The 5 Most Unexpected Winter Sports Locations
Are you preparing for your winter sports holiday? Or have you already tasted the powdery white snow over Christmas? Either way, when you’re a skiing or snowboarding fanatic with an adventurous attitude, you should consider booking your next winter sport vacation at one of the locations below. Here we present you with the 5 most unexpected, yet amazing, winter sports locations on Earth.
Niseko, Japan 
Japan is not exactly renowned for its winter sports culture. Nor is it known for a reliably snowy forecast, but every year like clockwork the island of Hokkaido produces the powder of every winter sport enthusiast’s dream. Mount Niseko Annupuri is around 4,291 feet high and its four ski resorts are accessible with just one pass. Night skiing is popular with the Japanese and when night falls, a 2,560-foot long slope is lit with warm light that makes for a magical journey to the grounds below.
Furthermore, the town of Niseko features a few hot springs, perfect for those muscles sore after a long day of skiing.
Wanaka, New Zealand
When the last week of the winter sports season in Europe is over, and all of the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere are storing their skis in their attics, there’s still the possibility for prolonged skiing pleasure in New Zealand.
A Tolkienesque landscape greets you as you slide down the slopes with a view over Lake Wanaka. Four big winter sports areas are within a 40-minute drive from the centre of Wanaka and all of them feature a great variety of slopes, from green to pitch black.
Lesotho
It’s not a city or an area, but a whole country that’s on our number three on this list. The African Lesotho has been a favourite ski destination for prosperous Africans and other snow bunnies since 1929. The Afriski resort, as the area is called, is provided with snow machines to guarantee snow fun. At approximately 9,000 feet, only the highest peaks boast natural snow fall.
Mauna Kea, Hawaii
On ‘big island’, at a height of 14,000 feet, it isn’t sun, sea and waves that sets the pace. On mount Mauna Kea there’s occasional snowfall which attracts die-hard skiers and snowboarders who can, for a while, forget they’re in the land of the lei. No location for beginners though, as the steep peaks aren’t equipped with lifts, resorts or machines to smooth the slopes. There’s a chance of snow all year long, but those looking for a snow-sure holiday should travel between December and February.
Atlas Mountains, Morocco
On the edge of the Sahara desert the contrast between the heat and the cold couldn’t be greater. It’s at this point where the Atlas Mountains rise high and proud, up to a height of 13,000 feet above sea level. Don’t expect a Chamonix or Val Thorens scale area, but do enjoy a few good slopes that guarantee zero waiting time for lifts. The high season is in January and February, but even then you’ll have the area to yourself.
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By Anne Brugts, content manager
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This month we serve up stories in our monthly theme ‘Icy adventures’. What’s your most adventurous story in snow and ice?
