If you have ever dreamed of conquering the Caucasus mountains, then you can easily fulfill your plans by going to one of the most popular resorts in Georgia. But remember that the Caucasus mountains have their own character, be prepared for adventure.

The Caucasus Mountains are also famous for their clean, healthy air and breathtaking scenery. The ski resort of Svaneti already has a fairly developed infrastructure, there are many interesting slopes, and the local landscapes are captivating with their beauty.

How much does a ski resort cost in Georgia?

If we compare prices here with famous resorts in Europe, we can say that prices for ski resorts in Georgia 2019 are very affordable. It is also worth noting that the maintenance service and equipment of ski slopes in Georgia today is at a high level. This can no longer be compared with the Soviet past; now everything is focused on European standards.

The cost of a ski pass to Georgian ski resorts is approximately $12 per day, it is better to buy a pass for ten days, in which case you will only have to pay $92, but of course you need to take into account the specific resort.

You can comfortably stay in a hotel of any category; there are many budget hotels and luxury and more expensive hotels with the maximum level of comfort and service. The most inexpensive accommodation at local resorts will cost from $40 per night per person.

Weather

Mountains protect from cyclones. In winter in Georgia there is almost no wind, the sun almost always shines, and there are no severe colds. On average, the temperature at a ski resort can range from -6 to -7 °C. The snow here is usually deep and has an even cover, avalanches can be observed quite rarely, and there are no stones on the slopes. The best time to come here for skiing is November - March. And if you also want to sunbathe, then go to the resort in February.

What else is interesting about Svaneti?

Free Svaneti is famous for its battle towers, the height of which reaches 10-20 m. They remain from the times of war and blood feud. The towers seem to compete with the rocks. According to historical data, they were built in the XII-XIII centuries. During the era of the “Golden Age” of Svaneti, at a time when Queen Tamara reigned in Georgia. It often happened because of blood feud that many were forced to live inside the tower for years, with entire families; food, water and weapons were brought there. These towers are very strong and can withstand earthquakes, they are located in Ushguli, a small community that is 46 km from Mestia. You can get to the village by car or taxi.

Inguri River

This picturesque place delights any traveler. Its origin lies at the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus. It has one unique feature: its water is painted a pure azure color, which is not natural for a river in the mountains. The power of its flow is used by the Caucasian hydroelectric power station.

Svaneti ridge

This is the Greater Caucasus mountain system, or rather part of it. The Svaneti ridge is 85 km long. The highest point of the ridge is Mount Laila, which is located at an altitude of 4008 m. The Svaneti ridge also attracts with beautiful alpine meadows, where you can see ancient stone buildings, some of which have already been destroyed.

What to eat in Svaneti?

If you find yourself in Svaneti, be sure to try kubdari (local khachapuri). This is a pie filled with meat, herbs, garlic and various spices. And for those who like national gourmet dishes, we recommend trying “Chizhdvari” flatbreads with corn and cheese.

The freedom-loving city of Svanov has a long history; its people were able to preserve their language. He was never able to be enslaved by his enemies.

Do not deny yourself the opportunity to ski and snowboard in the marvelous mountains of Georgia and do not forget to taste the local wines, which are famous for their unique taste.

About the gurney, actually. Thank you to Svaneti for existing. After all, we were planning to go to Gudauri, but the sad, snowless and thus frightening winter forced us to make a knight’s move. And in the literal sense: the path from Kutaisi to Svaneti really resembles this very move in form. Thanks also to Rezo Zukakishvili, the owner of the hotel in Gudauri, who does not take advance payment from guests, trusts each of them on their word of honor... and was probably upset when he learned about our refusal. Thanks to him, we did not lose our prepaid money, like many others in Gudauri this winter. Well, Upper Svaneti has confirmed its reputation as the snowiest region in the Caucasus. While people were smoking in other places, we were riding. There was snow there. I made a map here, like this:

Two and a half tracks, plus a tow rope for studying and all kinds of freeride.

The Khatsvali resort is completely new - it opened three years ago, and has not yet been promoted, so we were lucky. President Saakashvili then came to the regional center of Mestia, solemnly skied to Hatsvali(skaters will appreciate the humor of the moment when he got up from the lift chair) and held a meeting on the development of local tourism.

