AMPED The Ski Adventure Travel Specialists

11/09/2026

Japan's tax-free shopping is changing. From 1 November 2026, it's no longer an instant discount at the till, it's a refund you claim at the airport before you fly. If a Japan snow holiday is on your calendar this season, the new system will already be running for your whole trip. We've got the full rundown on how it works, including what to sort before you check your bags.

From November 2026, Japan's tax-free shopping moves to an airport refund system. Here's what changes and how to get your refund on your next snow holiday.

28/08/2026

Heading to Japan for your snow holiday? This one is a must read 🚄🏔️

Our guide to travelling Japan by rail: Shinkansen seats, Ekiben, luggage sorted, and what to do if you miss a train. The best part? We book the whole route for you before you fly, so the trains are the easy bit.

Tap the link and let us sort it ❄️

The Shinkansen is one of the best parts of a Japan snow holiday. Here are our tips on seats, luggage and Ekiben, plus how AMPED books it all for you.

19/08/2026

Here are the 5 standout resorts we love sending families to in Canada 🇨🇦 year after year.

Sun Peaks, Big White, SilverStar, Panorama and Banff. Big terrain, easy villages, and everything a family needs within walking distance of the lifts.

We've skied all of them, and the value stacks up these school holidays. Read the full rundown in our latest blog ❄️

Five family-friendly Canada snow destinations for the school holidays, from Okanagan value at Big White and SilverStar to Banff's three linked resorts.

14/08/2026

Great value on your Japan snow holiday starts with someone who's actually been there. 🇯🇵

Naeba, Hakuba, Appi Kogen, Shizukuishi and Zao are five of the best value family mountains in the country, and we know every one of them. Short transfers, great snow, the right hotel for your crew. We handle the whole thing so you just show up and ski. ❄️

Read the blog for the rundown, then call us for our school holiday deals. 📞

Five family-friendly Japan snow destinations for the school holidays, from easy-access Naeba and Hakuba to quiet Tohoku powder at Appi, Shizukuishi and Zao.

13/08/2026

Before you book your next long-haul flight to the snow, take a look at what's changed on Air New Zealand's Dreamliners.

Our latest blog breaks down the full 787-9 cabin redesign and the new Economy Skynest sleep pods, and what's actually worth booking.

New seats in every class. A closing-door Business Premier Luxe suite. Six lie-flat sleep capsules bookable by the four-hour session from Economy or Premium Economy. And the new cabin now flying to Tokyo Narita ✈️

New seats in every class, plus six lie-flat sleep pods bookable by the session. Here's everything new on Air New Zealand's 787-9 Dreamliner.

10/08/2026

Before you write off Nara as a half-day stop, take a look at what opened there in April 2026.

Our latest blog covers Nara Prison Museum, Hoshino Resorts' first museum project, and where it fits on a Japan snow holiday.

A 118-year-old prison, the only one of Japan's Five Great Prisons still standing in original form. Cellblocks radiating from a single guardroom. Poems by former inmates embroidered onto brick-sized cloth by 200 local volunteers. And curry bread shaped like one of the building's own bricks 🚄

10/08/2026

Meet Shona at Snowplanet ⛷️

Our Snow Travel Specialist is on site the next two weekends to help you plan your overseas snow holiday. Japan, Canada, USA, Chile, Korea, and Europe.

📅 Saturdays 15 and 22 August, 10 am to 1 pm
📅 Sundays 16 and 23 August, 10 am to 12 pm

Free chat, no obligation. Book a time or pop in.

Click here to book a time to meet with Shona ➡ https://bit.ly/4z9inao

07/08/2026

Before you lock in your next Japan snow holiday, take a look at the new ryokan worth adding a night or two for.

Our latest blog covers KAI Kusatsu, opened by Hoshino Resorts in June 2026, and how it fits either side of a Nagano ski trip.

Private open-air baths in 18 of the rooms. A bathhouse fed by two separate springs. Silk Art Rooms woven in the Kiryu tradition. And a guest-only tunnel that walks you straight into Kusatsu Onsen town ♨️

KAI Kusatsu, Hoshino Resorts' newest onsen ryokan, connects guests to Kusatsu Onsen town through a private tunnel. A proper add-on to a Nagano snow holiday.

07/08/2026

❄️ SCHOOL HOLIDAY SNOW DEALS ARE HERE ❄️

Give the kids a January they'll never forget. We've got land-only family packages across Japan, the USA and Canada. Big mountains, bigger savings, and family time that's worth every mile.

📅 Travel 15–22 January 2027
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family packages, land only
⏳ Subject to availability, so be quick

Enquire now and let's get your family on the snow. 👇
📞 09 479 8929 | www.amped4ski.co.nz

03/08/2026

Before you book your own snow holiday, see what a specialist ski travel agent actually gets you that a booking site never will.
Our latest blog lays-out the pros and cons of both, and how AMPED can benefit your next snow holiday.

Rates you won't find anywhere else, suitable flights routed to your requirements, Ski resorts we've actually been to and skied ourselves; so the recommendations come from personal experience. Plus a team that's there to help 24/7 ❄️

Before you book your own snow holiday, see what a specialist ski travel agent actually gets you that a booking site never will.