"I want to squint at the bright whiteness around me. Feel the snowflakes on my face, catch them with my tongue, and also feel how they get tangled in my eyelashes and hair."
These are childish, carefree desires that are also exciting for adults. If your workdays and life take place in hot countries, where there are either no snow attractions or there are only technologies in the form of plastic skating rinks or artificial snow slides in shopping centers and malls- let's go to the ski resort of Gudauri. The whole day will be filled with positive snow-covered mountain landscapes.
Jvary Monastery
We meet you in the lobby of your hotel to start the tour. It is recommended to start at 09:00 or even at 08:30 because the daylight period is short in winter and sometimes it is shortened by the cloudy weather. An early start allows us to avoid boring traffic gaps which are common for morning hours in the capital.
The first stop is in 30 minutes at Jvary monastery. This complex is dated to the VI century AD. Its construction is connected with political powers that were influencing on Caucasus countries of that period. The monastery is situated on the top of the mountain. It impresses visitors with tremendous views of the confluence of two rivers, Baginti mountain, which was the citadel of ancient Georgian Kings, and the picturesque valley with red roofs of the ancient Georgian capital Mtskheta. Here you take memorable pictures and learn some facts from Georgian ancient history.
The next stop is in 40 minutes. It is Zhinvali reservoir with its 102 meters height and 450 meters length hydroelectric dam. It was constructed on the Aragvi River in 1986 and formed Zhinvali reservoir. The reservoir is of great importance for the water supply of the city of Tbilisi, it supplies drinking water to about half of the population of Tbilisi.
The expansive space and the blue-green, rippling water between the mountains create amazing views. As a result, it became a highly attractive tourist location on the road to Gudauri. There are several stops equipped for photo shooting in addition it has small markets with souvenirs, coffee on send, and snacks. It is nice to stop here and enjoy views of mountains in turquoise water.
It takes just 10 minutes to get to the Ananury fortress from the Zhinvali stop. This medieval Georgian fortification was known as the "Key to Aragvi river" in the past. The buildings included in the complex are the upper and lower fortress, fence, towers, Church of the Mother of God, Church of the Deity, “Mkurnali” Church, bell tower, octagonal cell, and reservoirs.
The fortress looks spectacular against the turquoise background of Zhinvali Reservoir. Here we learn more about the medieval period in Georgian history, and how rich families used the geographical advantages of the region to enlarge their power and exterminate other feudal clans.
Finally, we get to the Gudauri ski resort situated at 2196 meters above sea level. This resort, due to its modern infrastructure, attracts skier beginners and high-extreme lovers.
The natural conditions of Gudauri were the primal prerequisite for establishing a ski resort. The first ski lift was built in 1988. Today, there are 14 ski lifts, and most of them are built by the world’s famous manufacturer of ski lifts, “Doppelmayr”. The bottom ski lift is 1993 meters MSL, and the upper one is 3276 meters MSL. The opening hours for the ski lifts are from 10:00 to 16:30.
Gudauri ski tracks are for everyone, despite the skiing ability level. The overall length of the ski tracks is 70 Kilometers, which includes 20 ski tracks. The skiing tracks are divided by the level of difficulty. There are appropriate ski tracks for beginners, intermediate, advanced, and professional skiers. Gudauri Ski Resort is a favorable place for skiers who love freeriding.
You will have the opportunity for the additional payment to rent the sky equipment and instructor to try yourself skiing. Or just take cable car lifts to go up and enjoy tremendous views of the Great Caucasus Mountain tops. Drink tea or coffee in the local tavern or have lunch with exciting views of the mountains.
At the end of the day, we drop you off at your Hotel in Tbilisi or any other location in the city center.