Posted by | Travel Tips | Posted on June 28th, 2010
Holiday tours to Europe are never complete without a Spanish stop. Madrid, Barcelona and the ancient castles and cathedrals come together perfectly with 21st century Spanish lifestyle. This irresistible coming together of the glory of the past with the technological achievements of today is what makes Spain a popular European destination among the world’s jet-setting millions.
Every holiday traveler to Spain needs to rent a car. Here are some very good reasons why:
1. Get your fill of the sights. Paid tours in tours bring tourists from one destination to the next in tourist buses, often enclosed vehicles at regular speed. They also use main roads. You miss out on the beauty of countryside when you take a back road and drive slow. You lose the chance to stop for a quick few and snap photos of a rare moment. Buses just breeze by. You get a better view and a better chance at enjoying the scenery when you drive a rental car.
2. It’s a convenient way to be on the road. With a rental car and a map, it’s easier to figure how to get from the airport to your hotel than going through the hassle of hailing a taxicab or riding the train. Public transportation can be a tough challenge especially after a long flight. When you have to go to a conference from your hotel, you can save time driving yourself there than calling for cabs or waiting on trains.
3. It allows for flexibility. If you’re staying a few days on a holiday, you’d have time for unplanned outings. Even if you’re on a guided holiday tour arranged by your hotel or travel agent, won’t you be pleased with a few extra hours to roam around on your own? Look for bargain buys at flea markets, antiques and souvenirs at small sidewalk shops; discover some rare art collections your itinerary might have missed. When you’re exploring driving your own rental car, it could be fun to get lost in the city for a few hours.
4. Cargo convenience. Are you in Spain for a presentation? Did you bring along scale models for presentation? Besides the usual notebook carried by professionals, business travelers may need to show up at a conference with a sizeable load of materials or equipment. There is no way you’d be able to ferry that around taking trains. Besides being too risky, paying for the packages every time you move them from one location to the next can be really expensive. That’s not even considering the tips you’d have to hand out for those who help with it.
Car rentals, Spain or wherever, is a sensible and cost-effective option. No other mode of transportation allows you the convenience, privacy, flexibility and utility of driving yourself around. Save on cost, de-stress yourself. Enjoy the same freedom and flexibility you have back home. Rent a car in Spain and discover its romantic beauty intimately.
Posted by | Amazing Destination | Posted on June 27th, 2010
Whether you’re into rock climbing or bird watching, on a tight budget or have money to hire porters and guides, you can always find a suitable trekking route in Nepal. A trip to the Nepal Himalayas is a fantastic experience for most of us, offering views of snow-capped mountain peaks and a chance to meet indigenous mountain peoples who live almost cut off from the rest of the world.
All that’s required of you is that you like walking in the nature. You don’t have to be super fit for every trek, but the better shape you’re in, the easier your trek will be. The top season for trekking in Nepal is October-November and February-April. In the summer months the monsoon clouds obscure the grand views most of the time and in the winter months the high mountain passes are closed by heavy snow-fall. But with the right knowledge, you can always find a good trek in Nepal. Just browse through this list to get an overview of your options.
Nepal’s Western Region
1. Simikot, Humla
You can fly in from Nepalganj and maybe read –Spy on the roof of the world– by Sydney Wignall before you go. Permits are 90$ /person /week.
2. Rara Lake
4 days walk from Jumla to this the largest lake in Nepal. Getting to Jumla though is either a plane/helicopter trip or a several days long jeep ride on a mountain road that’s still under construction — and will be for any foreseeable future.
3. Upper Dolpo
First of all, see the movie –Himalayan Caravan – L’Enfance d’un chef– (Eric Valli 1999, Oscar nominated). It’s mandatory! Might want to pick up one of his books as well. Having done that, you’ll want to go to the Phoksundo Lake, which you can do in 1 week or as part of either the 15 day Dolpa Experience Circuit or the 20 day Dolpa Heritage Trek, all out of Juphal –airport–. Another couple of one-week’ers are the Sundaha Nature Trek and the Sahartara Tour. Expensive permit are required, as in Upper Mustang it’s $70 /person /day with minimum 10 days. No lodges. Annual number of visitors are in the low hundreds.
