Our ski holidays in Gudauri ski resort (Georgia) | The Family Without Borders

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Skiing in Caucasus? Ski holidays in the Gudauri ski resort

Skiing in Gudauri, Georgia

– Can’t you go to Austria, Switzerland or Italy to ski, like all the normal people?! – some reacted like this on idea about Skiing in Georgia. Well. But Georgia is our beloved country, has amazing mountains, friendly people, wonderful food, good flight connections and cheap prices. And not everybody is skiing there ;) So this year we will to to the Gudauri ski resort! [Last Update: Jan 2018]

Why exactly to the Gudauri Ski ressort?

Gudauri is simply the best ski resort in Georgia and the the whole Caucasus: 6 modern chairlifts/cable car from 2,000  up to 3,000 metres a.s.l., 50 km of slopes (and much more off tracks, powder snow, free ride possibilities), kids lifts and slopes, three helicopter skiing companies, a dozen of really affordable ski and snowboard rentals, a wide range of accommodations (let it be simple or super luxury). This all comes along with the Eastern European hospitality, relaxed lifestyle. The Caucasus’ panorama is unforgettable – especially looking on the Kazbeg Mountain (5,033m). Just have a look!

We found very cheap flight (20 Euros) from Warsaw (Poland) to Tblissi (Georgia). So we convinced also some friends and their families to join our Georgia ski holidays. It’s always more fun with friends. We could make “nursery shifts”. Some discovered the Caucasus with kids, some went skiing. Anna an me could even have some romantic moments: watching the stunning scenery and afterward flying down the mountain trough freshly fallen powder snow.

Tblissi, Georgia
Tblissi, Georgia

We have already visited Georgia before on our Around The Black Sea Trip. We love this country and it’s amazingly hospital people. So we were very happy to return in the winter.

We first spent some three days in our beloved Tblissi – the capital of Georgia. This romantic city, full if stories, with historical buildings set up by different emperors, great Georgian restaurants and wine, old bathhouses from the 13th century, ancient churches, the emerald green river surrounded by cliffy mountains.

And finally we started with 10 people in some little bus toward the Caucaus. After the one hour we met the first snowfields in the valleys, up the windy roads the snow became more and more and suddenly we stopped in the middle of this impressive winter panorama – in the Gudauri ski resort.

The skiing conditions are perfect: the slopes well prepared, modern lifts, no waiting, all the time the view on the Caucasus mountains. The prices of ski passes make you happily smile (absolutely not-to-compare with the Alps – 60EU for one week!). The highest spot you can get to is above 3,200 metres and you can ski and ski and ski!

When the sun was shining both our girls were also happily skiing at the kids slopes, listening carefully to Russian and Georgian language between the people on the lifts. That was not the only difference from Austria or Switzerland. Those paths were really not crowded! Even at the weekends (when many guests from Tbilisi are coming) it was really nice to ski around. Just the signs are not dummy proof, sometimes rare – so you might be surprised where you end up.

You feel like freeride tours and powder snow?

If you love freeride tours you have to contact Iva from Gudauri Freeride Tours and plaese, tell him “Hello from The Family Without Borders”! We met him many years ago hitchhiking coming back from hiking. This guy not only know all the tracks and mountains, he is also and Freeski hero, driving with the Red Bull Freeski Team. Here a welcome 2017/18 video from Gudauri.

Goderdzi Ski Resoprt Cat Skiing

Early December Cat Skiing Goderdzi Ski Resort WWW.FREERIDE.GE

Posted by Gudauri Freeride Tours on Dienstag, 26. Dezember 2017

If you still don’t have enough, check out this video of Iva.

What to do – if not skiing in Gudauri Ski resort?

There are bars with great Georgian food and wine and the little lifts for the beginners. So even if one of your kids wants to ski more and another one less – you can spend a group time just next to the lifts and change from time to time.

But Gudauri can impress not only the skiing or snowboarding people! There are at least 10 cool things possible to be done there, except skiing. About this will be our next post: people, food, adrenaline! So even if in your family or the group of friends there is only one sportive fan of skis – a trip to Georgia in winter makes sense. If you are the one – read the next post to convince your lazy wife or husband ;)))

 

On Fridays and Saturday nights, there is also a night skiing: the lifts are open between 20.00 and 22.00 and the path is in the light. Fun! Even Mila wanted to join us.

How to get to the Gudauri ski resort?

