Ski Trip with Friends of Different Levels: How to Plan It

Group ski trips rarely bring together people of the same level. One friend has never been on skis, another snowboards, a third wants to spend the day on red runs. That is not a problem: with a little planning, everyone spends the morning at the right level, and the group comes together for lunch, the evenings and the last runs of the trip.

Book the right level for each person

Our packages come in two levels, and different levels can be booked for the same dates.

• First Steps: for complete beginners. A 4-hour beginner lesson is followed by practice with instructor support for the rest of the day.
• Experienced: for people with basic skiing or snowboarding experience. Our leaders take you on a piste tour, then you ski freely on runs that suit your level.

Both levels stay at the same hotel in Kayseri, take the same shuttle to Erciyes and eat at the same times, so the group stays together where it matters. Everyone chooses skis or a snowboard for themselves; if someone cannot decide, our comparison of skiing and snowboarding helps.

How a day works for a mixed group

This is what a typical Saturday on the 2-night package looks like for both levels:

• 09:00: Everyone leaves the hotel together for Erciyes Ski Resort.
• 10:00: Beginners start their 4-hour lesson; experienced skiers set off on a piste tour with our leaders.
• 12:30: Lunch at the resort, a good moment to meet up.
• Afternoon: Beginners practise with instructor support while experienced skiers ski freely until 17:00.
• Evening: Dinner at the hotel at 19:00, then a night out in the city for anyone who fancies it.

On the last day, the experienced skiers can join their friends on easier runs, so that everyone gets to ski together before heading home.

Tips for the experienced skiers

Do not take beginners onto runs that are too hard for them: one frightening red run can undo a day of progress, and our guide to ski piste colours explains the difference. Leave the teaching to the instructors; advice from friends is well meant, but it often contradicts what the instructor has just said. On shared runs, ski behind the beginners rather than ahead, so you can keep an eye on them and they do not feel rushed.

Tips for the beginners

Do not compare yourself with the others: everyone learns at their own pace, and the first two days are the hardest. Take breaks when you are tired, and use the afternoon practice time, because that is when the morning's lesson sinks in. Our list of first ski trip mistakes is worth reading before you go.

Practical things to agree on

• Meeting points: Agree on a fixed place and time for lunch and the end of the day. Phones drain quickly in the cold, so keep yours in an inside pocket.
• Booking: Each person books with a $100 deposit and pays the rest on arrival. If plans change, you get a full refund or can change your dates up to 8 days before departure.
• Travel home: On the 2-night package the last day ends on the pistes in the afternoon, so book your journey home for Sunday at 19:00 or later.
• Dates: New Year and the school holidays fill up first, so groups should book as early as possible.

Find your packages

Our Erciyes ski holiday guide compares the four packages. Beginners can start with the First Steps package, and friends with experience can join them on the same dates with the Experienced package.

• Ski holiday
• Friends
• Erciyes
• Travel planning