Palatinalps: Is it actually worth it?

At this time of year, Durham students’ socials are flooded. Your Instagram feed becomes a blur of snowy mountaintops, jeroboams of Whispering Angel, and people you vaguely recognise wearing Canterbury trackies and rugby shirts in sub-zero temperatures, dancing and frat-flicking away aggressively to some Euro après-ski bangers on wooden tables.

Every year, violently hungover Durham students descend en-masse on a ski resort somewhere in the French Alps. Which resort depends on the year, Palatinalps (the name of the annual Durham ski trip) rotates between Tignes, Val Thorens, Les Deux Alpes, and Alpe d’Huez, but the formula never changes.

Days are spent skiing, nights are spent at après, followed by the club. All of this unfolds in a rigidly enforced uniform: men in sporty sunnies and aggressively oversized 80s jumpers, women in moon boots and pristine white fur hats. You’ve seen it. I’ve seen it. I’ve also posted it. Guilty as charged.

During the first week of the Christmas break Palatinalps is impossible to ignore, which raises the obvious question: is the picture painted on social media actually accurate? And more importantly, is the Durham ski trip really worth it?

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, but let’s be honest about why.

There is no beating around the bush, Palatinalps is expensive. There’s no point pretending this is a budget holiday. You will feel the hit to your bank account. But what you’re paying for is a fully packaged experience: accommodation, lift passes, transport, reps, events, and a level of organisation that means you don’t have to make a single decision for a week. For better or worse, it’s a plug-and-play holiday.

Most Read

Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie finally address their dating lives

Love Is Blind’s Stacy sued the show and won: Here’s what happened in the lawsuit

Right, here’s the wild saga of Jack Keating having a baby straight after Love Island explained

The trip itself is run by a company called Wasteland Travel (pro tip: don’t check their overall Google rating). In practice, though, they do what they’re meant to do. They handle all the logistics, planning, booking, transfers, and there are Wasteland reps on hand both during travel and in resort to answer questions, solve problems, and generally herd students from place to place. Most UK universities outsource their ski trips to Wasteland, which means Durham students aren’t the only ones there. If you’re hoping to practise your French, you’ll be disappointed. The slopes are wall-to-wall British accents.

Let’s talk numbers and what’s included:

To make things more transparent, here’s a rough breakdown of what you’re paying for:

This year’s base price was £499. This includes seven nights of accommodation, taxes, tolls and linens, a six-day lift pass, and access to Palatinalps events (i.e. après). There’s also a £75 deposit, which you’ll get back as long as you don’t completely destroy your accommodation. I’ve been twice and never had an issue.

Your flights are not included so you will have to organise and book these yourself to the destinations that Wasteland recommends. These are typically Grenoble, Geneva, or Lyon. From these airports, Wasteland organises coach transfers to the resort at £49 each way. You also have the option of going by coach if you fancy 24 hours of travel (this option is not for the faint of heart).

You’ll also need to rent ski gear unless you already have it. Depending on what you need, your level of ability and which package you would like, this usually costs between £99 and £150 and can include skis, boots, poles, and sometimes clothing like jackets, salopettes, gloves, goggles and socks.

Optional extras: Are they worth it?

Then there are optional extras: additional events (think yurts, headline DJs), merch (these are always very cute and nice momentos), upgraded accommodation. I’ll admit I always chose this, but I’ve heard the basic accomplishments which is included in the base price is fine, but basic as the name already suggests. Ski lessons are especially worth it for beginners or if you have only been skiing a couple of times before. I know many people who booked the re-fresher lesson for the first day of the ski trip following a ski-hiatus to get back into the rhythm of things.

Finally, you’ll need to budget for food and drink in resort, which is predictably expensive because you are, quite literally, halfway up a mountain.

All in all, most people end up spending somewhere between £800 and £1,000. This is a lot of money, and there’s no denying it, but for a week-long skiing holiday, it’s still relatively cheap.

What do other people think?

Before this turns into a personal love letter to Palatinapls (I promise I’m not sponsored, although if they want to give me a free trip next year then please reach out), I should acknowledge some bias. I grew up skiing (I’m European, so it barely counts, and no I’m not rah, I promise).

Because of that, my experience is very different from someone learning from scratch, and people who first learned to ski through Palatinapls may see things differently. To balance this out, I spoke to several people who learned to ski for the first time on the Durham ski trip.

The general consensus? It is worth it, although perhaps not with quite the same evangelical enthusiasm as mine. Everyone agreed it’s a great opportunity to learn to ski, especially with the beginner packages and lessons. One common criticism was that some après events take place on mountains that are tricky to reach for non-skiers or first-timers, which can be frustrating.

An intense, unforgettable week that delivers exactly what it promises:

For the most part, the verdict was overwhelmingly positive, complete with skiing, chaos, and uninterrupted time with your friends. You’re constantly bumping into people you know, meeting people you don’t, and you come back with stories that will be referenced for the rest of the academic year.

It’s also a uniquely rare opportunity: a fully organised holiday where all your mates are in one place, doing a sport you love during the day and partying straight after. Being on the slopes is a privilege in itself, and getting the chance to ski for relatively cheap only adds to the appeal.

Convenience plays a huge role too. Yes, you could probably put together a marginally cheaper trip if you planned everything yourself, but it would take serious effort. Palatinapls, via Wasteland, removes all of that stress. Everything is sorted, everyone is there, and you get to focus on skiing and socialising.

So, is Palatinalps worth it?

If you’re expecting luxury, peace, or financial responsibility: No. But, if you want a ridiculous, high-energy, borderline unhinged week that somehow lives up to the hype: Absolutely.

You’ll come back poorer, sleep-deprived, and with a camera roll that should probably be deleted, but also having made memories for a lifetime. Just don’t forget to post about it. Everyone else will.

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Durham Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.