Congratulations you have reached the Niseko Ski Trip 2026 blog!
Over the next eight days in one of the world's most renowned ski destinations, the students will experience far more than just incredible powder and mountain views. In partnership with Les Elfes Japan (MnK), we've designed this trip to strike the perfect balance between world-class ski instruction, engaging evening programs, authentic cultural immersion, and the kind of supervised independence that helps young people discover their capabilities. This is the adventure where your child will challenge themselves on the slopes, connect with peers in meaningful ways, experience Japanese culture firsthand, and return home not just as a better skier, but as a more confident, resilient, and independent young person.
Day 6 - Night Skiing
Last night was night skiing — a proper highlight. After a full day on the slopes in fresh powder, the students had an early dinner and headed back out under the lights. The chance to ski freely with their friends, without the structure of lessons, brought out huge smiles all around.
One student was overheard saying the best thing about this trip has been the friendships. After watching them on the night slopes last night, that couldn't be more obvious. The bonds formed over this trip have been brilliant to witness.
Final Day on the Mountain
Today is our last ski. We'll be making the most of every run, followed by one final snowball fight (outcome yet to be determined) and the awards ceremony. Then it's packing, dinner, and preparing for the journey home.
We leave Niseko at 6 am tomorrow morning — an early start. Flight XJ621 departs CTS at 11:55 am, landing at Don Muang at 18:05.
It's gone quickly. Really quickly. But what a week it's been.
Day 5 - Challenge
Today was a proper test. Wind, limited visibility, and snowfall throughout the day. Not easy conditions, but the students stepped up to it.
The groups swapped locations as planned, which meant new runs and new targets to work towards. Despite the weather, everyone got stuck in. There's something about challenging conditions that brings out the best in people — or at least shows you what they're made of. Today did both.
The silver lining? Tomorrow is going to be absolutely brilliant. 25cm of fresh powder overnight means we're in for a treat on the mountain.
Tonight: Souvenir Shopping
Early dinner tonight before heading to Grand Hirafu for souvenir shopping. Expect requests for extra luggage space and possibly some questionable purchasing decisions. It's all part of the experience.
Tomorrow's conditions are going to be amazing. Can't wait.
Reminder to parents to complete the TDAC and send this document (with QR code) to Mr Blundell for our smooth transit into Thailand on Saturday.
Day 4 - Powder, Katsu Curry and Snowball Warfare
We woke up to overnight snowfall. Proper overnight snowfall. The kind that makes you want to immediately get outside and ruin it. The mountain was stunning this morning, and by the afternoon the clouds had cleared completely — blue skies over Niseko. It doesn't get much better than that.
On the slopes, the improvements continue to be brilliant to watch. Techniques that weren't clicking a couple of days ago are suddenly clicking. Runs that looked daunting on day one are being skied with growing confidence and — dare I say it — a bit of style. There have been some excellent moments today, a few brilliant wipeouts, and the kind of laughter that only happens when you're exhausted and happy at the same time.
Lunch on the mountain was katsu curry. It went down extremely well. Understatement of the trip so far.
The Great Snowball Fight of 2026
This afternoon saw a full-scale snowball fight break out in the park. Organised chaos is probably the most accurate description. The Zingers claimed victory — again. There are mutterings of a rematch and allegations of suspicious snowball stockpiling. No official comment from the Zingers.
Tomorrow the groups swap locations, which ramps up both the challenge and the excitement considerably. Everyone's looking forward to it.
Tonight, Japanese mini games. More to follow.
Day 3 - Snow, Snow & more Snow!
Brilliant day on the mountain; it snowed all day, but the visibility was still good. Everyone's up on the chair lifts now, which is a massive step forward. Reds are being skied, turns are happening, and—crucially—people are actually stopping where they're meant to.
The intermediates have been flying. A few of them tackled black runs today and came back absolutely buzzing. The grins said it all, really.
Lunch on the mountain was chicken teriyaki, followed by more personal best skiing. This afternoon, students had some proper chill time before tonight's main event.
Tonight: The CUBE
We've got The CUBE lined up for this evening—an interactive team game that should be good fun. Last night's quiz was won by the Gullible Seagulls, who beat the Zingers (teacher team) by 3 points. The team names alone have been worth it.