You will need to take a flight (to Tblissi or Kutaisi) and a bus/taxi transfer to Gudauri.

The cheapest flight to Gudauri you will find via Skyscanner > Tiblissi.  A round trop from Germany to Gudauri cost approx. 250€ via Skycanner.  There are also direct flights from Germany from Berlin to Kutaisi. (Therefor you will have a 2 hours longer and 100 Dollars more expensive bus ride).

Don’t forget about adding the ski equipment/luggage when you book your flight. We just took the ski boots, since rentals in Gudauri are cheap (compared with the Alps).

The transfer from Tblissi Airport to Gudauri can be done by private taxis/mini busses. The trip takes about 2 hours. The price is approx. 60 Dollars for 2 persons. If you want to feel save – book your transfer before, for example here, here oder here. You can also try to bargain at the airport. We asked around in Tblissi an payed only 90 Dollars for 12 people. You will need to pay on arrival in Gudauri (or in case the driver has not enough money for the petrol in his pockets ;)

We still stopped on the way to make some bigger shopping in Tblissi (since we wanted to cook on our own and we were not sure about the quality of supermarkets in Gudauri). Ten years ago there was still no shop. Now there is a supermarket, and dozen of good restaurants. But shopping in Tblissi is definitely cheaper.

Accomodation – where to sleep in Gudauri?

Sleeping in a ski resort – 2,000 metres above sea level – is never cheap. But it’s still much cheaper then in Switzerland, Austria… The night in the cheapest hostel is about 22 Dollars, but there are not too many of those hostels. The average hotels are cost around 100 Dollars per night. The best offers you will probably find on Booking.com > Gudauri. On booking.com you will find nearly all the little guesthouses, but also luxury hotels.

But – it’s important book in the right area – near the lifts (there are no public busses) and close to the supermarket. We slept around here (klick on the Soncho Gudauri and then on the map to find accommodations around.

Well – have fun on you adventurous skiing trip to Gudauri! I am already jelous in case you will really do it. Please, leave us a message/post on our Facebook-Seite or on Instagram with the hastag #thefamilywithoutborders. Like this we can be together.

This post is also available in: German


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We have published our first book (for now just in Polish:) about our Central America Trip.
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24 Comments

  • Natalia
    Posted February 24, 2015 at 22:49 | Permalink

    Trochę nie przekonują mnie użyte argumenty, co do wyboru miejsca ;) Szybkie przeliczenie mówi, że polskie Tatry są o wiele, wiele tańsze. Ale widoki (no może poza Kasprowym) nie do porównywania ;) No i gruzińskie jedzenie, gruzińskie wino i Wschód <3

    Reply
    • Jacek
      Posted February 25, 2015 at 08:49 | Permalink

      Natalia, byłem w obu miejscach i warunków narciarskich z polskimi Tatrami nie ma co porównywać ;)

      Reply
      • Natalia
        Posted February 25, 2015 at 10:55 | Permalink

        To może trzeba zacisnąć pasa i rozważyć Gruzję ;) Chociaż freeriding to zupełnie nie mój styl jazdy ;)
        Ale te widoki… Przeglądam zdjęcia kolejny raz i każdorazowy jest efekt wow!

        Reply
        • Anna Alboth
          Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:28 | Permalink

          Ale poza freeridem są tez normalne, fajne trasy!

          Reply
    • Agn
      Posted March 17, 2015 at 10:22 | Permalink

      Argumenty są dobre. Sprawdziłam 2 tygodnie temu ;) Jeśli chodzi o aspekt finansowy, koszt tygodniowego podbytu (chodzi oczywiście o wyjazd na narty), z przelotem i dojazdem, wyżywieniem i skipasem, jest niższy niż taki sam wyjazd do Austrii, Włoch itp. Nie jest to znaczna różnica, owszem. Ale różnice są widoczne od razu, jeśli wejdziemy do sklepu lub gdy zamiawiamy jedzenie na stoku – jest o wiele taniej, porównywalnie z cenami w Polsce. Nie trzeba się “szczypać” z wydawaniem pieniędzy w takich miejscach, tak jak to zazwyczaj czynimy w kurortach we Francji czy Austrii. No i bardzo ważny argument, jakim są pustki na stokach i brak kolejek do wyciągów. Komfort jazdy po pustym stoku, widoki zapierające dech w piersiach, są bezcenne. Polecam!