4. Lower Dolpo
Permits are 10$ /person /week. You might have to fly in from Nepalganj. Don’t expect lodges here, so bring your own camping gear.
5. Upper Mustang
10 days. Home to the ancient kingdom of Lo, still in existence – sort of. Hefty permit required north of Kagbeni, $70 /person /day with minimum 10 days.
Annapurna Region
6. Dhaulagiri
20-30 days to complete the circle around this 8000+’er. Bring good boots and sleeping bag!
7. Annapurna Circuit
2-3 weeks minimum. This is where everyone goes. Except me. In the high season it gets rather crowded and is more appropriately named the Annapurna Circus. Lodges and tea-houses are everywhere. The Thorung La high pass (5400 m) usually closes down in the end of November. If you bring your own camping gear, there’s also good possibilities of doing side trips off the beaten track. ACAP entry fees stand at 2000 rupees.
8. Jomsom & Muktinath
You can fly into or out of Jomsom, a days walk from Muktinath, and hike to or from Pokhara in about 1 week. Muktinath is an important pilgrimage site nestled at 3800 m. It’s on the Annapurna Circuit.
9. Annapurna Sanctuary & ABC
10-14 days, 2000 rupee ticket. Another popular option, since it’s shorter and a little less demanding than doing the full Annapurna Circuit.
10. Ghorepani, Poon Hill
5 days out of Pokhara, it reaches 3200 meters and is accessible all year round. Famous for it’s views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and rhododendrons in the spring.
11. Panchase Peak & Ghandruk
Another holy mountain, this one a couple of days walk west of Pokhara. Ghandruk is 3 days further and it’s home to the Annapurna Conservation Project and a whole lot of Gurung people.
12. The Royal Trek
4 days out of Pokhara. With altitude no higher that 2000 meters it’s open all year round.
13. Siklish, Begnas Lake, Lamjung
1 week return trip from Pokhara, 10-12 days through Lamjung to Besisahar. Lodges should be available, 2000 rupee ACAP permit required.
14. Manaslu
3 weeks, circle around this 8000+ m twin peak that can be seen all the way from Kathmandu. Pass over Larkya La at 5110 m. There’s no lodges and the mandatory permit stands at almost $100 /person /week.
Central Nepal
15. Trishuli – Gorkha
The easy way: 4 days along the route that Prithvi Narayan Shah took in 1768. Apparently has village lodges and stays under 2000 m all the way.
The hard way: 2-3 weeks on remote, off the beaten track. Passes over Sing La (3570 m) and by the Jogeshwar kund (4500 m). Camping gear required.
16. Ganesh Himal
No lodges, rough and remote. But wow, wouldn’t I like to go there! The highest peak is well over 7000 meters, and it’s prominent view from Kathmandu makes it all worthwhile if you like to brag about your adventures when you get back to civilization!
17. Tamang Heritage Trail
8 days, lodges still under construction.
18. Langtang & Gosaikunda / Panch Pokhari
1-2 weeks minimum. Third most visited in Nepal, after Annapurna and Everest. Fairly easy, not too crowded, especially the Gosaikunda lake area (4400 m) which is arguably the most scenic. Langtang Valley has lodges every hour or so all the way to Kyanjing Gompa (3900 m), the Gosaikunda trail has fewer, but still enough for short days. Gosaikunda features the annual Janai Purniam festival and from there, you can walk back to Kathmandu in 2-4 days. Entry fee 1000 rupees.
19. Helambu
½-1 week, more jungle than mountains but still a rough trail. Tea-houses available if you don’t get lost like that Australian guy. Distant, but awesome mountain views before you get too close to the mountain bases. –Walking distance– from Kathmandu, circuit from Sundarijal to Nagarkot (4 days).
20. Namobudda
1 day, one of the few quickies you can do when the noise and pollution of Kathmandu starts to get on your nerves. Take the bus to Dhulikel and start walking.
