Gudauri Ski Resort

Georgia's main ski resort with good runs, cheap lift passes, and serious off-piste terrain

Gudauri's ski area covers around 57 km of marked runs across a south-facing bowl that catches good snow from December through April, sometimes into May at higher elevations. The base sits at 2,200 metres; the top lift station reaches 3,279 metres, with long vertical descents that rival many Alpine resorts. A gondola and a network of chairlifts connect the different sectors.

What makes Gudauri worthwhile beyond the terrain is the price. Lift passes cost a fraction of European equivalents, ski hire is cheap, and accommodation in the resort village is reasonably priced for what you get. Heli-skiing on the surrounding peaks is available through local operators and is dramatically cheaper than in the Alps or Canada. For experienced skiers on a budget, it is hard to beat.

In summer the resort shifts to mountain biking, hiking, and especially paragliding — Gudauri's elevation and reliable thermals have made it one of the better paragliding sites in the Caucasus.

things to do sight
A story
Gudauri received its first chairlift in 1989, just two years before the Soviet Union collapsed. The resort survived independence and civil war largely by accident — its isolation made it irrelevant to the fighting, and the mountains kept it cold enough that the only viable activity was skiing. International investment arrived in the 2000s and turned what had been a Soviet ski camp into one of the Caucasus's most visited winter destinations.