 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone! I’m looking to go on my first solo holiday and really want to try skiing. I’ve never been on a solo holiday and never been skiing but most of my friends are either busy with new babies or don’t like cold weather holidays so I’m liking to try and go alone. I’m quite apprehensive but this is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time and I’m now in my 30s so not going to wait any longer!
Please can I receive advice on best places to go to, important things to consider and any recommendations? I don’t want to buy any equipment, is it very expensive to rent?
I would like to do group lessons and meet new people.
I’m from England but currently living in Dubai and happy to travel somewhere that is safe for a solo female and also fun! Looking at the dates it looks like most places will close from April? So I’ll have to consider end of this year I’m guessing?
Appreciate all the help and advice! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to SHs, @Rambunctious. That's an excellent idea but why wait till the end of the year? There's plenty of time to organise something before the end of the season and you'll get plenty of help here.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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A week skiing as a complete beginner will generally not require any expensive ski resort. Most of the really expensive ski resorts are high altitude, snow sure, and full of runs you will not even get near in a week never mind considering off piste.
Language of the ski instructors is usually available in English, but most of the time in a complete beginner group you will be playing follow the leader in a group. (rather than spending a lot of time talking about it)
Andorra is fairly inexpensive, where most of the instructors are native English speakers. It will not be dominated by ESF and will not be in the EU. (Andorra is not in the EU, even though it is in Europe)
Italy is also another place which might be good for beginners. Sauze d'oulx might suit, but I expect there are alternatives in Italy which may be less touristy.
You will meet people in group beginner lessons. Chalets are usually quite good for meeting people, but most of the people in a chalet will not be singles. Youth hostels are an option, and can be quite sociable in the evenings for people on their own. UCPA could be an option for you, if you like the idea of bunk bed accomodation sharing.
March, April tends to be a cheap time to ski. (particularly April)
It depends on who you want to meet. If you go on holiday in Turkey, you will get a good deal currently. But you will meet people prepared to holiday in Turkey.
Alcohol is kind of cheap in Andorra, so much of the evening socialising tends to be pub crawls. If you do not drink, I would guess that the spa sauna swimming pool complex there might be worth a try on a couple of evenings. (most people tend to go there as couples though)
I am sure ski reps if you go with a tour group will be able to advise on suitable apres ski, and ski instructors will generally socialise with people who spend money in their direction.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Possible ideas to consider:
- Possibly a Chalet, where you will have company and a more "family" feel. I'm sure there are ones that accept single bookings.
- Somewhere with a really good ski school, with small class sizes
- Somewhere with decent beginner slopes
- If going near the start, or end of season, you need to be as snow-sure as possible...which usually means going high (unless you leave it until you know there will be snow).
It's easier if you know that there will be snow - and where.....which means leaving it until the snowstorms hit.
Is the States an option?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Rambunctious, welcome to Snowheads.
I would recommend learning to ski in the snowdome in Dubai to learn the basics and then you can get straight up the mountain when you take a ski holiday.
Skiing is best as a social sport, so perhaps sign up for group lessons, they are great fun as a novice. The consider a snowheads bash where you can be sure of good (and bad) company.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hello! Thank you all so much for the amazing advice! So helpful!
I’ve just started a new job so we are not allowed to take long holidays (more than a day or two) in the first 6 months so I thought bestvto go end of the year as I didn’t see any options for skiing after April anywhere. If there are any, please can someone tell me where as ideally I don’t want to wait until the end of year! I’m feeling eager now!! Haha!
I have seen some posts on UCPA but wasn’t sure if it’s suitable for someone in their 30s as it’s mostly bunk beds? Other than that everything sounded good in terms of the instruction, location, prices etc. I also like that everything is organised for you which as a first time solo traveller and first time skiing would be much less daunting!
In terms of meeting people, it would just be nice to meet people in a similar age group I guess. I’m not a big drinker so not looking for crazy parties but don’t want to end up somewhere super quiet either.
I’m definitely going to take a couple of lessons at Ski Dubai before as hopefully it’ll give me a bit of confidence!
Sorry if some of these things sound silly and thanks again for a warm welcome and great advice! This forum is awesome! 
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UCPA are not offering anything for next ski season yet. However if you choose to go with them, the difference in prices between lower level resorts and high resort snow sure resorts is minor so if I were you I would choose Val d'isere or Tignes as the price difference is minor and the value is excellent there.
You are in an ideal age range for UCPA, as it is over 45s who are too old. (like me) The younger UCPA's have special weeks for 18-25s, and students. So between 25-45 seems you fit in ideal age range.
I just had a look at what price is for April this year. Seems very good value at £715 full time ski instruction, including lift pass for 6.5 days, 6.5 ski boot and pole hire, full board, and evening entertainment.
You would have to pay for your own flights, and transfers, although there are some shared transfers on offer on their website at reasonable prices. (when I say reasonable you will not be able to beat them on your own if you can get flights to fit in on time and do not need stopover hotel accomodation at the airport)
A thumbnail link to a picture of Tignes UCPA and the free car park in Tignes les Boisses with my van in the foreground (in 2005)!
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Irregular poster but regular reader here! Just to join in with the recommendations for ucpa , which I first heard about from this forum. I’d skied a lot as a teenager but not much since, they were fab. I would say the majority of people were in their 20s and 30s, there were groups for complete beginners all the way up to off piste. Social aspect was good, with a mix of nationalities, and food (and bar!) were fab, more than exceeding my expectations.
As long as you don’t mind sharing a room you’ll be fine - I stayed in Val Thorens and was in a group with 3 other girls - you’re literally just in the room to sleep so although small the rooms are fine.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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They generally come out around July/August time - worth booking as they come out as I think they give a (small) discount for early booking!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Why not have a look at a snowhead bash? Still places on the EOSB (end of season bash) towards end of April.
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You know it makes sense.
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As above, Snowheads bash(es) with private lessons or UCPA full time group lessons. Or both 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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For another option you could look at the HOFNAR beginners & improvers week. This year's is next week, so maybe a little too soon but they run every year. On those weeks most of the 12 guests in the chalet will be solo first or second week skiers/boarders, so you won't be the only one treking to ski school and will have others to share war stories with in the hot tub at the end of the day.
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
beginners when we attended last years Birthday Bash in the Dolomites. We had the time of our lives. 
There's a wide range of ages and levels of ability attend; and there will be plenty of friendly Snowheads to ski with (110+). We returned again for this year's Birthday Bash and are already booked onto next year's.