21. Rolwaling & Gauri Shankar
2 weeks or so. Get up close and personal with Gauri Shankar (7130 m) and it’s glacial lakes. Good view of Everest etc. Unspoiled landscape, permission still required but check with Nepal’s Tourism Board when you get here. There’s rumors that they’re making this one permission free.
22. Chitwan Chepang Hills
7 days in the Middle Hills. No Himalayas and no higher than 2000 meters so it could be a good winter trekking possibility. Good view of the (distant) Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Ganesh Himal, Gauri Shankar, Gurja Himal and Manaslu, but the main attraction is the nomadic Chepang people who live as hunters and gatherers. There’s also a fort, a waterfall and some caves along the route together with 400 bird species. Start in Hugdi on Prithvi Hwy, end Shaktikor in Chitwan. Homestays are on the route.
Everest Region
23. Everest Base Camp & Kala Pathar
2 weeks out of Lukla, 3 out of Kathmandu/Jiri with return flight from Lukla. If you don’t have a spare $50.000 lying around for an Everest climb permit, you can just settle for this Base Camp trek. Most people seem to choose the Tengpoche route to KP, which stands at 5630 m.
24. Mera Peak
2-3 weeks out of Lukla, 6500 m. A popular expedition/climb that requires some basic mountaineering skills, but without being too technical. Long march in, 2 high camps.
25. Island Peak
3 weeks out of Lukla. At 6100 meters, this trek is not for everyone. Although not very technical, it is a demanding snow climb. Views are everything you could ever dream of.
26. Gokyo Lakes, Peak & Renjo La
2 weeks out of Lukla. High pass at 5400 m. Lakes at 4800 m, peak at 5500 m. Some lodges along the trail. Great Everest views.
27. Pikey & Dudhkunda Trail
1 or 2 weeks in the less -much less- visited southern part of Solukhumbu. Both the Chiwong and the Thuptenchoeling Buddhist Monasteries are world renowned, the former famous for the Mani Rimdu Dance Festival, the latter is the biggest monastery in Nepal.
Nepal’s Eastern Region
28. Arun Valley – Makalu Base Camp
3 weeks out of Tumlingtar/Khadbari. You’ll get up to 5000 meters and still be 3500 meters short of the summit! Either go same way back or climb a couple of 6000′ers into the Khumbu region.
29. Kanchenjunga
3 weeks out of Taplejung, 3rd highest mountain in the world. Don’t rely on finding any lodges here. Permits are 10$ /person /week.
30. Pathibhara
1 week out of Taplejung. The Pathibhara Devi shrine is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists alike. There is lodges along the route.
Posted by | Hotel | Posted on June 25th, 2010
There is something decadent about staying in elegant hotels. The exquisite service. The incredibly comfortable bed. All the amenities. The variety of on-site restaurants and night life. Maybe the interesting people you meet there.
And while it’s sometimes hard to justify paying the exorbitant rates they charge, now there is a new way for getting those luxury hotel rooms at a discount price.
Hotel standards have risen very drastically over the past two or three decades. Even the more budget and mid level hotels have usually improved their rooms and general ambiance. But the discount rates which we’re discussing in this article will open the door for you to seriously stay in top-quality four- and five-star hotels all across the United States.
Also, the good news is that it’s not just limited to one particular hotel chain. This new method is something which can work for you in every city in the United States, including the ones with the nicest hotels in the nation.
The method even works well to generate huge savings for budget and mid level hotels, so you know you have that as an option if you pick it. But for the purposes of this article, why stay budget when for just a little bit extra you can stay in the lap of luxury?
For instance, rather than saving 50% on a budget hotel and slashing your hotel bill from $100 a night to $50, why not stay somewhere extraordinary and slash your bill from $250 a night to $100. If you’re staying three nights, that would be nearly $500 in savings.
The insider secrets for discount hotel rates is exposed on a new website that has recently been launched. Already, in the relatively short-time that the secret has been up for sale for those in the know, tens of thousands of dollars have been saved by those that the secrets outlined on the web-site and the accompanying e-Book. Additionally, the secrets outlined there represent a fully repeatable system which you can use fundamentally as long as you travel for the rest of your life.
