We've been passionate about skiing and boarding for 75 years. Whatever your level, our exciting range of resorts and packages is bound to offer something just right for you and at Inghams, we pride ourselves on helping you make your holiday as carefree as possible.

Learn to Ski - your chance to take up a fantastic winter sport

Once you've hit the slopes we know you'll be hooked! Don't worry if you haven't done it before. We have developed some great packages for first timers as we know what you need - we've all been beginners in the past.

Our 'Learn to' packages are designed to help you plan your first time on the slopes. We're confident you'll return with a sense of achievement, a new set of friends and a yearning to get your next trip booked as soon as possible!

And if you book one of our Freshers Week holidays, your learn to ski package of tuition, equipment hire and lift pass will be thrown in for free!

Learn to Ski - Getting started

If you are skiing or snow boarding for the first time, there are a few things to consider before booking your holiday:

• Hire rather than buy skis and boots, as setting yourself up with the right kit can not only be expensive but it's a good idea to have more knowledge about what you need once you have already skiied. Hiring also means you can change your kit at your resort if it doesn't suit you and you'll know with practice more what you need.
• Book professional ski or board lessons in advance so you learn the right techniques from the start. It will get you off to a flying start and progressing correctly, with less likely injury, and much more quickly. You also get a guaranteed place in Ski School.
• Choose the right resort - the best resorts for beginners are those with a good selection of nursery slopes as well as gentle green and blue pistes - often blues with a bit more of a gradient are better to learn to board.
• Don't go in peak weeks (Christmas, New Year, February half term and Easter) when the slopes are less crowded and prices are generally lower.

Booking your Learn to Ski or Snowboard package...

Whether you're skiing or boarding, our "learn to ski" first time deals for absolute beginners give you the complete ski pack (equipment hire, lessons and life pass), all prebookable prior to departure from the UK, offering great value for money and enabling you to arrive in resort with minimal organisation required.

We use some of the best ski rental shops in our resorts and you'll learn, improve and have fun with other novices too. All under the expert eyes of our English-speaking instructors!

We carefully pick ideal resorts for first timers with a good mix of nursery slopes and gentle pistes. So once you've mastered the basics you can keep improving. Use our Resort Finder on the inside back cover of this brochure to see where we feature 'Learn To'.

Most packages include:

• Skis / board, poles and boots
• Lift pass (excluding Austria)
• Tuition.

Prices for learn to ski packs, equipment hire, ski school and lift passes are available to see on your ski resort's pages.

... when you book your holiday online

When booking online, you will be presented through the booking process with the resort-relevant options so you can book your ski packs at the same time as booking your holiday.

... after you've booked your holiday

Alternatively, ski pack options can be added after your holiday booking by calling our reservations department on 020 8780 4455 or requesting them online on the ski pack request form.

To add ski pack items is free outside of 4 weeks prior to departure and £15 within 2-4 weeks for Europe and 3-4 weeks for Canada.

If ski packs are added after you confirm your holiday, you will be charged the price quoted by our reservations system valid at the time the ski packs (not the holiday) are booked. Some ski pack items/prices are subject to change.

... when you arrive in resort

You can also book the pass of your choice when you arrive at your resort with our local representative.

However you book, the representatives in resort will help get your lift pass, ski equipment and ski lesson information to you to make it as easy as possible!

What to expect - A typical first day 

• 7am     Breakfast - have a hearty breakfast to set you up for the day.
• 8am     Get kitted out - meet your Representative at the ski hire shop to pick up your ski/board & boots for the week.
• 9am     Head to the slopes and the ski school meeting point.
• 10am   You will be allocated into groups to begin your first ski lesson!
• 1pm     Stop for lunch and a rest at a mountain restaurant.
• 2pm     If you have afternoon classes, continue your lessons. If not, you can practice what you’ve learnt in the morning,
              or maybe go for a swim or enjoy a spa  treatment to relax.
• 4pm     Ski lifts close for the day.
• 4-7pm  Time to enjoy some well deserved après-ski. Store your skis overnight in lockers in the ski hire shop by the slopes
              or in your hotel’s ski room.
• 8pm     Dinner at your hotel or chalet and a chance to swap stories with fellow skiers.
• 10pm   Early to bed to rest your aching muscles, or head out to enjoy the nightlife!

