The Eight Best Ski Locations in the World

Most of the renowned ski stations are located in the Northern Hemisphere, but there are other excellent ski locations in the Southern Hemisphere as well.
The Eight Best Ski Locations in the World

Last update: 25 April, 2020

Do you like to ski? Would you love to learn? You can take advantage of the beginning of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere to discover some of the best ski locations. And we’ll tell you about some in the Southern Hemisphere as well!

Which are the best ski locations in the world?

We can find most of these locations in the Northern Hemisphere. All of them compete for the title of being “the best ski location in the world”. We’ll tell you which ones they are in the following paragraphs.

1. Aspen Snowmass in the United States

Without a doubt, this is one of the most popular and best ski locations in the world. The Aspen trail is located in the White River Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

It has four single-entry stations. The most famous ones are Aspen Mountain (76 tracks, none for beginners) and Aspen Highlands (with an up to 48 percent incline).

The Aspen Snowmass is one of the best ski locations in the world

The setting of this ski station is wonderful. It’s surrounded by poplars, a Victorian villa and luxurious hotels with spa included.

2. Val-d’Isere in France: one of the best and most beautiful ski locations

It’s located in the beautiful Alps, 18.6 miles (ca. 30 kilometers) away from the city of Maurice. You can take a train to get there. Val-d’Isere, along with Tignes, is one of the most beautiful ski locations in the world.

A wood cabin in the middle of Val-d'lsere in France

Two-mile high peaks, simple slopes for amateurs, off-piste tours for professionals, and the Belleverde track with its mythical descent, are just some of the things that await for you there. You can also get a diploma of completion after going down the Belleverde track successfully.

3. Chamonix in France

The European mountaineering capital, commonly known as Cham, has tracks for all ski levels in the vicinity of the famous Mont Blanc. Nonetheless, we recommend having the companion of an expert guide, both on the red and black slopes. This includes the complicated descent of the Vallée Blanche, with 13.6 miles (ca. 22 km) of the glacier route.

A good idea when visiting Chamonix (pictured in the main image of this article) is to buy the Unlimited pass to be able to ski on the other side of Mont Blanc, in the Italian or Swiss Alp stations.

4. Mont Tremblant in Canada

It’s located in the Quebec region, more precisely, in the Laurentian Mountains; it’s just a few hours drive from Montreal. There are 95 tracks for all levels, in a 1482-acre area. Besides skiing, you can also go snowboarding.

People snowboarding down Mont Tremblant one of the best ski locations in the world

Mont Tremblant is surrounded by forests, trails, and lakes. It’s the perfect place to go for a dog sled ride or a coffee in the nearest town.

5. Niseko in Japan, one of the best and most legendary ski locations

It’s one of the ski locations most preferred by experts. You can enjoy beautiful pink sunsets on its 50-ft thick powder snow. The tracks that are over 30 miles long (ca. 50 km) are Hirafu, Annupuri, Moiwa, Higashiyama, Hanazono, and Weiss.

Two people skiing down one of the tracks in Niseko

You can also enjoy another unique natural spectacle very close to Niseko: the Jigokudani hot springs, a home for large families of pink-faced macaques.

6. The Sierra Nevada in Spain

The city of Granada is the capital of Spanish skiing, more precisely in the famous Sierra Nevada. The 79 tracks are within a national park. El Águla, Borreguiles, and Laguna de las Yeguas are the ones that stand out.

A small town near Sierra Nevada another one of the best ski locations in the world

The scenery in the middle of the mountains is impressive. It includes attractions like El Mulhacén mountain, with over two miles in height, or the tallest hotel in Europe, with access to slopes and chairlifts right at the door!

7. Cerro Catedral in Argentina

It’s time to talk about the ski locations in the Southern Hemisphere. Even though there aren’t many options, they do offer excellent slopes. Cerro Catedral is located 6.2 miles (ca. 19 km) away from the city of Bariloche, in the heart of Patagonia. It has 373 (ca. 600 km) skiable miles, between forests and slopes.

A sign pointing towards Cerro Catedral in Argentina

The best part is that this location opens just as the ones in the Northern Hemisphere close. It’s ideal to ski all rear round!

8. El Colorado in Chile

If you want to continue skiing in southern latitudes, we recommend visiting this Chilean location. It has 70 slopes, and it’s only 24 miles (ca. 39 km) away from the country’s capital, Santiago de Chile. It’s the perfect location for family skiing.

A ski station in the middle of El Colorado in Chile
Image: chileanski.com

Last but not least, other ski locations that you can’t miss are Baqueira-Beret in Spain, Megéve in France, Zermatt in Switzerland, Lech in Austria, Alta Badie in Italy, Jackson Hole in the United States, Whistler Blackcomb in Canada, Narvikfjellet in Norway and Levi in Finland.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.



This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.