But what makes a good ski safari? What should you look out for when planning and which regions in the USA and Canada are best suited? Are there also heli-ski safaris? Our ski experts from TRAVELZONE give you all the answers to your questions about ski safaris worldwide.

A ski safari turns your ski vacation into a real powder ski trip. You get to enjoy different conditions at different locations and have a certain amount of adventure included. After a few days in one place, you move on to the next - a change of scenery. Different snow, different flair, different people. On a ski safari, you'll find out better than ever why North America is a completely different proposition for winter sports enthusiasts than the Alps in Europe.

What should I look out for on a ski safari?
Good planning saves nerves and money. It is therefore worth tackling a route that is as time-efficient as possible with short distances and easily accessible locations. This way you can enjoy your stay and not rush from one destination to the next completely exhausted. Certain regions in North America are therefore better suited to ski safaris than others. We know the most sensible routes. Talk to us and we will quickly outline the best ski safari for you, tailored to your ideas.

Where to go on a ski safari?

In Canada, the Banff - Kicking Horse - Revelstoke route is one of the ski safari classics. The three ski areas of Banff are perfect for warming up before really hitting the slopes in Kicking Horse. Finally, you have the opportunity to try out heliskiing or catskiing in and around Revelstoke. If you would prefer to see a few other first-class ski resorts, the Banff - Panorama - Fernie route is also recommended.

In the USA, Colorado is certainly an ideal state for a cool ski safari. There are several ski resorts around Vail or Aspen that you can visit on a ski safari with short access routes. In addition to Vail and Aspen's four ski mountains, Silverton, Telluride and Crested Butte are among the best ski resorts in North America. Utah is also home to a number of top resorts in a very small area: Park City, Deer Valley, Snowbird and Alta. The Jackson Hole - Grand Targhee - Big Sky tour is somewhat less well-known, but all the more spectacular, as it spans two US states, Wyoming and Montana.

There are two regions in Japan that are perfect for a ski safari: Number one is Hokkaido, with the island's largest ski resort, Niseko United, as its hub. The northern island of Japan is home to the famous Japow. In addition to Niseko, you should definitely consider Rusutsu. Also Furano and Asahidake, the highest mountain in Hokkaido. The second ski safari area in Japan is on the main island of Honshu. Around Hakuba and Nagano there are countless small and large ski resorts with fantastic powder snow. We at TRAVELZONE have tried them out and are happy to reveal the best ski-safari combos in Japan.

Ski safari as a self-drive?
The most flexible option is certainly to hire your own car, as you decide for yourself when to set off and where to stop for a photo along the way - there are plenty of worthwhile motifs along the way. The important thing with a self-drive ski safari, however, is that you get into the car well rested. This means it's best to drive to the next ski resort in the morning after breakfast, rather than into the dark after an exhausting day of skiing. Take a little more time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and vastness of North America.

But ski safaris with shuttle transportation or even by train also have their advantages. It's more relaxed as you don't have to drive yourself. So you can sit back and admire the passing landscape in peace.

Heli-ski safaris at Bella Coola and CMH
Yes, there are also heli-ski safaris. Bella Coola Heli Sports, for example, offers a unique heliskiing safari where you combine two or more heliski lodges and heliski areas. You can start in the west of the Coast Mountains with heliskiing including fjord views and then move east to the unique Pantheon heliski area. There you can experience spectacular big mountain heliskiing like you would normally only find in Alaska.

Another type of heliskiing safari is the Nomad offer from CMH in central British Columbia. Although you stay at one location the whole time, you fly to three of the best CMH heliskiing areas: CMH Revelstoke, CMH Kootenay and CMH Galena. In the stunning mountain ranges of the Purcells, Selkirks and Monashees, the guides select the best runs every day, depending on the snow and weather conditions and ideally tailored to the ideas and wishes of the group. This is a super relaxed kind of heliski safari: see lots of new things without having to move all the time.

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