Heliski by day, spend the night in a superyacht – is this the ultimate luxury holiday?
Heliskiing in Greenland on virgin peaks has to be on the bucket list of any keen skier or snowboarder. Add to the mix staying on a superyacht for a week and you might think you’re entering the realm of fantasy. Not so, as this enticing package is now being offered by specialist tour operator James Orr Heliski.
Founded in 1998, the company was approached by the team behind the superyacht earlier this year to sell heliskiing trips to Greenland in April and May when snow conditions are likely to be at their best and the long days allow skiers to make the most of them.
Obviously there is a helipad on board the 72.5m long MV Cloudbreak allowing her to ply her time between Norway, Sweden and Greenland in the spring and early summer months. The superyacht’s facilities are what you’d expect from an uber luxury chalet including a swimming pool, sauna and cinema room. And it comes with 22 crew to cater for guests’ every need.
Working in exclusive partnership with SuperYachtsMonaco, James Orr, founder of his eponymous company, says: “I marry the yacht and the heliski operations into one harmonised whole. I bring to the table the knowledge of getting the best guides to meet clients’ needs.”
Guests fly directly from the ship with mountain guides and are dropped on some of the most inaccessible mountains in the world. After experiencing multiple heli drops throughout the day, they are flown back to relax in Christian Liaigre designed interiors where gourmet meals and fine wines will be served.
Orr explains: “Greenland is a spectacular place to ski and the remoteness means it’s possible to drop onto rarely visited mountains and make first descents. The ship itself is like a cross between the most advanced military hardware on the sea and a luxury five-star hotel. It is a unique experience.”
It’s one that comes at a high price, from ￡1m for a week, depending on specific requirements. Orr says: “I talk to the clients and see what they’re looking for and then create a solution. The exact price would depend on their level of skiing, how many people there are and whether they want to focus on one area or travel around.”
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At such a hefty price you might think there’d be few takers. Not so, three of eight possible weeks have already been booked. Orr says: “The kind of people who book are ultra-high net worth individuals and could be anyone from anywhere around the world.”
So long as they’ve got a ￡1m to splash out on a week’s holiday.
It’s the same clientele who are most likely to wonder where to heliski every month of the year then book a trip or two, and stay in one of an elite selection of super-luxury chalets.
Heliskiing | Month-by-month guide
James Orr Heliski sells around 100 heliski holidays per year across Italy, Canada, Alaska, Greenland and Iceland. It’s the most expensive trip the company offers. The next costliest is a tenth of the price and the least expensive from ￡2,000.
The essentials
A seven-night stay on the MV Cloudbreak in Greenland in April or May 2019 with James Orr Heliski starts from ￡1m for up to 12 people including full board and unlimited heli drops with three ski guides.