      Reply
  • Jacek
    Posted February 25, 2015 at 08:50 | Permalink

    Super zdjęcia macie ;)

    Reply
    • Anna Alboth
      Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:29 | Permalink

      a dzięki!!

      Reply
  • Kasia
    Posted February 25, 2015 at 08:52 | Permalink

    A jak wygląda cena biletów wraz z bagażem niestandardowym (narty)?

    Reply
    • Anna Alboth
      Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:32 | Permalink

      I tu jest trochę problem! Bo za narty się dodatkowo płaci. My wzięliśmy tylko narty dziewczyn (do środka plecaka) i buty wszystkich, a resztę wypozyczaliśmy. Tez nie cały czas jezdziliśmy obydwoje, więc wypozyczaliśmy narty na dni.

      Reply
  • ewa
    Posted February 25, 2015 at 11:18 | Permalink

    Przez pięć lat co roku była Francja, w międzyczasie krótkie wypady w nasze Tatry – niestety tu za każdym razem po powrocie powtarzam sobie, że więcej tam nie pojadę ;)
    Aktualnie przerwa wychowawczo-ciążowa :) ale jak tylko będzie można wyskoczyć to spróbujemy z Gruzją :)

    Reply
    • Anna Alboth
      Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:35 | Permalink

      Spróbujcie! Fajna odmiana! I powodzenia w “przerwie” :)

      Reply
  • Posted February 25, 2015 at 11:37 | Permalink

    W Alpach, gdzie mieszkam, 60 EUR to skipass na weekend, także różnica jest. Przyznam się, że opcja wygląda ciekawie, na pewno bym ją rozważyła, gdybym mieszkała w Polsce.

    Reply
    • Anna Alboth
      Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:37 | Permalink

      Prawda, to jeszcze zalezy skąd się startuje!

      Reply
  • Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:17 | Permalink

    Hey friends, thanks for saying such a good words regarding Georgia and Gudauri!
    Pleasant to see smiling faces from around the globe here! And for sure – come again and again!

    Djos!

    Reply
    • Anna Alboth
      Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:41 | Permalink

      For sure we will!

      Reply
      • Posted March 9, 2015 at 10:48 | Permalink

        :)
        P.S. If you have some negative experience or wishes regarding Gudauri – can you please share on our email? We work to improve services there!

        Reply
  • Posted March 16, 2015 at 17:11 | Permalink

    Hi the Alboth!
    I am Director of the travel agency “TM Travel” in Georgia.
    First of all, I want to thank you for such warm words you shared about our country. You are always welcome.
    I want to ask you terms and conditions for using your articles; I mean, posting the articles and photos on our website (in English or translated in Russian).

    Looking forward.

    Reply
  • Posted November 6, 2015 at 06:47 | Permalink

    Such a great Information,thanks for sharing with us . Me and my family was planning to visit in Georgia and see All Attractions in Georgia ,Your information helps us to me for finding the best places .

    Reply
  • Hanna
    Posted November 15, 2015 at 19:02 | Permalink

    Hi.
    We are a Swedish family planning a trip (with two small children) to Georgia over Christmas. We are thinking of spending some time in Gudauri and wonder if you could share your accomodation recommendation with us? And I will for sure be checking out this website for advice on Tblisi and other places.

    Thanks in advance!

    //Hanna

    Reply
  • Kris
    Posted January 7, 2016 at 13:19 | Permalink

    Hi

    Thank you for great article. Could you share the airbnb aparment ?
    Best regards
    Kris

    Reply
  • Posted October 21, 2016 at 09:42 | Permalink

    A możecie dać jakiś namiar na to airbnb? Bo właśnie liczymy co nam taniej wyjdzie :) czy Gruzja czy Alpy :) dzięki!

    Reply
  • Anya Gilliam
    Posted November 17, 2016 at 09:06 | Permalink

    Hey there, thanks for the post. We are booking our tickets to go there. You said Warsaw to Tbilisi there is a flight? Is it with LOT, or another airline?
    It is a bit tough to figure out that flight. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Posted December 19, 2016 at 12:58 | Permalink

    Hi, we have just bought flights to Georgia and we are planing to ski in Gudauri,can you please send me details of the place where you have stayed?
    We have quite small kids 4and 2 hope we will keep them entertained somehow in there (o:
    Regards Dusan Babel

    Reply
  • Anna
    Posted December 19, 2016 at 15:19 | Permalink

    hej, moge prosic o namiar na ten polecany apartament?

    Reply

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