VBT Bicycling Vacations
Country Walkers
Cross-Country Skiing in the Alps, the Dolomites, the Green Mountains, the Canadian Rockies or Yellowstone National Park Makes for a Perfect Winter Escape paired with VBT’s Tradition of Excellence and Unsurpassed Value.
BRISTOL, VT—VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations has announced its 2014 line of cross-country skiing vacations, including new tours to Yellowstone National Park and Vermont’s Green Mountains. With VBT, active travelers will experience new cultures, delicious cuisine and world-class accommodations after a soul satisfying day of cross-country skiing along the groomed trails in some of the world’s most spectacular winter destinations.
“We had a very successful first year of cross-country skiing trips and have designed two brand new winter vacations for active travelers to enjoy for a total of five ski tours in 2014,” VBT President Gregg Marston said. “Whichever you choose, know that there is plenty to explore both on and off the trails as these vacations aren’t just about skiing.” The VBT Cross-Country Ski vacations will bring travelers to 5-star resorts as well as into the homes of the locals. Travelers will enjoy diverse, worldly foods like the rich cuisine of alpine Italy or the hearty dishes of the west in Yellowstone and Banff. With plenty of free time guests may choose to swap out their skis and cruise through the snow on dog sleds or snowshoes, enjoy a romantic sleigh ride, or even take a day on their own to downhill ski at a world class resort - the possibilities are endless on these VBT ski vacations.
“I believe that cross-country skiing is a winter pastime that everybody can enjoy, even if you’ve never tried it before. For the 2014 season we’ve even added beginning departures for each of our trips,” Marston continued. “Like walking or biking, it’s not a sport that requires exceptional balance, dexterity or extra-ordinary stamina—anyone can do it!
VBT’s 2014 Cross-Country Skiing Vacations include:
NEW! Yellowstone in the Winter: Skiing America’s First National Park
Bozeman • Yellowstone National Park • Old Faithful • Mammoth Hot Springs • Lamar Valley
NEW! A New England Winter: Cross-Country Skiing in Vermont
Burlington •Middlebury • Green Mountain National Forest • Stowe
Slovenia, Italy & Austria: Cross-Country Skiing the Alps
Kranjska Gora • Valbruna • Tarvisio • Planica • Ramsau
Italy: Cross-Country Skiing the Dolomites
Lienz • Dobbiaco • Cavalese • Passo Lavaze
Banff & Beyond: Cross-Country Skiing the Canadian Rockies
Kananaskis • Canmore • Banff • Lake Louise
All of these vacations were designed by VBT Product Manager Garrott Kuzzy. Kuzzy’s experience as a US Ski team member and 2010 Winter Olympian brought him around the globe, where he spent time at the world’s top ski destinations – many of which inspired our VBT ski vacations. “After an outstanding first season of our cross-country ski tours, we’re excited about adding two winter vacations closer to home in Yellowstone National Park and Vermont” Kuzzy says. “Our Yellowstone National Park tour offers a great balance of visiting some of the iconic National Park features like Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic Spring, as well as exploring off the beaten track as we take a safari into the Lamar Valley to scout for wolves, elk, and bison or ski away from the roads to the aptly named Tower Falls.”
True to its Vermont roots, VBT is also rolling out its first winter vacation in the Green Mountains, during which guests will have time to explore two of the state’s most iconic towns, Stowe and Middlebury. “Right here in our backyard, the new Vermont Ski Tour is as much about the après as it is about the ski,” Kuzzy said. “Although the tour offers some of the rustic scenery you might expect on a hut-to-hut tour, our accommodations at the Swift House Inn and Trapp Family Lodge are decidedly more comfortable than any hut. Of course, we’ll have the opportunity to sample some of Vermont’s finest beer and wine as we warm up by the fire in the evening at our favorite local hangouts.”
On all cross-country skiing vacations, VBT provides free use of all the skiing equipment a traveler would need—top-quality skis, boots, and poles—with a choice of skate skis or waxless classic skis, depending on the traveler’s preferences. Since there will be a variety of daily trail options, travelers can pace themselves as they wish, and the lodge or hotel will usually be very close to the trails. VBT also provides two expert, local Trip Leaders to provide fascinating insights into the culture and assist on and off the trail.
As always, VBT’s travel experts have selected unforgettable accommodations in beautiful natural settings—framed by towering eruptions of the Old Faithful Geyser or the craggy peaks of the Dolomites—including the Old Faithful Snow Lodge in Yellowstone NP; Deer Lodge, in Lake Louise, Canada; Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT; Hotel Maria in Cavalese, Italy; and Hotel Vitranc in Kranjska-Gora, Slovenia.
Travelers can extend their discoveries and their value by adding optional, affordable extensions. On Yellowstone in the Winter: Skiing America’s First National Park, travelers can opt for a 2 night pre-trip in the classic western town of Bozeman, MT. On A New England Winter: Cross-Country Skiing in Vermont, travelers can choose a pre-trip extension in Burlington, VT on the shores of Lake Champlain. Slovenia, Italy & Austria: Cross-Country Skiing the Alps offers a pre-trip extension in romantic Venice and a post-trip extension in Salzburg, the city of Mozart. Italy: Cross-Country Skiing the Dolomites offers a pre-trip extension in Salzburg and a post-trip extension in Verona. Banff & Beyond: Cross-Country Skiing the Canadian Rockies features a pre-trip extension in rollicking Calgary.
To encourage novice skiers to participate in these wonderful vacations, VBT is making one departure to each destination designated for beginners only. These include January 10, 2014 for Slovenia, Italy & Austria: Cross-Country Skiing the Alps; January 26, 2014 for Yellowstone in the Winter: Skiing America’s First National Park ; February 2, 2014 for Banff & Beyond: Cross-Country Skiing the Canadian Rockies; February 9, 2014 for A New England Winter: Cross-Country Skiing in Vermont and February 14, 2014 for Italy: Cross-Country Skiing the Dolomites.
Founded in 1971 by a Middlebury College professor, VBT offers deluxe, small group bicycling, walking and cross-country ski tours worldwide, including destinations in Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, Peru, Argentina, Canada and the United States. Each trip includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique sightseeing and cultural activities, and full van support for biking and walking vacations. Unlike other companies, VBT also includes roundtrip international airfare from up to 30 U.S. cities for all overseas vacations.
For reservations or more information, and to receive the new 2014 cross-country skiing vacations catalog, call 1-800-245-3868 or request one here.