number for the party leader, which should be used in emergency circumstances only.
FAQs for Students
How you will be travelling will depend on what your teacher has booked. This could be by plane, coach, train or even a ferry. Travelling with your friends should be fun, and even a long coach trip can be a great part of the trip.
Room allocation is generally organised before you travel. Your teacher will be in charge of who you share a room with. It may be that they let you choose who you wish to share with, or they will assign rooms. Sharing with someone that you don’t know very well can seem daunting, but it is an excellent opportunity to get to know someone new.
What you will be doing on your trip is again up to what your teacher has organised. However, it will generally be a good mix of learning and socialising. If you are going on a ski trip, you can, of course, expect to be doing plenty of skiing or other snow activities. There will also be après ski, which you can find out more about on our après ski page. If you are on an educational tour, you will likely be visiting lots of sites relevant to the trip. You will also have the chance to socialise and attend fun activities in the evenings.
Your group leader will issue you with a list of what you should bring nearer the time of your trip. You should pack the things on the list, but also keep in mind things that you might need personally. For example, if you wear glasses or contact lenses, you will need to pack everything you need. You can find out more about what you will need to pack here.
The amount of free time you have will depend on your trip and what your teacher has organised for you. You may be issued with an itinerary for your trip nearer the time. Normally, teachers will have included a good mix of planned social activities and completely free time for you to choose what you would like to do. You may want to simply spend time with your friends or take the time to recharge in your room.
A group trip is a learning experience, but you will not normally be doing school work in the traditional sense. Your teacher may have organised worksheets or activities that help you get the most out of the experience, or you may be asked to think about how the activities you are taking part in are related to your development or classroom work.
You can bring your mobile phone, however you may not have much opportunity to use it. For many activities, including skiing, we would always recommend you leave your phone in your room. There is limited phone service at most resorts, and there is a high risk of losing or damaging your phone. Your teacher may limit your use of your phone during educational tours, particularly during activities to make sure you are experiencing as much as possible.