Writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré
Apollo, which is most often associated with sun and beach holidays, is also the Nordic region's largest tour operator of sports and training trips. Apollo Sports also organises ski trips to a range of destinations, with the Gudauri ski resort in Georgia added in January 2025.
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ShareIt's a brand new destination, and the travel season started in January and now ends in March. Here are some practical information and tips about the destination.
Table of contents
Slopes and lift systems in Gudauri
Gudauri has around 75 kilometres of trails and 14 lifts. The highest point you can reach by lift is at 3,279 metres and the lowest lift starts at 2,000 metres. The longest lift is 2,750 metres long and takes you up from 2,200 to 2,700 metres.
There are both gondolas and open lifts by the Austrian company Doppelmayr or the French Poma. The majority of the pistes are blue, but for those who ski in the off-piste areas, there is a lot to choose from, which is Gudauri's great charm.
The whole mountain is south-facing so you have sun all day. If you visit Gudauri at the end of the season, now in March, it can be nice with the sun at your back and then you can take the lift to the Kobi pass at about 2,900 metres and go down with the sun at your back. So don't forget sun cream with a high sun protection factor, it costs an incredible amount on site.
What do experienced skiers say?
I talked to some Swedes who had skied a lot and got hold of Claes Eriksson, who had been a ski instructor in St Anton.
How do you feel about Gudauri now after a few days of skiing?
When it snows, there can be substantial amounts, over a metre, and you can then ski in completely untouched areas. There are relatively few lifts but when there is fresh snow you can easily get from the lifts to an incredible number of areas. Otherwise it is easy terrain and very good for intermediate skiers.
Practical things to consider
Lift passes cost around 1300 for six days, you can also buy a day pass for around 280 kronor and 150 kronor for children. Most hotels have a free shuttle to the nearest lift and the lifts are open from 10 to 17.00. There is also evening skiing between 8pm and 10pm at weekends on one of the slopes.
Rental of equipment costs a little different so if you have ski boots and helmet it will be cheaper to just rent skis. I myself rented everything and you can negotiate the prices in some places while in new Gudauri there are fixed prices of about SEK 240 per day for everything. If you rent several days, the price can be negotiated down and land at SEK 170-180.
Getting around Gudauri and restaurants
Gudauri consists of scattered hotels and restaurants at different altitudes, but in the new Gudauri everything is gathered in one place and you can easily walk around. There are two lifts from there, the longest of which is 2,380 metres long and takes you 540 metres up from the starting point at 2,160 metres.
There are of course lots of restaurants as there are about 60 hotels in Gudauri. What you have to take into account is that there are large height differences between some hotels and restaurants and there are no sidewalks along the narrow car road. So many people take taxis and the app that is mainly used is Bolt.
Restaurants and bars on the slopes
There are several restaurants up at 2,700 metres and places suitable for both lunch and after ski. For example, White Rabbit is good for après-ski while there are several others that grill everything from skewers to burgers.
The price level in Gudauri for a dish is around SEK 150 and a beer around SEK 50-80. Some places charge a 10-15 per cent service fee if you order at the table. Funnily enough, you can sometimes order a beer at the bar and avoid the service charge compared to ordering it at the table. In general, it is a good idea to ask if there is a service charge or tax before you order.
There are also grocery stores in both Old and New Gudauri where you can buy snacks and drinks if you prefer to have your own picnic somewhere on the mountain during the day.
Some restaurants to visit in New Gudauri
A restaurant known for both good food and partying later in the evening is Drunk Cherry with cosy interior and various DJs playing. Most of the people working in Gudauri come from Tbilisi to work during the ski season and speak good English.
On the other side of the square is La Suite which has a nice restaurant area but also some parties on their terrace outside.
The Friends restaurant focuses on Georgian food and drink, and tries to live up to its name with good service and friendly staff.
If it's Georgian craft beer you're after, there's ipa, stout and more on tap at the Black Dog Bar.
After several days on the slopes, I have met a lot of nice people and you feel a little exotic as a Swede for once. Of course, it feels exotic to be in Georgia too, so it's a nice feeling and it feels like you're far from home.
If you want to see more of both the slopes and restaurants in Gudauri, there is a short video here:
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Jonathan Gharbi De Maré
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