Bakuriani: a guide
Bakuriani: the ski season, summer in the forest, and what it costs.
Bakuriani is a ski resort in pine forest above Borjomi, at about 1,700 metres. It is more of a family place than Gudauri, with shorter, easier runs and somewhat lower prices. It fills up in summer too, with people from Tbilisi escaping the heat.
When to go
- ·Late December to March is the ski season. Snow is most reliable in January and February; the resort is lower than Gudauri, so the start and end of the season are a gamble.
- ·New Year and the first half of January are the fullest and most expensive, with traffic jams in town.
- ·July and August: a cool summer, walks in the forest, a lot of families with children.
- ·April, May and November: the snow is melting or has not come yet, and much of the town is shut.
Getting there
- ·By marshrutka from Borjomi, about 30 km and a little over forty minutes. There are also direct ones from Didube in Tbilisi, up to three hours.
- ·By taxi from Tbilisi, 200 to 300 GEL for the car, two and a half to three hours.
- ·The narrow gauge train from Borjomi, the Kukushka, has not run for several years. Do not plan around it unless you have checked that it is back.
What it costs
A day pass50 to 70 GEL
Equipment hire, a day30 to 60 GEL
A night in season120 to 350 GEL
A night in summer80 to 200 GEL
A meal out25 to 45 GEL
Rough figures. They move with the season and the place.
Worth doing
- ·Didveli, the main part of the resort, with the longest runs.
- ·Kokhta, with short, easy runs. Good for beginners and children.
- ·In summer, the Tskhratskaro pass and Lake Tabatskuri, by 4x4.
- ·The alpine botanical garden, in summer.
One thing worth knowing
Bakuriani is spread out, and the Didveli lifts are a couple of kilometres from the centre. When you book, ask how far the hotel is from the slopes and whether there is a shuttle.
