Nothing sullies the grandeur of a night’s sky like the busy lights of a tourist destination. Perhaps the best reason to book your next slope sojourn at New Zealand’s pleasantly remote Minaret Station is the opportunity to soak in a universe of stars while you soak yourself after a day of skiing.
Of course, there are other reasons to recommend the premier resort. While every ski destination worth its black diamonds has an option to enjoy heli-skiing, they can’t touch the exclusivity of Middle Earth. Set at the head of a sublime glacial valley within the untouched landscapes of the Kiwi nation’s Southern Alps, it’s only reachable by helicopter (a 25-minute flight from Queenstown).
Guests are hosted in lavishly-furnished tented suites, complete with wall-to-wall sheepskin carpet and private decks with their own hot tubs. From there, explore hundreds of square kilometres of untracked terrain and mountain scenery on private heli-ski charters with Minaret’s veteran pilots and guides.
From wide-open bowls for the novice to steep and deep chutes for experienced, each trip is customized to your liking.