This is an example only – varies according to resort.

"Learn to" Ski & Board Packs

Learn to Ski, Board or Cross-country packs must be pre-booked in the UK and are available to complete beginners only, unless otherwise stated in our brochure. Those who have had one lesson or more on a dry slope or indoor slope are no longer regarded as complete beginners by ski schools and will be refused on the course. Children should not be booked onto adult packs as these are not suitable for children. In both these cases no refund will be given and supplements may be payable locally. The minimum age for children to join ski school varies from resort to resort.

Please note: Ski packs do not form part of your holiday package. 

Ski & Board School

Separate classes are available for beginners and other grades. Tuition prices generally refer to 3, 4, 5 or 6 consecutive days. The number of hours’ tuition per day is given in the relevant ski pack information on the ski resort's pages. Other variations may be available locally, but we pre-sell what we consider the most popular options. Some ski schools do not operate on a Sunday, therefore when travelling on a Saturday, one day’s ski school may be missed. However, we still advise that you pre-book a 6 day ticket, as the price we have negotiated is often cheaper than booking five one-day sessions locally. In some resorts the difference is made up by offering our clients a longer class duration. Ski schools in someAustrian and Swiss resorts are closed on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Ski schools may also close early at the end of the season due to insufficient numbers. We regret that no refund is available for these days, though some ski schools lengthen the duration of lessons on other days. Please enquire locally. Price and days included may vary on Christmas and New Year weeks 2010-11, due to mid-week departures. Please call for exact details.

Ski school grading

For France and the Valais region of Switzerland, please indicate at the time of booking the standard of ski/snowboard school you wish to join (e.g. beginner, lower intermediate, upper intermediate, advanced) by booking the appropriate level where offered.

Interchanging Ski & Snowboard School

In most resorts in Austria ski school is interchangeable with snowboard school (changeover on Wednesday).

Cancellation in resort

No refund will be considered if you decide in your resort not to use any pre-booked ski pack items. After presentation of the voucher to the supplier (e.g. ski hire shop, ski school etc), refunds must be negotiated with and obtained from the supplier direct, and are not guaranteed by this company. In the case of illness or an accident, you must obtain a medical certificate to claim from your insurer when you return home. Refunds are not considered by Inghams on your return from holiday. See details of Inghams Travel Insurance.

All prices for pre-bookable items are shown on the resort pages and through our online booking process. If ski packs or excursions are not booked when you confirm your holiday, you will be charged the price quoted by our reservations system valid at the time the ski packs (not the holiday) are booked. Some ski pack items/offers may not be available at later dates and prices are subject to change. Pre-booked ski packs do not form part of your package holiday contract with us and we do not accept responsibility for any service which is provided by the supplier as part of the ski pack.

Piste closure: See terms and conditions

See booking terms and conditions for further information.

Cross Country skiing

Cross country skiing (known as “langlauf” in Austria and “ski de fond” in France) is easy to learn and a great way to enjoy the scenery at your own pace. It is a gentler way to take in the fresh pine scents, the sparkle of a frozen lake and the tranquillity of winter in the mountains, and can be enjoyed whatever your fitness level.

Learn cross-country skiing

Cross-country skiing is easy to learn as well as a great way to enjoy the scenery at your own pace. It's a gentler way to take in the fresh pine scents, the sparkle of frozen lakes and the sheer tranquility and beauty of winter in the mountains.

Our exciting 'Learn to Cross-Country' beginner packages are available in Seefeld (Austria), Kandersteg (Switzerland), Levi, Ruka, Salla, Saariselkä and Ylläs (Lapland) and Kranjska Gora (Slovenia). 

Cross Country skiing offer

We offer FREE cross country ski & boot hire with many cabins in the resort of Ylläs in Lapland. See the Ylläs resort page for more information.

Top Ten Cross Country skiing resorts