swisSKIsafari

Heli ski from Courchevel

2012-01-26T22:11:00.004+01:00

Big news! We are more than excited to announce that heli-skiing is now available from the exclusive resort of Courchevel with Swisskisafari. And it has never been done before in this way.

Wake up in France, hop in your heli, ski Italy’s awesome mountains before being whisked back in time for dinner in one of Courchevel’s world-class eateries. Forget a picnic on the piste, on these day trips you’ll be dining in fine Italian style for lunch, in between exploring the stunning back country of the Aosta valley. Want to know more about this brand new style of skiing? Just ask.

The snow doctor has spoken

2012-01-05T21:16:00.003+01:00

Snow, snow and more snow: it just won’t stop snowing! In between sheltering from blizzards and doing snow-related works on her car, last week Danielle met up with the Swisskisfari snow doctor, Robert Bolognese, for an expert opinion on the weather.

As exciting as it is, snow falling this fast has to be treated with care. Driving conditions are dangerous and we must wait until the snow has stabilised before heading high to make fresh tracks. In preparation for client trips in the New Year, the team are monitoring the snow pack to make sure the mountain is safe for our clients in 2012.

Welcome the wing-suited base jumper

Forget extreme skiing and base jumping, when it comes to adventure, our new France-based heli pilot, Seb, is all about wing-suit base jumping right now. Obviously. Flying helicopters by day, this adrenalin junkie grew up in the French Alps, and has now brought his fantastic knowledge of the Alpine terrain to the Swisskisafari team.

Seb and Danielle are currently preparing the honeymoon to beat all honeymoons for two clients. Starting in Chamonix, they will heli-ski throughout the Alps each day, crossing the border into Switzerland, and even spend a night in a luxurious treehouse on stilts. Well, when you have a local guide in the form of a helicopter pilot at hand, why wouldn’t you? If you’re interested in hearing more about our heli skiing ideas, get in touch.

Our new addition

2011-09-20T12:04:00.002+02:00

Steaming Roman baths, creaking blue crevasses and mile after mile of untouched Italy: our new individuals trip is going to be a cracker.

This winter, we will be hosting groups of mountain-loving individuals on our new Italian adventure. Based in cobblestoned Courmayeur, likeminded skiers and borders will ski glaciers and icefalls, powder and piste, and learn to ice climb together on our 5 day adventure.

Naturally, meals will be hosted in the cosiest mountain eateries by the warmest locals with family recipes and fascinating anecdotes. Interested in trying a new challenge this winter season? Get in touch. One day this will not be possible. Today is not that day.

The world is not enough (or so it seems)

2011-07-20T22:36:00.008+02:00

On our recent trip to London we met a whole host of interesting new people. One of our new friends was researching experiential travel and decided to use SwisSkiSafari in an article, which got us all excited. This was the result...

"The world is not enough, or so it seems. Bored with bog standard holidays, travellers today are scouring the globe for never-been-done-before experiences. And they are surprised at what they find.

No longer happy with a sunny Spanish beach or a week in Les Trois Vallees, booking trends show that there is now a growing breed of travellers craving experiential travel: not just a holiday, they want a mind-blowing experience which will wow them… and their friends back home. Cue hosts of bespoke travel companies popping up, tailor-making each trip to suit the needs of these needy travellers. They find flights, dig out gems of hotels and weave together dream trips. You tell them what you want, et viola, it’s ready, for your eyes only.

But look a little deeper and you’ll find the next step in travel creators. A kind of uber-travel concierge, if you like. They arrange experiences which you never knew existed.

Forget scuba diving. Now you can explore the bottom of the ocean in a two man submarine. Up high, take a helicopter flight around remotest Africa, landing on mountain tops where no human has ever stood before. And the sky isn’t even the limit anymore: commercial space travel is inching closer. Before you know it, you’ll be imitating Moonraker in space pod orbiting the outer edge of the earth’s atmosphere with fabulous moon views. But for those who are a little more down to earth (excuse the pun) with more human budgets (a space trip starts at £100k), look to the hills. The European Alps, to be exact. If you’re a mountain lover, there is now an exhilarating new breed of adventure to be had.

