Are you heading to the mountains this month? With the kids off school, February is prime-time for family ski vacations.  Here in Europe we have plenty of choice of course: the Alps, the Pyrinees, Scandinavia… but for something different, why not try your hand (or foot rather) at skiing in the southern hemisphere next time? The season typically runs from June to early October. This is where the die-hard snow enthusiasts elope when spring melts the snow in the northern hemisphere. And when combined with a city break (Buenos Aires, Sydney, Auckland) and maybe a road trip around the region (culture, wine tasting, nature trails), the idea of skiing in the “summer” offers a refreshing alternative to the bucket and spade holidays of home. Here are Picnic’s top picks to slope off to:

Argentina

Head to Las Leñas to ski down the Andes. Located in the Mendoza region (famous for its wine), the resort has a good mix of skiing including some testing runs for the experts. Fly to either Buenos Aires or Santiago de Chile and from there onto Mendoza airport – 4.5 hours drive from Las Leñas.

laslenas

Australia

Swap pine trees for gum trees in Australian ski resort Thredbo. Located midway between Sydney and Melbourne (about 6 hours’ drive from each), Thredbo has skiing for all abilities but the majority of the runs are intermediate. There are plenty of options for accommodation as well as good restaurants and bars.

thredbo

New Zealand

Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island is the adrenaline fuelled resort that jump started (!) the craze for bunjy jumping. The skiing/snow boarding is great too and the town has a young, dynamic feel. In addition, Queenstown offers a wide variety of adventure activities such as white water rafting. Fly straight to Queenstown from domestic airports as well as Sydney and Melbourne. Alternatively fly into Christchurch and rent a car – you may have to stop overnight but the drive is well worth it – the scenery is one of the most spectacular in the world!

queenstown