GEORGIA Svaneti ski-tour

Details of the program

Sandwiched between Russia and the Black Sea, Georgia has recently enjoyed a huge upsurge in foreign visitors. This is due to its friendly people, cultural history and world famous wine, ….and also NO VISA is required. Georgia is geographically diverse with unspoiled coastline to the West and the Caucasus mountains bordering Russia in the North and NW.

This 9-day trip (7 days skiing) takes us to the W Caucasus (Little Caucasus) range and will be led by YVES ASTIER P or by one of our lead UIAGM- IFMGA mountain guides. He will be assisted by a local Georgian guide. This is an advanced level ski-touring week, ideal for strong tourers keen to visit this enchanting country with it’s fascinating local cultures and traditions and, of course, great skiing!

Unlike Russia, entry visas are not needed for Georgia for EU citizens in Georgia (& in Kirghizia as well) and travel in country is relatively simple. Living costs in Georgia are also reasonable…3 Lari (1 British Pound) will buy you a large beer! Tbilisi the capital is easily accessed from Europe but for the purposes of our trip we fly into Tbilisi / Tbilissi  as we will next days drive W, south-west down to Low  small Caucasus.

This historical city boasts numerous UNESCO world heritage sites, museums and ancient churches.

This Catskiing ski trip of 9 days, with 6 skiing days, will be in BAKHMARO in middl e of Lower Caucasus, the more snowy place in all Caucasus !! Our UIAGM/IFMGA ski and mountain guide could be  sometimes assisted by a local ski guide ( «skieur-alpiniste géorgien»). Generally NO ski-touring during a Catskiing week like this one ; a ski trip for advanced off-pistes and powder skiers.

Snowcats (« ratracks »), in fact ski bachers of 12 seats will daily carry us uphill about five to ten times per day !!

Skiing Georgia means not only Great powder skiing : you will also enjoy visiting a nice and charming country, where the local people like to welcome guests; the georgian food and cooking are also delightful, with plenty of different cookings of egg-plants….

We will fly not to the Tbilisi capital town but to KUTAISI, second city of Georgia, an historical town and the closest to W and to Lower Caucasus (as well as the nearest for Svaneti mountains).