Our base for this holiday is Val di Fiemme which offers easy access to many of the Trentino regions ski areas. This holiday could suit many types of skier - those who do and those who don't want to take part in the weekend events. Our main aim however is to enjoy improving our ski-style (and no doubt our fitness!) whilst exploring and soaking up skiing with nature.

Day 1 Arrival to Val di Fiemme

Our meeting point will be in Ziano di Fiemme near one of the valley's principal towns of Predazzo. Here we are ideally situated to access many ski locations. If you decide to travel on the Sunday then Monday is your 'free explorer' day.

Day 2 Ski Legs Day

The ski style used for the week will be the 'classic' style using the pressed tracks/loipe. We will use our first day to find our ski legs, gain confidence by going over the different 'travelling' techniques, and work on how to be most efficient and effortless on our skis.

Day 3 Lessons & Village Tour

Our morning will be spent in smaller groups looking at ways to improve and develop our own personal skill level. These lessons will be in small groups, maximum of 3 per group. As the trail of the Marcialonga is so close we will journey in the afternoon getting familiar with the route and practicing our new skills.

Days 4 & 5 Explorers

The next 2 days we will enjoy visiting different Dolomiti ski areas such as Lago di Tesero and Passo Lavaze.

At Passo Lavaze alone you can explore 80 km of tracks and a wide variety of routes to suit all skiing abilities. The tracks lead through magnificant woodlands and onto plateaus to view vistas of the Latemar chain and the Dolomites. So there's no wonder that many national and international ski events are held in the region.

We will have opportunities to try a night ski and visit the laser biathlon course and with the connections available onto the Oclini plateau set at a slightly higher altitude it allows for very reliable skiing.

Our Nordic Superskipass will allow us access to 200km of trails!

Days 6 Gentle Ski

Today will be an easy morning ski day for those racing or even a rest day.

During our week we will also ensure that those taking part in the weekend event (a.k.a race!) are also well looked after. If this is the first time you've taken part in such an event your instructor and guide will make sure you are well prepared and have all your questions answered prior to big day. Today we will enrol for the race and collect our bibs and get organised for the following day!

Final meal for those leaving on the Sunday.

Day 7 Marcialonga Race Day or Free Ski Day

For those that have decided to take on the challenge of either the Marcialonga 70k or Marcialonga 'Light' 45k, the races start from 8am in waves. And for those of you that are not competing then perhaps you'd like to base yourself in Predazzo, which is the finish location for the 45k race. An excellent spectator spot!

Alternatively you may wish to have a day to travel further a field. Once the race has gone through the tracks are then free for you to ski on. After the race enjoy relaxing the hot tub and we'll meet up for a well earned celebratory meal.

For those flying out on the Sunday, today is departure day.

Day 8 Departure Day

Today is departure and the package finishes after breakfast.

Accommodation

Our accommodation for this trip will be at Hotel Zanon***. The hotel is run by the Family Gabrielli and is ideally situated, at nearly 1,000m above sea level, for early season snow and for exploring the area. The ski trails are just 300 metres from the front door and the free ski bus runs close by to access other areas. For more information on the accommodation follow this link: www.hotelzanon.it/eng/

Hotel Zanon offers excellent home style cuisine, local wines and a friendly service. The bedrooms are spacious and bright all with private bathrooms, telephone, internet connection, satellite TV, hairdryer, safe and balcony.

After your days out skiing enjoy relaxing in the hotel spa which offers various treatments such as their Finnish sauna and whirlpool.

How to get there: http://www.hotelzanon.it/eng/dove-siamo.php

Flexible Explorer Dates

This week has been designed to allow flexibility in your itinerary and your travel dates. The holiday dates are advertised as 24th and 31st January 2011, with the organised ski days/instruction being 25th-29th January inclusive. This is to allow for those wishing to take part in the race on the 30th January and then travel on the 31st. For those choosing these dates then the 30th January would be your 'free day' or 'race day'.

Alternatively, you can choose to travel between the 23rd and the 30th January – this we appreciate fits in with taking leave from work and travelling on weekends. Please therefore specify your date accordingly. For these dates your 'free day' would be the 24th January to explore. If flights allow you to you could still take part in the race on the morning of the 30th as long as you could transfer to the airport in good time. The race starts at 8am and you should expect to complete it by 2pm (depending on the snow conditions, fitness etc). The course finishes in Predazzo, a short transfer from our accommodation.