Take SwisSkiSafari: a small but excellent team of personable, highly professional, and creative mountain gurus, guides and heli pilots. You won’t just get a nice chalet and week’s ski guiding here. This imaginative team help clients live their dream trip: crossing national boundaries on skis to visit three countries in five days, sleeping in boutique hotels each night, bags taken care of while they picnic in style with panoramic views of France, Switzerland and Italy. All at the same time. If that’s what they want.

With these guys, brand new itineraries change daily, as finding the best Alpine weather is crucial. And with the man who’s responsible for opening and closing the Mont Blanc tunnel on their team, you can’t get much more expert than this. Did we mention he has a PhD in snow forecasting, too? The newest addition is an experienced mountaineer who has been tackling the world’s highest peaks for 30 years. And by experienced, we mean he’s got fourteen 8000 metre peaks under his belt. These really are the world’s best.

But the most impressive aspect of the SwisSkiSafari service is their constant flow of original ideas. Last November they were contacted by the wife of a ski-loving 39 year old looking for ideas for the 40th birthday celebration of a lifetime. A huge James Bond fan with 12 friends of varying ski ability, he wanted to re-enact that iconic ski scene from The Spy Who Loved Me. ‘Can you do this for us?’ they asked Danielle Stynes, the founder of SwisSkiSafari. And one unforgettable week-long birthday party was created.

The group checked into MI6 (a luxury, remote Swiss chalet) and introduced to Q, M and their itinerary. Then followed a sun-drenched week of ski missions. They schussed through an ice tunnel, were heli-lifted to enemy territory and chased by armed henchmen to a cosy Italian mountain refuge serving heart-warming cuisine from centuries-old recipes. At night they grabbed burning torches and traversed the mountain to a hot tub under the stars. One evening, their base was a transformed into a casino. Naturally, they dressed as Bond villains, learnt how to create world-class cocktails and gambled with their in-house croupier until the sun came up. They were shaken and stirred, and they loved it. The birthday boy was more than happy, the guests were wowed: mission accomplished.

This was just one of many SwisSkiSafari adventures. As the name suggests, they are Swiss-based, but their new perception of what is skiable transcends borders and blasts through barriers where other heli-ski outfits stop. And their experience is year-round. Want to climb Mont Blanc this summer? No problem. How about snowboard from the Matterhorn to the Eiger next winter? Been there, done that. The sky is the limit, whatever standard of skier you are. To many, the world may not seem enough, but a trip with Swisskisafari will show you that with a little imagination, the mountains certainly are."

Money can't buy you mountains

2011-05-17T22:11:00.005+02:00

Having just hopped off the helicopter from a photo shoot with Harrods, we have realised something big that we want to share with you all: you can’t buy the mountains.

However many cars, houses or private jets you have, everyone has to respect the weather patterns and earn the summits… and that is all part of the allure. That’s why being in safe, experienced hands is so crucial. The alps are as far from a materialistic world as you can get. And we love that.

SwisSkiSafari is all about experiential travel: challenging yourself, leaving your comfort zone and coming back satisfied. But we know you want to be pampered at night. Play hard, sleep well, return home with a story. It’s a buzz you can’t get from a week on a beach.

Now the sun is out and the grass is looking green, and we’ve decided to celebrate the awesome season which has just finished with a new photo gallery. It’s been a year of amazing opportunity. And we can’t wait for the next.

Harness your Summer

2011-03-09T20:08:00.011+01:00

Like skiing? You’ll love mountain hiking and climbing. Trust us, they are more similar than you think. Here are just four reasons why…

- Forget yesterday, forget tomorrow, focus on now. Climbing and hiking, like skiing, are utterly gripping (excuse the pun). All you need to think about is each step, each grip, each breath. No bills, no work, no chores: just the way life should be.

- Awesome scenery. The air is crisp and fresh, the light is bright, the views are breathtaking. Where else do you spend every minute wanting to take photos to show your friends back home?

- Satisfaction. You’ll feel the buzz at the end of each day, and we don’t just mean aching muscles. Your aperitif tastes sweeter, your dinner feels deserved, and you sleep like a log.

- Enter the Zone. Reaching the top of a mountain is unbeatable. You come out of the ‘zone’ like waking up from a long sleep. But this is real. Look out at the view. Take off your sunglasses and squint. Bliss.

