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Strap into a Soviet spacesuit, see how a g-force simulator operates and watch as astronauts test out zero gravity at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. You can even see a full-size, water-submerged copy of the MIR space station. Explore the training centre with a tour guide and watch as astronauts jog around – heck, you could maybe even join them. Once a highly restricted zone, the heart of the Russian space program is now open for tourists.
Travel to Norway’s northernmost archipelago, Svalbard, and sail on
the century-old German tall ship, the Noorderlicht. The Noorderlicht offers a 12-day voyage sailing in the high Arctic around North Spitsbergen, where polar bears outnumber humans. Marvel at spectacular fjords, ice-covered seas and Arctic glaciers, and enjoy an abundance of wildlife-spotting opportunities. See walruses beached on ice floes, reindeer, arctic foxes and, of course, polar bears.
Rise above reality in this lofty haven, 2,438 metres up on the flanks of the Indian Himalayas. With no mobile phones, no television and virtually no contact with the outside world, Shakti 360° Leti provides the ultimate escape. Enjoy beautiful walks, fantastic food and spectacular views of the world’s most impressive mountain range. Or just take in the rare air.
Navigate the turquoise waters of the Tonga archipelago on your own fully equipped yacht from Sunsail. Follow the breeze from uninhabited isles laced with pristine beaches to traditional villages, and learn why Captain Cook christened Tonga ‘the friendly islands’.
Take advantage of the year-round perfect climate and hit the water where you can laze in lagoons and clamber through waterside caves. Strap on your snorkelling gear and swim through underwater kelp forests and colourful coral reefs. See humpback whales, white dolphins and schools of tropical fish.
Unwind from the slopes in a spa separated from the snow by a 15-metre sheet of glass. Tucked away in the forest near Norway’s fjords, glaciers and mountains, Juvet Landscape Hotel immerses guests in the beauty of Scandinavian nature with its eco-conscious design.
The hotel has a cabin, mill house and hillside huts, but best of all are the seven wooden retreats perched on stilts over the forest floor. Muted walls and furnishings give full attention to the pièce de résistance – a sweeping glass wall looking out over birch and pine growing by the Valldola River. In winter, enjoy cross-country skiing just outside your door and moonlit snowshoe treks through the surrounding forest. In spring snow still covers the mountains and you can ski in the sunshine wearing just a T-shirt and shorts.
It’s a winter wonderland year-round at Saas Fee. Squeezed between the glaciers of the Pennine Alps, this Swiss village is a guaranteed snowfest day in, day out. If you think you’re too cool for school, think again; there are several ski schools on the mountain teaching basic skills through to advanced moves. There’s even a freestyle skiing eld to pick up some new tricks.
Embark on a mountain trek, sail into the sky on the cableway for jaw-dropping 360-degree mountain views or take the world’s highest funicular railway to explore a glacier inside the planet’s largest ice grotto. Whatever you choose to do, remember the village is a car-free zone, so try to conserve some energy for your post-adventure stroll back to your hotel.
New Zealand’s Mt Ruapehu is not your average ski slope. One of three active volcanoes that form Tongariro National Park, this World Heritage Site was made famous in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as Mount Doom. But don’t let the moniker put you off. Grab your gear and make like Frodo for the summit. There are two ski areas: Whakapapa (pronounced “fukka puppa” – really) on the northwestern slopes, and Turoa on the southwestern side.
If snow is something you’ve only ever seen in movies, Whakapapa’s Happy Valley has gentle slopes for beginners. If you’re a seasoned snow baby, head to the top of Turoa on New Zealand’s highest lift, the Highnoon Press, and plummet down Australasia’s longest vertical descent (722 metres).
When it comes to a skiing break, those located in the Pacific region can’t do much better than Japan for diversity, location and affordability. Niseko, on Japan’s north island, provides a plethora of powder possibilities, whether you’re a novice dabbling in the white stuff or an experienced snow hound. The region has four main ski resorts offering all the snowboarding and skiing action you could ask for, from gentle groomed powder and steep runs to terrain parks (jibs and jumps) and off-piste thrills.
When the sun goes down the lights come on and Niseko’s luscious curves invite after-dark exertions (we’re talking night-skiing here). The resort has the best-lit runs in Japan, and who could resist a moonlight meander on the mountain?
Ah, Aspen… Loved by celebs with private jets and people with so much money they could buy the whole mountain if they so desired. But for one week each winter, this mountain resort turns into the biggest LGBTQI party you might ever encounter, and at Aspen Gay Ski Week there’s as much action off the slope as there is on.
Après-ski hot-tub ragers, friendship dinners, art nights and dance parties take over when the hikes, downhill costume parties and bootcamp classes are done for the day. There’s also a (slightly) serious side: all money raised during the festivities goes to the Roaring Fork Gay and Lesbian Community Fund, which supports ventures promoting tolerance, understanding and diversity.
With a backdrop of Switzerland’s most beautiful mountains, SnowpenAir allows punters to get high listening to the likes of James Blunt and Bryan Adams. For two days in April, the world’s highest open-air concert showcases some of the world’s biggest acts, as well as some homegrown heroes to keep the local crowd happy.
Forget warm beers and the stench of portaloos that typically hovers over festivals, and instead breathe in the fresh alpine air and enjoy a schwofen (dance) on the slopes.
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