Ski Kosovo
Ski Kosovo for its adventurous cat ski operations, wild mountains, wonderful cuisine & crumbling ski resorts. Kosovo has some of the best value skiing & snowboarding in Europe; remaining uncrowded, untouched & unknown.
Anyone looking for a place as far removed from the crowded, 'antiseptic' ski resorts of the Alps, but still in Europe, will love travelling to Kosovo. Any visit contributes not only to one's lifetime ski experiences, but also to the future prosperity of this fledgling nation. When are you going to visit?
Kosovo Ski Resorts
Kosovo's few ski resorts have suffered badly since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. What lifts do turn are generally old & unreliable. One of Kosovo's major ski resorts is Brezovica. Whilst still popular, it is now a shadow of its former self, although the snow & terrain is as good as ever! The resort has been trying to get 'back in the game' in the last few years - grooming some slopes, running a few ancient chairlifts & even cranking up the most questionable funicular we have ever seen (albeit on a wholly unreliable schedule). The demise of the lift's at Brezovica led one local to start up a cat ski operation, Dane Freeride - a boon for Powderhounds. Despite the unreliable nature of the ski lifts at places like Brezovica, the snow & terrain is still world class & worth visiting when conditions are good.
Cat Skiing Kosovo
At least two cat ski operations ply their trade in Kosovo. The well-established Dane Freeride has been operating for years out of the Brezovica ski resort in the south, near the border with North Macedonia. A new player in the market is Lynx Freeride. They prowl the remote Accursed Mountains on the Albanian border below Kosovo's highest peak. The terrain and abundant snow should (& does) excite the most hardened campaigner.
Travel To & Around Kosovo
The Republic of Kosovo is a landlocked nation located in the Balkans, surrounded by Serbia to the north & east, Macedonia to the south with Albania & Montenegro to the west. The capital of Kosovo, Pristina, is the main gateway to the country via its international airport. Another useful point of access to Kosovo can be Skopje in North Macedonia.
Pristina is 570km north of Athens & around 700km south of Vienna. The Adem Jashari International Airport Pristina (PRN) is 20km to the south west of the capital. The main Kosovo ski areas are in the mountains to the south & west of Pristina toward Macedonia & Albania.
Note though that crossing borders by land into Kosovo can be 'interesting' to say the least, so we recommend travelling with a local guide, host or transport company, rather than driving yourself. If looking to travel independently within Kosovo, a rental car can be a handy way of getting around, with the airport being the best place to rent, however the roads in the mountains can be treacherous during storms & a car is useless if spending a week cat skiing somewhere.
Powderhounds recommends using a pre-arranged taxi or private shuttle organised by your tour provider or hotel for transfers to your destination from the airport.
Flights into Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari
The recommended airport to access skiing in Kosovo is Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari (PRN). The airport is located 20km west of the Kosovo capital of Pristina & taxis can make the 90km journey to the Lynx Freeride pick up point at Junike in around 1½hr.
Flights to Pristina are available from most major European airports including Munich, Frankfurt, Paris CDG, Geneva, Zurich & Vienna, all major Scandinavian airports & London-Luton in the UK. A host of minor European airports also provide direct links.
Search & book flights to Pristina.
Reasons to Ski & Snowboard Kosovo
There are a host of reasons to go skiing & snowboarding in Kosovo. Here a few of the better ones:
- Powder & very few people competing for it;
- Adventure - rediscover forgotten ski areas & remote mountains;
- Value - Kosovo provides a great value holiday destination;
- Social - visiting Kosovo will help the local economy & assure skiing continues into the future;
- Fun - enjoy the local hospitality, copious food & quality drinks;
Go next season because you'll only be one year older if you don't (thanks Warren). See your there:)