We’re already planning tailor-made climbing and hiking trips for families, friends, and colleagues this summer. If you want to climb Mont Blanc on your birthday or hike the alps with your family (luxury spa included), don’t belay (get it?). We want to hear from you.

A Bond-tastic 40th

2011-02-14T13:16:00.007+01:00

Last week, Swisskisafari hosted 18 action men and women on an exclusive James Bond themed 40th birthday celebration. And boy, did they end up shaken and stirred.

They heli-skied. They tackled icy rock faces. They were chased down the dark piste with burning torches and ended up in the Jacuzzi. And by night, they adopted alter-egos and gambled copious amounts of government money.

Well… they dressed up as Bond characters for an in-house casino evening anyway. All while sipping cocktails specially designed by thier own private barman. Or was he a spy too?

With a group this large, planning is key. How else could they have descended the undulating Vallee Blanche in 70s retro costumes? Coming over the mountain from the Italian border, the local children couldn’t believe their eyes when one femme fatale skied past in a dress.

It was definitely a bonding experience. One particular snowboarder, not confident initially, followed Danielle down the whole scenic 17 km glacial run turn by turn: an achievement his children should be proud of. It’s this kind of determination and grit which kept the group cheerful during some unforeseen changes in the itinerary. Oh, and a relentlessly cheerful birthday boy.

This was not a pseudo James Bond experience, this was a real, heart-pumping, all-action, intense but rewarding challenge. And they passed the mission with flying colours.

Want to take on your own bespoke Bond ski mission? Get in touch.

War elephants and modern monks

2011-01-14T14:08:00.008+01:00

Back in 218 B.C., Carthaginian war leader Hannibal Barca lead a herd of elephants over an Alpine route into Italy. Yes... elephants. In the Alps.

Nearly 2000 years later, Napoleon used the same pass to bring his troops into Italy. We’re talking about the St Bernard Pass: a Swisskisafari favourite.

Last week we had a group of Australian snowboarders visiting. Fairly new to snowboarding, they were hungry for culture, curious about alpine history, and wanted to board in safe hands, away from the tourist crowds. We showed them our favourite hidden restaurants, took them to secret corners of the mountain by ski lift where the weather was best, and they had a blast. More importantly, they left with one overwhelming comment: they will never forget the St Bernard monastery, where monks welcomed them in for tea.

Dripping with history, having hosted guests for over 1000 years, this little gem is only accessible on foot. Guarded by monks (like this one on the left), the monastery was for centuries the only welcoming sight on the sole route linking Northern and Southern Europe. It’s now a welcoming sight after a hard morning skiing too, and just the fascinating nugget curious souls will love to explore, before skiing down to a local restaurant for an aperitif and late lunch. We’re wondering if that’s what the elephants did too.

Curious about monks, monasteries and unusual Alpine history? Click here to find out more.

NBDB: Never been done before

2010-12-10T16:20:00.007+01:00

Here at SwisSkiSafari, we really dislike queues.
And we bet you do too. That’s why one of our new, queue-free itineraries has got us inspired.

The brief

The guests wanted the royal treatment: VIP travel, the chicest accommodation in the Alps (panoramic views a must), a ski itinerary which took them across international borders and away from the tourist crowds, and bookings in the most exclusive mountains restaurants. No problem.

Our solution

Step 1: private jet to Switzerland.
Step 2: helicopter transfer to Zermatt.
Step 3: a sleek, modern design chalet only accessible by lift through the rock.
Oh, and Matterhorn views as well as spa treatments on tap.

And the skiing? Our team of professional ski guides, snow doctors and heli pilots crafted a never-been-done-before combination of heli drops into powdery backcountry alongside guided off-piste and rests in small cobbled villages where the welcome is even warmer than the tartiflette. All our guests had to do was remember their passports for the cross over into Italy. Absolute magic.

If you’re looking for a never-been-done-before ski experience tailored to you, get in touch. This time you’re not even limited by your imagination: you have ours too.

Meet the Snow Doctor

2010-12-07T09:51:00.004+01:00

Have you been bombarded with ‘ski deals’ and emails urging you to ‘make the most of the early snow’ recently? We know the feeling. But how do you know who to trust?

Here at SwisSkiSafari our aim is to provide you with the best quality European ski experience possible, and to do this we have a secret weapon.

