FREERIDE TIROL'S BEST SKI AND SNOWBOARD RESORTS DURING THE QUIET SEASON
The Austrian Tyrol hosts some of the biggest and best ski resorts in the world. We spend a week based in the freeride city of Innsbruck, the best place in the Tirol for the ‘powder chase’. There is no other city in Europe where you can stay in the city and explore incredible resorts with great freeriding, fun tree runs, and perfectly crafted snow parks by day and by night have the nightlife and restaurants just steps from our hotel.
So you can spend your week deep in the white-room, you’ve got a guide on-hand who knows a thing or two about hunting down the best lines, finding the best snow, and making sure you have a good time while doing it. In fact, you could call him a professional. Hosting you throughout the week is Andi, our local freeride guide who has just one goal for the week – to find you the best POWDER! Andi was born and bred in Innsbruck, is a passionate backcountry snowboarder, FWQ athlete and all-round good guy.
We keep the itinerary flexible so you can ride at the best resort on the day. Our base for this tour is the city of Innsbruck, which gives us easy access to resorts in the region such as Stubaier Gletscher, St Anton, Kitzbühel, Mayrhofen, Nauders, Hintertux, Hochoetz, Kaunertal, Sölden, Ischgl, Nordkette, Seegrube, Axamer Lizum, Glungezer, Patscherkofel, Schlick 2000, Kühtai, Rangger Köpfl & Muttereralm.
Dates
28 February - 6 March, 2021
07 March - 13 March, 2021
Duration
6 nights & 5 days on-mountain
Tour Type
Freeride - Be prepared to ride off-piste and in the trees
Why Travel With Mint
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. We are a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conduct business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
Austria Freeride Tour
Get in touch for a detailed tour itinerary and more info
ABOUT INNSBRUCK
Innsbruck is the capital of the Tyrol region and boasts 9 resorts within 45 minutes drive including NordPark that you access via funicular from town. With 128,000 residents and steeped in history it’s a tourist attraction in its own right and with has all the services you’d expect for a city. Wander into the old town, the narrow winding streets lead into the plaza where you’ll see the Gothic 15th century three-story balcony called the Golden Roof. Burton Snowboards set up their first European headquarters in Innsbruck in 1992.
SNOW & CONDITIONS
March is the best time to ride in the Tyrol. The resorts are quiet and in great condition, with all pistes open and top to bottom riding. You can expect anything from perfect bluebird groomer days through to skiing and snowboarding powder. Even if we don’t get fresh snow overnight, the altitude and our local knowledge will ensure you’ll be able to ride light dry snow days after a storm.
CITY STAY
We make sure all our guests stay in quality accommodation that’s in the best location. Throughout the tour you’ll stay in a 4 star hotel in the heart of Old Town. Our comfortable twin share rooms are equipped with 2 single beds and each room has a great heating, private ensuite bathroom, TV, and free WiFi. Every morning you’ve got a hot buffet breakfast to enjoy in the restaurant. To top it off you've got access to the city's best roof-top bar at the hotel.
SMALL GROUPS
When we are on mountain, we keep our group size to a maximum of 6 people per guide for a more personal experience between our guests and guides. This ensures you get the most out of your time with us, and keeping the groups small means less time waiting and more time riding powder!
FLEXIBLE ITINERARY
We keep the itinerary flexible so your local Mint Tours guide can hunt down the best conditions all day, every day. Each day your guide will assess the conditions and decide which is the best place to ski and snowboard based on weather and snowfall. Each day we’ll load up the van’s and drive to our chosen area. This flexibility ensures that we will find you the best snow and conditions all day, every day!
PRE-TOUR SUPPORT
After you sign up for a tour, you will receive pre-trip emails with specific information about your tour, the arrival and departure day process, information about the destination, packing suggestions, and other relevant information to help you prepare for your trip. In addition to this, you have access to our customer care team who are just a phone-call away. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
Essential Info
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES
- 6 nights twin share accommodation, 4 star Hotel Grauer Bar
- 5 days on snow guiding with local guides
- Night-time trips to local attractions
- Breakfast daily
- Return Airport transfers from Innsbruck Airport
- Daily private transfers from Innsbruck to the resorts
- Hosting and guiding by Mint Tours
All our Austria Tours are 6 nights and run from Sunday to Saturday. You’ll ride every resort mid-week to maximise your time on-snow and avoid the weekend day-trippers. If 6 nights isn’t enough, then book one of our multi-tour combo’s. Ask us about tour combo ideas and multi-tour discounts.
WEEK 1 28 February – 6 March, 2021
WEEK 2 7 March – 13 March, 2021
PRO-TIP – GO PRIVATE!
Book this tour as a private departure – with your own guide and all the benefits of a Mint group tour – for any group, big or small (even just one traveller). Get in touch to discuss.
WHY TRAVEL WITH MINT?
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. Mint is a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conducts business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we can take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre-or post tour arrangements.
WHAT HAPPENS IF BORDERS ARE CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?
The global health crisis has impacted everyone enormously, so we want to make sure your future travel plans are safe and reassure you that we are committed to supporting our customers in the best way that we can. You can view our latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates HERE
WHAT IS A FREERIDE TOUR?
Our Freeride Tours offer you the best chance to ride off piste and in powder. Our experienced guides have an in-depth knowledge of the resorts we visit, which gives you the ultimate advantage when your chasing deep, un-tracked snow. We’ll aim to ride and ski a lot of powder, glades and trees so please be prepared to ride and ski in the trees for 5 days straight. Of course weather and conditions are impossible to predict so guests must be prepared to ride or ski anything.