The weather there can be different. As it should be in the mountains, it changes ten times a day. When we first reached the summit, it was shrouded in cloud. Visibility is minimal. An unusual descent for me in pitch fog along an unfamiliar route is, I will report, something special. But also great practice.

Bottom lift station, clouds. These are the ones we look at here with our heads up. In the mountains they are below us. The resort is located in the mountains above Mestia; to get to it we had to drive 18 kilometers from our village, first through Mestia, then along a serpentine road up the mountain. This is a drawback. The daily transfers back and forth are somewhat exhausting. There are 2-3 companies in a minibus, drop some there, others there, stop others (us) at two different stores: one has wine, the other has cognac, and someone suddenly wants to run to a spring with narzan, then the Svan driver meets on the road and drops off his Svan relative, stops two or three times near other acquaintances, talks with them, and by the time you get home, it’s as if you’ve lived for half a day.

You can see from the cars in the parking lot how many people came to the hill. The resort is completely empty. On average - 4-6 companies of 3-7 people, plus crazy kids from the local ski school. Squealing Svan ski children fly past you so that you can’t see them. And people are sitting in a cafe. So the tracks are empty.

Lift characteristics:

And the cost of ski passes for Hatsvali (March 2014). Ours is eight days, the lari rate is 21 rubles. 333 rubles per day is cheaper than in Gudauri, which means it is the cheapest ski lift in Europe. The guys who were with us said that they smiled at the cashier, and he sold them season tickets at a child’s price. I'm not averse to saving money, but that never even crossed my mind. What are these tricks for? And so pennies.

Let's go just once:
Christmas trees are great. In them are squirrels, black ones, running through the trees and jumping across the alley of the ski lift about their business. Mountains with fir trees are the most soulful.

This clearing can be called another freeride track, with jumps and other surprises. People enjoy driving along it. Well, or they scrape it off, depending on how. One of us went to this route with a video camera on his head. Now it doesn’t allow me to post the result)

There is that sunlit clearing - there are two rope tows and training trails of 300 and 500 meters. You can use the same ski pass as the big lift. If there were two hills like this in our city or in neighboring Kharkov, we would be happy, we would ride until we were blue in the face. And on Khatsvali they didn’t even show their nose there, except for the case when they went to the rope tow man for chacha, but that’s a different story. That dot over there in the middle of the slope is me.

The lower cafe and the only hotel located directly on the hill, "Hatsvali". There was no water in it, so no one lived. The cafe next to her, however, was open, and they even offered something to eat, but I don’t know how you can eat there if there is no water, so we took beer. It's cheaper at the bottom than at the top. The order of prices is as follows: beer in the city is 1.5, at the bottom station 3, at the top 5 GEL. People stand on the veranda with chairs and tables:

Let's go up and slide down again:
Two snowcats crawl along the hill.

Snow conditions are normal for weather within plus or minus zero. It freezes at night, in the morning the tracks are made hard and uncomfortable for boards, but after an hour and a half they are broken down to excellent condition. By lunchtime the sun gets hot and the snow turns into a wet, heavy mess and piles up in heaps. A unique time is beginning when incompetent boarders do not interfere, but help skiers by leveling these heaps. Well, towards the end of the day, around 16.30 (the lift is open from 10 to 18), it becomes cooler again, the snow freezes and for the second time in a day, truly fun skiing begins.

The scale of the mountains is awe-inspiring. The flying helicopter below is a dot, you can barely see it (it’s not in the picture).

Traditional photo pampering.

I was driving first, couldn’t stand it, stopped the guys: it was necessary, they say, to be imprinted. Because Ushba.

Here are the peaks of Ushba. "If a friend suddenly appeared."

When the clouds come, this is what is done:

Well, when they leave, it’s like this again:

It was on the terrace of the upper cafe of Zuruldi. The mountain where we ski is also Zuruldi. This means that Khatsvali is a proper name. Ksenia, if you’re here, don’t you know what the word “Hatsvali” means?

It's great to have panoramic windows.

Inside. Order or take food with you - it doesn’t matter.

A little from the menu. It is extensive, Georgian-European, but not all dishes are available. One hundred percent is kubdari - a closed flatbread with meat. Sergei, immune to Georgian, could not remember it. Let's, he says, order this... Gudauri!

