There’s no better gift than the gift of travel, and while the term “Bucket List” is overused in the travel media, there is no trip that is more “Bucket List” or “Once In a Lifetime” than a safari.

It was the British who invented the ski vacation, crossing the channel to hit the slopes in the Alps. Their preference endures for sharing lavish homes with family and friends, employing chefs, massage therapists, and ski instructors through the week.

f you have a particular outdoor or travel passion, be it hiking, biking, golf, or skiing, there’s a Bucket List trip for you to experience this year. These are all topics I have specialized in for three decades, and I continuously try new outfitters and new destinations to find the best trips on earth

ON A BLUEBIRD DAY, from the top of Lone Peak you can see nearly 2,000 vertical feet of pillowy, wind-loaded snow spread out, and that’s before you hit the tree line.

This City in the Austrian Alps Is an All-seasons Destination With World-class Skiing, Beautiful Hikes, and a Charming Old Town. Here’s how to plan the perfect trip to Innsbruck, Austria.

While Lake Tahoe is gorgeous year-round, visiting in summer is especially wonderful, with perfect weather, great hiking options, crystal clear water, and lots of on-the-water activities.

Beat the heat this summer! Jackson Hole offers the ultimate family mountain summer vacation for young and old alike. Families looking to spend quality time together won’t run out of things to do with Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park just down the road. Bring your loved ones out for a guided horseback tour or go whitewater rafting on the Snake River. The possibilities are truly endless when you visit Jackson Hole, so we narrowed down the top seven ways to get your summer vacation started.

The vast majority of Americans go to places like Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Canada and Wyoming for their annual ski vacations. But there are good reasons to consider Europe, especially with the increasing popularity of the global ski passes, most notably the IKON and Epic passes...

Alpine Adventures has expanded its already-global destination network and now offers customized safari and cultural trips to Africa. It's meaningful travel that can include daily game drives, South Africa wine country tours, and other combinations of life experiences.

Lots of fabulous information, many people we're thankful to for welcoming us with open arms, a big adventure in #Aspen . Nothing compares to experiencing firsthand this stunning ski resort, luxurious hotels and warm professional staff that made our stay unforgettable.

The Dolomites have long been a top destination for skiers traveling from the UK, and even draw lots of visitors from neighbors with their own great skiing, such as Switzerland and Austria, which is an impressive compliment, but only in recent years have Americans begun to discover the region in significant numbers...

...looking for a quality stay at a lower price point, I contacted Rick Reichsfeld, owner of Alpine Adventures, a top ski travel operator in this country that books a lot of Europe trips, and he recommended...

We’re all searching to get more out of life, to experience our world in unexpected ways. We’re going skiing, not just in Colorado, or Utah or California, but all over the world, from Chile to Japan to Italy and France. Luxury Travel Insider's guests today are brother and sister team Rick Reichsfeld and Richelle Blanken.

To navigate language differences, flight and airport options, ground transfers, ski passes, ryokan and restaurant bookings, and local transportation, use a ski travel specialist who is familiar with Japan.

October 3 – 9, 2021 Oregon Tour - Portland, Multnomah Falls and Gorge waterfalls, Oregon Coastal area, vineyards, Eugene, Crater Lake National Park

Our trip began on September 5th as planned (or as replanned several times). It was the first Adventure trip undertaken in over two years. All members had to be vaccinated and complete additional forms for entry into Switzerland and Italy...

The last two winters haven’t been kind to skiers. In early 2020, most resorts shut down abruptly because of the onset of the pandemic; this past season, capacity restrictions made booking lift tickets so frustrating that many skiers simply passed altogether.

If you know of doctors, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and first responders who could benefit from an escape to the mountains to rest and revive, please fill out the online form and return it to us.

“Keep in mind [flights] into small regional airports like Aspen and Vail sell out quickly on Saturday and Sunday,” advised Richelle Blanken, owner and vice president of Alpine Adventures, a global travel agency specializing in ski and winter getaways. “Book early or consider midweek arrivals or larger airports like Denver or Salt Lake City.”

True ski in ski out access, beautiful lobby lounges with comfy seating arrangements surrounding roaring fires, spas with indoor swimming pools and hammams, ski valets who will actually help you put on your boots and carry your skis to the slope, fantastic children’s rooms with daily programs, and of course amazing food prepared by some of the best chefs in all of France...

