Tourists are attracted not only by the famous Georgian hospitality, delicious wine and beautiful mountains. We are talking about the first-class ski resorts in Georgia in 2021: when the skiing season comes, the features of the tracks and infrastructure, the prices and reviews of tourists.
Modern ski resorts in Georgia are not much inferior to the famous winter resorts in Europe. They are famous for their affordable prices, a good level of service and high-quality track preparation. For beginners, the resorts have many short slopes with little elevation difference. Seasoned athletes enjoy the challenging trails and freeride areas.
Ski holidays in the Caucasus are not only vivid emotions from skiing on the slopes. Traveling here allows you to get acquainted with the rich history and culture of the country, enjoy Georgian cuisine and plunge into the atmosphere of national traditions. During winter holidays, you can see medieval Svan towers and traditional houses - machubi, go on excursions to ancient temples and castles.
Currency exchange rate: 1 Georgian lari (GEL) ≈ 23 RUB.
Climate
The ski season in the resorts of Georgia starts in late November - early December and ends in mid-April - early May. Most vacationers come to ride since december by Marchwhen there is a lot of snow in the mountains.
The climate in Georgia is quite mild. The average air temperature in winter is kept at around −3 ... −1 ° С. Almost everything is sunny on the slopes. High mountain ranges stand in the way of cyclones coming from the continent, so there are no strong winds here.
Consider a holiday in the ski resorts of Azerbaijan.
Best ski resorts in Georgia in 2021
Traditionally, in the winter season, tourists are welcomed by the most developed ski resorts in Georgia - Gudauri and Bakuriani... The prices there are quite reasonable. New resorts have been opened in Adjara and Svaneti, so tourists have a lot to choose from.
Gudauri
The most popular winter center is located 120 km from the Georgian capital. It is focused on active youth recreation, but families with children also like to come here. Near the slopes there are hotels, baths, bowling, several restaurants and cafes.
Trails... The resort has 16 km of slopes - from green to black. They are served by a quality Austrian cable car Doppelmayer. There are separate trails for cross-country skiers, and at altitudes above 1.5 km, there are slopes for freeriding and heli-skiing.
Prices... Day ski pass for adults costs 30 GEL. Rent of skis and snowboards - 25 GEL.
Reviews of tourists... Everyone loves this ski resort in Georgia. The snow cover in Gudauri is dense, there are no stones on the slopes, and avalanches are extremely rare. Even at the peak of the tourist season, there are always enough places in hotels. Among the downsides is the accumulation of skiers on the lifts.
Scheme of trails and lifts in Gudauri
Bakuriani
The most famous ski resort in Georgia has been developing since the end of the 19th century. Most of its tracks are located on the slopes of Kokhta (2200 m), 186 km from the capital of the country. This place is famous for its healing mineral springs and the beautiful Botanical Garden.
Trails... There are four slopes on the slopes with ten slopes of varying degrees of difficulty and an altitude difference of 450 m. Cross-country skiers ride on a 13 km long trail.
Prices... A daily lift pass costs 20-25 GEL. Ski or snowboard kit rental - 25 GEL.
Reviews of tourists... Bakuriani is considered the center of family recreation. The resort has three ski jumps and a 1.35 km toboggan run. Snowmobiles ride in the village park, and several skating rinks are open at the Edem Hotel. The main drawback, as in Gudauri, is the queues for the lifts. Sometimes you have to stand for 40 minutes. In addition, during the season there are not enough rooms in hotels, so it is better to book accommodation in advance.
Scheme of trails and lifts in Bakuriani
Goderdzi
A new winter recreation center was opened at the end of 2015. It is located in the highest part of Adjara, 109 km from Tbilisi and 110 km from Batumi. The modern resort is famous for its powerful snow cover.
Trails... The slopes for skiing are located at heights from 1700 to 2390 m. To service them, a two-level road of gondola and chair lifts with a length of 4 km has been built. It is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays and until 5:00 pm on weekends. There are 8 tracks equipped, and there is an unlimited territory for connoisseurs of extreme sports.
Prices... Daily ski pass costs 20 GEL. Ski rental for an hour costs 5 GEL, for a day - 20 GEL.
Reviews of tourists... The resort is just developing. You can stay in private houses or in rooms of cottages that look like Alpine chalets. The overnight stay will cost 60-150 GEL. There are home-made fast food outlets and a hotel restaurant near the cable car. There are no other entertainments and shops here yet.
Scheme of trails and lifts in Goderdzi
Hatsvali
The ski center is located 8 km from the village of Mestia, 260 km from Batumi airport and 214 km from Kutaisi airport. The resort area began to develop in 2011. It occupies the slopes of Mount Zuruldi and is open all year round.
Trails... The resort is equipped with 4 tracks, the longest of which - "blue" - stretches for 2.6 km. The slopes are served by a 1.4 km chairlift and two drag lifts. They are open from 10:00 to 16:00, and in March and April until 18:00.
Prices... Daily ski pass costs 20 GEL, and rent of a ski kit costs 25 GEL.
Reviews of tourists... To accommodate tourists, the resort has built a hotel and guest houses. Vacationers note that there is no regular transport to the village of Mestia, but a transfer is organized to the slopes. In addition, from December 2017, the resort is easily accessible by cable car in 10 minutes. At an altitude of 2340 m, there is a popular cafe with a magnificent observation deck.
Scheme of slopes and lifts in Khotsvali
Tetnuldi
The new ski center in Upper Svaneti is 15 km away from Mestia. It has been developing since 2013 and is gradually becoming a good alternative to the popular ski resorts in Georgia.
Trails... Slopes for beginners and advanced skiers lie at heights from 2260 to 3165 m. There are narrow and wide spots, counter slopes and steep sections. The trails are served by 3 chairlifts, which operate from 10:00 to 16:00. A nice cafe is open, there is a warm changing room and a toilet.
Prices... The daily ski pass costs 30 GEL, and the rental of a ski set for the day costs 30 GEL. There are no snowboards for hire.
Reviews of tourists... The resort is just developing and it gets better from year to year. Vacationers praise the quality of the rental skis and the fact that the freeride slopes are accessible directly from the cable cars. The disadvantages of recreation include the lack of housing near the ski areas. You can only stop in the capital of the region - Mestia. Prices for accommodation in hotels and guesthouses: from 17 GEL without meals and from 65 GEL with two meals a day. For a transfer from Mestia to the tracks, they ask for 60 GEL per car.
Scheme of trails and lifts in Tentuldi
Which ski resort in Georgia to choose
Skiing in Georgia attracts lovers of beautiful nature, interesting slopes and picturesque authentic places. The old ski resorts of Georgia - Gudauri and Bakuriani - are well-developed infrastructure and affordable prices. If you are traveling with children, they are perfect. It is also a good choice for hikers who are not looking for extreme mountain adventures.
The new resort centers are good for the lack of people and an abundance of places for exciting freeriding. First of all, they are suitable for young people. True, the resorts are still developing and are located quite far from major cities and airports. For example, the road from Tbilisi to Tetnuldi takes 10 hours.
Conveniently, you can ride the multi-passes at all Georgian resorts - both old and new.
Overview of the ski resorts Tetnuldi and Hatsvali
