Perhaps the most famous Caucasian hospitality, the sun, which even in winter can give a bronze tan, gorgeous mountain peaks and excellent service - this is how the Georgian ski resorts can be briefly described. And Russians are invariably attracted by the proximity of the flight and reasonable prices for air tickets, affordable housing and food, and, of course, the opportunity to taste plenty of wines that are famous all over the world. This can be added to the absence of a visa regime and architectural monuments of extraordinary beauty, which can serve as a worthy background for photo sessions. Truly, Georgia is a godsend for those who like to spend an active winter vacation with benefit.
Gudauri resort
Spread out on the southern side of the Greater Caucasus Range, this resort is famous for the most technically equipped in the country. Everything here, from the cable car to the Sport Hotel Club Gudauri, with 4 stars on its façade, was built by Austrian specialists. Despite the rather high-altitude - 2153 meters - location, the weather here is warm and sunny even at the height of winter.
The season lasts from November until the end of spring, and the snow cover is guaranteed to reach 1.5 meters. There are only eight tracks in Gudauri, the total length of which is about 16 km. Among them there are black, and red, and blue. Their distinctive feature is good preparedness and competent labeling. In addition, they are FIS certified. The longest slope in Gudauri stretches for 7 km, and the rest of the slopes do not exceed three.
The resort has a cable car that takes guests to the starting points using three- and four-seat lifts. Lovers of heli-skiing and freeriding respect Gudauri for the rare opportunity to drive along untouched virgin snow, without fear of "pitfalls" or the possibility of an avalanche. The helicopters that provide the transport of athletes to the skiing spots are technically maintained by a Swiss company. Snowboarding in Gudauri is preferred by those who like wide open slopes on the slopes, which are located in open areas and above the forest level.
The resort has a ski school, and its instructors have rich experience and high qualifications. The cost of an hour of classes is about 400 rubles. By the way, for fans of heli-skiing, it is preferable to hire an instructor to get acquainted with interesting slopes and choose an appropriate level of training for skiing.
The hotel fund at the resort is represented by 12 hotels, a room in which can be rented for $ 60-200 per day for two. You can also book an individual cottage for a company of five for $ 100. The cost of ski passes for a full day of skiing ranges from 700 rubles in high season to 500 in March-April.
Bakuriani resort
Bakuriani took part in the fight for the right to host the 2014 Olympic Games quite seriously. Here, before the revolution, the royal family preferred to rest, and in the 80s of the last century, the resort was usually called "Soviet Davos". Today, you can see here Swedes, Germans, and French - Georgian prices with an excellent level of European quality attract fans of snowboarding and alpine skiing from all over Europe to Bakuriani.
The height of the snow cover here does not exceed 60-70 cm, and the mercury columns do not fall below +5 degrees. But this does not prevent you from actively skiing from November to March, enjoying five kilometers of superbly executed tracks. FIS has certified a track for beginners in Bakuriani called "Plateau". Its length is only 300 meters with a slope of 10-12 degrees. "Kokhta-2" is a two-stage descent for middle-level athletes, which is a change of steep and gentle slopes for 3000 meters."Kokhta-1" - one and a half kilometers of descent at an incline of 50 degrees for experienced professional athletes.
The lifts here are drag and chair lifts, there is a special cable car for children who are just mastering ski equipment. A full-day lift pass will cost 500 rubles a day, and a one-time fee ranges from 20 to 60 rubles.
Bakuriani has something to do in the evenings or during the hours when skiing or snowboarding is resting. Excursions to mineral resorts, including the famous Borjomi, can give an unforgettable experience, and a trip to the monastery in Vardzia is very popular among fans of history, where the image of Queen Tamara, created by the painter during her lifetime, is preserved.
