A Ski Holiday with Friends of Different Levels: How Does Everyone Have Fun?
For friends of different levels to have fun together, the day is split in two: on the slopes, everyone skis in a group at their own level, and lunch and the evening are spent together. Taking a beginner onto a difficult slope makes nobody happy, and neither does keeping an experienced skier waiting in the beginner area all day. A resort where the beginner area and easy slopes are in the same zone, meeting points agreed in advance and a group leader make this balance easier. That is why the most comfortable option for groups of friends with mixed levels is a winter social adventure holiday run with level groups.
The most common picture in groups of friends is this: one can ski, one has tried it once or twice, one has never skied. When everyone tries to stay on the same slope, either the beginner pushes themselves too hard or the experienced skier gets bored. The solution is to move being together from the slopes to the rest of the day.
7 rules for skiing together
Split up by level on the slopes. The beginner in the beginner area with an instructor, those who can ski on slopes at their own level. This saves the day for both sides.
Have lunch together. It is the most natural time to meet during the day; you share what you learned in the morning.
Agree on a meeting point and time in advance. Choose a place everyone can find easily, such as a lift base station or a restaurant; even if there is no phone signal, the plan is clear.
Do the last run of the day together, on the easiest slope. The experienced skiers match the beginner’s pace; this is both safe and fun.
Don’t say “Come on, it’s easy”. Talking a beginner into a slope above their level both increases their fear and raises the risk of an accident. Take run colours and levels seriously.
The rules are the same for everyone. The FIS 10 rules for conduct also apply when skiing as a group: everyone chooses their own speed, and the group gathers at the side of the slope in a spot that is visible from above.
Plan the evening together. The differences on the slopes disappear at dinner and during the evening programme; après-ski is where everyone is at the same level.
Choosing a resort: an area for every level
For a group with mixed levels, it matters that the beginner area and easy slopes are in the same zone, so that the split groups can easily meet at lunchtime. For example, each of the four gates of Erciyes has a beginner area with a magic carpet, and the gates are connected to each other by lifts and slopes; while an experienced skier skis in the upper zone, a beginner can take lessons in the beginner area of the same gate. For choosing a resort, see our guide How to choose a destination for your first ski holiday.
Choosing a package: everyone on their own package, in the same programme
A good solution for groups with mixed levels is to choose different packages on the same dates and in the same programme: those who have never skied join with a basic course package, those who can ski with an experience package. On Doğadayız Erciyes programmes, the basic course and experience packages run on the same dates; accommodation, transfers, dinner and the evening programme are shared, and only the programme on the slopes is split by level. On the basic course packages, too, groups are re-formed by level on the afternoon of the first day; someone who progresses quickly can move up to a more advanced group.
On a ski holiday with friends, one person often ends up as the “organiser” and carries the burden of the holiday. On an activity holiday, that burden disappears: transport, accommodation, ski pass, equipment and lessons are planned in advance; the group leader sets the meeting points and times. Meeting new people within the group is a bonus on top: groups of friends with mixed levels end up at the same table as solo travellers. That is why we design our winter programmes as a social adventure holiday. For all winter programmes, see the winter activity holidays page.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
My friend can ski and I have never skied; can we go together?
Yes. The best way is to split up on the slopes and be together at lunch and in the evening: you ski in the beginner area with an instructor, and your friend skis on slopes at their own level. Choosing different packages (basic course and experience) in the same programme makes this easier.
Can I take my beginner friend onto a difficult slope?
It is not recommended. A slope above their level both increases their fear and raises the risk of an accident. Doing the last run of the day together on the easiest slope is safer and more fun.
Which resort suits a group of different levels?
One where the beginner area and easy slopes are in the same zone and well connected by lifts. Each of the four gates of Erciyes has a beginner area with a magic carpet, and the gates are connected to each other.
A social ski holiday is a winter social adventure holiday where you learn and enjoy skiing or snowboarding as a group, spending the day on the slopes and the evening with the same group. Three things set it apart from a classic ski holiday: groups formed by level, a group leader who is with you at all times and a shared social programme after the slopes (dinner, nightlife, après-ski). It is also an activity holiday: accommodation, ski pass and equipment are planned, so all you have to do is focus on the slopes and the group. It is especially well suited to people travelling solo.
Yes, you can go on a ski holiday on your own, and more and more people are doing so. According to Doğadayız booking records, the share of participants who joined the winter programmes on a solo booking rose from 26% in the 2022–23 season to 39% in 2025–26. For someone travelling alone, the easiest way is to join a group programme with groups by level, a group leader and a shared evening programme: you find a circle of people from day one, rooms are planned in advance and you are never on your own on the slopes. Programmes like this are designed as a social adventure holiday.
A winter social adventure holiday has three parts: lessons (tuition or practice that suits your level), experience (the resort, the slopes and the region) and social programme (the group, the group leader and the evenings). Choosing well means balancing these three according to your own priorities: if you have never skied, choose a programme focused on lessons; if you can ski, focus on the slopes and the resort experience; if meeting new people is your priority, choose a strong social programme. What they all share is the structure of an activity holiday, where transport, accommodation, ski pass and equipment are planned.
