FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Pricing, levels, kids, equipment, cancellations, getting to Gudauri // The questions clients actually ask
Booking + pricing
How to book, what you pay, when, and what happens if plans change.
- The easiest way is the booking page on this site. Pick a format, pick your dates, and pay online by card. Once your payment goes through, your spot is confirmed. Prefer to ask a few questions first? Message us on WhatsApp at +995 599 86 50 06 and we will sort it out with you.
- No. Lessons are paid in full at the time of booking, online by card through our booking platform. Once the payment goes through, your dates and instructor are locked in. No deposit, no balance to chase later.
- All lesson bookings are paid online by card (Visa and Mastercard) through our booking platform. When you book you get a secure payment link that is valid for 48 hours, and your spot is held once it is paid. For a larger group that would rather pay by bank transfer, just ask and we will arrange it.
- Plans change, we understand. More than two weeks before your first lesson: 80 percent refund, or change your dates for free. Between 48 hours and two weeks before: 50 percent refund, or an 80 percent credit toward new dates. Inside 48 hours: no refund, because the instructor has held the day for you. Taxes and booking fees are non-refundable. If the resort closes for weather or avalanche risk, you choose: reschedule or a full refund. Date changes are handled case by case and we almost always make them work.
- No. Lift passes are separate and bought at the resort. A one-day Gudauri pass is 70 GEL for adults and 35 GEL for children aged 6 to 12, with lower per-day rates on multi-day passes. Single-day passes are sold at the lift ticket booths and at Marco Polo reception. Multi-day passes need everyone in the group present for the photo, so plan a few minutes for it on day one.
Lessons + levels
How we group people, how long lessons run, what languages we cover.
- Tell us when you book. We use a simple scale: never-ever, beginner, intermediate, advanced. If you're unsure, your instructor watches you ski one warmup run and adjusts. We move people up or down a group on day one if the match isn't right.
- Group lessons are for your own party only, up to four people, and everyone in the group should be at the same or a similar level so the pace suits all of you. We do not mix you in with strangers. If your group is split across levels, the better options are individual lessons or separate groups by level.
- Half-day lessons run 2.5 hours of on-snow time, usually 10:30 to 13:00 or 13:30 to 16:00. Full-day is 5 hours with a one-hour lunch break, 10:30 to 16:30 with lunch around 13:00. Freeride days run longer, typically 6+ hours touring.
- Yes, and we recommend it. Continuity is the biggest single factor in how much you progress over a trip. Tell us when you book and we'll lock the same instructor across your stay if availability allows. Returning clients often request specific instructors a season ahead.
- Every instructor teaches in English. Most also speak a second language: Czech, Russian, French, Georgian, Hungarian. If you need a specific language for a family member, ask when booking and we'll match accordingly.
Kids
What we take, what we don't, and how to make it work for families.
- Five. We don't take children under five. Below five the attention span and strength for a real lesson usually aren't there yet, and the cold gets miserable fast. We'd rather you wait a season than risk a bad first experience.
- No. Kids five and up join the same private or Private Group lessons as everyone else, with an instructor who is great with children. Young or first-time kids do best one-on-one, where they get full attention and stay safe in the snow. Most families book a Private Group so everyone stays together on the mountain.
- Same instructors, same terrain progression, just calibrated for shorter attention and lower energy reserves. More breaks, more games, more snacks. Our instructors who are great with kids are matched to your booking.
- Skis or board, boots, poles for skiers (not required for first-timers), a helmet (non-negotiable), warm layers, goggles, gloves. Our rental partner Aviator stocks full kids' kits including helmets, and we send a reservation form before your trip so everything is ready when you arrive.
Equipment + rentals
We don't rent. Here's what to bring and our rental partner in Gudauri.
- No, we don't run our own rental shop. We partner with Aviator Ski Rental in New Gudauri, about 100 meters from the gondola. They know we send clients their way and look after them. We send a reservation form before your trip so your kit is fitted and ready when you arrive.
- Warm layers (base layer, mid, ski jacket and pants), goggles, gloves, a helmet if you own one, sunscreen. Everything else (skis, boots, board, poles) you can rent locally. If you fly with your own gear, Tbilisi airport handles ski bags fine.
- Aviator Ski Rental, our one rental partner, in New Gudauri about 100 meters from the gondola. Look for the red and white sign, you can't miss it. They speak English and stock proper intermediate-to-advanced gear, not just beginner kit. Vagabond clients get a discount, and we send a reservation form ahead of time so your gear is ready on day one.
- Yes. A beacon, shovel, and probe are required for any freeride day off-piste. You can rent the full kit from Aviator or add it to your booking. Your freeride instructor checks every piece before you leave the road.
Snow + season
When to come, what we do when the mountain misbehaves.
- February and early March are the sweet spot: the deepest snowpack, longer days, and more settled weather. Powder generally builds through January and February. December is early season and can be variable. Late March into April is spring skiing, with warm afternoons and softer snow. The season runs from around late December to mid or late April.
- If snow is thin lower down, we do our best to get you to where the snow is, usually higher up the mountain. If availability allows, we may be able to move your lesson to another date. And remember: if the resort is open, there is skiable snow on the mountain. We will always find you the best option on the day.
- The Jvari Pass between Tbilisi and Gudauri can close during heavy storms. If a lesson is missed because of a road closure, we do our best to reschedule it. It is always worth arriving the day before your lesson to be safe. Once you are in Gudauri, a pass closure does not affect your lessons.
- Wind shuts the top lifts at Gudauri a handful of days each season. We move bookings to lower lifts if they are running, swap a piste day for an on-foot technique session, or reschedule for later in your trip. Off-resort there is Kazbegi, the hot springs at Pasanauri, and the route down to Mtskheta.
Travel + logistics
Getting to Gudauri, where to sleep, whether you need a car.
- Gudauri is about a two-hour drive north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway. Most clients fly into Tbilisi and hire a private driver or take a taxi up. The drive is straightforward in good weather and slower in storms.
- New Gudauri is closest to the gondola, a lively area with plenty of apartments to rent. Lower Gudauri has more hotels, usually better prices, and a quieter feel, though you'll need a short taxi or drive up to reach the lifts. Tell us your budget and we can point you in the right direction.
- Not really. Taxis are everywhere in Gudauri and easy to find. A taxi from Lower Gudauri up to New Gudauri is around 30 GEL. A car is only really useful if you want to explore Kazbegi or drive into the mountains on a rest day.
- We don't arrange transfers directly, but we are happy to help. We can share trusted driver contacts or point you to services like GoTrip.ge or Bolt. Tbilisi airport to Gudauri is roughly a two-hour drive.