The Sunday Times UK

Skiing for playboys

The Sunday Times UK Skiing for Playboys

If you’ve got some money to burn, Sean Newsom knows where to mix with the snow-sports jet set.

If you’ve got a generous annual bonus to blow, look no further. The snow-sports industry has had a burst of cash-craving creativity and has hit upon a whole new level of indulgence and adventure, aimed at super-rich skiers. Flights by Lear jet, heli-ski safaris, palatial chalets, they’re all on offer — if your credit card can handle it.

THE SWISS SKI SAFARI

One of the most “James Bond” holidays comes courtesy of SwisSKIsafari (tel: 00 41 79 239 41 52 www.swisskisafari.com). Launched last season, the company has hit on a formula that combines pampering and adventure, guiding clients on heli-skiing safaris across Switzerland, checking into some of the country’s most luxurious hotels each night.

The pick of its 2006 packages is the five-night, four-day Ultimate Journey, which takes in Verbier, Zermatt and Saas-Fee. Each leg of the journey begins with a heli-lift: from Verbier, for example, you start the day with a flight onto the 12,454ft peak of the Pigne d’Arolla, before skiing its glacier down into Val d’Herens for lunch. Three departures are planned this season: on March 19 and 26 and April 1. The trip costs from £4,514pp, full-board, excluding flights and transfers.