There’s an unforgettable ski adventure waiting for you in the mighty Caucasus mountains of Georgia. Runs passing the Gergeti Monastery, ultra modern ski lifts and climbing the Goderdzi pass by Pistenbully. Next to these amazing activities you will meet the hospitable Georgian people, explore cave houses and relax in the Sulphur Baths of Tbilisi. Add the tasty Georgian food and local wine and you will have the perfect ski conditions. In 9 days we will experience so many things that Georgia has to offer.
Tbilisi
The tour starts on Sunday. We will organise a city tour in the old town. We’ll visit the Dzveli neighbourhood and stroll through the narrow alleys behind the city walls. We will take the gondola to the Narikala fortress and explore the Botanic garden. By countless stairs we’ll return to the old town. In the afternoon we’ll do a wine pub crawl and end up at our favorite local restaurant.
Gudauri
The ski resort of Gudauri is the biggest of Georgia. It will be our playground for the next 2 days. The last couple of years the resort has experienced massive developments. There are 9 chair lifts and the highests reaches 3279 meters. The vertical drop is almost 1500 meters and there is a lot of interesting terrain that will keep us entertained. It goes without saying that we will have a well deserved drink in the local after ski pub.
Stepantsminda
The nights are spent in a local guesthouse in Stepantsminda. The town is the last stop on the Russian Military Highway and it has amazing vistas to Mount Kazbegi (5.047 meters). The local family prepares tasty Georgian meals and they will entertain us in the evenings. On the way back from Gudauri to Stepantsminda you can opt to go parapenting or relax in the nearby Rooms Hotel.
Sunrise hike Gergeti
On the last morning in Stepantsminda it’s optional to do a sunrise hike with us. We will ascend the Gergety Infinity Chruch at 2200 meters and wait for the sun to rise. After a brief visit to the church you can ski/board back to the village (depending on snow conditions). After breakfast we can rest a bit in the van. It will be a sightseeing day.
Uplistsikhe / Stalin Museum
Just outside Gori are the cave houses of Uplistsikhe. Our first stop of the day will be on this plateau. Uplistsikhe was founded in the 6th century (BC) and the population was about 5000. Uplistsikhe was an important stop on the Silk Road and the local people were great merchants. They have built a market, farmacy, bakery, prison and even a theater. You can still see a lot of these structures.
After clambering this rocky terrain we continue to the city center of Gori. Gori is the birthplace of Josef Stalin, one of the most famous leaders of the former Soviet Union. There’s an impressive museum dedicated to him. Of course we will visit the museum and even see his personal train carriage (he had a fear of flying).
Goderdzi
The route will be breathtaking after we continue our route from Gori. We cross Borjomi National Park and head to the Goderdzi pass at 2100 meters. This road is usually closed in winter so it means that have to transfer to a Pistenbully for the last part. The Pistenbully will take us to a mountain lodge just outside the ski resort of Goderdzi. That’s the place where we’ll stay for the next 3 days.
The ski resort of Goderdzi is still in progress. There’s a very nice run from the brand new gondola but we will also use the Pistenbully for runs in remote areas of the Adjara region. It’s a wooded territory with a lot of powder. The Black Sea coast is not far away so the region receives more precipitation than other parts of Georgia. The days in Goderdzi will be quite intense but it will blow your mind. Winding tree runs and natural playful objects. We are looking forward already. During our shared meals we also have enough stories to share.
On Saturday we will ski back to the van. It’s parked somewhere half way on the Goderdzi pass. Unfortunately it’s our last run of the week. But fortunately we are not back home yet. We change our clothes quickly and head to the castle of Akhaltsikhe. After a local lunch in the castle we will continue to the capital Tbilisi.
Sulphur Baths
Once we’re back in Tbilisi we will visit the Sulphur Baths. Tbilisi means ‘Hot Spring’ because the city was built around scattering hot springs. The mind and muscles can relax for a while. We will evaluate everything that we have experienced this week. Georgia is definitely one of the most beautiful places on earth. Hopefully you are equally enthusiastic so will see each other again next year.
For who
-Adventurers looking for something different than the Alps
-Average to experienced skiers/snowboarders who can easily take a ‘red slope’
-Lovers of other cultures and rituals
INCLUDING:
– Local transfers
– 2 nights in a local guesthouse ** Tbilisi
– 2 nights in a local guesthouse ** in Stepantsminda
– 3 nights in a mountain lodge in Goderdzi
– All meals (and local drinks during the meals)
– City Tour Tbilisi
– Wine Pub Crawl
– Ski passes Gudauri/Goderdzi
– Entrance fee Uplistsikhe/Salin museum
– Transfer and droppings by Pistenbully
– English speaking guide
– Sulphur Baths Tbilisi
EXCLUDING:
– Flights
– Tips and souvenirs
– Ski/Snowboard rent €75 a week)
– Insurance
