Engelberg Ski Photo Gallery

Engelberg Ski Photo Gallery

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Alagna Italy Ski Photo Gallery

Alagna Italy Ski Photo Gallery

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Switzerland Ski Trip FAQ’s

Switzerland Ski Trip FAQ’s

Switzerland Ski Trip FAQ’s

What Type of Skis To Bring?

A ski with roughly a 100mm to 110mm is the best option. If you want to bring a wider pair of skis please feel free or you can rent these if needed.


Do I Need Ski Touring Equipment?

It is highly recommended but not mandatory. If you have a new pair of touring bindings (Dynafit, Plum, Marker, Salomon, etc) and are comfortable skiing a wide variety of terrain on them, please feel free to bring them.


Do I Need Backcountry Safety Gear?

Avalanche safety gear is required on all of our tours. If you have your own equipment please bring it. Ski backpacks including beacon, shovel and probe are available to rent for $150 for the duration of the trip. (Option available to add-on at checkout. If you wish to add later please feel free to contact us.)


Ski & Gear Rentals

If you wish to rent ski/snowboard equipment please let us know so that we can coordinate your rental. Please advise the LGA Team before the trip if you will need gear.


What is the Best Way to Get There?

Fly into Zurich International Airport (ZRH) by 1pm where the group will be there to transport you. In some cases you may need to plan your arrival the day before. There are many hotels near the airport offering shuttle service so it is easy to meet the group back at the airport by 1pm. We suggest using Booking.com to find a nearby hotel.


What Is The Weather Going To Be Like?

For the most accurate weather please check the Weather Online a few days before your trip. We will be in the mountains so bring clothes that will keep you warm in a wide variety of conditions. If weather and/ or the conditions are not good in we have the option to explore many other ski areas and off-piste areas nearby. We will guarantee you get the most out of your ski holiday as we have a wide range of activities that we can add into the trip incase there are down days due to snow storms or weather.


What is the Group Size?

Small group sizes that don’t exceed 10 guests.


Do We Need to Tip Our guides? If So, What is Standard?

Gratuities are not included. Tips are accepted at your discretion based on the overall trip experience provided by our team.


How Long Does It Take to Fly to Switzerland?

Flight time from the West Coast of the United States to Zurich is approximately 11.5 hours if you book a non-stop flight. From the East Coast the flight time is approximately 8 hours.


Can I Use My Credit Card in Switzerland?

Credit cards are widely accepted, but Amex is not always accepted. Better stick with Visa. You will need some cash – but just for casual expenses. Most things can be paid for by credit card. The currency is CHF/Swiss Franc. EUR is not the currency of Switzerland (even if it is sometimes accepted by some merchants at a bad exchange rate). It never makes sense to carry too much cash on you – anywhere. Withdrawing cash from your checking account using your US cash/debit card is usually much cheaper than converting dollar bills at an exchange desk and you will get the BEST Exchange rate. Many credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee around 3-5%. This may be the time to get yourself a fun new rewards travel credit card that comes with “No Foreign Transaction Fees.” We never leave home without it.


Which Languages are Spoken in Switzerland?

The four national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh. In the Davos & St. Moritz area they speak German or a Swiss-German dialect. You will find English is widely spoken all over Switzerland. It is still great to learn a few of the day to day vocabulary to be polite.


Is It Safe to Travel to Switzerland?

Switzerland is very safe. Always take regular precautions whenever abroad to save yourself from any potential headaches that could interfere with your travels.


I Heard Switzerland is Expensive, How Expensive is it?

With its plethora of international banks, the country is a center for global wealth. This means prices are high, but people are paid quite well. Supermarket sell pre-made meals for between 5-9 CHF. Bars and cafés are the cheapest food option, cost about 9-15 CHF for a lunch special. Restaurants with table service are around 20 CHF for lunch and 40 CHF for dinner (starter, main, and drink) to start. You’ll typically find pizzas for around 20 CHF in a restaurant. If you’re dining out (but still trying to stick to a budget), you’ll spend an average of 25-45 CHF a day on food.