On a recent stopover in Dubai, I had the opportunity to get out of the airport and explore a little of this magnificent city. Booking Emirates business or first class comes with some perks that come in very handy when you have a layover in Dubai.

The first month of the year is a prime time to visit. The star event of the month is the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival (January 11-19, 2019), which brings top culinary talent from around the world and turns the town into a foodie hotspot.

Though just 8 keys, Caldera House makes a bold statement on the Jackson Hole scene. Each is a sprawling villa ranging from two to four bedrooms and offers full private staff including chef, wait staff, maid, house butler, and even a ski butler and concierge, making it a perfect home for multi-gen families...

Situated on the slopes of Mont Blanc, near the Via Roma shopping area in the center of Courmayeur, the eco-friendly Le Massif offers guests a unique modern-Alpine aesthetic with spectacular views and full ski concierge and ski butler service...

The sleek Lefay spa retreat on Lake Garda debuts an 84 suite sister hotel in the heart of the Dolomites just outside Pinzolo’s Modonna di Compiglio ski resort. With contemporary-styles suites starting at 575 sft and a whopping 50,000 sft spa, Lefay offers a fabulous option for ski enthusiasts traveling with wellness-focused companions...

Set outside of Salt Lake City’s pristine mountains, Blue Sky will be a game changer in offering a luxury ranch and tented camp experience within easy reach of a hub city. Its luxury yurts will be among the largest glamping options in the country while its bespoke approach to outdoor adventures...

We are a group of 27 heading to Lake Como to spend our first 4 nights there followed by 4 nights in the lovely Italian Riviera. We fly into Milan and embark on a panoramic tour of Milan’s main landmarks stopping at sights such as the Sforza Castle...

Your trip begins when you're welcomed at the airport by one of their team members, who provides an SUV fully stocked with snacks and drinks for the ride to the property. Once you arrive, another team member gives you a tour of the property and all of its amenities, which are plentiful...

Your trip begins when you're welcomed at the airport by one of their team members, who provides an SUV fully stocked with snacks and drinks for the ride to the property. Once you arrive, another team member gives you a tour of the property and all of its amenities, which are plentiful...

Your trip begins when you're welcomed at the airport by one of their team members, who provides an SUV fully stocked with snacks and drinks for the ride to the property. Once you arrive, another team member gives you a tour of the property and all of its amenities, which are plentiful...

Park City’s High West Distillery already has a tasting room and restaurant on-site, so you can toast your achievements. TO BOON Direct or through Rick Reichsfeld, who an also organize a custom ski vacation for you, mixing Blue Sky with ski experiences elsewhere.

Switzerland: Wonderful Mountain Villages, Superb Skiing, Obligatory Cheese Fondue. Think of the classic winter sports scene, high mountains, tradition, luxury and class. You’re thinking of Switzerland. With its reputation as the most luxurious skiing in Europe, and perhaps the world, Switzerland can also be very affordable.

“You have more rooms than your family would in a hotel, it’s more personalized, and the staff members work just for you,” says Rick Reichsfeld, president of Alpine Adventures (alpineadventures.net), America’s leading luxury ski travel specialist, which often arranges chalet trips.

If you can’t find your favorite terrain here, you can’t find it anywhere. Every winter, more skiers and snowboarders pick Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb than any other resort in North America. It is stunningly large, with the most skiable terrain (8,171 acres) and highest vertical rise (5,280 feet) on the continent...

I took an adventure trip last month and I’m still processing everything that happened. As a life-long skier, I truly believe that every trip to the top of a mountain sets up an adventure to get down, whether you are skiing America’s northeast or riding in the high peaks of Colorado, Europe, South America, or Japan. Remember—our business name is Alpine Adventures.

When it is time for our annual group trip to Club Med, the anticipation and excitement are the same! We simply know our clients will have a great time! GUARANTEED In fact, most of them are returning G.M (Gentils Membres) year after year! This year we chose Club Med Cancun for our 4-night getaway. We used to make it a 3-night getaway but people complained that it was too short.

Telluride, Colorado ranks right up there for those who prefer the adventure-side of a destination. This small and enchanting mountain town sits at the end of a box canyon in the dramatically wild and ragged San Juan Mountains near Colorado’s southwestern corner. Winter or summer, there is only one way in and one way out.