WHAT HAPPENS ON ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DAY?
Once you’ve signed up for the tour we will send you through a comprehensive guide with details about the tour including the arrival and departure day process, a map of where we meet, recommended arrival and departure times, flight options, Visa requirements and transportation information.
WHAT IF I’M TRAVELLING SOLO?
About 99% of our guests are travelling solo, so you’ll be in good company. Our groups generally mix well due to a shared interest in snow sports and an eagerness to explore all that a destination has to offer. If you are travelling solo, you will be paired with another guest to room with. The accommodation for this tour is twin share i.e. 2 beds per room. If you’d prefer your own room please request a single room at time of booking.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THIS TOUR?
Each tour is different, but we know that by offering one of the smallest client to guide ratio in the industry allows you to ski or snowboard at your preferred pace, and ultimately leads to a better experience for everyone. When we are on mountain, we have a maximum of 6 people per guide. This ensures you get the most out of your time with us, and keeping the groups small means less time waiting and more time riding.
IS THIS TOUR RIGHT FOR ME?
This tour is best suited to confident skiers and snowboarders who can link turns off piste, in powder snow, can make a variety of turn shapes and can traverse and hold speed. If you’re not sure, give us a call. Weather and ski conditions are impossible to predict so guests must be prepared to ride or ski anything. If you have never ridden in powder or shy away from it at your local resort, this is not the tour to learn. Tirol has glades and trees – please be prepared to ride and ski in the trees.
CAN I ARRIVE EARLY OR STAY ON AFTER THE TOUR?
For most tours you can arrive earlier or stay later. We can tailor the trip to suit your travel plans. Speak with one of our tour specialists when you are booking and they will be more than happy to assist.
WHO ARE THE GUIDES?
All of our tours are guided by friendly, knowledgeable and expertly trained guides who are passionate about the mountains. Most of our guides work for us season after season.
CAN YOU BOOK FLIGHTS?
Yes. Let us take the hassle out of selecting the right flights for the tour. We can book you the best flight options for the tour, with no booking fees.
ARE FLIGHTS INCLUDED?
No, flights are not included. If you need assistance booking flights, we can book you the best flight options for the tour, with no booking fees.
DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?
Yes. All guests on tour need to be covered by comprehensive travel insurance. Once you have booked on the tour, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. We offer all of our tour guests discounted snow specific travel insurance.
WHAT HAPPENS ONCE I’VE BOOKED?
Once you’ve booked your spot on tour, we will send you through a booking confirmation and provide updates about the tour including the arrival and departure day process, a map of where we meet, recommended arrival and departure times, flight options, Visa requirements and transportation information. We will send out a Pre Departure Guide 30 days prior to departure. Prior to the tour commencing we will invite you to a group chat which is managed by your tour manager and guides.
CAN I BRING MY PARTNER WHO DOESN’T SKI OR SNOWBOARD?
Of course! We can tailor the tour to suit your non-skiing or snowboarding partner. Speak with one of our tour specialists when you are booking and they will be more than happy to assist.
HOW DO I CHECK MY ABILITY LEVEL?
The best way to check if a tour is suited to your ability is by speaking with one of our tour specialists. They will be able to determine if the tour you have selected is a good fit for your ability, as well as suggesting other tour options.
HOW DO I GET TO AUSTRIA?
We’ll provide you with a guide with options to get to our meeting point. If it’s your fist time to to Europe or if you’re unsure about travel arrangements, often we can link you up with other tour guests to travel with.
HOW DO I CHECK AVAILABILITY?
Speak with one of our tour specialists. As this is a small group tour with limited availability, it’s best to get in touch early to avoid disappointment.
DO YOU TAKE SKIERS & SNOWBOARDERS?
Yes! We are ski and snowboard friendly. Please note that the majority of our tours are led by snowboard guides.
CAN I RENT EQUIPMENT?
We can arrange rental equipment for most destinations, however we do recommend bringing your own equipment.
WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD I BRING?
Austria can be a cold place in March where snowy conditions and big powder days are common. Temperatures typically range from 0 to -15. We strongly recommend that guests dress in clothing specific for traveling in backcountry areas. We recommend that guests have a good quality waterproof jacket and pants, lightweight insulated layer, merino base layers, merino gloves and waterproof gloves, goggles with low light & high light lenses, sunglasses, balaclava, beanie, and helmet. We recommend that all guests bring their own ski or snowboarding equipment for the tour (board, boots, bindings & outerwear).
WHO WILL BE ON MY TOUR?
Your group will be made up of travellers from diverse backgrounds and will be varied in age. Our groups generally mix well due to a shared interest in snow sports and an eagerness to explore all that each destination has to offer.
PRICE PER PERSON
The Austria Freeride Tour is EUR 1,450 per person
Please contact us if you would like a quote in your local currency. We can accept payments in USD, AUD, NZD, GBP, CHF, EUR, JPY, CAD.
RESERVATION AND DEPOSIT
To secure your spot on tour, a non-refundable 25% deposit is payable within 3 days of booking. The balance is due 90 days prior to tour departure. You can view our terms and conditions HERE and COVID-19 policy HERE
If you would like some more information or a quote for the tour you can contact us by:
1. ONLINE
Enquire below. Once we receive your request one of our Austria Tour Specialists will be in touch with a with a quote, availability and further details about the tour.
2. OVER THE PHONE
Call us and follow the prompts to speak to one of our Austria Tour specialists.
Within Australia (03) 8563 9437
International +61 (03) 8563 9437