What Should I Bring With Me?

Ski/Snowboard Gear:

  • Skis/Snowboard, boots, poles. AT or a good backcountry touring set-up
  • Goggles
  • Helmet – stay safe on the slopes!!

Misc/Recommended:

  • Backpack
  • Avalanche Transceiver
  • Shovel/Probe
  • Touring Gear and Skins
  • Packable Puffy
    (We can assist with some gear, please feel free to contact us)

Après Clothing: You will be in the mountains for a week so please bring proper clothing for when you’re not on the slopes.

Travel Requirements:

  • Current Passport
  • Credit card, cash and/or traveler’s checks
  • ID or driver’s license
  • Medical insurance cards
  • Prescriptions or other medications
  • Important phone numbers
  • Proof of Travelers Insurance

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International Travel Tips

International Travel Tips

International Travel Tips

A lot goes into traveling internationally. Below is a list of some of our favorite international travel tips. This list will help you have a smoother experience while traveling abroad. We will be sure to keep this post up-to-date with our favorite tips. Remember to set up the following items before traveling internationally: Cash & Credit: US Currency is not accepted anywhere. It can be more difficult and costly to bring cash and exchanging it there. The banks are also closed certain hours and days that you wouldn’t expect. There are however, ATM’s all over the place. It is very common to walk up to the ATM – access your checking account and withdrawal at the current exchange rate into the local currency. The easiest way to get currency is upon arrival. Since some banks charge a fee for each withdrawal, we recommend budgeting a certain amount and do one to three withdrawals.
  • Our second favorite option is to use a credit card that does not have any foreign transaction fees and rewards you with points. This gives you the most current exchange rate as well as keeping your checking accounts safe at small retailers. Some bankcards charge 3% for every swipe in a foreign country and this can add up fast. Nowadays there are plenty of credit cards for frequent world travelers. Keep in mind some countries/regions don’t prefer the use of credit cards, it is always best to have cash on hand just in case.
  • Most importantly, call your banks and credit cards or go online and set your accounts up for international travel by letting them know the dates that you will be gone and every country that you will be in. If you do not set them up and need to use your accounts they can freeze your account for suspicious activity…that is not fun on vacation.
Phones: Call your cell phone company and set up an international calling plan to cover you for the duration of your time abroad. Other options are to get a travel phone set up or get a SIM card for your unlocked phone. Please note with a new SIM card you will not be able to use your current cell number. Passport: Make sure that your passport is current and not expired. Passports can take months to process so be sure it will be valid. **Attention New European Union Laws: Passports must be valid 3 months after your trip end date. If your passport expires within 3 months after your trip, please note you should contact passport services right away to renew your passport due to the new laws. TripIt: We highly recommend using the TripIt app for all your travels. TripIt organizes your travel plans in one place and you can easily sync all your travel plans into the app. This app can store emergency numbers related to your trip at ease keeping all your travel plans rights at your fingertips. The app is available for iphone and android users. www.tripit.com

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Education Through Experience Powder Tour in Japan

Education Through Experience Powder Tour in Japan

Education Through Experience Powder Tour in Japan

PUBLISHED BY • LGA BLOG | WORDS & PHOTOS • Tom Winter

What would you say if there was an opportunity to book a ski trip where you could learn and develop skills as an action sports photographer, journalist or athlete all while shredding some of the deepest snow on earth? We live in a world where our digital interconnectivity allows us more and more opportunities to going beyond the traditional norms of work and career development. Have you dreamed of being a professional freeskier or rider or you want that extra push to start building your portfolio as a professional photographer or action sports journalist? Do you want to make a living as social media influencer in the action sports world?

We want to share our passion for snow and creativity in the action sports industry with you. This January, Image Quest Japan is a trip we’re offering to give you the chance to come to Japan for ten days to study with some of the industry’s best photographers, editors, and athletes to teach you to build a career in the action sports world. All while skiing and riding the best Japan has to offer.

