A Piste of the Action

Ski with Eddie the Eagle in Kicking Horse, Canada

If you’re old enough to remember 1988 (hey, Dad!) then you’re sure to recall Eddie the Eagle, who leapt to fame and became a household name in the Calgary Winter Olympic Games. If you’re a tad younger you’ll hopefully remember last year’s film about him, and if that’s not enough there’s now a ski tour, too. Your host is Eddie himself, who’ll be guiding you through the on-piste and off-piste action of Kicking Horse, Lake Louise and Revelstoke – taking on some of Canada’s best runs – with a visit to the site of the Winter Olympic Games, too.

Holiday like Prince Harry in Shymbulak, Kazakhstan

We’ve always been a fan of Prince Harry’s holiday choices – you can’t fault that naked romp in the Vegas hot tub, can you? While the Royals head to the likes of Courchevel for their annual ski trips, in 2014 Harry went for something more intrepid – Kazhakstan. Ok, so he may have had the use of a helicopter to get around in, but even without a chopper you’ll find Shymbulak, in the south of the country, offers decent off-piste skiing, sun on your face and the glitzy nightclubs of the capital just 25 minutes away (or you could rest up in tire on-site four-star hotel).

Get a far-flung culture hit in Japan

Dry, light powder, 48km of pistes, onsens (essentially soothing pools of hot water) and sake? The Niseko resort in Japan is one of the most famous ski and snowboard destinations in the country. Travel between December and March and you’ll be treated to some absolutely incredible powder, the biggest average snow fall in Japan and the opportunity for excellent backcountry jaunts. Then there’s the food – a warming nabe hotpot chock-full of noodles, veg and meat. With Inside Japan tours you can extend your trip with a couple of nights in Tokyo, where you can shop till you drop in the gadget shops or eat unidentifiable meat on sticks in pavement-side bars. The perfect twin after a few’ nights spent in the country’s mountains.