Imagine, the sheer excitement of being able to maneuver up, above, and round mountains in just 5 minutes! One minute you are standing on a mountain top, gazing down at a slope, and the very next moment, you are all the way down, descending through snowy terrains!
Sounds quite like a dream? Not really when you have a private helicopter to drop you on a snowy summit. Sounds like a daydream? Well, can’t say, ‘budget’ and ‘heliski’ really walk parallelly. Since just a day at a heliski resort can easily break your bank and take $1500 away from your pocket.
But hey! Heliskiing is the most incredible and adventurous way to do mountaineering and score deep into the snow. So, how can we just skip this experience of a lifetime just because of a few bucks? Isn’t there any in-between for the budget skiers?
Don’t get heartbroken yet, mate. Because you are in luck! Your life-long dream is no longer just a dream, it’s not anymore in possession of the billionaires only. Heliskiing is getting more and more affordable every day. And if you just try to be a bit creative, you can easily cut the costs.
Here we have tried to make a list of the 10 most affordable Heli-Skiing places in the world and their average costs. Let’s jump in to get some ideas on it!
Kashmir
Skiing in paradise? Hmm, sounds like a plan!
Nestled in the Northern state of India, Kashmir is called a paradise on earth. Having plenty of vast terrains (stretching over 20000 kilometers in the mighty Himalayas mountains), it literally has become a heaven for skiers and snowboarders.
From long open alpine bowls to perfectly-spaced tree skiing, and thrilling tree-line skiing- you’ll have endless options there. This place has a lot to offer off the mountain; that too at an amazingly affordable price (weekly packages starting from $1200 only)! Because this place is cradled with so many mysteries that you’d never get bored.
Iceland
Skiers looking for an unconventional trip with travel, culture and natural wonders should definitely go for Heli skiing in Iceland. To ski here in Iceland, you must have to subscribe to a multi-day package because the Arctic Mountains rising out of the ocean have plenty of beauties to offer you.
Midnight sun, northern lights, volcano, warm springs, magical fjords, and long scenic heli-skiing runs- all these make this place the perfect setting for heliskiing! Iceland has incredible amounts of vast and varied terrain covering 1,000,000 acres of Arctic Mountains. And it has skiable peaks in all directions; from mountain top to ocean.
So, stop thinking and grab a ticket to one of the most mind-blowing heli-skiing spots on the planet.
Riksgransen, Northern Sweden
If you want to be so pampered in terms of freedom, natural snow, and varied skiing terrain, on both the piste and off-piste, you must try Riksgransen’s ski resorts for once! Situated in the cusp of the Arctic Circle of Northernmost Sweden, it is the largest wilderness area in Europe.
Famous as the ‘Spring Skiing Capital’ of Europe, this place will let you witness the phenomenal Aurora Borealis across the nights during the winters! Besides, it has 60,000 square kilometers available for heliskiing. Interestingly, you can ski here at midnight as well during the first and last few weeks of the season. From beginner to pro-level- you’d get every type of terrain you want, that too at a super reasonable price!
The cost comes to around $370 for three drops. And if you want to go a little overboard and try skiing under the midnight sun, it’d cost you around $270 for a single drop.
Livigno, Italy
It’s said that the snowy gentle slopes of the valleys of Livigno were created to ski! Livigno is nestled near the border of Switzerland, high up in the Italian Alps. Skiers love it as their skiing destination because of its comparatively early starting skiing season(late November-early May). Plus, it’d only cost you around $300 per day to ski 2,000-meter descents steep!
Vall di Susa, Italy
Italy seems to have the best range of affordable heliskiing in the Alps. And if you are willing to try just one drop, Vall di Susa, Italy is the best place to go since they offer you a single drop for $250 only on the upper slopes! Based on your ability, it will let you access between 800-1600-meters of ‘vert’.
The Pyrenees, Spain
If you want to enjoy actual backcountry skiing, the Pyrenees in Spain is waiting for you with a large selection of off-piste skiing at altitudes between 5,000 and 10,000 feet which is rarely skied by North American skiers.
Situated on the natural border between Spain and France, the Pyrenees is best known for Spain’s premier ski resort Baqueira. Here you’d get packages at $250/drop only that too including guides and gears!
Arlberg, Austria
Arlberg is the biggest connected ski area in Austria, nestled in The Austrian Alps. This place is renowned for its classic Austrian powder and the driest and the deepest snow! But if you are a novice, maybe it’d be a pretty hard choice for you since here you’d encounter some challenging steep slopes, especially on the upper elevations. You’d get heli-ski packages for around $450/drop including a guide.
Zermatt, Switzerland
If you are looking for big mountains for heli-skiing, Switzerland has one of the best places in Europe for you that is available all year round, Zermatt. This place apparently has some pretty amazing deals on heli-skiing too. Including guides and instructions, Zermatt will charge you $415 for a drop on Monte Rosa.
Caucasus Mountains, Georgia
If you want to experience the unusual and fascinating mix of East and West culture along with wickedly amazing and affordable skiing, Caucasus Mountains, Georgia is ready with a warm welcome! The steep, rugged, and extremely remote mountains do not have a lot of crowd skiing them. You can get trip packages at a daily rate of $500 here in this incredibly beautiful place.
Val d’Isere, France
The French Alps take pride in having some of the most outstanding skiing resorts in Europe. Little less affordable compared to some of the other destinations on this list, you’d get heli-skiing packages starting from $350 per drop.