The author of this e-Book saved over five 5000 dollars in one year just by making use of this technique. Savings like that add up big over the course of ten years. Even some wily entrepreneurs have set themselves up as a booking facility, based on the secrets exposed in this e-Book, specializing in hotel cheap rates which simply cannot be beaten. Even when they add their own commission to the bill, they’re nevertheless able to pass on some great rates which are still so unbeatable. But you do not need to pay any commissions – you can go straight to the source!
The secret of the success of this infallible system is in finding out just how the hotel industry actually works. It makes it easy to hone right in on almost any hotel to negotiate a jaw-dropping deal, all on-line. As a matter of fact the author is so confident about his product that he is offering an amazing 180 day full money back assurance if you aren’t entirely satisfied. Nowhere else is coming close to these types of savings and these kind of guarantees.
Just think, you could now take your family on the holiday you have always dreamed about, but weren’t sure you could afford. Now you have a proven method for cutting 1000′s of dollars off your holiday bill and giving your partner and your kids a taste of luxury. This e-Book is one that is worth tracking down. Your wallet and your family would thank you.
Posted by | Resort | Posted on June 25th, 2010
This global warming is proving to be a bit nippy, there have been record snowfalls all across Europe in November 2008 which has meant that everywhere is enjoying a bumper start to their season on the slopes and the Pyrenees in the South of France is no exception. We have already had some great skiing in the Pyrenees and with the snow falling as I write the expectations are high for plenty more.
The Pyrenees is not the first place anyone thinks of when they are thinking about their next skiing vacation, more often it is the Alps that gets the first consideration whether that is France, Austria, Italy or Germany. But boy, we may have had some snow but it’s certainly not raining Euro’s so there may be a few people out there who are interested in a cost effective way to go skiing where the prices are a little more reasonable.
Most people know about Andorra and the fact that it is one of the cheapest places to ski, helped by a tax free economy there are some great deals to be had and actually two of the main resorts there, Casa de la Pasa and Soldeu are only about 1/2 an hour or so from the resorts I am going to talk about here, Monts d’Olmes and Ax Les Thermes both of which lie in the French Pyrenees about an hour and a half south of Toulouse. So if you did fancy an excursion into Andorra from here, as long as you are prepared and have some transport its definitely not out of the question.
Located where they are, there are plenty of options for getting to both resorts, Monts d’Olmes and Ax Les Thermes, including flying into Toulouse or Carcassonne, getting a train or a bus and that’s not to mention the driving option, hire car or otherwise.
It has to be said that Monts d’Olmes is not that well known and tends to be used by the locals rather than the ski package tour operators, but it’s not a bad little resort and would be great as a family skiing location where there are a range of skill levels from beginner to intermediate. If you are a serious advanced skier or snowboarder then I would say with only 2 black runs and as many greens as reds then this would not be the place for you. But for beginners and intermediates, or families looking for a place where it is relatively easy to keep in touch with one another then it’s worth consideration.
The resort is at a fairly low altitude so there is a need to check the snow forecasts and conditions and to have a contingency plan if the snow does get a bit sparse, it can also be a bit tricky on the mountain roads if a snow storm comes in so it is a good idea to be prepared with an appropriate vehicle, snow chains or by using the bus service to get there, all these options are easily accommodated at varying levels of cost.
The first contingency plan has got to be Ax Les Thermes which is just down the road from Foix on the way to Andorra, it is a much larger resort and has 28 runs (7 more than Monts d’Olmes) and approximately 80 km’s of pisted slopes. It is also slightly higher by about 400m, but this can make all the difference in terms of snow consistency. Another serious benefit of Ax Les Thermes is that it can be accessed from the main road to Andorra via a gondola straight out of the town avoiding the need for driving up and down a mountain road, although that option is there if you want to take it.
