Despite the fact UK is an activities galore, specifically when it comes to outdoor activities, traveling to the Alps is still an experience you should not miss out on. Being amidst gorgeous snow-covered scenery and escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life sounds like the ultimate dream. The sun beaming down on the crisp white snow, and the hundreds of miles of beautiful valleys and lakes are the perfect opportunity to indulge in all types of outdoor activities.

Visiting the Alps from the UK – whether in winter or in summer opens up hundreds of opportunities. It’s not all about skiing and snowboarding, but the Alps are an incredibly diverse people where you’ll find yourself met with hundreds of types of activities to give you that much needed adrenaline buzz.

Whether it be the stunning scenery, the beautiful villages, the gastronomical experience or the quality time you can spend with people you’re traveling with – there is always something to do there. In this article I will talk about outdoor activity holidays on the Alps and how to get there from the U.K.

Winter

Go ice-climbing!

Imagine dozens of waterfalls that have frozen overtime just begging to be explored and climbed…The majesty of the waterfalls as they soar high up into the sky and form icy formations makes it hard not to want and try ice-climbing. All you need is an ice axe, a lot of courage, crampons and of course – some much-needed climbing skills and you’re set. If you’ve ever been climbing before too, this is the perfect way to actually challenge yourself

Build an igloo.

For most of us, the first thing we learned about ice and snow was what an igloo was. There is no doubt that partaking in some igloo-building will awaken the inner child inside of you and bring back nostalgic memories. Surprisingly, it’s also the ultimate overnight adventure! With your strap-on snowshoes, you’ll spend the night looking for that perfect spot to build your igloo and then you’ll be taking a quick DIY lesson on how to build your own igloo. Then you begin building the igloo and camp there. Yes. Inside of your very own hand-made igloo!

Zip-lining.

If you still want a little more adrenaline, then you can always try zip-lining. The best thing is that when it comes to zip-lining, you can’t go wrong with the amount of adrenaline you’ll be getting. The one at the Alps is also not only the longest in Europe but also the fastest in all of Europe.

If you want to be flying at speeds of over 80mph, then definitely head to the southern French Alps.

Go skiing!

It goes without saying that the best thing you can do at the Alps is definitely to go skiing. You can book your skiing trips through websites like  www.alpineelements.co.uk and choose your resort based on exactly what type of skiing holiday you want to have!

Snow-shoeing.

You’ve probably heard of snowshoeing before, as it’s quite popular among ski resorts and it gives you a chance to truly explore the beauty of the scenery around you through walking. On foot, everything is just more personal and intimate and you get to have a more up-close experience with the scenery in front of you. Think sunshine beaming through snow, clear snow surrounding you everywhere and beautiful frozen lakes. Add to that the beautiful seclusion from the resorts and you’ve got a great daytime activity.

Husky dog sledding.

Thoughts of winter usually muster up images of polar bears and huskies, and while polar bears are not as easy to find – huskies are! Luckily, if you go to the French Alps you’ll be able to not only meet huskies but also race through the wilderness by driving the sled.

Cross country skiing.

To explore the magnificent beauty of the alps in winter, you can also try skating your way through them. Skiing is by far the most popular activity in the Alps, and the best thing about cross country skiing is that the level of how challenging it is can completely depend on you!

Summer

If you’re going to be visiting in the Alps, don’t fret! There will be more than plenty of activities to do there. Here are some of the things you can do to enjoy the activities galore that is the Alps in the summer.

Hiking!

The best time to hike through the Alps is definitely through the summer. This way you can ignore the heavy ski materials, the poles and the chilly crisp free (and of course, the mild avalanche warnings.) You’ll be able to get a lot of sight-seeing done and satisfy that adrenaline-seeking voice inside of you by hiking through the Alps.

Get cultured.

At the Alps?! Yes! You can easily visit at least a dozen museums that showcase the Alpine culture in ways you’ve never seen before. Here are some museums you can visit:

• Swiss Alpine Museum

• Musee Alpin

• Wintersport-museum.

• Ski Museum.

• Alpines Skisportsmuseum.

Enjoy the normal daily life of the Alps.

Immersing yourself in Alpine culture is best done in summer, when the sun is out and the cold is less strict. Your activities won’t be restricted to just snow-related ones, but you can easily just sit back and relax and enjoy the daily life in the Alps. Whether you want to be drinking, gambling, unwinding at a spa, or simply going grocery shopping – you can simply live your normal daily life in the Alps with a twist.

Another way to unwind…the spas!

Being surrounded by the chilly crisp beauty of the Alps and then indulging in some incredible thermal baths or spas is one way unbeatable way to spend your day. In fact, back when skiing was not as popular, the Alps were marketed as more of wellness centers instead of skiing resorts. You can go there to enjoy the plethora of wellness centers, the massages, saunas, and much more.

Biking

In France specifically, there are a lot of bike trails that you can explore. There are actually over 23 trails and if you’re more interested in downhill runs, you’ll be able to easily spend a day or two biking through this car-free area.

How to get to the Alps

By Plane

There is no doubt that getting to the Alps by plane is the easiest and fastest way, but may also be the most expensive depending on the season and the day you’re going. The flights are also very short – a maximum of 1 hour 30 minutes from the UK.

There are quite a few direct flights from the UK but it all depends on where you’re going to see the Alps. In all cases, there are direct flights to Geneva, Austria and Zurich for example, making the whole ordeal very simple. You can fly from multiple airports around the UK including:

– London Heathrow

– London City

– London Gatwick

– Birmingham

– Manchester.

It’s also a great idea to choose an all-inclusive deal instead of booking just the plane ticket as this way you’ll have your flights and resorts all in the same package and you don’t have to worry about booking twice. This is great for groups specifically.

By Train

The trains are actually quite comfortable and the journey is actually considered leisurely. There are trains departing from London St. pancreas everyday and you can choose from:

– Standard trains: comfortable chairs, great scenery.

– Standard Plus: A premium train with your carriages and meals.

One advantage of going by train is that you don’t have to worry about the transfers from the airport to the resort, for example. It basically drops you right at the foot of the Alps.

By road.

If you’re feeling adventurous and you’re up for it, you can rent a car and travel by road. You will be dropping yourself off right at your resort, and it’s definitely the most scenic of all options! Plus, of course, you travel by your own pace completely.

Whether you’re into skiing or just relaxing amidst gorgeous scenery, the Alps is a great travel destination if you live in the UK. The plethora of activities offered and the gorgeous scenery make it a trip that’ll be hard for you to get bored in!