Gudauri Ski Guide 2026/27: Season, Getting There, Stay

Gudauri does not look like an Alpine resort. There are no forests and no chocolate-box village, just a high, treeless bowl of the Greater Caucasus, with long cruising runs and a reputation for powder. That openness is the appeal and also the risk: the same slopes that make the freeride famous are avalanche terrain. The trip comes down to three choices: when to go, where on the mountain to sleep and how to get up the road from Tbilisi. Season dates and rules below were checked on 10 October 2026.

When is the best time to ski in Gudauri?

Gudauri’s season runs from early December to mid-April, according to the Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA), with a snow depth that typically reaches 1 to 2 m. The resort sits around 2,200 m, so even the base is high for a European ski area.

Georgian weather services do not publish a WMO climate normal for Gudauri itself, so plan on proper mountain cold: the GNTA notes the Kazbegi area just over the pass stays chilly at night even in summer. For a warmer winter base, compare our Tbilisi guide, and for the rest of the country by month see best time to visit Georgia.

Where should you stay in Gudauri?

Gudauri is spread along the Georgian Military Road and up the slope, so where you sleep decides whether you can ski to the door.

First trip? Choose New Gudauri or the resort centre so you can walk to a lift, and book Christmas, New Year and February weekends well ahead. Compare Gudauri hotel and apartment prices once you have dates.

How do you get to Gudauri from Tbilisi?

Fly into Tbilisi International Airport (TBS); Gudauri has no airport of its own. From there it is about 120 km north along the Georgian Military Road, a drive of around 2 to 2.5 hours, according to the GNTA.

Our London to Tbilisi flights guide covers the routes and airlines, and if you add a night in the capital, best budget hotels in Tbilisi has specific picks.

What is skiing in Gudauri like?

• Lift passes. Passes are loaded onto a plastic multi-card that also works at Bakuriani, Mestia and Goderdzi. A phone e-ticket or QR code does not open the gates, so pick up a card. In 2025-26 passes were sold at the resort ticket offices and online through the SKIPASS app, TKT.GE, SuperApp and Biletebi.ge, with season MultiSki passes valid at all four resorts. Mountain Trails Agency publishes the new season’s prices when sales open.
• Rental. The GNTA puts a day of ski rental at around 50 GEL and snowboard equipment at around 70 GEL. If you ski more than a week a year, our guide to ski gear to buy before you rent shows what is worth owning.
• Kobi gondola. A lift runs from Gudauri down to the village of Kobi on the far side, about 20 km from Stepantsminda.
• Beyond skiing. Snowmobiles, ice skating and heli-skiing all operate in winter. Paragliding from 2,245 m near the Friendship Monument is mainly a summer and early autumn activity and depends on the weather.

Lunch on the mountain is hearty Georgian food: khachapuri (cheese bread), khinkali (soup dumplings) and bowls of lobio (bean stew), with hot tea or coffee in the slope-side cafés. Layer up properly for the high, exposed runs: our guide to the best thermal base layers for travel covers what works.

What day trips can you take from Gudauri?

• Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) and Gergeti Trinity Church: about 32 km from Gudauri, over the Jvari Pass. The 14th-century church sits on a ridge below Mount Kazbek (5,054 m) and is reached by road, taxi or a guided jeep tour; in winter, ask locally whether the upper road is passable.
• Dariali Gorge and Gveleti Waterfall: beyond Stepantsminda along the Tergi River, the GNTA’s pick for waterfalls and lakes.
• Ananuri Fortress: a 16th to 18th-century fortified church complex on the Aragvi River, an easy stop on the drive up from Tbilisi.
• Tbilisi: worth two or three days before or after the slopes for the sulphur baths, the old town and the Narikala cable car. See our Tbilisi travel guide.

What goes wrong on a Gudauri trip?