The runs at Ax Les Thermes are much longer and provide a better mix for the advanced level winter sports enthusiast with 5 blacks and 10 reds to select from, also with a further 8 blues and 5 greens this resort can cater for all levels of skiing ability and is a good place for beginners and intermediates as well. I suspect that the boarders would enjoy the snowpark in the Saquet sector which is one of the 3 sectors that make up the Ax 3 Domaines skiing resort, the other 2 are Bonascre and Campels.
Both resorts are enjoying the great snow that arrived in November 08 and Ax Les Thermes in particular has had all it’s slopes and lifts open since the beginning of December, Ax Les Thermes has a good mix of gondolas, chairs and draglifts which means if you really want to you can save all your energy for the skiing and still get the degree of difficulty you are looking for. Monts d’Olmes on the other hand has only one chairlift and the rest of the lifts are of the drag variety, that said the chair takes you almost to the top so you can get a good run all the way to the bottom via blues and reds back to the chair.
Ski passes can be bought from increments of 1/2 days up to several days and you should obviously check out the tarriffs for the best deals, there are special family days (1/2 days excluded) and student passes are available at reduced cost. Ski equipment, snowboarding equipment and toboggons are all available for hire at reasonable cost and in the case of Ax Les Thermes you can get your equipment either in town or you can wait until you get up to Bonascre where the first of the slopes is available.
For apres ski, Ax Les Thermes has a lot to offer, being a spa town with hot springs it is just as well visited in the summer as it is in the winter and so there are plenty of facilities on offer including shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. You could probably get a hot tub somewhere as well if you wanted, I have never actually done that but it is a spa town so I am sure there will be facilities somewhere in the town.
I hope you have found this review useful and that it has given you a flavor for a couple of my local ski resorts in the Pyrenees, I have skied in a few different places and countries, including Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, Germany and Canada but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed my skiing here as much as anywhere else, obviously there will be personal favorites but as far as I am concerned as long as you look for the positive and don’t get too hung up over minor irritations you can enjoy any resort.
You can get further information and details on skiing in the Pyrenees on my website Skiing and Snowboarding in the Pyrenees and if you need some help with finding flights and travel information to Europe you can visit my travel advice page on French Travel Advice which has some very useful information for France and Europe generally, whether you are flying, driving or looking to go by rail.
If you enjoy the information in the website on the Pyrenees don’t forget to give it a thumbs up rating at the bottom of the page or to share it with other skiers or snowboarders who might find it interesting.
Posted by | America Travel | Posted on June 16th, 2010
Honeymoon plays an important role for the newlywed couples where they can express their true love and it is simply a gateway of romantic life from where they start new life. Honeymoon is the traditional and romantic holidays taken by the newlyweds in order to spend few days together far from their family members to express their true love and romantic feelings to each other. As time goes on, the ways and the traditions of honeymoon vacations and planning are getting changed. Now newly weds couples want some adventure and romantic activities during their honeymoon. There are various types of honeymoons packages are available in the international market including awesome and expensive honeymoon destinations, honeymoon cruises, honeymoon special, updated and international honeymoon trends, honeymoon beach resorts, honeymoon accommodation in top honeymoon hotels and many more all inclusive honeymoon ideas and packages. Now the days many of travel and tour agencies and hotels booking websites offer the best honeymoon trips and vacation packages that brings romantic, adventure and proves to be one of the memorable honeymoon trip of your lifetime. They comprises honeymoon special team that arranges different honeymoon packages fro different couples as per their needs, interest and budget.
Honeymoon planning is very important for memorable and awesome honeymoon. Planning brings you with different ideas, plans, different packages, different honeymoon destinations that you can book as per your budget. Honeymoon planning also provides you with different honeymoon night ideas for example you can get honeymoon night at different world known beaches and cruises that definitely proves to be one of the unforgettable trip of lifetime. In fact, some of the most popular honeymoon destinations require booking / reservations few months in advance. There are plenty of islands, beaches, historical and beautiful destinations and romantic places in this world where you can book your honeymoon. Like Hawaii, California, Niagara, Las Vegas, Florida are some of the world honeymoon destinations that offers world known scenic and romantic activities during your honeymoon.
