Located in Kosciuszko National Park near Perisher Valley in the NSW Snowy Mountains, Charlotte Pass is Australia’s highest and oldest ski resort. The resort is unique in Australia in that in the winter, it is completely snowbound and only accessible by oversnow transport, which makes for the true alpine experience. Visitors are transported to and from the resort from Perisher aboard special Charlotte Pass state of the art oversnow vehicles. The high elevation of the resort allows for ample natural snow. Charlotte Pass holds the record for the coldest temperatures ever recorded in Australia, and on average it receives more snowfall than any other Australian resort.

A Remote Magical Wonderland

It’s unique location and limited accessibility means that skiing at Charlotte Pass is less crowded than many other Australian resorts, and its small cosy size lends itself to a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. As crowds are minimal at Charlotte Pass, the snow will often remain fresh and the runs don’t mogul up from overuse. There are only 5 lifts in the resort, but without big crowds on the slopes, queues are minimal here too. The runs at Charlotte Pass are suitable for beginners to advanced intermediates, and there is also a good range of cross country and backcountry skiing. For beginners, the Charlotte Pass Ski School offers lessons at reasonable prices. Snowshoe Tours at the resort allow visitors to see the Snowy Mountains from a different perspective, and Backcountry tours are also available at Charlotte Pass for more experienced skiers.

The Ultimate Alpine Escape

Surrounded by National Park, the wild alpine views from the resort are superb. The village is small and accessible, and visitors can easily walk around. The Ski Centre and Administration located in the heart of the village deals with tickets, transportation, ski and snowboard lessons as well as ski hire. Other facilities in the village include a grocery store, gift shop, internet café and some good dining options. There are a number of accommodation options available at Charlotte Pass, the best known is the historic Kosciuszko Chalet which was built in 1930 (and rebuilt a decade later following a fire). Nowadays this ski-in, ski-out hotel provides first-class service and is a great choice for a romantic alpine break or a family ski adventure. There are also several other ski lodges available for visitors, all of which are located centrally within the village. Due to its remote location, the majority of visitors stay in Charlotte Pass village itself, although it is possible to stay off the mountain at Jindabyne and take the overland snow transport in to the resort each day.

Jindabyne Travel Guide