Verbier Paradise!

EXPERIENCE PARADISE IN THE SWISS ALPS!

Team Alpine visits Verbier, Switzerland. We all now understand why Verbier is known as the resort that smiles at the sun. We continue to experience one bluebird day after the next with spectacular views in every direction.

Verbier, Switzerland is a delightful French speaking village located on a sunny plateau, on the grand circuit of the 4 valleys ski area.

For the the real thrill seekers, there is a huge amount of off piste options for the powder hungry. There are many wonderful guides to help you experience these very special turns.

For the ultimate pampering and lodging after skiing and snowboarding, stay at Sir Richard Branson's stunning mountain retreat. This special lodge offers the most personalized service and experienced staff we could ever imagine.

Normally families and friends will book the whole lodge for the week. Just this last week, the Lodge opened for individual reservations. This means for the rest of the season, if you don't have enough friends to fill up the entire lodge, you can book just one room for 3, 4, or 7 nights. Gourmet meals and drinks are all included. We recommend starting with Eggs Benedict and a Mimosa!

We have availability for this wonderful experience in the week commencing April 1, April 8 and April 15.  Lodging only rates availability upon request.

While there are plenty of easy groomers to enjoy, with Spring, comes moguls. I think this is the longest mogul field ever! Phew!

Yep, after a run like that.........Time for Apres! Verbier boasts some of the best apres ski in the Alps.

The Farinet has live bands every night. Make sure to switch from ski boots to your dancing shoes....

Verbier, another Team Alpine Favorite!!!

Hot Deal in Cool Chile! Start your ski season early, this is THE year for South America value!

Book by july 22 For GREAT AUGUST DEALS at HOTEL PUERTA DEL SOL & HOTEL TRES PUNTAS
in VALLE NEVADO, CHIlE!

Valle Nevado is the primary ski resort of Chile's Three Valleys - Valle Nevado, La Parva, and El Colorado. Located 9,925 feet above sea level, Valle Nevado is just 37 miles from Santiago in the Andes Mountains. It is the youngest ski resort in South America with state of the art facilities. It's been totally renovated recently.
Valle Nevado boasts 23,000 acres of terrain, with 23 miles of slopes all above tree line. In comparison, Whistler/Blackcomb in Vancouver BC offers 7,000 acres. If that doesn't sound like enough terrain, you can upgrade your lift pass, for an additional charge, to access both El Colorado and La Parva from Valle Nevado via surface lifts! With thousands of acres of skiable terrain, there are more options for every type of skier.

Book a 7-night trip and you will receive
the following:

• Buy 6 nights, receive 1 night free
• 30% discount on rentals
• 20% discount at the Valle Nevado Store
• Upgrade to a superior room (or superior hotel according to availability)
• Late check out (according to availability)
• This offer is only good for 7-night reservations that are booked and paid before July 22, for the following weeks: July 29 - Aug. 5, Aug. 5 – 12, Aug. 12 – 19, Aug. 19 – 26,
  Aug. 26 – Sept. 2
• This offer cannot be combined with any other promotional deals, and is subject to availability
• Book by  July 22

Take advantage of this week's special values and deals with Alpine Adventures. For the latest snow updates, mountains news, and pictures, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AlpineAdventures

Ecuador and the Galapagos by Jen Connelly

Ecuador and the Galapagos

by Jen Connelly

The first thing you realize when planning a trip to Ecuador is that its size belies the diversity that lies within. Your trip could easily revolve around the Galapagos, but once you realize all the country has to offer, it’s hard to limit yourself to an island excursion. When you land in the capital of Quito, you may expect a typical large South American city: a multitude of high rises, even more people, and a fast-paced atmosphere that constantly keeps you on your toes. What you may not expect is that all of these qualities would be housed in a verdant mountainous environment, with the active Pichincha volcano acting as guardian of the city.

Diversity, Crafts and History

Once you make it out of the city, a number of diversions await in the rolling green countryside. A stop at the Otavalo market, one of the largest markets in the Andes, will allow you to purchase anything from textiles and indigenous art, to Panama hats and homemade marionettes. From here you can head to the Chimborazo province, home of the highest peak in Ecuador at nearly 6,300 meters. The glacier capped Chimborazo volcano provides a spectacular backdrop in the high alpine environment to the grazing llamas and alpacas in the foreground. Your next destination is the city of Cuenca, whose city center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its abundance of historical buildings, each one outdoing the last. En route to Cuenca you can stop at Ingapirca to experience the largest Incan ruins in Ecuador.

A Perfect Finish: The Galapagos

The perfect way to finish up your tour of Ecuador is to visit the Galapagos, the islands that led to Darwin’s magnum opus. It’s easy to spend several days here without getting close to seeing all the islands have to offer. Each island has its own unique flavor, many of which are so different as to make you feel that you have ventured to another planet. From the lava channels frozen in time on one island, to the hundreds of marine iguanas all basking in the sun on another, you don’t know what you’ll encounter until you set foot on the island. For those that like to go a bit deeper under the surface, diving and snorkeling the waters around the islands will afford close up views of sea turtles, sharks, and sea lions, as well as fish of every size and color.

An Amazing Variety of Things to See and Do

Whether you want to tap into your inner naturalist in the Galapagos, spend time experiencing fast paced city life, or take in the awe-inspiring sight of one of the many volcanoes, you can do all of this and more in Ecuador. You can dedicate an entire visit to the country’s beaches and learn to surf, or travel to the Amazon and see more species of bird than almost anywhere else in the world. It’s hard to believe that such a small country could have such an amazing variety of things to do, but then again, seeing is believing.

Contact Jen:

• Email Jen Connelly
• Mountain Vacation Specialist
• 
  
• Toll Free: 800-755-1330 x3220
• Fax: 954-564-6721