A Guide to Skiing in Georgia, the Country

At the crossroads of Europe and Asia sits the country of Georgia and the Caucasus mountains, which has quietly developed into an interesting ski destination. Here’s what you need to know:

There’s More Skiing than You’d Expect

For a country of fewer than 4 million people, it might be surprising to learn that Georgia has four legit ski regions: Gudauri, Bakuriani, Goderdzi and Svaneti. Each region offers a different appeal.

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Gudauri is the most established ski destination in Georgia, both in terms of infrastructure and skiable terrain. Its season runs from December to April and it has three base lifts (two chairs and one gondola), which take you to four higher lifts. It offers plenty of off-piste terrain, including heli-skiing. Because of the lack of people, most of the side-country slopes never get skied out. All the comforts you want in a mountain getaway can be found in Gudauri, including trendy, innovative hotels, like this one made from shipping containers.

Bakuriani has a shorter ski season (January-March) due to its lower elevation, but with that comes a little extra sunshine and warmer weather, family-friend terrain and tree skiing.

“Bakuriani is a nice ski resort focused on family holidays,” said Kartlos Chabashvili of Inter Georgia Travel. “We [locals] all try to take the children there at least one week a year.” In addition, Bakuriani features a tubing park, night skiing and toboggan course.

Goderdzi is a new ski resort located in the western part of the country. Its proximity to the Black Sea—about 60 miles—is said to bless it with more snow than the other ski regions, as well as provide its visitors the chance to visit the coastal town of Batumi on a side-trip. The resort area at Goderdzi is still being developed. Right now, it has about 8 miles of trails open with 2 lifts, though five more lifts will open in the coming years.

Svaneti’s ski resorts—including Hatsvali and Tetnuldi—are the most remote of the regions and offer an extra dose of adventure.

It’s Cheap—Really Cheap

If you run the numbers, you might find that a week-long ski vacation to Georgia is not much more expensive—and possibly cheaper—than a trip to a popular destination here at home, like Vail or Park City. Obviously, there are a lot of variables, but in general, skiing is expensive in America, with lift tickets soaring near or past $100 a day and a growing lack of on-mountain, budget lodging in ski towns.

Compare that to lift tickets in Georgia, which hover around $15-$20 a day, ski and snowboard rentals for $15-$18 a day and hotels that start at $60 per night and include two meals. It might cost more to get there, but you can quickly make up the difference over the course of the trip.

Certainly, skiing in Georgia is much cheaper than other notable European destinations, like France and Switzerland.

The Vibe is Different than Traditional European Ski Culture

If you’re one of those people who get up bright and early in an effort to catch “first chair,” you’re in for a change-of-pace in Georgia. Most lifts don’t open until 10 a.m., a nod to the Georgian workday that starts around the same time (normal work hours for Georgians in Tbilisi are 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.). As for rushing to get “first tracks,” there’s no need—the lack of people means that there are first tracks all day long. The slowed-pace flips the coin on Western ski culture, which puts pressure on people to be up and out early. AKA—you can actually relax when skiing in Georgia.

Though established resort areas like Gudauri and Bukuriani offer modern comforts, many of the details of skiing in Georgia are still pleasantly laid-back. For example, the ski rental shops at Hatsvali are nothing more than small sheds with a bunch of skis leaned up against the wall. The on-mountain “restaurants” are either small shacks with bean bag chairs out front or small huts with picnic-table seating. There’s less pomp surrounding the experience, and you’re more likely to meet other skiers because there’s less commotion. It all pairs nicely with the non-existent lift lines.

Georgia’s Food and Drink Scene Mixes Well with Winter Sports

Après culture isn’t quite the scene it has become in European or the West, but there’s plenty of interesting things to eat and drink after a day on the slopes. In fact, the chilly mountain air is a perfect counterpart to Georgia’s traditional cuisine, which features comforting dishes like Chikhirtma (chicken soup), khinkali (Georgian dumplings), and marinated or stewed meat, like Ostri (spicy beef stew). Georgia’s infamous moonshine, chacha (pronounced “ja-ja”), is a fiery liquor made from leftover wine pomace. Similar to grappa in appearance and taste, it is sure to warm you up on a winter evening. Of course, you need to try some of Georgia’s flagship qvevri wine, including the famous local red varietal,

The Best is Yet to Come in Svaneti

The region of Svaneti in the Northwest part of Georgia is a well-known summer destination for local, Russian, and European travelers thanks to its UNESCO-protected 9-12th century Svaneti Towers. Winter has always been a different story for a number of reasons. Travel is slow because of the winter conditions, and the road into the Svaneti Valley is often blocked by rockfall and avalanche.

If the government has anything to say about it, this is all about to change. Slowly but surely, investments have been made to bring ski tourism to the region, with the village of Mestia as its hub. Three ski resorts, Hatsvali, Zuruldi and Becho, have popped up over the past half-decade, with Becho just opening in the past year (Hatsvali fell into disrepair in the 90s but has been reborn).

The future goal is to create a connection of ski hills in this region. As of now, it remains under-visited. The ski hills are small—just one or two lifts each—but the lack of people, the affordability (less than $20 for a multi-resort pass) and the presence of cultural attractions, like the aforementioned Svaneti Towers, make it a prime, budding region for adventurous travelers to explore.