Learn to Ski & Snowboard Holidays

Everything is taken care of for you

If you are thinking about your first skiing or snowboarding holiday, be safe in the knowledge that  you’ll get the best introduction with us, or if you’re travelling solo it’s a great way of meeting likee minded people who share your love of the spectacular mountains and being outdoors. Our team of  ski experts are on hand to help and organise all the ski essentials that you will need.

During your learn to ski & snowboard holiday we really are with you from start to finish. Following the welcome meeting we you meet the other guests, we take you to the ski shop to get your equipment fitted, we have you lift pass prepared for you and ski school all arranged. There really is nothing to think about other than enjoying your first amazing experience of what I am sure will become your next passion.

I was fairly apprehensive about going on a ski holiday alone especially not having skied for few years. Matt and Steve were amazing, from the first day they made sure everyone in the group had someone to ski with of a similar ability, efficiently organised ski hire & ski school and gave regular updates to where to meet for lunch après ski drinks & dinners. I never felt “on my own” & had a wonderful time & wouldn’t hesitate to go again! Loved it!! Dawn Hunt

We have hand picked the best accommodation in Bansko for our”Learn to Ski & Snowboard” holidays. We stay in the truly luxurious 5* spa hotel and we look after everything for you, so you don’t have to worry anything other than honing your skills, meeting new friends, and sharing great experiences.

You are looked after from start to finish

Over the past 4 years we have developed a unique and flexible formula for our organised learn to ski & snowboard holidays that helps keep 90% of our guests coming back.

During your holiday you will have an Active Away host on hand to help you 24/7. Your host will act as your personal holiday guide, they become your companion during the entire holiday as opposed to a detached guide who will just show you around. It is your host’s mission to make sure you have a fantastic holiday experience. Our hosts combine great organisational skills with infectious personalities; they are also specialists in their chosen sports meaning you get a level of knowledge and service unparalleled by other tour operators. Your host will be there to greet you at the airport ensuring your holiday starts smoothly.

Your Active Away host will organise your ski hire, your ski school and give you regular updates where to meet, for lunch, après ski and dinner. Rest assured, you will never be on your own and our experienced team are always on hand to take care of every detail.

My name is Steve Davies, I am the founder of Active Away and I was a late joiner myself to the world of skiing, I did my first beginner snowboarding holiday aged 38, and can still remember how confusing it all seemed at first. Having gone through this a later later than most this really helps me to relate better than most to help guide you through it all.

What is important to note, many of the chalet owners, visitors and workers in the resort, have skied for many, many years. They don’t remember what it is like when your boots pinch too much, your thighs burn from too much snow ploughing and getting on a chairlift is genuinely a traumatic experience!

You are never on your own

Our holidays are not exclusively for single travellers, we have a mix of singles, couples and groups that combine to make one large party, its great fun and after day one you are guaranteed to have met lots of new friends; quite a lot of our singles travelers normally end up re-booking for the following year with new friends they have met on the holiday.

You can indulge yourself with a group or have time on your own, you can spend time drinking in the atmosphere or just relaxing with people who are as active and energetic as you! – Life can be vertical or horizontal – you decide!

Bansko ski resort is remarkable regarding bars, restaurants and nightlife. Several après ski bars offer snacks and refreshments on the ski zone and in the resort. Local clubs and clubs usually close early in the morning.

High class restaurants with sophisticated menus are part of various five and four star hotels.

More than 200 traditional Bansko taverns (called “Mehana”) offer cozy atmosphere, dishes from traditional Bulgarian cuisine, local specialties and selected Bulgarian wines. Most of the mehanas provide entertaining program with live folk music.

• Return flights from your chosen airport
• 20Kg of luggage
• Return private airport transfers
• 5* accommodation – 2 night HB 5 nights B&B
• Active Away host
• Lift Pass included (worth £150)
• Ski hire – £50 supplement
• 24 hours of tuition – £130 supplement
• Fully ATOL protected

Along with the luxury accommodation, Premier Hotel in Bansko is ideal for after ski activities, with its two restaurants that travel the guests to the roads of gastronomy and a lobby bar to enjoy drinks and superbly made cocktails. Superior spa & wellness facilities and first-class service are the ingredients for a relaxing and unforgettable experience for your mind and soul. Premier Luxury Mountain Resort provides complimentary shuttle bus service to and from the gondola ski lift and the center of Bansko. Shuttle service is also available from and to Sofia airport to Bansko. [layerslider id="34"]  

The hotel has two fabulous restaurants to choose from:

• Amvrosia a la carte restaurant
• Dionyssos Buffet restaurant

Amvrosia offers contemporary haute cuisine served in a warm, casual and inviting setting – the perfect place to relax and enjoy fine dining. Enjoy an extensive wine list and exquisite dinners prepared by our chef using only fresh, seasonal ingredients to deliver the truest flavours. Whether you are dining for any occasion or no occasion at all, Amvrosia offers a feast for all your senses – and a reason to return – from seasonally inspired menus to live music and flawless service. Experience the very finest in contemporary haute cuisine. [quote align="center" color="#999999"]Absolutely stunning food, really cant speak highly enough for this place - Sue Butcher[/quote] Dionyssos Restaurant serves a sumptuous American buffet breakfast daily including fresh fruit, a wide range of cereals and for those with a larger appetite - traditional hot breakfast options. For dinner, you can enjoy different thematic buffets each night. The Chef and his team prepare special dishes for from different areas - Bulgarian, Italian, Spanish, Asian, international, seafood - and they take you on a gastronomical journey to the world's flavours.  

Bansko is a perfect location for people learning to ski & snowboard. It is a smaller area than that of most of the European resorts which allows us to keep the group together we can easily arrange meeting points so you never get lost. The resort is suitable for all levels but is particularly tailored to beginners and improver’s as at this level you don’t need a large ski area and lessons are almost a quarter of the price than in the Alpes.

The ski pistes of Bansko resort are located on the northern slopes of the Pirin mountain in 2 main ski centres: CHALIN VALOG (1100-1600 m) and SHILIGARNIKA (1700-2500 m). The ski centres are situated about 10 km above the town. They are easily accessible from Bansko for approximately 25 minutes ride on the Gondola lift. The total length of the marked pistes is 70 km.

I would definitely recommend this holiday. The Hotel is top class & the Pirin mountain offers great snow & a good variety of runs. It’s also great fun being with a varied age group of people especially if you are booking as an individual. You will not feel out of place. Everyone is friendly and helpful and good company. It was also excellent value for money. – Louise Valvona

The snow conditions in the resort are excellent. The snow cover remains from December till May. The ski season lasts longer thanks to the 44 Technoalpine snow cannons that cover most of the slopes. There are 12 Kassbohrer slope maintenance vehicles as well.

For the snowboarders there is an extreme fun park – the first one on the Balkans. The snowboarders can build jumps according to their abilities and taste. Snow sport lovers can take part in different competitions organized on the new piste on Shiligarnika.

The total length of the lift equipment in Bansko is 26 km. 8-seats Gondola cabin lift and 5 high speed quads by Dopplemayer, one 3-seat lift by Poma, 7 drags and 10 baby drags operate in Bansko. The ski and snowboard equipment can be used by a chip-card from SkiData.

Big monitors are based on the first station of the Gondola lift. The monitors inform for wind and temperature conditions on different pistes.

The ski centres of Bansko offer ski runs for all type of skiers, a 5 km cross-country track, a 3 km Rollbahn ski run, slalom and giant slalom ski runs, etc.