THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS

The Snowy Mountains are world-wide known for Australia`s highest peak – Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m), situated within the Mount Kosciuszko National Park. Other popular holiday destinations are Jindabyne, Eucumbene, Monaro, Upper Murray and Cabramurra.

JINDABYNE

Every traveller making their way to the Snowy Mountains will pass through the friendly town of Jindabyne and its picturesque lake. This lovely resort never sleeps: summertime brings pleasant temperatures ideal for horse riding, bushwalking, mountain biking, caving, swimming, kayaking, rafting, canoeing, and waterskiing.

In springtime, the region gets suddenly covered with carpets of colourful wildflowers and turns the landscape into a fairyland. Winters welcome crowds of visitors and winter sports lovers who stop by before continuing towards Thredbo and Perisher.

THREDBO

The alpine village of Thredbo (1320 m) is one of Australia`s most visited ski resorts, and the prices reflect its reputation. Nevertheless, the location is worth spending a bit of money for the cosy atmosphere and spectacular views of Mount Kosciuszko whose summit can easily be climbed or reached via a chairlift throughout a year.

Thredbo promotes a good variety of accommodation, ranging from private alpine villas, and luxurious hotels to rustic guesthouses, with plentiful entertainment, bars, restaurants, cafes and pubs. The highlights are the Thredbo bobsled and hiking Mt Kosciuszko.

PERISHER

The Perisher Valley is another popular ski resort within the national park and part of the Australian skiing development. Top facilities, services and numerous attractions guarantee a well-spent winter holiday. Situated at the altitude of 1720 m Perisher features the best ski conditions in the region, and it is the largest ski resort in the southern hemisphere.

Perisher Valley, Guthega, Blue Cow and Smiggin Holes are the main villages, offering comfortable accommodation and several ski fields with chairlifts for all levels of skiers. One of the biggest attraction is the Skitube – Australia`s only underground rack railway.

CHARLOTTE PASS

At elevation 1760 m, Charlotte Pass Village is the highest permanent settlement in Australia and one of the oldest ski resorts. The Charlotte Pass Village is considered to be the most romantic ski resort of all due to its picturesque setting and quite a remote location. Well-groomed ski slopes and scattered alpine guesthouses only add on its attractiveness.

There are many trails ideal for summer hiking and mountain biking, including the Main Range Track. Charlotte Pass Lookout, accessible by car, offers fantastic views.

THE ALPINE WAY

The Alpine Way is a tourist scenic drive (126 km long), starting at Jindabyne. The road follows the Thredbo River, passes through the Thredbo Village and crosses the crest of the Great Dividing Range and Dead Horse Gap to continue around the other side of the range to reach the Murray River and Murray Valley.

The drive was built in 1950, and it covers most of the main points of interest. It will take the motorists through the characteristic landscape of the region and typical alpine scenery: rolling hills, pristine rivers, glacial lakes, mountain peaks covered with rocks and woodlands and there are good chances of spotting some of the native animal species, e.g. wombat, kangaroo, emu, pygmy possum and wild horse.

ESSENTIAL WINTER EXPERIENCES IN KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK

• THREDBO SNOWTUBING – go crazy at snow tubing, tobogganing, snowman building or snowballing
• PERISHER SKI TUBE – take a ride on the Swiss-designed rock trail that takes passengers through a tunnel to the Perisher Resort.
• CHARLOTTE PASS – ski or snowboard in ski fields of the highest village in Australia or stay at the charming Charlotte Pass Snow Resort
• MOUNT KOSCIUSZKO – Take a chairlift to Mount Kosciuszko and have mulled wine in the Eagles Nest Restaurant – the highest restaurant in Australia
• WILDBRUMPY SCHNAPPS DISTILLERY – pay a visit to the café and distillery door to sample regional schnapps and treats
• ALPINE WAY – drive the tourist scenic Alpine Way to experience the unique winter atmosphere of Snowy Mountains (NOTE snow chains required)

ESSENTIAL SUMMER EXPERIENCES IN KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK

• JINDABYNE LAKE – choose one of the myriads water activities or cycling/walking around the lake, have a picnic at the lake
• THREDBO – Climb Mt Kosciuszko and have a refreshing beer the Eagles Nest Restaurant – the highest restaurant in Australia
• BOBSLEDDING – have tons of fun at Thredbo bobsledding at any age (operates only in summer)
• MOUNTAIN BIKING – hop on a mountain bike and ride the 17 km long fantastic Thredbo Valley Track
• YARRANGOBILLY CAVES – explore the most beautiful limestone karts system in the country, discover its natural springs  and thermal pools and swim in a natural setting after walking one of the pleasant walking trails in the area
• KOSCIUSZKO BREWERY – enjoy the local beer on the deck overlooking a lake
• CHARLOTTE PASS – hike from Charlotte Pass to the Blue Lake Lookout (4 hr return)
• HIKING – try one of the popular, easy walks: Illawong Walk (2 hrs return), Pallaibo Walking Track (2 hrs return), Jounama Creek Walk (2-3 hrs return),

For walking tracks and hiking in the national park go to: http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-and-hiking-in-nsw/kosciuszko-np-south/

HOW TO GET THERE

Fly to Canberra, hire a vehicle and drive to Thredbo/Perisher (Canberra- Cooma- Jindabyne-Thredbo/Perisher). The journey takes 2-3 hours.

NOTE In wintertime (June-September) you MUST carry snow chains, and they frequently get checked by the police. There is an entrance fee to the national park.

Optionally, there are local flights directly to the Snowy Mountains Airport from most of the Australian cities, but they tend to be quite expensive.

For all flights check out www.momondo.com or www.skyscanner.com