Ski resorts in Georgia
If in the summer the people, for the most part, seek to relax by the sea, then in the winter many take vacations in order to go skiing. But what is surprising is that many fans of this sport are well aware of European resorts, but they have never been to Georgia. Meanwhile, the ski resorts of Georgia are just a paradise. The pristine beauty of nature, the mountains of the Caucasus, excellent trails of all degrees of difficulty, modern lifts. And in the evenings – unsurpassed Georgian feasts, national dishes and famous wines. So, what are the most popular ski resorts in this country?
Gudauri
This resort is located on the picturesque Georgian Military Road, on the slope of the Greater Caucasus Range. The distance from Tbilisi is about 120 km. There are excellent trails, the length of which is about 60 km, the longest is 7 km. Skiers can start from a height of 3260 m, or 2050 m. There are slopes designed for both beginners and advanced skiers. All of them are well-groomed, trees and shrubs do not hide under the snow. So it is convenient and safe to ride, as in Europe. The lifts operate from 10 o'clock, when it is already light, and until 16 pm, until dusk. On weekends, the cable car closes later. In addition to skiing, in Gudauri you can try such extreme entertainment as paragliding (with an instructor, of course).
In Gudauri tourism.com.de recommends:
Bakuriani
This resort has become famous for several reasons. Firstly, you can relax here all year round. The level of service in hotels is very decent, and the nature around is unusually good. In summer, you can rent a bike, or ride in a special cart that goes down the rails. Secondly, even beginner skiers feel comfortable in Bakuriani. In addition to outdoor activities, you can enjoy the views while standing on one of the observation decks. For skiing, you should choose one of three main areas:
In addition, there are areas for children, as well as for those who are just mastering the first skiing skills. There are also lifts here, although the trails are by no means long, and very gentle. Skating here is safe even for small children.
Tetnuldi
Tetnuldi is the name of a mountain in Svaneti, which means “white mountain” in translation. The place is also popular throughout the year. In the summer here every now and then you can see tourists who went hiking, and in winter skiers come here. The resort bears the same name. Due to its favorable location, and modern amenities, it immediately gained great popularity. The prices here are quite affordable, but at the same time, the slopes will not disappoint even ski professionals. They are laid on the slopes of Mount Tetnuldi. The highest height is approximately 3160 m. It is planned that subsequently there will be the longest slopes in Georgia. There is already a cable car (built by the French) to the track, which is 3.5 km long. The proximity of the resort to glaciers gives Tetnuldi another advantage – the ski season here lasts longer than anywhere else in Georgia.
Goderdzi
This resort is located in Adjara. One of its advantages is that you can combine two pleasures at once – to visit the Black Sea coast of Georgia, and then drive to the ski resort in a couple of hours. An important point – when the resort itself was not yet discussed – the guests of Georgia were very fond of visiting the area of u200bu200bmodern Goderzdi. A beautiful place with a wonderful climate. And now there are also modern slopes that are suitable for both beginners and experienced skiers. While skiing from the mountains, you can admire the bewitching landscapes. Due to the proximity of the sea, there is always enough precipitation here, and there are no problems with snow. The cable car in Goderdzi is modern, has 2 levels: on the 1st there are cabins, on the 2nd there are chairs. Skis and sleds can be rented, beginners should book training sessions with an experienced instructor.
Hacvali
You can get vivid impressions already on the way to this resort. There are 2 options that will allow you to come here: either by car along a picturesque mountain road, or by renting a plane in Tbilisi. Probably nowhere else will such an impressive panorama open before you, when you can simultaneously see the 4 highest peaks of the Caucasus. The service here is only gaining momentum, but the beautiful nature, the friendliness of the locals, delicious food and wonderful trails – what else do you need for a great holiday? There are three main tracks: “green”, “blue” and “red”. The highest point is 2346 m. The ski lifts are open until 16:00 in winter and until 18:00 in March and April. There are hotels and several guest houses for accommodation of tourists. Most of them offer two or three meals a day.
When does the ski season start in Georgia?
Officially, the ski season begins in the second half of December and continues until the end of March. In reality, things are a little different. In recent years, there has been such an amount of precipitation that there is a lot of snow in the ski resorts of Georgia already in November. Skiers begin to arrive from the first days of December. But there are no special entertainments at this time: only skiing, snowboarding and sledding directly. And, of course, training sessions, as well as walks around the neighborhood. The “light” at the resorts begins on the eve of the New Year, and the main entertainment program lasts from the end of December to the end of February. Let's not forget that students have holidays in February, and young people come to the mountains. In March, the fun begins to subside. This is a good time to visit Georgia with the whole family: the weather is pleasant, there is no unnecessary hustle, and there's still a lot of snow. In April, the ski season ends, and life in the villages quiets down until the following December.
Reviews of tourists about the ski resorts of Georgia
It so happened that we were not able to go to Austria this year. We decided to visit Georgia, specifically, Gudauri. It was scary to go, I will not hide – the Caucasus has recently been perceived by Russians as a zone of continuous conflict. But real life dispelled these ideas. The attitude of the locals was very friendly. It was directly touching in the cafe that we were received as dear guests. About the most important thing. You rarely see such beauty as in the Caucasus Mountains. The weather was good for most of our holiday. The sun shone for hours until 6 pm, there was no snowfall, the weather just “whispered”. You can even sunbathe there, despite the fact that it takes place in winter. Then there was one very snowy day, we didn't go skating, we sat in the hotel, they arranged a “musical evening” there: they sang Georgian songs. Very good! But the next day we decided to ride with an instructor and did not regret it! If you master the correct skating technique, then the muscles are evenly loaded, and you get less tired. In general, we really liked it! Julia Shlyakhtina
We rested in Hatsvali – although it is difficult to call the word “rest” a week spent in the mountains. It's just a very rich, very interesting and fun life. The only advice I want to give is that when choosing a room, you need to ask if it is warm enough and if there is a place to dry things. Believe me, this is true for skiers. And so – everything is just fine! Even during the road, “enough adrenaline”: the path lies between the mountains, the views are amazing. They say that the service lags behind Europe – I will not convince you. It's just that “European service” often means clubs, bars, parties. Of course, in Georgia, in the mountains, there is practically none of this. But what mountains! It was possible to ride both on the tracks and in the adjacent area …
Since it took a lot of energy, we almost every time ordered barbecue for dinner. Incredibly delicious and large portions. Marat Ayukaev
Since we traveled with our 10-year-old son, we chose Bakuriani on the advice of friends. We were told that this is the best place for the guys. Of course, at the physical education lesson, the child already got up on skis – but these are mountains! In general, we did not lose. Our Yegor worked with an instructor: it’s easier to learn how to ride correctly from the very beginning than to relearn later. And we were calm. And we all really liked the cable car. Alpine skiers are usually very demanding of it – they discuss where it goes up quickly, where it goes slowly … And we were just thrilled, especially going down. Then they looked at the photos at home, it turned out that all the best pictures were either from observation platforms or from the cable car. And how nice in the evening, when the child is sleeping, to sit with a glass of Kindzmarauli! In a word, the emotions from the rest are only with a plus sign. Yana Glazkova