Robert Bolognesi is our snow doctor: with a PhD in snow forecasting and years of global experience, there is no-one better qualified for the job. SwisSkiSafari has an exclusive agreement with Robert to help us find the best ski spots in all weather conditions. On his expert (and we mean world-class) advice, we follow the weather patterns around the Alps which are most likely to give you the ultimate ski experience. Simple as that.

So, upon leaving your luxurious family-run boutique hotel in the morning, if we hear there’s a white-out on peak A, we’ll zip you to peak B instead. It brings a whole new level of excitement to your luxurious ski adventure.

For a taste of heli-skiing with this kind of expert advice (and the crème de la crème of mountain retreats and eateries), have a look at our new Individual’s trip*. Book a spot, chose what level of luxury you require, and you’ll be heli-skiing the mighty descents of France, Italy and Switzerland in no time.

Try something new on our Individuals trip

*In fact, Robert advises us on all our ski safaris. Head off on any bespoke or corporate trip with SwisSkiSafari and we’ll take care of the weather patterns, leaving you to enjoy the skiing and indulgent European hospitality.

2010-08-24T17:25:00.003+02:00

The 2.9 Mile High Club

It’s easy to make a molehill out of a mountain. Anyone who’s skied has done it: summiting a snowy peak in minutes in a ski lift, before bombing down in seconds with two glass fibre friends strapped to your feet. The crisp, clear air… the awesome views… the slightly blurry plastic lift window blocking your photo opportunity.

To get really intimate with a mountain, (and we mean really), head out to the European Alps in summer and hike. With guides, ropes, crampons, the whole caboodle. Walk the green valleys of Courmayeur, manouver the tumbling glacier of the Mer de Glace and the world-famous peak, the Mont Blanc. Unconvinced? Take the luxurious seven day test. We’re talking charming 14^th century hotels, bubbly Italian hospitality, and expert guidance on everything from ice axes to aperitifs.

Wake up to the sight of Europe’s highest mountains, and let your guide walk you through alpine pastures and traditional villages before hitting the glaciers and snowy peaks. Train with ropes, slide down a crevasse (safely, of course) and listen to the popping sound of the ice around you shifting. And if you’re up for the ultimate challenge, summiting Mont Blanc as the grand finale is a must. Not only will you push yourself and come home hugely satisfied, but you’ll learn a new respect for mountains which will never leave you. Ever.

Forget mind-blowing, climbing Mont Blanc is absolutely mind-clearing. Focusing on every step, every breath, every second of making it to the top is so far away from your normal daily routine that you’ll practically forget your own name. As your crampon-encrusted boots crush the two-foot deep snow beneath them, and you look up to see the highest point you’ve ever reached outside of an aeroplane just metres away, nothing else matters.

Earlier this month, we planned a trip for good friend of ours to climb the Mont Blanc in the French/Italian Alps. At 15,782 ft, or 2.9 miles (depending on the thickness of its snow cap) it’s the highest mountain in Western Europe. Impressive. Before they left, we outwardly admired their ambition, but inwardly wondered what motivated them. When they returned, they explained it all.

"Two smashed and exhausted but elated guys just finished their ascent and descent and are safe and well...for both of us this was the most physically and mentally challenging thing we've done”.

They described the climb as “not with our bodies, which were finished long ago but with our minds. There is something truly wonderful about being able to think about nothing else in the world but where you will put your next step and the mountain and conditions allow you nothing else...you are forced to be completely in the moment”.

This sums it up for us, and we’re now convinced. Planning another right now in fact, trying to imagine what it must feel like to only have birds for company. If you’re interested in being completely mind-cleared and physically challenged like never before, get in touch. We will create a luxurious week-long hiking experience for you, where you will learn to appreciate a mountain for what it is. A magnificent mountain. No molehill mentality required.

2010-03-05T10:55:00.012+01:00

A week of hiking through Switzerland, Italy and France

It’s the time of year for hugging trees, walking through meadows full of wildflowers and gazing at snow capped peaks just beyond your reach. So don your hiking boots, throw on a backpack and join us on a walking safari across the Alps of Switzerland, France and Italy. All in 7 days.