Most of newlywed couples prefer to go with honeymoon cruises that brings tour to world known destinations and beach resorts like European honeymoon cruises, Tahiti honeymoon cruises, Hawaiian honeymoon cruises, caribbean and Carnival Cruise honeymoon, Alaskan Honeymoon cruises, Mediterranean honeymoon cruises, Barbados, French Polynesian and many more are comes under world known All Inclusive honeymoon cruise that offers different types of activities, expensive dinner resorts, honeymoon games, international bars and pubs that offers excellent and luxurious honeymoon cuisine tour from all over the world. Apart from these there are many types of honeymoon packages are available in the international market that you can book through any of the well reputed and experienced honeymoon online websites that also offers complete information about special packages of wedding night ideas, honeymoon night ideas, world famous honeymoon destinations, honeymoon stories and lots more under one roof. Like honeymoon.365celebration.com that brings complete information about honeymoon packages, pleasant honeymoon vacations to famous destinations, types of honeymoons as per budget and lots more for newlyweds couples of international standard.
Posted by | Travel Tips | Posted on June 1st, 2010
With a legitimate car rental company in Spain you can get literally any type of car that you want to rent, including full size cars, luxury cars, mini cars, economy cars, compact cars, premium cars, minivans and even the bigger , 12 passenger vans!
Car rentals in Spain can be a very extravagant, luxurious means to travel. If you are simply taking a short or longer trip, then it would be a great idea if you fully emerged yourself in all that the particular city you are visiting has to offer. If you are not one of those types of travelers who just like to take guided tours and you would rather do it yourself, by means of taking a rental car out for a spin.
Even if you want to avoid the traditional “touristy” traps such as the guided tours, then you should definitely check out a car rental in Spain, as this will afford you with the opportunity to truly see the country and city from the native’s perspective. Spain, a country rich in local farmlands, wine vineyards, and so much other beautiful, truly scenic places that should be fully explored by the experienced traveler. There will be times where you will want to go off the traditional route that everyone else takes. I mean, who wants to go down a path that’s been taken by tons of people previously anyway? There’s nothing special with going down such paths, which is exactly why you might need to get your own car rental the next time you are in Spain!
Getting your own car rental in Spain is a popular choice amongst travelers in Spain because there are many wonderful things to do in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, etc.
Just think of how great it will be to roam free all over the city, as you please? Just the freedom you will feel alone is so worth it! It’s important that while you are on vacation , to not ever feel rushed, as this will surely cause you to avoid missing out on some special spots you might have been planning on visiting.
And furthermore, who really needs the stress of being of feeling rushed right? Wouldn’t it be really great to drive right up to the beautiful beaches of Spain or to visit old Spanish towns to watch the local festivities without the need to ever rush to the following location on your travel plans?
You can find some sites on the net that give really great deals on car rentals. This will allow you to really start enjoying your holidays as soon as you get to Spain! What’s nice about such websites is that they allow you to plan your holiday trip to Spain on pretty much any budget!
When you arrive in Spain all that is needed for you to do is to visit the location nearest to where you will be staying. You can even pay in whichever exchange currency you are most comfortable to pay in. You will surely find some highly affordable packages so that you won’t really have to bother yourself with enjoying your trip around Spain!
Posted by | Amazing Destination | Posted on June 1st, 2010
Trekking activities in Nepal provide adventure enthusiasts unique and delightful experience of lifetime. The beautiful country of Nepal has some of the best trekking and hiking trails in the world. Many people visit this country just to indulge in trekking activities and tourism industry of this country is well geared up to assist tourists with all possible manners of trekking styles and destinations. Trekking in this country is one of the best ways to explore its natural and cultural riches. Trekking activities in Nepal Himalayas are more a cultural experience than a wilderness expedition. During your treks in this country you will have a wonderful opportunity to pass through many pictorial villages and hamlets populated by diverse ethnic group.
There are a number of hiking and trekking trails available Nepal Himalayas. Important trails are Everest Base Camp, Annapurna, Langtang, etc. Have a look at little information about these important trails of Nepal.
