Booking your ski holiday is the easy part (and so exciting – we know!). What trips most people up is everything between booking and boarding, from the goggles you meant to buy to the confirmation email you never actually read. Here’s how to spread the prep out so nothing gets left to the last week.
Get in early: book it, and shop the sales
The earlier you book, the better your choice of accommodation, dates and lift pass deals, so don’t wait until autumn to get started; June onwards is not too soon. Booking early also means you’re ahead of the winter clothing sales while they’re still running. Retailers clear ski stock in the summer, so anything you leave until November or December will likely cost more and once the season’s underway, sales generally don’t come round again until it ends.
Two things worth buying rather than renting: goggles and gloves. Both sit skin-on-skin, so resorts don’t hire them out and if you leave it and end up buying in resort, you’ll pay resort prices for the privilege.
October: get ski fit
Skiing uses muscles that a normal October doesn’t. Skip the prep and day one can feel like you’ve climbed the mountain rather than taken the lift up it, tired legs by lunchtime and a slower start to the week than you wanted. You don’t need a gym plan, just a few weeks of walking, squats or a spin class to make the first day feel like skiing rather than survival.
November: the checklist check
This is the month to get the kit out and see what’s missing, rather than discovering a gap while you’re packing the night before. Beyond the obvious jacket and salopettes:
- Base layers – top and bottom, moisture-wicking rather than cotton.
- Ski socks – not your everyday socks. Ordinary socks bunch and rub inside a ski boot; proper ski socks are thinner and shaped for it.
- Neck warmer – does the job of a scarf without the loose ends near a chairlift.
- A hat – resorts get cold once the helmet’s off and it saves you the walk of shame in helmet hair.
- Warm, waterproof shoes or boots – trainers might get you through, but your toes will thank you for something warmer and for children we’d call this one non-negotiable.
- Sunglasses and sun cream – the sun is far stronger at altitude and off the snow than it is at home, so pack both even for a cloudy-looking week.
- A yoga carry strap – if you’ve got one, throw it in. It’s an easy way to carry skis when travelling with children who won’t want to carry their own for very long.
December: let’s go
Last check before you travel: have you actually booked everything? A lift pass is essential, no way around that one and the same goes for equipment, unless you fancy standing on the piste in your own trainers. Transfers and lessons are worth confirming too if you haven’t already.
If it’s all booked, read the confirmation emails properly, not just the subject line. Know where you’re collecting equipment, where the transfer pickup is and where lessons meet. Andorra is not the place to work this out on the fly: roaming is not available here, and mobile data costs can be very high if you’re relying on your normal contract, so an eSIM sorted before you fly is worth the five minutes it takes to set up.
Ready to sort the extras? Build your Andorra holiday with lift passes, lessons, equipment and transfers all in one place, or check our lift pass page on our website and ski hire if you’re still deciding what to book first.
