Ski Week in Gudauri
Ski or ride Gudauri's open bowls for four days on lifts reaching about 3,276 m, take a snowy day out to Kazbegi, and end with an afternoon in Tbilisi.
Ananuri FortressPhoto: Vadim Tolbatov, CC BY-SA 3.0Georgia's biggest ski area, Gudauri lies on the Georgian Military Highway about two and a half hours from Tbilisi. Its lifts climb from around 2,000 m to 3,276 m and serve roughly 35 km of marked pistes, mostly broad and above the trees, with a connection over the ridge down to Kobi. Skiers know it for wide-open freeride terrain and deep powder, and it is one of the leading heliski bases anywhere in the Caucasus. Your week includes four days on the snow, a rest day in Stepantsminda and Gergeti, and a closing afternoon in Tbilisi before you fly home.
Beginners and advanced skiers or snowboarders are equally welcome. Depending on your level, we book lessons, a freeride guide or a day of heliskiing, and we sort out equipment hire and lift passes too. You spend five nights at a hotel that is either ski-in or right by a lift, with a sauna or spa. The season normally opens in late December and closes in early April, and snow is most dependable from January to March.
Highlights
- Four ski days at Gudauri on lifts topping out around 3,276 m
- A long run over the ridge and down to Kobi
- Optional guided freeride or a day of heliskiing
- Snow-covered Gergeti Trinity Church beneath Mount Kazbek
- Winter views of Ananuri Fortress on the Georgian Military Highway
- A farewell supra, then a sulphur bath back in Tbilisi
Tour facts
The hotel, lift base and village restaurants are reachable by car, and Gergeti can be reached by 4x4. Snowy, icy ground makes walking hard in places; adaptive skiing is not offered as standard, so please ask before booking.
Places on this tour
8 places · tap any place to read its guide
- 1Up the highway to Gudauri
- 2Ski day one: learning the lie of the land
- 3Over to the Kobi side, with freeride options
- 4Rest day: Kazbegi under snow
- 5Final day on the snow and a farewell supra
- 6Tbilisi: a sulphur soak, the Old Town and your flight
Day by day
01Up the highway to GudauriOvernight: Gudauri
Your driver collects you at Tbilisi airport and heads north along the Georgian Military Highway. Break the journey at Ananuri, a 17th-century fortress beside the Zhinvali Reservoir, which in winter is often frozen or partly frozen, before the road climbs into snow country. You arrive in Gudauri, at roughly 2,200 m, with time to check in and get fitted for skis or a board at a rental shop. Over dinner, you meet your instructor or guide and plan the days ahead.
02Ski day one: learning the lie of the landOvernight: Gudauri
Spend day one finding your bearings while your instructor or guide shows you round. Gudauri's lifts fan out over a broad, open bowl without trees: easy blue runs lie close to the village, while longer red and black runs drop from the higher lifts. When the sky is clear, the top station at Sadzele, about 3,276 m, gives a view over the main Caucasus ridge to Mount Kazbek. You have lunch on the slopes. Beginners stay on the nursery runs for lessons, and more confident skiers can head up into the higher bowl and its off-piste.
03Over to the Kobi side, with freeride optionsOvernight: Gudauri
Cross the ridge today and ski the Kobi side, where long descents drop toward the Tergi valley before the Kobi lift hauls you back up toward Gudauri. Intermediate skiers usually love these long, cruising runs on the far side. Strong skiers can head out with a certified freeride guide into the open faces and gullies between lifts, with avalanche gear supplied. If snow and weather line up, it is also a good day to try heliskiing, which can be booked on the spot as an extra.
04Rest day: Kazbegi under snowOvernight: Gudauri
Give your legs a rest and take the 45-minute drive north to Stepantsminda, crossing the Jvari Pass and passing the Friendship Monument. In a 4x4 you grind through deep snow up to Gergeti Trinity Church, which stands at 2,170 m, alone against the white flanks of Mount Kazbek. Back in the village, linger over a long lunch of khinkali and local mountain cheese, and stop to photograph the frozen Tergi River. You are back in Gudauri by afternoon for the sauna, or for a final run or two if the lifts tempt you.