We’ll begin in Zermatt, home of the most photographed mountain in the world, the Matterhorn (for English and German speakers), Mont Cervin (for the French) and Monte Cervino (for Italians). To the music of bell-toting cows preparing the climb to high mountain pastures, we will pass through Zermatt’s narrow streets between ancient wooden chalets before hiking the nearby hills. At the end of the day, the penny drops as to why there are so many cows, when you sample a specialty of the area, raclette (melted cheese and potatoes) made from local cheeses. Yum.

In this three country region, France, Italy and Switzerland come together. Our safari continues with a hike across the border into Italy on a route that has been used by Celts, Romans, Lombards and perhaps the most famous hiker of all in these parts, Napoleon. This ancient Alpine path has been protected by monks who have inhabited a hospice on the top of the St Bernard pass for hundreds of years. On this part of the journey we will spend the night in a traditional mountain refuge. Breezes blowing from distant glaciers ensure a crisp, long summer evening as we watch the sunset fade behind the highest peak in Europe, the 4,800 meter Mont Blanc.

The descent back to civilization takes us through two mountain passes, along a rugged path and across meadows full of alpine flowers. If we’re lucky we may see some marmots or perhaps even a chamois. On arrival in Italy, you may want to unwind in the thermal springs, whirlpools, saunas and Turkish baths that have been frequented since Roman times near the ancient town of Courmayeur.

On our final day, there’s time to explore the cobbled stones streets and enjoy traditional Alpine Italian sausages, cheeses and local wines, all in the shadow of the Mont Blanc.

A perfect way to end a hiking safari across the European Alps.

2009-11-30T11:04:00.016+01:00

Does Pascal smell snow coming? No, no of course not. Then again I can’t help wondering if he might have some sixth sense for Alpine weather.

After a quiet coffee together before everyone wakes, he informs me that we will not be taking the helicopter as planned this morning. But not to worry—he has another spot in mind. A SwisSkisafari in Europe is a little like that. You plan a route and then things change. What you do get each day is incredible skiing, even though the names of the places may be different from the scheduled itinerary.   

We are in Switzerland today, but perhaps tomorrow Italy, and then why not France. In this region of the Alps, three countries border each other, so you can find yourself speaking different languages and eating different regional specialties all in the same day. This makes for much more than just a ski trip. This sort of skiing involves a combination of off-piste skiing accessed by the ski lift system and backcountry skiing where a helicopter drops you off in the middle of nowhere.

Heli-drops here offer a choice of routes from each landing spot including more than 2,000 metres of vertical descent. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you will only ski powder. Runs are long (three hour descents are not uncommon), which means that the snow conditions are constantly changing. The skiing is varied; from glaciers to forests, untouched summits to isolated descents, stumbling onto charming, snow-clad cobblestone streets in ancient mountain villages to cap off the day. 

The Alps in this region benefit from microclimates: when conditions are not favorable in one valley you can find good conditions in another. This is why you might unexpectedly find yourself knocking on the door of an inhabited monastery, only accessible by skis, on the border of Switzerland and Italy. The tea here seems to taste better than any you have had before and the adventure is only beginning. It’s at this moment that you admit it—you too have let yourself be seduced by Pascal’s sense for snow.

2009-09-24T11:54:00.028+02:00

SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

I never thought that one day I would actually climb part of the Mont Blanc Massive. Ok, ok…I put together spectacular heli-ski trips in the European Alps in the winter, so I should be used to this right? Well actually…no! I am really good at flying over these awesome looking summits, and swishing down through the powder snow. But I never imagined that I would physically climb one of those hellish looking peaks. Believe me, it is impossible to be blasé about the mountain you are about to climb.

Firstly I consider myself a very average climber and although I am reasonably fit and spend a lot of time hiking the mountains I really didn’t think that I could accomplish a climb like this. The thought that I might actually enjoy it was certainly out of the question. However, this was work…or at least it was supposed to be. Well, I was wrong! I am still tingling with the sensation a week later.

It didn’t help that I spent the morning before in a climbing gym with my guides. We had a small delay with our helicopter flight so we decided to do a warm up climb. Watching them scale the walls like spidermen and then continue to climb across the ceiling (upside down) as if they really did have suction caps for hands and feet, I was starting to seriously wonder what I was getting myself into. I haven’t even mentioned that we were a group of seven clients, including a well known rugby player, and three guides, all men. Oh, and then there was myself, the only female as far as the eye could see.

