Family BJJ and Ski Camp in the Austrian Alps

The camp runs at Jugendhotel Wiederkehr in Wagrain, a village of just over 3,000 people in an alpine valley less than an hour from Salzburg. The hotel sits about a 10-minute walk from the ski lifts, and the camp takes over the whole building for the five days. Mats go down in the hotel's small sports area for adult classes and open mat sessions, and the schedule runs training all day, every day.

Adult classes cover both gi and no-gi and are taught by a rotating group of instructors, each bringing their own approach — some pull in concepts from wrestling, judo and luta livre. Alongside the classes there are daily open mats where you can roll, drill or just talk technique with the coaches. Kids get their own BJJ class and free-play time on the mats every day, kept separate from adult hours so the main training hall stays quiet.

Skiing is the other half of the week. The valley has over 210 kilometres of slopes for all levels, with lifts close to the hotel. Ski instructors with decades of combined experience run daily beginner lessons for children. Ski passes and equipment rental are not included, but the camp has a deal with local rental shops for discounted gear. Wasserwelt Amadé, the water park next door, is free for all camp participants for the duration — indoor and outdoor pools, slides, a sauna and a relaxation area.

Evenings and rest time are covered too. There's a movie night for kids in the hotel conference room, a disco night with a fog machine, laser lights and a DJ, and a garden BBQ party. Sleigh rides run on dedicated trails in the area for anyone who wants a break from skiing or Jiu Jitsu. Morning yoga runs every day of the camp with a dedicated instructor, aimed at keeping parents loose through the week.

The instructor lineup for 2027 includes Jari Anttila (BJJ black belt, ADCC North European Champion 2023), Manly Souza (BJJ black belt and military and law enforcement combatives instructor), Francesco Fonte (BJJ black belt and Next Level MMA head coach), Christian Graugart (author of The BJJ Globetrotter, IBJJF London Open black belt champion), Jolie Boyle (BJJ black belt, British Open champion), Gareth McNamara (judo and BJJ black belt, former Irish Judo Champion), plus Kilian Baumann, Nimrod Lucas, Verena Basler, Tobias Huber and Conny Genko. Verena Basler teaches the yoga — she's a Yoga Alliance 300+ teacher.

All classes are taught in English. Camp participants get access to a custom camp app for chatting with other campers, browsing the schedule, sorting rideshares and signing up for activities. Classes are filmed and posted afterwards in a free online video library, so you can go back over any technique you missed.

What's included

- 4 nights accommodation at Jugendhotel Wiederkehr - Three meals a day - 20+ hours of adult BJJ classes (gi and no-gi) - 10+ hours of open mat sessions - Daily workshops - Morning yoga lessons every day - Daily Jiu Jitsu lessons for kids - Daily play-time on the mats for kids - Daily beginner ski lesson for kids - Movie nights for kids - Disco night for kids - Garden BBQ party - 24-hour free fruit and non-alcoholic beverages bar - Free access to Wasserwelt Amadé water park - Free laundry service for training gear - Private family room with bathroom for families at no extra cost - Access to the camp app - Free access to the online video library of camp classes

What's not included

- Transportation to camp - Ski gear and equipment rental - Lift pass - Ski and snowboarding clothing - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Anything not listed as included