Arithmetic in Svanese... or a strange 18 percent tip.

But in the upper cafe there is a free and very decent toilet with water and everything you need. Why there is no water below, but there is water above, I don’t know. But the main thing is that there is wonderful music playing in the cafes, and in the establishments of Mestia too. Georgians know a lot about it, I remember it from Gudauri. It was hard to expect The Doors and the Rolling Stones in the high-mountainous Svan villages, but when Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart” sounded, I almost fell off the terrace. Let's ride one more time.
The dog Mali is hanging out in the cafe (emphasis on the first syllable). Great dog! Big, fluffy, kind, loves to lie in the snow and eat kubdari. Sometimes he has fun chasing skiers, causing them to gain additional acceleration. She goes about her business on the lift up and down - for this purpose the lift is stopped, she settles down in the chair, the lift is turned on again. Once on that lift, a ski instructor fell asleep all morning. His comrades woke him up with shouts, when that didn’t help, they used snowballs, and when that didn’t help, they braked the lift again. And we were wondering why the lift was stopping. Either the dog rides it, or the instructor. In general, the atmosphere at Hatsvali is nice and family-like.

Descent after descent.
The wife, while studying, decided to increase the number of descents along the main highway every day. From two times I reached eleven.
When I was tired, I left my skis downstairs with the lift operator, went upstairs, rested in a cafe and went downstairs on a chair. It's always fun at the cafe:

This forest on the right is also a cable forest.

There are “pipes” in it - narrow rolled paths. At first they were tough, with all sorts of branches and cones, but when fresh snow was added... I was delighted!

Perhaps the Hatsvali resort, with its 5 kilometers of current slopes, is not the largest in the world. But he made us fully feel winter - in winter. For only about 25 thousand rubles (with frills).

Svaneti, a mountainous region in Georgia, has the Hatsvali ski center on its picturesque territory. It is located at an altitude of 1500 m from sea level. But the tracks themselves are much higher. In the Mestia region, Hatsvali is the “youngest” among the resorts, it is only 5 years old.

Funding for its construction came from the state budget, so the center began operating after 6 months. The development of Khatsvali is still ongoing and with each ski season new mountain slopes are created and opened.

Ski season and climate

The subtropical climate causes a lot of precipitation, and there is abundant snow cover in winter. The average January temperature is +6°C. Ski season: December-April.

Characteristics of Hatsvali

General indicators:

• the lowest point of the resort is 1,865 m;
• highest point – 2,347 m;
• average height difference – 480 m;
• number of tracks – 3;
• the length of the green, simplest route is 700 m;
• length of the blue (longest) route – 2,600 m;
• length of the red track – 1,900 m;
• number of lifts – 3, of which 2 drag lifts (600 and 800 meters each) and 1 four-chair lift (1,462 m long);
• there is night lighting on the tracks;
• there are freeride zones;
• ski equipment rental service;
• instructor training services;
• Possibility of children's skiing lessons at the Mestia Ski School;
• rescue team, which was organized and trained by experienced French specialists.

Since the resort is new, the number of trails is still small, and their complexity is not designed for professionals.

But the freeride zones, as tourists note, are very spacious and run through the most beautiful places.

Additional sports services

Hatsvali has some amazing backcountry and ski touring trails, trails and riding trails.

These paths will lead the tourist to the mysterious and beautiful mountain region of the Caucasus, to the peaks of Tetnuldi or Ushba.

Information: “Backcountry” and “ski touring” are new sports directions in snowboarding and alpine skiing, when the ascent to the top of the slope is carried out on foot and not on a lift. This is a combination of mountain hiking and skiing.

Rope tows are designed for both adults and children. The chairlift mechanism, which takes 10 minutes to reach the upper station, has a capacity of 1,000 people per hour. And while there are not too many tourists here, queues are not typical for the resort.

Among the accommodation options for guests in Hatsvali, there are several hotels (the most popular is Hatsvali) and about 20 guesthouses (guest houses).

Living conditions and hotel service vary, as do prices. And yet, tourists give preference to guest houses, mainly due to their noticeable cheapness.

