Russia remains fairly uncharted territory for the average non-Russian skier, but Sochi's hosting of the winter Olympics in 2014 is set to change that.

Krasnaya Polyana is a two hour drive from the city of Sochi and is known for being a favourite of President Putin's.

The terrain is excellent for off piste skiing, with bowl upon bowl of powder and plenty of widely spaced birch forest, meaning Krasnaya will appeal most to adventure skiers looking for challenging slopes.