From time immemorial, great poets and famous travelers have been fascinated by the beauty of Georgian nature, the originality of the culture of this people and the unique color of the Georgian character.
The topic of skiing in Georgia deserves a separate serious discussion. If someone manages to "sick ski sickness", it's forever. At the service of fans of this sport, Georgia offers two world-class ski resorts: Gudauri and Bakuriani. Georgia provides wonderful opportunities for amateurs and professionals, as well as for snowboarders and paragliders. Gudauri is a ski resort that over time eclipsed Bakuriani, which was one of the few such facilities in the Soviet Union. Gudauri has become famous for its state-of-the-art hotels, cable cars and world-class ski slopes.
Georgia, Gudauri: ski resort
For those who have never skied before and are planning to learn how to ski when they arrive in Georgia, it is better to choose Gudauri for this purpose. Bakuriani resort (180 km from Tbilisi) and Hatsvali (located inSvaneti) have trails that are quite difficult for beginners. For both experienced athletes and beginners, every season Georgia opens the ski tracks of its resorts.
Gudauri is a ski resort located at an altitude of 2196 m on the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range in the Kazbegi region. The skiing season here lasts from the last days of December to the beginning of April. Vacationers in Gudauri can go skiing, sledding and snowboarding. Especially popular in Gudauri is freeride - this is the name of a special descent from the mountain, carried out off the track. At the rental building, those who wish can find the phones of the instructor who teaches freeride. Freeride is the main attraction of the resort, thanks to which Georgia became famous for its winter sports opportunities. Gudauri is a ski resort, the length of freeride slopes of which, according to vacationers, is endless. The area has a large number of off-piste slopes suitable for those wishing to go heli-skiing or backcountry. Cross-country skiing and skating are not allowed in Gudauri.
Tracks
The total number of tracks in Gudauri is 22. Their total length is 57 km. Every night, 218 hectares of trails are processed by snow groomers. 20% of the tracks are used by professionals, 80% are for amateurs. The first track is equipped with snow cannons.
The longest descent on the track is 7 km. The critical height difference is 1200 m. Mount Sadzele in Gudauri is considered the highest: it reaches 3268 m. The minimum height is2050 m. The thickness of the snow cover in the resort usually reaches 1.5 m. Gudauri has pistes where children and beginners feel comfortable. There are slalom runs and so-called "black", "red" and "blue" runs. All of them are located above the forest, so it is impossible for a beginner to fly into the bushes or crash into a tree.
Lifts
The resort's lifts are designed to serve 11,000 people at a time. The height of the lower station is 1990 m, the upper station is 3307 m. The operation of the lifts is carried out regardless of the number of skiers. The need to stop work arises only in adverse weather conditions (very poor visibility or strong winds). The cable cars are equipped with emergency diesel engines in case of a power outage.
Schedule of lifts:
- During winter: from 10:00 to 17:00.
- Spring (April and late March): 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (weekdays), 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (weekend).
- During the summer period (from 16.07): from 10:00 to 16:00 (daily).
Entertainment in Gudauri
Guests of the resort respond enthusiastically about their stay in Gudauri. The main entertainment here is snowboarding and skiing, for which, in fact, many aspire to come here. Since the lifts are already closed after five, and the slopes are not lit, you won’t be able to ride at night on your own. Therefore, the only thing you can do in the evening, vacationers say, is to bathe in a bathhouse, spend time in a cafe, play bowling or taste local homemade wine. Nearlifts are located several cafes. The cost of lunch for two here is 30 lari (690 rubles).
Infrastructure
In the village, according to vacationers, there is a club. Free Wi-Fi is available near the ski lifts, but according to reviewers, it works very poorly. There is a church, restaurants, Smart - a small supermarket where you can buy food and pastries (prices - Tbilisi). The supermarket has a free toilet, currency exchange, ATMs and payment terminals. The authors of the reviews share that there is nowhere to buy fruits and vegetables in Gudauri. But at the supermarket you can buy churchkhela, homemade wine (1 liter costs 5 lari, or 115 rubles), cheese and souvenirs from local residents.
Gudauri Hotels
On the territory of the resort village there are a large number of hotels, guesthouses, chalets, apartments of various price categories. During the season, apartments and hotels in Gudauri are twice as expensive as in the capital of Georgia.
The cost of a modest room in a guest house (or apartment): from $ 20-30 (1223, 60 - 1835, 40 rubles). The cost of spacious apartments (hotel rooms): from $40-60. (2447, 20-3670, RUB 80).
Resort regulars advise those who plan to travel to Georgia by car and want to save money to stay in Stepantsminda (33 km from Gudauri). Here the cost of housing is lower.
Inventory rental
You can rent equipment at one of the hotels. In addition, in Gudauri in front of the ski lifts there is a rental building where you can getuse of ski boots and everything else. For those who plan to ride for several days, the reviewers recommend purchasing their own equipment. It also makes sense, vacationers share, to go in advance to one of the rental offices in Tbilisi. Here, the prices for renting snowboards and other equipment are lower, and the choice is much larger. In the shop in front of the ski lift in Gudauri you can also buy equipment.
Pricing
Equipment rental:
- Standard kit (skis, ski boots, poles): 30 GEL (690 RUB) per day.
- If equipment is rented for more than 3 days: 25 GEL (575 RUB).
- Snowboard and boots rental: 30 GEL (690 RUB) for 1 day rental.
- For a period of 3 days or more: 25 GEL (575 rubles).
- VIP kit (freeride skis, speed skis, etc.): 50 GEL (1150 RUB)
- Helmets, goggles and gloves: 5 GEL (115 rubles)
- Fly for 10-15 minutes with an instructor on a paraglider costs about 150 GEL (3450 rubles)
Services offered by a ski resort in Georgia (in Gudauri), prices in rubles:
- 1 lift for adults and children: RUB 115
- 3 lifts: RUB 344
- Ski school (for children): RUB 275
- Adults (1 day): RUB 688-917
- Night skiing: RUB 229
- Ski pass (for 1 day): 40 GEL (920 rubles). Discounts are available for children and teenagers.
About he alth insurance
Tourists who have been toGudauri, they advise you to take out medical insurance before going to the resort, since the services of a doctor in Georgia are quite expensive. In Gudauri, medical insurance is not included in the price of the ski pass. In the event of an injury, the insurance company will take care of many issues related to the organization of treatment.