Prices for ski-pass, accommodation and services

• The cost of a ski pass is approximately 20 GEL, which is equal to 9 $. If you buy a subscription for several days, the resort will kindly provide a discount.
• Hotel accommodation is in a double room and with two meals a day for 240 lari ($100) per day. There are higher prices, with more luxurious rooms and extended service conditions. Budget rooms are also available. Their prices vary from 120 to 190 lari ($50-80).
• Guest houses are much cheaper: for 1 person from 55 lari ($23) per night, with two meals a day.
• The cost of learning to ride with an instructor is 20 GEL per hour. Price for 1 day – 50 GEL.
• Ski and snowboard rental - 25 GEL for 1 day.
• Transfer to the ski lift and back costs 120 GEL for a six-seater car.

There are not many additional services in Khatsvali. There are several restaurants, bars, cafes, souvenir shops and shops, hotels provide massage and spa services, there are swimming pools, hammams, baths, saunas.

At the upper and lower lift stations there is a cafe where you can warm up with a glass of hot, warming mulled wine.

Entertainment

The Khatsvali Hotel has a large restaurant serving a variety of cuisines. Although mostly traditional Georgian recipes. Tourists here first of all try Georgian kebab.

If you come to Khatsvali, be sure to go to Mestia. This city is only 8 km away.

The Mestia hotel “Tetnuldi” conducts an interesting “rite”: a fire is lit on a stone pedestal in the central hall. This creates an atmosphere of comfort, romance and warmth.

The highlight of the resort and the entire region of Svaneti is the local unique architecture.

The centuries-old Svan towers, breathing with the greatness and pride of the people of Georgia, attract attention.

How to get to Hatsvali

In Georgia, transport rarely follows schedules and order, which gives tourists a lot of adventure.

Svaneti, where Hatsvali (Mestia) is located, is a remote region. You can get to the resort in the following ways:

• by plane from Tbilisi or Kutaisi airports;
• other ground transport through the city of Zugdidi.

Tbilisi - Mestia.

1. The plane from the capital flies three times a week. It departs from Natakhtari Airport, near Tbilisi. The cost of a plane ticket to Mestia is 65 GEL (one way).
2. Early morning minibuses at the airport depart as the bus fills up. Ticket price – from 8 to 12 lari.
3. Night trains and buses departing from Tbilisi will take you to Zugdidi, from where you can travel to Mestia.

Kutaisi - Mestia, Batumi - Mestia.

Minibuses depart from Batumi and Kutaisi airports to Mestia. Their schedule is coordinated with flight times. Ticket price – 25 GEL. You can also go through Zugdidi, where buses go more often.

Zugdidi as a connecting point.

In Zugdidi, at the bus station next to the Svan Tower, all buses going to Mestia stop until noon. You can also hire a taxi here.

Of course, you can pre-order a comfortable transfer to the resort from the desired airport.

You can fly to Mestia for 37 GEL by helicopter from Tbilisi. There is an excellent road from Mestia to Hatsvali, but there is no public transport. Desperate daredevils walk.

To do this, we go to the road leading to the Ushguli community. Then we pass the Museum of Svaneti and after a kilometer of the road we meet a turn to the right - this is the road to Hatsvali. Sometimes along the way you come across hitchhikers who are not averse to giving a tourist a lift.

You can rent a car, but in winter and spring you need an SUV. Because there is a lot of snow on the roads in this area.

Housing prices in Mestia in winter

Prices are approximate - for the New Year, housing may be a little more expensive, by the end of the season a little cheaper. There are two types of housing popular in Mestia: guesthouses and hotels. There are no "star" hotels here. Hostels in the usual format too. Apartments, rather, are called floors in residential buildings or adjacent rooms, sometimes with a separate entrance. There are no apartments in block houses at all. Nevertheless, there is a choice - both in terms of comfort level, and in the design of the premises, and in terms of the price tag.

Guesthouses:

Double or multiple occupancy in a Georgian house. As a rule, the rooms are isolated (for example, two-, three- and four-bed), and shared amenities are located on the floor. But the rule is not ironclad. In accommodation options called "guesthouse" there are one or two rooms with a private bathroom - you need to check when booking. Guesthouses have a more “homey” atmosphere. For those who like to immerse themselves in local culture, this is the best accommodation option.