“We don’t recommend car rentals,” says Alpine president Rick Reichsfeld. “The airport companies don’t provide snow tires, and you don’t need a car in the village.”

Alpine Adventures has expanded its already-global destination network and now offers customized safari and cultural trips to Africa. It's meaningful travel that can include daily game drives, South Africa wine country tours, and other combinations of life experiences.

Most of our staff come from the ski industry -- resort employees, former ski instructors, snowboarders, people like that. They've visited the hotels and the resorts we represent. What we're selling is knowledge and service.

“In general you save 8-10% over what you would pay doing it yourself,” said Rick Reichsfeld, co-owner of Alpine Adventures. And just to be clear, Rick isn’t in the bargain vacation business – his company is the official ski travel supplier for the Virtuoso network of the nation’s best luxury travel agents. He saves money for people who don’t need to save money...

“We don’t recommend car rentals,” says Alpine president Rick Reichsfeld. “The airport companies don’t provide snow tires, and you don’t need a car in the village.”

A STRONG DOLLAR and a host of new hotels are driving interest in Europe this ski season, but there's plenty to do stateside as well. "We've definitely been seeing a rise in international bookings," says Richelle Blanken, vice president of Alpine Adventures. "The dollar is strong against the Euro and the Swiss Franc, so we've had a lot of inquiries for Europe."

It’s never too early to start thinking about winter, especially with these hot temps! To help cool us down, Mother Nature brought Jackson Hole Mountain Resort snow…in July!

Red Wine and Powder Snow are my two favorite things. Why not enjoy both of them in the midst of our hot summer? Chile's ski season is just beginning with record breaking snowfall in the Andes.

My use of epic is generally mountain related, although I still probably say it a lot more than I should. Epic was the day I made it to Vail right before the pass closed because of the weather. This same storm dropped a foot of powder that I got to ski for a couple of hours before the pass opened and it got tracked out.

My use of epic is generally mountain related, although I still probably say it a lot more than I should. Epic was the day I made it to Vail right before the pass closed because of the weather. This same storm dropped a foot of powder that I got to ski for a couple of hours before the pass opened and it got tracked out.

As I travelled back to Florida from Reno/Tahoe a couple of weeks ago, I chatted with a few people in the airports. Everyone had the same response: “Reno, isn’t that like a little Vegas?” Six months ago, that probably would have been my response...

Ah, November. The month when Mother Nature can’t decide if it’s a balmy fall day in the 70s, or the heart of winter. November is when one by one, the resorts finally start opening for the skiers and snowboarders who have been eagerly waiting those first turns.

Some people have the misconception that group trips involve being herded from one place to another like cattle; no free time, no experiencing the destination on your own. With our trips, you spend as much or as little time as you’d like with the other travelers.

With our trips, you spend as much or as little time as you’d like with the other travelers. Our groups usually consist of friends and strangers united by a love of travel, and desire to experience a new resort.

One of the most underrated times of year to hit the slopes is nearly upon us: early season in the ski resorts. These are the few precious weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas where you can find the amazing combination and kill deals...

One of the most underrated times of year to hit the slopes is nearly upon us: early season in the ski resorts. These are the few precious weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas where you can find the amazing combination and kill deals...

Fall makes many people think of changing leaves, crisp temperatures, and finally having an excuse to occasionally sidle up to a fireplace. There is no better place to fully embrace everything about fall than by visiting the Ranch at Rock Creek.

Most of our staff come from the ski industry -- resort employees, former ski instructors, snowboarders, people like that. They've visited the hotels and the resorts we represent. What we're selling is knowledge and service.

While heli-skiing off the ski runs or ‘‘off-piste'' is demanding, the mountain's regular terrain is mostly intermediate-level. I found only one brief mogul run but it is hard to imagine a mountain or ski town offering a more pleasant overall experience.

COURMAYEUR, Italy -- A thumping helicopter hauled us up alongside the menacingly close stone cliff. Suddenly, the rock face dropped away, and the chopper perched lightly on a snowy peak in the Italian Alps. “Go!” the guide Gianni screamed over the din, and our dazed group of six flopped out the door into white, blinding wind, grabbing our skis from the leg of the helicopter as we went.