Novel ski destinations

UZBEKISTAN

Opened in 2019, the resort of Amirsoy on the western edge of the Tian Shan Mountains is a 90-minute drive from the capital of Tashkent. There are

13 ski runs and several ski lifts, with skiing mostly suited to beginners and intermediates, although the ski touring opportunities are endless. Plans are afoot to link this new resort with established neighbours Beldersoy and Chimgan to create a ski area that rivals some of Europe’s biggest. amirsoy.com

TURKEY

There are around 40 ski areas in Turkey, although most are tiny. Palandöken is one of the few exceptions. Located near the city of Erzurum, it has 13 lifts and 27 miles of ski runs. Turkey’s vast mountainous terrain is perfect setting for heli-skiing, and the Kaçkar range, used by Swiss-operated company Heliski.Pro, is roughly the size of the northern French Alps. Two helicopters fly out of the base hotel in the village of Ayder, with skiers and snowboarders guided in groups of four. heliski.pro

GREECE

It may seem like an unlikely candidate for a skiing holiday, but snow conditions in Greece’s main ski resorts during the 2021-22 winter season were some of the best in years. There are more than 100 ski lifts across the country and the largest resort, Parnassos, is just a three-hour drive from Athens. It has 17 lifts and 23 ski runs, the longest stretching two-and-ahalf miles. parnassos-ski.gr

KAZAKHSTAN

Almaty’s largest resort, Shymbulak, is less than an hour’s drive from Kazakhstan’s old capital, but there’s a variety of on-slope accommodation available, too. The 13 miles of ski runs are served by six lifts including a gondola and several chairlifts, and while terrain is suited to intermediates, the nearby resort of Ak Bulak has more advanced terrain. shymbulak.com

GEORGIA

Although there are just five ski resorts and a couple of cat and heli-skiing operations to choose from in the country, the Caucasus Mountains host some of the most underrated ski terrain in the world. The largest skiing area is Gudauri, two hours from Tbilisi, but the highlight has to be Svaneti, a remote valley in the heart of Europe’s highest peaks. The ski areas of Mestia and Tetnuldi, meanwhile, are modern and well-appointed. gudauri.com