Well the aim of the game is to access the inaccessible, or at least that is the SwisSKIsafari moto, but I was starting to question that I might be stretching things a little this time.

We started gently with a helicopter flight to check out the area that we would be exploring followed by a beautiful a walk from our extremely comfortable hotel to the mountain refugee of Monzino where we would spend two nights. There we would practice skills to handle ourselves on a glacier with crampons and learn how to descend into a crevasse, all part of the training. The refugee is perched on a mountain over looking the Val Veny in Italy, tucked neatly behind the Mont Blanc. I think the writer of the group, James summed up the spot perfectly when he said “you know something’s up when you notice that the clouds are actually below you”

Then the real work began! Our summit day started with a hike across the glacier. We were all feeling pretty good until we hit the wall. What wall you ask? There was a lot of general chatter going on until we realized as a group that we had arrived and that this wall was the beginning of the climb. Crampons off, helmets on and up we went and up and up and up. Only the birds were keeping us company, flying past at about the same altitude. I am sure the constant chirping translated too “you do realize that you don’t have wings don’t you!” However, at this stage the focus was only the climb; extreme concentration at every move, making sure that the rope was taunt between the person in front or behind you. I think I held my breath until the top, not good as breathing is highly recommended. Everything became a blur when we reached the top. It is an eerie feeling when you gaze down at the thousands of feet below you. For a moment there is a sneaky hint that magic really does exist and it seems to be all around you this high up. The views, the sense of personal accomplishment, and the majestic silence all around leaves you, quite frankly, without words.

As we made our decent, I turned to see my guides balancing nimbly on the rocks, completely comfortable in this environment. Yes, they are truly born on the mountain, probably hiking up and down from the moment they could walk. We watched as black clouds enveloped the peak that we had just climbed, always reminding us that it is the mountain that decides who goes up and who goes down. Today we were lucky! The mountain gave us a priceless gift: the closest thing to heaven on earth.

2009-03-31T09:21:00.016+02:00

Our season is coming to an end with another 30 cm of fresh snow and the skiing remains incredible! We were very lucky on our last ski safari to have light powdery snow, perfect for tree skiing in Switzerland and wonderful sunny, cold days for heli-skiing in Italy.

Our Three Countries, Three Valleys trip is becoming very popular: it’s combination of backcountry skiing, accessed by ski lift and helicopter and is the perfect recipe to go further into the backcountry and access the normally inaccessible. This season we started using a selection of newly restored historic hotels in unique locations in the Valais region of Switzerland which has given the trips a very unique feel and authentic immersion into the Alpine culture.

Last season we started our hiking trips and this season we have defined them…..experience the myriad of nature and scenery - discovering isolated valleys, alpine villages and glaciers, visiting mountain huts and summiting high peaks.

This season we introduce a new heli- hiking experience for adventurous, but not necessarily expert, hikers – travelling by helicopter between three countries. From Switzerland to Italy and finishing in France, you will be surrounded by towering summits, pristine scenery and dramatic alpine glaciers.

The choice is yours with trips designed to your level, the fit traveler who seeks the most challenging adventure the Alps have to offer: like climbing the Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe, or conquering the Haute Route - the classic high-level hiking and skiing itinerary which takes you from mountain hut to mountain hut along the chain of peaks from Chamonix to Zermatt.

For families, we have designed hikes deep into the Alps to admire its flora and fauna (like marmottes and ibex) by combining climbing trails with visits to mountain huts and explorations of a glacier.

This summer the Tour de France, which every year visits bordering countries, traverses Switzerland and the Valais, our biking backyard for two spectacular mountain stages. We have designed a trip to share our passion for riding and help you reach your riding potential in the company of professionals.

We are looking forward to seeing you in the Alps whether on foot, by bike or on skis.

Cheers Danielle

Welcome!

2009-03-18T09:13:00.000+01:00

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the official blog of swisSKIsafari! We've created this blogspot to highlight our adventures in the Alps, keep you up to date with new activities, and offer our clients and friends a place to comment on and contribute to our safari concepts.

Hope you like it! We look forward to posting some cool pics and travel logs from our most recent trips soon.