Everest Base Camp – It is one of the most important trails for trekking in Nepal Himalayas. It provides trekkers or adventure enthusiasts a wonderful opportunity to see the breathtaking sight of mighty mountain peaks and to explore many picturesque hamlets inhabited by diverse ethnic group, Sherpa. The Everest region is perhaps the most popular destination for tourists in Nepal willing to trekking Himalayas.
Annapurna – Annapurna is one of the most famous trekking points in Nepal. It is a series of many majestic mountain peaks in the Himalayas. It attracts a large number of trekkers and adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. Tourists have a choice of trails for trekking activities. There are six major peaks in Annapurna. There are three major trekking trails in Annapurna region namely Jomsom Trek, Muktinath Trek and Annapurna Sanctuary Trek.
Langtang – Langtang is a beautiful region in Nepal. It is one of the most popular regions for Nepal trek. Trekkers have a wonderful opportunity to explore Langtang National Park. There are a number of high peaks in Langtang region in Nepal. Langtang also provides tourists a wonderful opportunity to indulge in other activities like climbing and white-water rafting. Langtang Lirung, Dorje Lakpa, Morimoto, Dragmarpo Ri, Yala Peak, etc are some of famous mountain peaks in Langtang region of Nepal. These peaks are very popular among trekkers and adventure enthusiasts coming from different parts of the world.
Trekking in Nepal ensures fro great rewards and personal satisfaction. Trekkers also have a wonderful opportunity to have insight into local culture and to enjoy peak climbing at the world’s best mountain beauty.
Posted by | Resort | Posted on June 1st, 2010
If you’re looking for a snow covered slope, perfect for gliding down without breaking the bank, here is your guide to some of the best budget ski resorts across the globe.
1) Bansko, Bulgaria
The savvy skier is quick to realise that there is no need to throw buckets of cash to slide down a slight selection of slopes in the Three Valleys resort or Espace Killy. This is where smaller and cheaper resorts like Bankso come in. Food wise it is a good resort to eat offering good meals at a cheap price, with a selection of cuisines. It is also an ideal location for families as childcare is very cheap.
2) Courchevel, France
Courchevel may not be the first place to come to mind when thinking of budget skiing in Europe, certainly it has its expensive side but those in the know can get some really great deals here in France. You can get to the area for a good price and there are some good budget eateries around 1850, there is also a good happy hour at the Bubble Bar in 1650.
3) Cerviina, Italy
Over the mountain from Zerhmatt you will find Cervinia, a less known smaller and cheaper base to experience Matterhorn ski area. Though skiing on to the Swiss side can prove quite pricey and if you’re not careful about where you eat you will find your whole weeks spending money swallowed up.
4) Lake Tahoe, USA
You can really take advantage of the weak dollar and spend a few day on the slopes in California. Lake Tahoe has a diverse range of slopes catering to all tastes, it attracts skiers and snowboarders alike. With nearly five hundred runs you can cover a great deal of distance for your dollar. Here you can take advantage of the Lake Tahoe vacation rentals and save money on hotel expenses and also cut costs by self catering. Furthermore there are some stunning views from the mountain, with the lake stretching out in front like a beautiful crash mat.
5) Schladming, Austria
Tucked away in the Enns Valley, Schladming is one of Austria’s best kept secrets. Being only an hour away from Salzburg there are a range of cheap flights from all the budget airline companies. There are many good holiday rentals to take advantage of around here and some good places for hearty local cuisine, sold at a very reasonable price.
6) Flaine, France
Not the most beautiful resort in the world, but a price that reflects it. The resort has become popular with families for its great prices and relative easiness. For an intermediate skier this is a great destination offering childcare at a very good price.
7) Soldeu, Andorra
Andorra is one of the world’s prime locations for budget skiing, perhaps the original cheap slope based destination. Soldeu is a great location for beginners with some great mild slopes to cut your teeth on. There are also a great number of cheap eateries around the area too, for food look no further than Fat Albert’s, which also has a great bar upstairs.