• Only with breakfast: 10$-15$ per person per night
• With two meals a day: 20$-30$ per person per day

Hotels

Rooms for two, three, four people with private facilities. Hotels, as a rule, differ from guesthouses in having a less homely atmosphere and the presence of common neutral (not together with the owners) recreation areas.

• Only with breakfast: 25$-30$ per person per night
• With two meals a day: 30$-40$ per person per day

Hello friends! I am writing to you from sunny Georgian. Spring is in full swing here. The birds are singing, the rivers are flowing, the temperature is approaching +20. Thus, it’s time to finish with articles about snow, so today a short story about the mountains of Svaneti, which I visited a couple of days ago, and then I will write about the warm cities of Georgia.

Svaneti is a beautiful mountainous region in western Georgia near the border with Abkhazia. Like most tourists, we stayed in (this is the regional center of the region). There was a separate post about Svaneti in general and Mestia in particular, but now let me show you the mountains for which people fly to Georgia from all over Europe!

Quickly realizing that there was nothing special to do in Mestia itself in March and remembering that there was a ski resort called Khatsvali 8 km from the city, we decided to take a walk to it.

It’s worth noting that I’m not much of a skier, as you could see by reading the post about my attempts to get on skis. Thus, I went to Mount Hatsvali only to look at the surrounding beauty of Svaneti from a height of 2400 meters.

Hatsvali Resort

The Khatsvali ski resort was opened in 2011, few people know about it yet, so there are almost no people.

There are several tracks (blue, red and black). There is also a trail for beginners and freeride and backcountry opportunities. There is one hotel on the territory and a cafe in it.

Ski equipment rentals are nearby. We went to Hatsvali on Sunday. The lift was empty (literally ten people were riding back and forth), the cafe at the top was closed.

The length of the cable car is 1400 meters.
The ride up the cable car takes 15 minutes.
The lower station is located at an altitude of 1865 m.
The top station is at an altitude of 2347 m.
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 16.00, in March and April until 18.00

Cable car
Rare skiers

Cafe at the top, which turned out to be closed

How to get to Hatsvali from Mestia

If you don’t have your own transport, you can get to Hatsvali on foot or by taxi. Minibuses don’t go there, and taxi drivers in March asked for 200 lari ($100) for a lift, so on the second day of our stay in Svaneti, after having breakfast and doing all our business, we went to the mountains.

Surprisingly, the 8 km long path at an angle of 7-8 degrees was very easy, and after 2 and a half hours we were at the foot of the cable car. I think this climb is even more picturesque in summer, but in spring there is definitely a special charm! It took about an hour and a half to get back to Mestia.

You can get to Hatsvali from Mestia by car, but if there is a lot of snow on the road, the car will not pass. In winter and spring you need an SUV.

We leave Mestia. The road is clear.

On the outskirts of Mestia I meet the most beautiful cow in the world

We're going uphill
After a couple of kilometers there is snow on the road

Mestia remains somewhere far away
After 3 hours we find ourselves at the top
We are returning me back
The cow is standing in the same place. Waiting. Nice!

Prices in Hatsvali

One ride on the cable car costs 5 GEL in both directions. In about 15 minutes you find yourself at the top at the start of the ski slopes.
Ski pass for the day - 20 GEL ( 10$ )
Instructor for the day - 50 GEL ( 25$ ) or 20 lari ( 10$ ) in an hour
Ski or snowboard rental for the day - 25 GEL ( 12$ )
Lunch or dinner in a cafe near the start of the cable car - 10-20 GEL ( 5-10$ )
Accommodation in a guesthouse in Mestia - from 20-25 GEL ( 10-12$ ) per person based on double occupancy.

Conclusion: I really enjoyed the walk! There is silence all around, forests, mountains that have stood there for millions of years and will stand there for just as long. Thoughts from your head disappear completely during a hike. You live only in the present moment. Isn't this happiness?

The main reason people go to Svaneti is to go to the mountains, breathe the cleanest air, listen to silence and enjoy natural products, forgetting about the existence of the rest of the world. If you are thinking about what to see in Mestia, you can safely start your sightseeing from Mount Khatsvali - you definitely won’t regret it!

Be sure to read my online guide to Georgia, which will help you plan your trip to Georgia:

Enjoy your holiday in Svaneti! Sincerely,