WHISTLER, CANADA

Europe has so much great skiing on offer, that many people often forget about the resorts that lie a little further afield; resorts such as the stunning Whistler-Blackcomb located in Western Canada, amid the impressive Coastal Mountains of British Columbia and just 75 miles north of Vancouver.

Whistler-Blackcomb resort links the impressive Whistler and Blackcomb mountains with the famous PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery.  In 2010, Whistler played host to the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and there is still the opportunity to visit the Whistler Olympic Park.  

Regularly voted the No. 1 ski resort in North America, ski holidays in Whistler offer everything that you could possibly want: an attractive village, efficient lift system, wonderful skiing for all standards, family friendly activities, good accommodation to suit all pockets and excellent après ski. 

Whistler is home to two spectacular mountains: Whistler and Blackcomb, both of which tower over Whistler Village. The pedestrian-only Village, lined with countless shops, restaurants and galleries, is the perfect place for you to wander or just relax with a coffee.

Whistler is also favoured with mild winters and copious amounts of snow; on average, Whistler receives 9 metres of the white stuff.

Ski holidays in Whistler Blackcomb are hard to beat, with high speed eight and ten person gondolas sweeping skiers from the village up 1000m to where the possibilities are endless. Wide open bowls, gentle nursery slopes, gladed tree runs, steep chutes and gullies, bump runs that look like a snowed-in car park of VW Beetles, and mile after glorious mile of perfectly groomed corduroy piste.

Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School offers outstanding programs whatever your level or ability. Specially developed kids’ programs and learning areas, private and group lessons, women’s-only camps plus single and multi-day programs for teens confirm that nothing can improve your ski or snowboarding vacation like a lesson can.

The award-winning Nintendo Parks include terrain for all abilities.  On Whistler, you’ll find a park and a half pipe while Blackcomb boasts three parks and one super pipe. With a unique difficulty rating system - S, M, L, XL - the parks are divided into increasingly challenging levels of terrain, but they're cleverly designed to encourage skills-development from novices through to Olympic-training experts. If rails, picnic tables, half pipes, cannon boxes and booters aren't really your thing, jump on the Catskinner Chair on Blackcomb Mountain and watch the action unfolding below. 

Like Banff, Fernie, Jasper and other North American resorts, Whistler has invested in plenty of snow making cannons so snow reliability is good, although with the Village only being at an altitude of 675m and close to the Pacific Ocean, it can rain at resort level when it is snowing higher up. You must remember that you're dealing with a mile of vertical, so drizzle in the village can mean snowfalls halfway up and -15 degrees and sunshine at the top!

We have huge selection of brilliant Whistler Hotels and Whistler Apartments that can match any need. Whether you want a quiet luxury spot or you want to be right in the centre of the action on a budget, we'll have just the accommodation for you.

Whistler-Blackcomb caters extremely well for families, hosting a wide selection of activities to keep the little ones entertained.  The resort offers a childcare programme for tots aged 18-48 months and will provide parents with a complimentary pager so that you can check up on how they are doing while you’re away.

Family activities include:

• Coca-Cola tube park
• Magic Castle and Tree Fort adventure playground
• Nintendo gaming lounges
• Fire & Ice big air show
• Ice skating
• Dog sledding
• Snowshoeing

As well as some great family friendly activities, Whistler-Blackcomb also provides plenty of activities solely for adults. From gourmet evenings, to zip lining, spa days and backcountry tours, there’s something to suit everyone.

Activities include:

• Heli skiing - Heli skiing gives you access to a massive 173 glaciers and 475 runs, offering different packages ranging from intermediate to expert. You will be taken out by an experienced guide and provided with lunch on the mountain. There will be also be a photographer on hand to capture your experience and you’ll have the chance to buy the photos at the end if you so wish. If you’d rather skip the skiing or boarding, or you’re not quite up to intermediate level, then you can still enjoy the birds-eye view by taking a breathtaking tour by helicopter.
• Coca-Cola tube park
• Fresh tracks and mountain top breakfast - Get earlybird access to the slopes an hour before they’re open to anyone else. Meet at the Roundhouse Lodge at 7.15am where you can take an early gondola ride to the restaurant on top of the mountain. Here, you can pile up your plate with a hearty buffet breakfast to set you up for the day. As soon as the slopes open, an announcement is made giving you time to get in an early run or two before everyone else.
• Ziptrek Ecotours ziplines and suspension bridges - Take part in this unique ziplining-ecological exploration combo and fly across Fitzsimmons Creek, which joins the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains together. A great way to take in the scenery and the surrounding nature, while giving yourself a big adrenaline rush.
• Peak 2 Peak Gondola
• Fire and Ice big air show
• Snowmobiling
• Scandinave Spa - Visit the Scandinavian baths and pamper yourself with Swedish, Hot Stone, Sports and Thai Yoga massages. To top it off you can also get a 2-3 hour session in the Finnish sauna, thermal and Nordic waterfalls, cold plunge baths and solariums, followed by relaxation next to the outdoor fireplace.
• Free mountain tours
• Sleigh rides
• Bobsleigh
• Dog sledding
• Mountain Top Fondue Snowcat Tour
• Snowshoeing
• Helicopter sightseeing tours
• Foodie tasting tours