You're reading: Skiing options for winter fun

With only two weeks left before the holidays, it’s high time to pick a winter wonderland. For those who prefer active leisure, the Kyiv Post has prepared a selection of prized resorts in Ukraine and abroad.

 

Bukovel: Ukraine’s premier ski destination

With 51 kilometers of pistes of varying difficulty and length, Bukovel in the Carpathian Mountains is Ukraine’s biggest and best equipped winter destination. Unfortunately, it’s also the most expensive.

“I enjoy skiing at Bukovel. It offers good ski runs and service,” says Olga Khometa, manager at Kyiv’s Pilgrim tourist agency, who plans to make her third trip there this year.

There are eight hotels operating at the resort. During low season (Dec.10 – 28), single rooms start at Hr 250 ($31) per night with Hr 400 ($50) for a double room. In high season (Dec. 28 – Jan.7), prices jump to a hefty Hr 900 for a single and Hr 1,225 for a double room.

But regulars say cheaper accommodation can be found just a bit further afield. “When I was in Bukovel last year I stayed in a locals’ house for Hr 200 per night. (It was so) close to the resort, I could see ski runs from there,” Khometa says, adding that staying in Tatariv, a small village eight kilometers from Bukovel, is a good bargain as well.

Bukovel is Ukraine’s biggest winter resort, located at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in picturesque Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. (Courtesy)

But while it’s possible to save on lodging, there is no alternative for pricy ski lifts.

“The ski pass is the biggest part of expenses,” Khometa says. Prices start at Hr 350 for a day and Hr 1,200 for a week during low season and top out at Hr 400 and Hr 1,600 during the peak. Same goes for ski outfits – renting a ski or snowboard kit, with boots and headgear, will cost Hr 80-260 per day.

The Ivano-Frankivska Oblast resort is also a good base for day trips, notably to Dragobrat (in nearby Zakarpatska Oblast), Ukraine’s highest ski resort, or Slavske (Lviv Oblast), considered the best site for beginners.

For more information about Bukovel go to http://bukovel.com/; Dragobrat http://dragobrat-go.com/ and Slavske http://karpaty-slav.com/

Georgia’s Gudauri for heli-skiing fans

Situated on the southern slopes of the main Caucasus ridge at more than 2,000 meters altitude, Gudauri winter resort is best known for its long ski runs and mild climate with plenty of sunshine during skiing season, which lasts until April.

“It offers unique conditions for skiing. The ski runs are longer than in the Carpathians, which (postively) affects the experience,” says Yuri Hrablinsky, a snowboard instructor specializing in free ride and back country at SnowLab School in Gudauri. He says average ski tracks in Gudauri are 2 kilomers to 5 kilometers long.

Prices are lower in Gudauri than in Ukraine. According to the resort’s website, ski passes cost $15 per day, while ski or snowboard rental is about $25-32 per day. Accommodation is also more affordable compared to Ukraine’s Bukovel, starting at $40 per night for singles and $60 for double room.

“Gudauri is Georgia’s best resort if you love hitting the slopes, with peaks going well into 3,000 meters,” says Roman Ivasyshyn, a business development manager. “There are plenty of off-trail opportunities. You can go heli-skiing ($700 per day) with Eastwolf Heliski and Heliksir, or go rougue back country for a small fee,” he said.

Getting to Georgia from Kyiv starts at $200 (Wizz Air return ticket), while the transfer to Gudauri will cost around $120 for four people.

For more information about Gudauri go to http://www.gudauri.info/

More than skiing at Zakopane

Poland’s winter capital is like a cozy fireplace in the middle of snowy weather. Located at the foot of the Tatra Mountains at an elevation of 1,100 meters, it attracts tourists with its small-town charm and wider range of attractions than the typical resort.

„My family loves it! There are a lot of places, where you can go in the evening: hot springs, restaurants, cafes, and clubs. Service is very nice,” says Evgeniy Teselko, who has been going to Zakopane in southern Poland for almost 10 years.

“I could go to Bukovel, but my wife doesn’t ski. What would she do there?  Here she can go shopping or visit cafes or ice rinks, some of them are free by the way. The place is really amusing and cheap,” Teselko says

In Zakopane, small family hotels cost $15-25 per day (often including breakfast) while bigger hotels charge around $30. Dinner with alcohol costs about $15 per person. A one-day ski pass is about $15-20.

The location also offers a wealth of day trips, with numerous quaint villages and hiking routes. Somewhat further off, but still accessible is Krakow, Poland’s cultural capital, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site medieval old town and luxurious shopping malls.

For more information about Zakopane go to http://www.ezakopane.pl/poland/

http://www.zakopane-life.com/

http://www.sunshineworldpoland.com/html/ski_poland.php

Traditional Austrian winter resorts 

“The quality of ski runs, the safety of which is controlled, and well-developed infrastructure are among the main advantages of Austrian resorts,” says Julia Khimchak, who recently stayed at an Austrian ski resort in Ellmau, located at an elevation of 820 meters with an impressive 250 kilometers of downhill slopes of various difficulty level.

“It’s better to book a room in local’s hotels, which goes for $25 per night,” she says.

Ski/snowboard rental price is about $60 per week – renting for this period saves you up to 30 percent, according to Khimchak. The regular ski pass price is around $40 per day, $20 for kids.

Ellmau is located 90 kilometers from Innsbruck. “If you’re tired of skiing you can head off to Swarovski museum.”

A return Kyiv-Innsbruck ticket costs $500 if reserved in advance. The transfer from Innsbruck airport to Ellmau (87 kilometers) will cost about $100 for two.

Apart from Ellmau, Vorarlberg Mountains is a good option for skiing in Austria.

“I really like the Austrian Voralberg Mountains for winter activities. It’s still very traditional, you can go to a little skiing station with a lot of trees and good tracks,” says Charles Verdier, who manages a wine shop in London and prefers skiing in Austria to his native France, which he says is more expensive.

For more information about Ellmau go to http://www.ski-austria.com/ellmau/index.php

To book an affordable room in Ellmau go to http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Austria/Ellmau_hotels.html

About Vorarlberg Mountains  http://www.austria-holidays.info/en/skiing

Kyiv Post staff writer Anastasia Forina can be reached at [email protected] and Daria Zadorozhnaya at [email protected]