05Final day on the snow and a farewell supraOvernight: Gudauri
Make your last ski day count: return to the runs you liked best, or explore a new sector with your instructor. Advanced skiers can join a guide for a ski tour to quieter slopes away from the lifts. Head back to the hotel in late afternoon and hand in your rental gear. In the evening comes a farewell supra, a Georgian feast of wine and toasts with dishes such as khachapuri, mtsvadi and khinkali.
06Tbilisi: a sulphur soak, the Old Town and your flight
After breakfast, the highway takes you back down to Tbilisi. Book a private bathing room at one of the Abanotubani bathhouses and let the warm, mineral water ease your muscles. Then explore the Old Town with your guide: ride the cable car up to Narikala Fortress and wander down through the lanes of Kala. A late lunch of khinkali and a final glass of Saperavi round things off before your driver runs you out to Tbilisi airport for the flight home.
Prices
Price per person for a private tour, by the size of your group. Sample prices
| Group size | Per person | Whole group |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $2,060 | $2,060 |
| 2 travellers | $1,250 | $2,500 |
| 3-4 travellers | $1,000 | from $3,000 |
| 5-8 travellers | $825 | from $4,125 |
| 9-15 travellers | $690 | from $6,210 |
Room and children
- Single room supplement: $230
- Children under 6 free (sharing a bed); ages 6-11 pay 70% of the adult price.
- Prices change with hotel level and season; your quote is final.
Popular add-ons
- Tbilisi airport transfer (car, 1-3 people)$30
- Extra night in Tbilisi with breakfast$90
- Supra dinner with folk music$50
What's included
- Tbilisi airport meet-and-greet and return transfer
- Private road transfers from Tbilisi to Gudauri and back
- Hotel for five nights, breakfast included, on the slopes or by a lift
- Evening meals in Gudauri and lunch on your final day
- Lift pass for four days
- Four days of ski or snowboard hire
- Kazbegi day out with a 4x4 ride to Gergeti
- A private room at a Tbilisi sulphur bath
- Flights into and out of Georgia
- Insurance that covers winter sports
- Lessons, a freeride guide or heliskiing (prices on request)
- Lunch on ski days
- Tips for your driver and instructors
Good to know
Who it's for
- Skiers and snowboarders who want big, open terrain above the treeline at modest lift prices
- Beginners who want lessons with English-speaking instructors on wide, gentle runs
- Strong riders interested in freeride or a heliski day in the Caucasus
- Mixed groups where non-skiers are happy with the spa, snowshoe walks and a snowy trip to Kazbegi
If you are coming in summer or do not ski, pick Tbilisi, Mountains & Wine, which covers Kazbegi on foot and a Kakheti wine day.
What to bring
- Goggles for flat light and ski glasses with dark lenses for sunny days at over 3,000 m
- A helmet if you prefer your own, though rental shops have them
- High-factor sun cream and lip balm, because the high, treeless slopes reflect strong sun
- Warm base layers and a buff for wind on the upper lifts near Sadzele
- Snow boots with a good tread for the icy paths in Stepantsminda and at Gergeti
- Your own avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel if you plan to freeride without the guide's kit
- After heavy snow the Georgian Military Highway north of Gudauri can close for hours, and the Kazbegi day may move to another date.
- Off-piste skiing carries avalanche risk. Go only with a certified guide and follow the daily avalanche bulletin.
- Heliskiing depends on weather and snow and is booked and paid locally; it can be cancelled at short notice.
- Lifts can stop in high winds. On those days your instructor moves you to sheltered lower runs.
Guest reviews
Questions about this tour
Is Gudauri good for beginners?
Yes. The lower runs near the village are broad and gently angled, and the ski schools employ instructors who speak English. After two or three days of lessons, most beginners are ready for blue runs.
When is the best snow in Gudauri?
Snow is usually most reliable from January to March, when conditions tend to be cold and dry. The season often begins in late December and continues into April, though opening and closing dates change from year to year.
How do I get from Tbilisi to Gudauri in winter?
It is a drive of roughly two and a half hours along the Georgian Military Highway. After a big snowfall the road beyond Gudauri may close for a few hours or require chains, so our drivers use 4x4 vehicles fitted with winter tyres.
Can I go heliskiing in Gudauri?
Yes. Several companies fly heliski days out of Gudauri in season, dropping skiers on the high peaks around the resort. We can reserve one for you, but it depends on the weather and snow, so keep your dates flexible.
