Arinsal Andorra

Getting through the first day...

The majority of first time visitors to Arinsal enroll in one or other of the classes offered by the ski school, and most will also hire equipment from one of the shops in the resort or on the mountain. With nearly all visitors arriving on Sunday evening this means that Mondays can be quite hectic. This guide aims to get you through that first day with minimum stress, so you can get on with enjoying your holiday. Feel free to print out the map below and take it with you.

Directions given here are from the top Gondola station as this is how most people get up the mountain. If you take the green chairlift (from the Crest and Patagonia hotels) then walking ahead past the Ski School (Escola D' Esqui) and turning right down the green metal steps will bring you to the Gondola. If you drive up the mountain, then the Gondola is on you right as you walk up from the car park.

Lift Pass

If you have travelled with a tour operator, your rep will organise this for you, otherwise you will have to buy one from the ticket office at the bottom Gondola Station. You need a ski pass to use any of the ski lifts here as well as the ski busses. Ski passes can also be purchased at the top of the Gondola, but unless you have a car, you can't get there until you have the pass.

Ski Hire 

If you have the chance to organise this on the Sunday afternoon it will save you a lot of time. There are ski shops located in the town (St. Moritz, Pic Negre, Amadeu) and on the mountain (Esports Rossell, Pic Negre, Amadeu). Expect these to be busy on a Monday morning, so allow plenty of time. All the ski shops on the mountain are on the first floor of the main building, reached from a balcony running around its outside. To reach this when you get off the Gondola, bear right and head up the green metal steps, then turn left halfway up.

Ski School

Group lessons take place either in the morning or afternoon, depending on which tour operator you are with (if you book through the ski school yourself you can choose either). Private lessons can be booked at any time via the Ski School office. Timings are slightly complicated (see table) but morning lessons meet at 10am and afternoon lessons at midday on the Monday, so you need to be at the meeting point for your group ten minutes before these times.

To get the best out of your holiday, it is important to join the right ski school class from the list below:-

Beginners - the Beginner group is for people who have never skied before, ever. It sounds obvious, but often people join the beginner class having skied a little or a long time ago and find the pace too slow for them. So if you have ever had skis on your feet - be it years ago, on a dry slope or whatever - join a different class. Beginners meet by the wooden fence to your right as you step off the Gondola.

Dry-slopers - also known as advanced beginners, the Dry-sloper group is aimed at those people who have done some skiing on an artificial slope but have not done a week on snow yet. It is also suitable for those who have skied in the past but not for a few years, or for anybody who has skied before but is not confident enough to join the intermediate group. At the start of the first lesson a ski-off is used to split everybody into groups of similar ability. Dry-slopers meet by the large piste-map boards to the right of the green steps, opposite the beginners.

Children - children aged six to twelve who are beginners or dry-slopers meet by the ski racks to the left of the green steps beneath a large Welcome (Benvinguts) sign. After this they will always meet at the Snowgarden, in front of the Creche building, so please meet them there. Children aged five or less cannot take group lessons but can be looked after in the Creche or Snow Garden. They can also be booked into a private lesson.

Intermediates - the Intermediate group is for anybody who is comfortable using a chairlift and skiing down a blue run. Skiers are placed in groups of similar ability after an intermediate ski-off at the beginning of the first lesson. Intermediates meet at the bottom of the magic carpet (beginner's conveyor belt) to be directed to the ski-off. To reach the magic carpet, go up the green steps to your right as you step off the Gondola, and turn right at the top. Intermediate children (up to twelve) meet in the same place, but will be put in separate classes.

Snowboarders - all snowboard groups meet on the flat area by the piste basher garage - step out of the Gondola, turn right and walk past the beginner skiers.

Private lessons - to book, go up the green steps from the Gondola and turn left at the top to find the Ski School office. Coming out of the office, turn left to see a row of numbered red lolipops and go to the number matching your ticket.

Map of the ski station

	Meeting points Beginners (adults) Dry-slopers / advanced beginners (adults) Intermediates (adults and children) Snowboarders (adults and children) Beginners (children) Private lessons Spanish, French and Catalan groups