More tomorrow.
Day 2 - Snow, Hail, Rain, Hail Snow
What a day on the mountain! Day two brought us proper Winter Niseko weather—low visibility that had us skiing through clouds, but mercifully not the biting cold that sometimes accompanies it. If there's one thing we've learned today, it's that our students have spirit in abundance.
Tales of Triumph and Tumbles
The beauty of progression skiing is that everyone's journey looks different, and today delivered. We witnessed students confidently conquering red runs they wouldn't have dreamed of attempting yesterday, turns with growing precision and attacking steeper slopes with courage.
We also saw a few more humbling experiences. A student who's just conquered a challenging red run, feeling invincible, only to catch an edge and spectacularly wipe out on an easy green run moments later. Cue laughter from the entire group—including, most importantly, from the faller themselves. This is exactly the kind of resilience and perspective we hoped this trip would cultivate. The ability to laugh at yourself, brush off the snow, and carry on is worth more than any perfect run, as Mr Osborne said...Bouncebackability!
Above all else, today was filled with laughter. The kind that comes from shared experience, from inside jokes developing within ski groups, from the sheer fun of falling into soft powder, and from the joy of progressing together. When students return to their accommodation after a day on the slopes, they're buzzing with stories—both their own and their friends'.
This Afternoon: Building and Bonding
As I write this, the students are gearing up for igloo building this afternoon—a brilliant activity that combines teamwork, creativity, and a healthy dose of competition. Nothing says "Hokkaido experience" quite like constructing your own snow shelter!
Following that, we've got Games Night planned, which should provide the perfect blend of high energy and downtime after two solid days on the mountain.
The students are thriving. They're challenging themselves, supporting each other, and embracing every moment—even the face-plants on green runs.
More adventures to come!
Arrival & Day 1 on the slopes!
Niseko 2026: Arrival & Day One on the Slopes
We're thrilled to report that the Niseko Ski Trip 2026 is off to a fantastic start! The students have settled quickly into life in the mountains, and we couldn't be more impressed with how smoothly everything has unfolded.
Arrival Day: A Seamless Journey
Thanks to your punctuality and organisation at drop-off, we departed Don Muang Airport without a hitch. We enjoyed a smooth night flight to Sapporo's New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. Despite the inevitable pre-trip excitement, everyone managed to sleep on the plane—even those who insist they stayed awake the entire time.
Upon landing, the Les Elfes Japan team was ready and waiting to receive us, and we were quickly whisked away from the airport into the stunning landscape of Hokkaido. As we travelled through snow-dusted fields that gradually gave way to the dramatic mountains, you could see the students' excitement building.
Our journey included a strategic pit stop at "The Mushroom Shop," where your children made the delightful discovery that Royce chocolate costs about half as much as it does back in Thailand. Let's just say the shopping was enthusiastic, and you should expect some chocolate-based gifts upon their return—assuming it survives the trip home and doesn't mysteriously disappear beforehand.
Setting Up at Les Elfes
Arriving at the Les Elfes facility, we jumped straight into the essential tasks that would set us up for success on the mountain. After a well-deserved lunch, the students went through ski fitting—all handled in-house by the Les Elfes team with impressive efficiency and expertise. Those who needed hired clothing or additional gear collected their items, and there was time to purchase any last-minute essentials.
The afternoon was dedicated to unpacking and settling into rooms, followed by dinner and a relaxed movie night.
Day One: Assessment Day at Annupuri
This morning marked our first day on the slopes, and what a day it was! All groups headed to Annupuri for the assessment day, where our Les Elfes ski instructors got their first look at each student's abilities on snow. The primary goal was simple: to understand where each skier is currently so they can create the right groups for progression over the coming week.
The instructors were impressed by the positive attitudes, willingness to try new things, and the camaraderie within the group. Assessment day isn't just about technical ability; it's about observing how students approach challenges, how they respond to instruction, and what kind of environment will help them.
The weather, as you will see from the pictures below, was perfect, a bluebird day, with no wind! This evening, we enjoyed Japanese burgers for dinner, followed by a Japanese Cultural Drumming show and a trip to 7/11, on the way home! This was well received by all.