Beyond Europe: Other Ski Destinations for This Winter

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is one of Central Asia’s most underrated ski destinations. Here, in the mountains of the western Tian Shan, you will find the region’s largest and most modern resort, Amirsoy, the freeride favourite Beldersoy and Chimgan, the birthplace of Uzbek alpine skiing. All three lie just 10-20 km from one another.

Opened in 2019, Amirsoy, 65 km from Tashkent, is the newest resort in Central Asia. Its slopes lie at 1,630-2,290 m, and the season runs from December to March. The runs were designed by specialists from Canada and Spain to international standards. The resort is still developing: today it has 15 km of pistes, with 21 km planned. In future all three resorts will be linked into a single ski area, following the Western European model.

Beldersoy sits on the northern slopes of Mount Kumbel and is famous for the longest ski run in the country. Thanks to the continental climate, winters here are snowy and cold, and the snow is dry, ideal for skiers. Modern lifts and runs for every level provide excellent skiing from November to April.

You can stay at the new Beldersoy Resort & Spa by Hyatt, with 145 rooms including a Presidential Suite – the first international-class hotel in Uzbekistan’s mountains. It has three restaurants and an innovative spa with a Kneipp path, salt steam room, saunas and experience showers, plus a variety of pools: lap pools, seawater pools, magnesium-rich flotation pools, cascade and infinity pools, indoors and out. The hotel also hosts events of every format, from conferences and presentations to banquets and weddings.

Its advantages include direct access to world-class slopes, a 24-hour sports complex and fitness centre, a squash court, a zipline and a yoga platform. Hikes and bike rides through mountain valleys, forests and waterfalls, and excursions to picturesque Lake Charvak, Chimgan village, Tashkent and prehistoric petroglyphs make for a fascinating holiday all year round.

Japan

The ski resorts of Japan hold a special magic: snow-covered forests, gentle slopes, steam rising from an onsen… and the country’s distinctive culture gives every holiday deeper meaning.

Among Japan’s hundreds of ski resorts, first place goes to Niseko on the island of Hokkaido, set among volcanoes, forests and vast snowfields. Cold winds from the Sea of Japan bring a record abundance of dry, feather-light powder, making Niseko the best destination for skiers and snowboarders. Add world-class infrastructure and you will understand why this resort deserves your attention.

And not only in winter, when you can ski down Mount Shiribetsu-dake, go off-piste or ride snowmobiles (while children learn the basics), but also in spring, when the area is awash with cherry blossom, and in summer, with climbs to the crater of Mount Yotei and canoe trips on the Shiribetsu River. All year round you can relax in onsen, taste local sake and whisky and visit nearby farms, and in the warmer months play golf and pick all kinds of berries and fruit.

Niseko has both local hotels and those of international brands. Look out for The 1898 Niseko, just a step from the lifts, with rooms of at least 98 sq m. Every room – whether a suite, a duplex or a five-bedroom penthouse – has a kitchen, a private onsen and views of the dormant stratovolcano Yotei (1,898 m). The hotel’s Cantonese restaurant cooks with local produce, wild mountain herbs, fresh catch and dairy from Mount Yotei.

MUWA Niseko (ski-in / ski-out) offers direct access to the slopes and an infinity onsen overlooking Mount Yotei. You can choose a room with its own onsen, a terrace opening straight onto the piste, a rotenburo bath or a sauna. All rooms have fully equipped kitchens, and the four- and five-bedroom penthouses come with their own teppanyaki grills and wine cellars. The hotel has two Japanese restaurants, both from the creators of Michelin-recognised Tokyo restaurants. In summer you can take a doughnut-shaped boat out on the lake for tea on the water. And these are just two hotels – Niseko has dozens, each offering something unique.

Hokkaido is also home to the resorts of Furano and Rusutsu – quieter, but with equally well-groomed runs and superb snow cover. And in Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city, host of the 1972 Winter Olympics and three Asian Winter Games, one of the world’s great winter festivals takes place in early February: the Sapporo Snow Festival, with some 400 ice and snow sculptures and spectacular light shows in Odori Park.

A more traditional, unhurried atmosphere reigns in the Hakuba Valley in the Japanese Alps. The area brings together many different ski resorts and is known for wide runs suited to confident skiers. Guests stay in lodges, boutique hotels and ryokan and enjoy Japanese hospitality, onsen and national cuisine.

The Biwako Valley ski resort lies in Shiga Prefecture, 40 km from Kyoto. All year round you can enjoy Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, and admire the views from The Zekkei Ropeway, Japan’s fastest cable car, almost 1,800 m long. This summer a 220-metre Skybridge footbridge with views of the lake and mountains also opened.

China

China is a promising destination for skiers and snowboarders, with guaranteed snow, runs for beginners and experts, modern lifts, an excellent choice of hotels and a season from early November to early April. A ski holiday in China combines sport with the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Of China’s more than 700 ski resorts, most are located around Harbin and Beijing and in Xinjiang. Many were built or upgraded for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The country’s largest ski resort is Yabuli, home to the longest runs in all of Asia, where most events of the 2025 Asian Winter Games were held. The resort has more than 40 runs graded by difficulty and an extensive lift system.

Another favourite is Chongli, host of the 2022 Winter Olympics. This ski area, most easily reached from Beijing, comprises eight resorts for every taste: experienced skiers choose Wanlong with its adrenaline runs and Genting, where the freestyle and snowboard events took place. Floodlit runs allow night skiing, followed by a soak in the hot springs at the spa.

Canada

North America’s largest ski resort, Whistler Blackcomb, is in British Columbia, Canada. The summits of the two neighbouring mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, are linked by the Peak 2 Peak Gondola (4.4 km), giving access to world-class runs. Guests enjoy stunning scenery: glacial lakes, ancient conifer forests, waterfalls, beaches, parks and golf courses, offering something to do all year round.

Interestingly, people were already skiing on Whistler Mountain in the 1960s. But it was only in the 1980s, with the opening of the Blackcomb area and the construction of Whistler Village, that Whistler Blackcomb became an international resort, designed by American architect Eldon Beck, famous for Vail in Colorado.

The resort has luxury hotels such as Fairmont Chateau Whistler at the foot of Blackcomb, with direct access to the slopes. There is a huge choice of activities: walks in the old-growth forest, bike tours, skiing and snowboarding. The hotel has an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., with a golf academy and scenic landscapes of streams and ponds, islands of Douglas fir and lawns framed by mountains. Its spa offers many Ayurveda-based treatments, and event spaces hold up to 1,500 guests, along with lawns and terraces.

Don’t miss the Quebec Winter Carnival (5-14 February 2027). First held in 1894 and annual since 1955, it is today one of the highlights of the Quebec winter.

Looking for a new winter destination? Our travel consultants will select the ski resort, hotel and flights to suit your dates and skiing level.