11. Dombai, Russia
Russia is not immune to the appeal of Alpine skiing. This resort in the Russian North Caucasus mountains, not far from Georgia, is one of the most popular destinations for skiers and snowboarders. It’s a little worn down – let’s just say safety and regular maintenance are not their priority – so if the ski lifts look rickety, you can ride up via tractor or Bactrian camel. You’ll have earned a shot or two of vodka after a day on these slopes.
12. Lesotho
Yes, you can actually ski, snowboard, snowtube and bumboard in this tiny landlocked African country surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho’s Afriski resort is open for year-round recreation but is usually only has snow activities from June to September. The mountain slope does get a sprinkling of some natural snow during this southern hemisphere winter, but snowmaking machines top it up. They get about 3000 visitors every year.
