Unusual Ski Resorts Around the World
There are many unusual ski resorts all around the globe. If you’ve often spent your ski holidays in the Alps, the Dolomites or on Mont Blanc and would like to see something different, you’ll find ski resorts in places you wouldn’t normally associate with a skiing holiday.
Exotic ski resorts
One of the most exotic and unusual ski resorts is in India. Gulmarg is the highest ski resort in the world, reaching almost 4,000 metres and located right by the Himalayas. Jbel Oukaïmeden in the African country of Morocco is also an extraordinary and unique ski destination: not far from Marrakech, you can hit the slopes during a ski holiday in Imlil and look out over the desert. Sisimiut in Greenland is home to one of the coldest ski resorts in the world, where winter temperatures drop to -15°C.
Unusual Ski Resorts Around the World
Date: 30/09/2026
Skiing in Australia and indoor ski slopes in Dubai
There are interesting ski resorts even in countries you might not initially associate with skiing. In Australia, for example, you can ski in the highlands during the summer months—although the Snowy Mountains are hardly a high mountain range by European standards: at just over 200 metres high, you can drive almost all the way to the summit. Ski resorts in Kosciuszko National Park save Australians the long journey to the New Zealand Alps.
The desert state of Dubai also offers a ski resort, although naturally it isn’t a natural ski area. Its indoor ski hall features a 700-metre run, the longest artificial ski slope in the world.
South America is also well worth a trip for winter sports enthusiasts. The Andes, the longest mountain range on our planet, are home to many ski resorts. One particularly noteworthy destination is the Termas de Chillan ski resort in Chile, at an altitude of 1,600–2,700 metres, with an impressive 35 kilometres of slopes. (Ski holiday in Chillan)
Skiing is also becoming increasingly popular in China. The resorts of Wanlong and Beidahu are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including ski lifts. But you can also ski near Beijing.
You shouldn’t expect the same level of technical sophistication at Iran’s Dizin ski resort—but the prices are unbeatable: a lift pass during the high season costs the equivalent of around €9.
Skiers who think they’ve already seen all the interesting ski resorts should take a look at these unusual destinations. There is still so much to discover around the world for everyone who loves winter sports.
Christian Bathen
