Cool off at these 7 frosty Southern Hemisphere destinations

Skiers go down a slope on a bright but cloudy day at the Coronet Ski Resort in Queenstown, New Zealand

Coronet Peak in New Zealand, where adventurers can ski day or night, is a short drive from Queenstown

(Image credit: mvaligursky / Getty Images)

published 22 July 2024

With heat waves, heat domes and heat warnings across the United States, many Americans are dreaming of cooler — if not downright cold — places. Relief can be found in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, where winter is in full swing and plenty of charming, snow-filled cities and resorts await. You will have to travel pretty far to visit these spots, but getting there is part of the fun.

Afriski Mountain Resort, Lesotho

Yes, you can hit the slopes in Africa. Afriski Mountain Resort in Lesotho is a powder lover's playground, with skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sledding and off-piste skiing. Ski resorts are a rarity in Africa — there are only five on the continent — and Afriski is known for its lovely views of the surrounding Maloti Mountains and lively atmosphere. There are three accommodations to choose from, all close to the action.

Named the "most charming town" in Patagonia by Travel + Leisure, Bariloche offers "alpine air and knee-buckling natural beauty" like the crystal clear Nahuel Huapi Lake. Nearby Cerro Catedral is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere, with 75 miles of slopes and 32 chairlifts, cable cars and rope tows. While skiing is the biggest draw, snowshoeing and snow BMX biking are options for those looking to try something different.

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At Falls Creek, you can truly get away from it all — even cars. Up in the Victorian High Plains, the village is about a five-hour drive from both Melbourne and Canberra, but once you arrive it is a pedestrian-only zone, with visitors having to ski-in and ski-out. The resort has more than 1,100 skiable acres, with 90 runs and 15 lifts, and a calendar filled with family activities, like tobogganing and roasting marshmallows with Pete the Snowdragon.

Up in the Victorian Alps is Hotham, the only ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere with its village at the top of the mountain. Hotham has a reputation as being Australia's "powder capital," due to its location in a "geographical pocket that hits it big when storms come up from the south," Ski Magazine said. Visitors can spend their days skiing and snowshoeing. There are some out-of-the-ordinary activities available as well, like the outdoor onsen retreat and sled dog tours.

So much snow fell at Ski Portillo in Chile during June that the resort had to twice push back its opening day. Take that as a sign to pack your bags and head to this all-inclusive spot in the Andes, where guests have the option of staying for three days or a full week. Skiing feels special here in this picturesque part of the world, and to make the experience even more magical, book the private A-frame chalet with a fireplace and views of the mountains and Inca Lake.

When you go to Queenstown, have both a cosmopolitan escape and rugged mountain adventure by taking advantage of the city's dynamic restaurant and wine scene and its close proximity to four ski areas: Cardrona Alpine Resort, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Treble Cone. Coronet Peak offers a twist to the traditional day of skiing by keeping the fun going after dark, lighting the resort up from 4 to 9 p.m., while the aptly-named Remarkables boasts a large space dedicated to inexperienced skiers looking to learn the sport.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.