• Skiing off-piste without a plan. The UK Foreign Office calls off-piste skiing in Georgia very dangerous and warns that rescue can be limited. Read the daily forecast from Avalanche Georgia, which covers the Gudauri area, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe, and go with a qualified guide or a heli-ski operator.
• The wrong insurance. Since 1 January 2026, Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires every tourist to carry health and accident insurance of at least 30,000 GEL, in Georgian or English. The GNTA warns that standard travel insurance often excludes skiing, so buy winter sports cover, with off-piste and heli-skiing if you plan either.
• Whiteouts. Above the treeline there are no trees for visual reference. On flat-light days, stay on marked runs near the lifts.
• Getting stuck on the road. Snow can hold traffic on the Military Road for hours. Keep a day’s margin before your flight home.
• Assuming a set opening date. The season starts when there is enough snow. Check Mountain Trails Agency’s announcements before booking a December trip.

How many days do you need in Gudauri?

Three days is enough to ski most of the marked runs; five to six days suits a proper ski week and leaves room for a powder day or a guided freeride session. Add a day for Stepantsminda and Gergeti, and two days in Tbilisi at either end. If you are weighing Gudauri against other budget mountains, our guide to the cheapest ski resorts in Europe compares the options.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the ski season in Gudauri?

The Georgian National Tourism Administration puts the Gudauri season from early December to mid-April, with January and February the most reliable months for snow. In 2025-26, Mountain Trails Agency, the state company that runs the lifts, opened Gudauri on 27 December and kept it running through 19 April. Dates for 2026/27 follow the snow, so check the agency’s announcements before you book.

How do I get from Tbilisi to Gudauri?

Gudauri is about 120 km north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Road, a drive of around 2 to 2.5 hours, according to the Georgian National Tourism Administration. Private transfers and taxis are the simplest option with ski bags; shared minibuses (marshrutkas) leave from Didube bus station for around 15 GEL. Heavy snow can slow or briefly close the road, so allow spare time on the way back to the airport.

How big is the Gudauri ski area?

Gudauri has about 37 km of groomed runs graded green, blue, red and black, between a base of 1,989 m and a top lift station at 3,276 m, the highest ski area in Georgia. The Georgian National Tourism Administration counts 20 runs and 18 lifts, plus a snow park between 2,720 and 2,845 m and a gondola down to Kobi on the far side of the mountain.

How do Gudauri ski passes work?

Lift passes are loaded onto a plastic multi-card, the same card used at Bakuriani, Mestia and Goderdzi; an e-ticket or QR code on your phone does not open the gates. In 2025-26, passes went on sale at the resort ticket offices and online through the SKIPASS app, TKT.GE, SuperApp and Biletebi.ge, with day passes, multi-day passes and season MultiSki passes valid at all four resorts.

Is off-piste and heli-skiing in Gudauri safe?

Gudauri is famous for freeride and heli-skiing, but the UK Foreign Office warns that off-piste skiing in Georgia is very dangerous and that mountain rescue can be limited. Read the daily avalanche forecast from Avalanche Georgia, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe, and ski off-piste only with a qualified guide. Check that your insurance covers off-piste and heli-skiing.

Do I need insurance to ski in Gudauri?

Yes. Since 1 January 2026, Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires every tourist to hold health and accident insurance covering at least 30,000 GEL for the whole stay, in Georgian or English. The Georgian National Tourism Administration also notes that standard travel insurance often excludes skiing, so buy a policy with winter sports cover.

Sources

Resort size, season, rental prices, the Jvari Pass and Stepantsminda: Georgian National Tourism Administration. Season dates, lift hours and ski pass sales: Mountain Trails Agency. Entry and insurance: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Safety: UK Foreign Office. Avalanche forecasts: Avalanche Georgia.

Start planning your Gudauri trip

Flights to Tbilisi are cheapest outside the New Year week, so compare a few dates in late January, February and March first, then lock in a room near the lifts.

Find cheap flights to Tbilisi | Compare Gudauri hotel prices

Planning the wider trip? See our best time to visit Georgia guide and the Tbilisi travel guide.