Otaru and Niseko, Japan, get more than 50 feet of snow every year. Located on the mythical island of Hokkaido, Japan is unique to a lot of winter destinations. The winter there is like a big faucet. One day its fall, the next day it starts snowing and for three months it basically doesn’t stop. Come late March, the temps warm and the taps turn off. But for that three-month period, there’s nowhere in the world that offers what Japan can offer in terms of snow.

One of the biggest challenges in going to Japan is making the most out of your time there. Spending too much time on logistics, travel, and figuring out where to ski can burn through your trip fast, but with Le Grand Adventure Tours, we have everything figured out. Our guides have spent a decade searching out all the secret stashes so you don’t have to. Using a custom 4×4 van to get you where you need to go, this trip is definitely for the more advanced skier and rider. The trip focuses on off-piste side/backcountry resort skiing. In other words, tree skiing in well-spaced birch forests and the wide open bowls Hokkaido is famous for. But that’s just the beginning because this trip is about creating a lifestyle.

Image Quest Japan runs a 4:1 student to instructor ratio for their camp. There are two streams for prospective students, the Media + Marketing Experience, and The Athlete Experience. Both work side by side and offer something unique in the ski world.

Are you a budding photographer, journalist or social media influencer in the action sports world? This is the trip for you. Image Quest is a boot camp that focuses on everything you need to know to take photos, write features and create digital content for magazines, newspapers and the web. With an in-depth look at content creation, brand management and marketing yourself, you’ll be working alongside instructors that have worked at places like Powder Magazine, Freeskier and run some of the biggest events and marketing campaigns in the snowsports world. The focus here is to learn to build your own brand and break into the actions sports industry to create the career and lifestyle path you want. Content creation, marketing images, editorial work, working with ad agencies and event production are all part of the camp. It’s a one-stop shop for turning your passion into a living and getting paid to do what you love.

The Athlete Experience

Working alongside the instructors and students from the Media + Marketing Experience, you’ll get a chance to strut your stuff for a week in the Hokkaido backcountry. This is all about learning how to get paid to ski. It’s not just sending it, but understanding what sells; marketing yourself as a brand, what images get published and what images don’t, the ins and outs of working with editors and photographers and creating a unique brand for yourself that can translate into a career as a professional freeskier.  Our onsite coaches, veterans of the Freeski world, will help you hone your craft so when you’re under the lens, you’ll get the images you need and look good doing it.

Why You Should Go

Le Grand Tour has a wealth of experience running guided trips in Japan but this trip is special. This year you’ll have professional photographers Tom Winter and Jeff Cricco leading the know-how part of the trip. Both have insane resumes; Tom was the founding editor of the influential Freeze Magazine and has been a senior contributor at Powder and Skiing and Jeff has been published in just about every ski magazine there is. Both offer a wealth of knowledge and connections and are a blast to hang out with.

Image Quest Powder Ski Tour

Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Tour Length: 10 Days / 9 Nights / 8 Ski Days
Level of Difficulty: High Intermediate and Above
Guide Ratio: 4 to 1 Client to Guide Ratio
Included Meals: Breakfasts, Welcome and Farewell Dinner

This trip is a chance to cultivate all that knowledge and embark on a career path that offers something a little different from the norm. It’s an opportunity to meet some of the most influential people in the snowsports world and pick their brains and develop your skills to start building a professional life in the action sports world. It’s also a way to ski in one of the most amazing places in the world. The best part? Le Grand Tour takes care of all the logistics and details so you don’t have to. All you need is your gear.  Just book the trip and spend 8 days skiing, riding and learning from some masters, all in the mountains of Hokkaido, Japan. Could you imagine anything better?

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Japan Ski Trip FAQ’s

Japan Ski Trip FAQ’s

Answer’s to our most frequently asked questions for your ski trip to Japan. What type of skis to bring? What should I bring?

Top 5 Reasons to Ski Japan

Top 5 Reasons to Ski Japan

This is the winter to enjoy the epic powder Japan is known for. Japan is our go to destination to ski the best snow of your life.