Essential Information
Trip Profile
Mostly independent track skiing. 3 lessons with local ski school (shared with non-Headwater/Exodus travellers). Instruction provided according to ability (best for beginners and improvers).
Price Includes
Return flights from Heathrow to Zurich with Swiss International, train from Zurich to Spiez (2½ hours), transfer to hotel (for group flights only)
7 nights accommodation
All breakfasts and 7 dinners
3 half-days of cross-country skiing instruction
Ski equipment hire
Local bus pass
Accommodation
Alfa Soleil Hotel ***
On the edge of the village, this hotel offers real 'home from home' comfort levels. There is an elegant lounge/drawing room (with piano and open fire), a lively bar and a heated swimming pool, sauna, solarium and gym. Evening meals are taken in the cosy, candlelit dining room, and there is a special gastronomic evening every Thursday. There is also a wonderful wood-fired pizza oven if you fancy less formal dining at any point during your stay.
Food
All breakfasts and 7 dinners included.
Reality Check
This trip is run in partnership with our sister company, Headwater, who offer more flexibility so you can ski as much or as little as you like. Children may join these holidays as long as they can participate in the activities and please note if travelling on your own, a single supplement will be applied. Insurance details are required at the time of booking.
Our Cross-Country Skiing Taster trips allow people to get a taste of what cross-country skiing is like without the pressure of keeping up with a group. There is no leader for this trip but it is perfect if this is your first time in the tracks and want to gradually build confidence independently.
Cross-country skiing is an increasingly popular winter pastime. Compared to those used for downhill, the skis are longer, thinner and lighter with bindings that allow you to lift up your heel. Most cross-country skiing is undertaken on prepared tracks (loipe) covering flat and hillier terrain enabling you to explore the winter landscapes away from the confines of the alpine pistes.
Kandersteg offers a range of sking for beginners, confident beginners and more advanced skiers. Ski lessons are included in the mornings (Mon-Wed) arranged with the local ski school and your afternoons are free to explore the many trails at your own leisure.
Your Safety
All active winter holidays involve some element of risk, from a possible slip on an icy pavement to the possibility of sustaining an injury as a result of the winter activities. Exodus does everything it can to safeguard against any dangers, however, participants must be prepared to accept some level of risk as part of the holiday. Please refer to the 'risk of injury' section at the back of the Winter Activities Brochure, or in the online FAQs for this trip for further information.
Normal group size and age
Generally 2 to 8 travellers, plus ski instructor for 3 half days (Mon-Wed). Cross-country ski lessons are shared with others. Minimum age 5.
Icons explained
Exodus is always looking to improve our current itineraries and to offer something different. With many new trips this year, there is something unique and different to try every year.
Cross-country skiing: will involve intensive instruction, and our groups are carefully graded to ensure participants have similar levels of experience.
Cross-country ski grades: 1 Beginners | 2 Intermediates (suitable for confident beginners) | 2+ Intermediates (not suitable for beginners) | 3 Advanced | 4 Strenuous | and for Cross-country Skating levels: 1 Beginners | 2 Intermediates - For full explanations of Cross-Country Grading and Levels please see below or check here to view the full Winter Grades page.
Winter Activities: It's about seeking out alternative ways to have fun in unspoilt locations, you won't find standard skiing or snowboarding breaks here.
Grade 1 Beginners. Recommended for beginners, or those who feel the need to improve basic techniques. We teach you the essentials and explore gently undulating terrain. All or most skiing is on prepared tracks (loipe). More experienced skiers are welcome, but the pace will be set for the beginners. Towards the end of the holiday you might ski 10-15km or more a day, at a gentle pace. Throughout the week you will be taught how to snowplough and different techniques to have you gliding along the tracks in no time.
Grade 2 Intermediates and confident beginners. A mix of flat and hillier terrain. Grade 2 weeks are for people who have enjoyed a Grade 1 holiday, grasped the snowplough and now want to improve technique. We ski a little more quickly and over more challenging ground than on a grade 1 trip.
Acceptable for newcomers to cross-country skiing, but you should be very fit and have experience of ther sports that develop balance - ice-skating, roller-skating or downhill skiing. Most of the skiing will be on tracks but there may be some off-track skiing.
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