Prepared by Sakhva Travel Georgia Guide, a tours and travel platform for Georgia. Sakhva Travel office: 14 Merab Kostava St, Tbilisi.
Tour on this topic: Gudauri tour from Tbilisi — from ₾225
What kind of resort
Gudauri lies on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus by the Georgian Military Highway. The resort opened in the 1980s; today it has dozens of kilometres of runs, modern chairlifts and gondolas, and wide slopes above the tree line.
The snow lasts a long time and there are almost no trees above the forest line, so freeriders love Gudauri: there is heli-skiing and plenty of off-piste. Gentle slopes near the lower stations suit beginners.
When to go
The ski season runs from December to early April, and the best snow is usually in January and February. In March it is sunny and warm, and people ski in light clothes.
In summer the resort opens its lifts for walks and paragliders are at work: a tandem flight over the valley is the main summer activity. In May and October Gudauri is quiet and many hotels are closed.
Friendship Arch
5 km from the resort towards Kazbegi, on the edge of a cliff, stands a 1983 viewpoint with a mosaic panel. It looks out over the Devil's Valley and the Aragvi valley. Paragliders take off nearby and there are quad bike rides.
How to get there
From Tbilisi — 120 km along the Georgian Military Highway, 2–2.5 hours. Marshrutkas to Stepantsminda leave from Didube and pass through Gudauri. In winter, after snowfalls, the road at the Cross Pass is closed, but the resort itself is usually reachable from the Tbilisi side.
Snow chains or winter tyres are required from December to March. If you are going for one day, a tour with a driver is more convenient: no need to think about ice and parking.
Where to stay and what else
Hotels and apartments stand right by the slopes; at the height of the season they are booked in advance. Many people ski in Gudauri but stay in Tbilisi and come for the day.
Nearby are Ananuri, Pasanauri, the Cross Pass with its mineral deposits, and Kazbegi with the Gergeti church.
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