If you would like to arrange for a single room, for different dates, or for extra nights accommodation – please specify this on your booking form and we will try to accommodate your preferences.

Price

Included: The price includes 7 nights half board accommodation in a 3 star hotel (based on two people sharing), 3 packed lunches, and the fees & expenses of a BASI Nordic Ski Instructor/International Mountain Leader. You will receive 5 days of instructional / track touring and one free 'exploring day' or this can be your 'race day'. One morning within this will be allocated to having small ratio lessons (typically with ratios of 1:2/1:3) according to an even ability split.

Not included: Ski hire (but this can be arranged locally at approximately 45-60 euros for the week), ski pass 35 euros for the week, optional race entry 55 euros, holiday insurance, flights, transfers (see travel section for the best options), drinks, other lunches and any ski lifts that could be used in a bad weather alternative itinerary.

Optional 10 Day Trip

Why not experience other Italian ski locations within the same trip!? You can add our Dolomites trip to our January 'Italian Ski Weekend', 20th - 23rd January 2011. The Italian weekend trip is aimed at beginners or those wishing to 'refresh' their ski skills and would be the perfect way to warm up onto this Intermediate level trip. It would also be the ideal was to find your ski legs prior to the challenge of the Marcialonga. There would be a £60 reduction for those choosing to book on both trips.

As you would be having the same Instructor for both trips the transport between the two trips most likely can be shared with the Instructor. Click here for full details on the Italian Ski Weekend:

http://www.tracks-and-trails.com/index.php/eng/Cross-Country-Ski/Scheduled-Departures/Italian-Ski-Weekends

Minimum numbers

This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients to run. We will take a maximum of 8 clients.

Insurance

Please note that you must have the appropriate insurance for your chosen activity. You must be covered for helicopter rescue, repatriation and medical costs. With regard to this please be sure you have read the Insurance section in our Terms and Conditions.

Travel Information

The Fiemme Valley is easily reached by the following methods:

By plane: Milan (300 km), Villafranca-Verona (160km), Marco Polo-Venice (220 km), Innsbruck Austria (200 km) Bolzano (50km). Depending on whether you would like to travel on a Sunday or Monday Easyjet, Ryan Air or British Airways will fly to these locations.

The easiest airport transfers are with a 'fly ski shuttle bus' which runs from Milan,Venice and Verona airports costing approximately 30 euros return/ 17 euros one way (based on 2010 prices). Timetables are updated in season. Private transfers are also available. www.flyskishuttle.com

Bolzano is the local Dolomiti airport only serviced from Rome. http://www.bolzano.net/english/airport.html

By car: exit Ora-Egna from Highway 22 (Brennero), follow SS48 Dolomiti road.

By train: The closest train stations are Ora, Bolzano or Trento. Direct connections into the valley from Trentocan be made with the bus company Trentino Trasporti and from Bolzano and Ora with the company SAD. The Ora-Egna rail station is on the Verona-Munich line.

Bolzano office: +39 0471.973668 - e-mail: direzione.altoadige@trenitalia.it

By bus: daily connections from Ora-Egna, Trento and Bolzano rail stations.

To connect to many Italian major cities you can contact the Fiemme travel agency: +39.0462.341463 or Fiemme Reservations:+390462.341463

If you would like further information on how to book any travel method then please contact us for more information or go to the Val di Fiemme tourism website: htp://www.visitfiemme.it/apt_fiemme/come-arrivare/come-arrivare-en

Race Information

To avoid dissapointment we suggest that you book the race entry early as it will be full long before race day. Please do get in touch if you'd like to discuss the race and entry details. More details can be found by visiting the organisers website 'Fact pages': http://www.marcialonga.it/marcialonga_ski/EN_faq.php

You will need to book in advance for the Marcialonga: http://www.marcialonga.it/

*Set up in 1978, the Worldloppet Ski Federation is the international sports federation of cross-country skiing marathons. Their aim is to promote the sport of cross-country skiing through the various ski races around the world. There are currently 15 countries involved. Only one and the best race from a country can be a member of Worldloppet.

Dolomites Track Explorer

Individual track technique

Village hopping

Refining our descents!