Goderdzi: a guide

Goderdzi: Adjara's ski resort, the snow, the road, and what it costs.

Goderdzi is a small ski resort at about 2,000 metres near the Goderdzi pass, above Khulo and roughly 110 km from Batumi. It opened in the mid 2010s and gets a great deal of snow, which makes it a favourite with people who ski off the marked runs. There are only a few runs and a few hotels.

When to go

·December to mid April is the ski season. The snow is often deepest in February and March.
·The January holidays are the busiest stretch.
·July and August are quiet: walks, the Green Lake and the summer pastures.

Getting there

·By car from Batumi through Khulo, about three hours, longer in winter. Winter tyres or chains are a must.
·By marshrutka from Batumi to Khulo, then a taxi up.
·In winter do not plan to come over the pass from Akhaltsikhe: in snow that side is not passable in an ordinary car.

What it costs

A day passAbout 30 to 50 GEL

Equipment hire, a day30 to 60 GEL

A night in season120 to 300 GEL

A meal out25 to 45 GEL

Rough figures. They move with the season and the place.

Worth doing

·The runs, served by a gondola and a chairlift. Best for intermediate and experienced skiers; there is little for complete beginners.
·Off-piste skiing, with a local guide.
·In summer, the Green Lake, a short drive from the pass.
·The Goderdzi petrified forest, a protected natural monument full of fossil plants.

One thing worth knowing

The weather here turns quickly: fog and heavy snow sometimes shut the runs and the road up from Khulo. Allow a spare day. On weekdays the lifts stop early, at about four.