Perisher ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do around Perisher
Overview
The Perisher ski fields sit within the Kosciuszko National Park of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales just over 200kms south of Canberra.
The resort is a collection of 4 lift connected villages...
- Perisher Valley
- Smiggin Holes
- Guthega, and
- Blue Cow Mountain
Perisher is the largest village with the most facilities and is also home to the underground skitube terminal called Bullocks Flat. The facilities at the terminal include a skihire shop, ski school office and lift pass office so you can get kitted up and be on the slopes in no time.
Après-ski
Perisher Village has plenty of choices when it comes to bars and restaurants although the nightlife is a peg below Thredbow in terms of late evening venues.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1720m |
| Top lift | 2054m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Ski area (acre) | 3076 |
| Longest run | 3 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 100 km |
| Season | June - Oct |
| Snowboard parks | 6 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively |
Perisher ski area guide
The ski area is spread across 7 peaks covering 1,245 skiable hectares and is the largest in the Southern hemisphere with 47 ski lifts (mostly T-bars) and 105 pistes. The ski terrain is predominantly geared towards beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders with the difficulty of the trails being 22% beginner, 60% intermediate and 18% advanced. The ski season typically starts early June and lasts until the first week of October snow permitting. The snow record has been good over the years with the average maximum snow depth across the mountains being a respectable 1.9m.
Beginners
First timers will enjoy the nursery slopes at Smiggins Hole before progressing to the gentle blues in the Perisher Valley sector.
Intermediate
With plenty of long reds, intermediate skiers and boarders are very well catered for throughout the Perisher snow fields.
Advanced
For advanced skiers and boarders, challenging on-piste terrain is limited with only a handful of short black trails. Off-piste is a different story with plenty of terrain in the back-country especially from the top of Guthega at 1913m.
Snowboard
There are 5 terrain parks throughout the Perisher Valley including one under floodlights and one halfpipe. The best action is in the back-country and in the trees on the lower section of Mount Blue.
Things to see & do around Perisher
If you don't fancy skiing or the weather is not that great, then there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied...
- Cross-country skiing - over 100kms
- Sledging
- Tubing
- Piste basher tours
- Night skiing
Our view on Perisher ski resort
Perisher Valley is a good option for family ski holidays where you will find fantastic trails for beginners and intermediates, slopeside accommodation and lively apres-ski. For some variety, you can also ski in the nearby resorts of Charlotte Pass (8km) and Thredbo (15km).
