Zoom With A View: Recapping Ski Buzz 2026
“Danny and I never tire of planning Ski Buzz journeys. Every itinerary feels like the best yet. We always aim to combine two countries for contrast in terrain and culture, and this year welcomed nine returning Ski Buzzers alongside five first-timers - by the end, everyone felt like old friends. That sense of camaraderie is what defines Ski Buzz.”
Y Travel’s annual ski safari Ski Buzz is the creation of founder Yvonne and her brother Danny, whose shared love of skiing was first forged on the slopes of Mt Buller in their youth. After years spent building careers and families, they reunited on snow a decade ago - and the Ski Buzz concept was born. Today they bring an encyclopaedic knowledge of the European Alps and a simple belief: skiing doesn’t lose its thrill with age - it only deepens it.
Each year the duo meticulously curate a maximum of sixteen guests for a true ski safari: hidden gem resorts across the European Alps, boutique hotels chosen for character and comfort, experienced local guides selected for passion as much as expertise, long convivial evenings of dining and drinking rather well, and the occasional beautifully timed surprise both on and off the slopes. No mega-resorts, no peak-season crowds - just the best of Alpine spring skiing, shared with a like-minded collective of mountain lovers.
Ski Buzz 2026 began in the Italian village of Cervinia, crossed the Swiss-Italian border via Zermatt into Saas-Fee, and concluded with an optional three-night stay in Verbier. Here, Yvonne shares her highlights:
Cervinia, Italy
“Cervinia, at the base of the Matterhorn, set the tone for the journey. After transferring from Milan, we arrived at the boutique Hotel Hermitage, a family-run alpine retreat that has welcomed guests for over fifty years. Owner Corrado Neyroz greeted us with fireside drinks and an introduction to the Cervinia-Zermatt terrain on our first evening, instantly setting the rhythm for the days ahead.
The skiing was exceptional. We explored vast cross-border terrain between Italy and Switzerland, including the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise - the highest ski lift in Europe at 3,883 metres. Whether it was the altitude or the sheer scale of the views, it was impossible not to be awestruck. Our guides Ivan, Max and Nicole brought effortless Italian charm to each day - meeting us each morning, helping with boots and skis, and quietly elevating every detail of the experience. Days unfolded in a natural rhythm: ski groups by ability, long leisurely slope-side Italian lunches, and unhurried afternoons carving turns back on snow.
Evenings were spent in the Hermitage’s cosy bar - Aperol Spritz in hand - reliving the day before gathering for a hearty, convivial dinner.
On transfer day we bid “Ciao!” to Italy as half the group skied across the Swiss-Italian border directly into Zermatt village, while others took the scenic ‘pedestrian’ route - a sequence of six gondola rides from Breuil-Cervinia over the Klein Matterhorn and down into Switzerland. The crossing itself felt like a signature Ski Buzz moment, suspended between two countries in a single day.
A short scenic transfer brought our group from Zermatt to Saas-Fee and our next home, The Capra boutique hotel, where luggage had already arrived and a drink was already waiting. Not to be outdone by their Italian counterparts, our Swiss hosts welcomed us with a decadent raclette and fondue evening in the private wine cellar - the perfect transition into the second half of the journey.”
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
“Saas-Fee is unlike anywhere I have ever skied! A car-free village encircled by thirteen 4,000-metre peaks, it offers vast glacier terrain that brings you past open crevasses and across a shifting landscape of ice. It was so unique and impressive! On one unforgettable run, we even skied into a natural opening in the glacier itself - a surreal moment that captured the raw beauty of the Alps.
At this altitude, Saas-Fee is snow-sure in a way few resorts can match, and our late-season conditions remained superb despite two weeks without fresh snowfall. Our guide Loz, a former ski race instructor who has called Saas-Fee home for twenty years, led technical sessions alongside Samson, Emily and Laura. Every skier improved - even the most advanced guests, who described it as some of the best instruction they had ever received.
Off the slopes, Saas-Fee offered a different kind of magic. Evenings brought a beautiful mix of Swiss, French and Italian dining, while The Capra - spread across three elegant chalets - proved exceptional in every detail. Service was seamless, rooms beautifully considered, and our daily ritual at The Peak spa - outdoor hot pool, saunas, steam rooms and yoga - became a quiet highlight of the journey. More than one returning Ski Buzzer called it the finest hotel we’ve stayed in across nine years of Ski Buzz.”
Verbier, Switzerland
“Breaking with tradition, this year we added a third destination - the glamorous Swiss resort of Verbier - as an optional three-night extension, which the majority of the group enthusiastically embraced.
Without a formal itinerary, Verbier unfolded at its own pace: relaxed skiing, wandering the village, or stepping into some of the Alps’ most exhilarating ‘yellow’ (marked, off-piste and avalanche-controlled) terrain. A fresh dusting of powder on the final day delivered a fitting farewell.
My sister Sharon and brother-in-law David also joined Danny and me here, both returning to skis after seven years away. Watching them rediscover their rhythm on snow brought everything full circle - a reminder of growing up in the mountains, and of what Ski Buzz is truly about: reconnecting with your love of skiing, and realising that the rush of a great piste never gets old (even if we do)!”
Join us for Ski Buzz 2027!
For our milestone 10th Ski Buzz safari in 2027 we are already deep in planning - and while we say this every year, we truly mean it this time: this will be our most exceptional itinerary yet. Returning to two of our most loved resorts, Lech in Austria and Saas-Fee in Switzerland (we really did love it that much!), we are bringing the same obsessive attention to detail that defines every Ski Buzz journey - from researching resorts and interviewing guides to inspecting hotels and curating extraordinary on- and off-mountain experiences, with the Y Factor of The Unexpected always thrown in for good measure. A decade of Ski Buzz deserves nothing less than an iconic journey.
Are you ready for Ski Buzz 2027? Places are strictly limited, and sell out fast. Register your interest now and be first to hear when details are released.