Ski Adventure Svaneti & Western Georgia
A Wild, Diverse Ski Safari of Ski Resorts, Cat Skiing, Culture, Cuisine, Landscapes & Nightlife
This exciting journey is a diverse ski adventure in western Georgia, taking in the Greater Caucasus, the Black Sea coast, the Lesser Caucasus plus the second & third largest Georgian cities. Starting and finishing in the central city of Kutaisi, the route includes the Svaneti ski resorts near fabled Mestia, the seaside resort city of Batumi, and the snow-laden cat ski base in Goderdzi. It’s a varied trip with many different landscapes from temperate lowlands, alpine terrain, tea plantations, and back up toward dense pine forests & deciduous glades. This trip truly has it all. Are you ready to come along?
Highlights
- An immersive & diverse tour loaded with powder, culture, sights, tastes & nightlife.
- Two full days of guided cat skiing at Goderdzi.
- Three full days of skiing & snowboarding in the Svaneti ski resorts.
- Exploring Svan Towers, wine-tasting & nightlife in Mestia.
- Sightseeing the Black Sea coast & city of Batumi.
- Incredible Georgian cuisine, plus enjoy the wine, beer and of course cha-cha.
- The best of Georgian hospitality.
- Fully hosted & guided tour with all the logistics, including transport, taken care of.
Itinerary
The Ski Adventure Svaneti & Western Georgia tour itinerary begins with a pickup in the centre of Kutaisi on a Sunday at 11am. Participants happy to organise their own accommodation can arrive on the Saturday and enjoy a night on the town before the tour gets underway. The tour starts with a 5-6hr road trip up into the mountains of Svaneti to the incredible town of Mestia. Mestia is a base for 3 nights as the groups explores the fascinating town and the nearby ski resorts of Hatsvali & Tetnuldi. After a final ski day at Tetnuldi, the tour heads to the lively coastal city of Batumi on the Black Sea. After one night on the town and then a day tour of the city & coast, the group road trips up to fabulous Goderdzi for two days of cat skiing based out of a fabulous mountain lodge! Finally the tour winds its way back to Kutaisi by 11pm for a late final farewell with the group before departure on the Sunday. See the detailed itinerary via the Itinerary tab.
The Skiing
Around Mestia, the tour includes two challenging ski areas. Hatsvali is the smaller of the two, but has modern ski lifts and many sheltered, forest lined slopes - an ideal place to warm up and find your ski legs for the week. There’s a cozy mountain hut at the top where the group can meet for lunch together.
The next two days are spent in Tetnuldi, a larger, more challenging resort that even serves as a venue for the Freeride World Tour. The group will ski with a local guide, who will also show everyone some of the best hidden spots in the area. The views from Tetnuldi are unmatched - you can see Europe’s highest peaks on the horizon. After the last resort day, the road trip continues....
After an interlude on the coast, the final two days are spent cat skiing at the Goderdzi village in Adjara, southwest Georgia. Due to its beautiful glade terrain and abundant snowfall (due to a combination of prevailing storm direction & its proximity to the Black Sea), Goderdzi is a freeride paradise often referred to as the 'Japan of Georgia'. The deciduous trees create stunning tree runs, and the surrounding terrain is dotted with numerous mountain huts. The days in Goderdzi will be intense, with winding tree runs and natural, playful terrain that will leave you in awe. During your shared meals, you will have plenty of stories to share, making for a memorable and exciting experience.
Accommodation & Meals
Accommodations during the tour are in locally-owned and run guesthouses in Mestia, Batumi and Kutaisi, plus a 4-star mountain lodge in Goderdzi (with a jacuzzi & spa!). Half-board (breakfast & dinner) is included for the entire tour with breakfast eaten mainly at the guesthouses, and dinners spread between the accommodation and other local restaurants along the journey. There is plenty of time for après ski drinks, wine tasting & sampling the often-abundant nightlife and after-dark activities.
Georgian cuisine features plenty of bread, cheese, and meat, but don’t worry, you’ll still get your share of vegetables and fruit. And then there's wine beer and the local strong spirit, cha-cha. Georgian cuisine is a unique mix of Mediterranean, Russian, Turkish and Arabic dishes. As mentioned before, a lot of bread, cheese and meat, but Georgian cuisine is also so much more, with delicious fresh salads always featuring with meals as well. The most famous dishes are Khatchapuri (cheese pizza), Lobiani (bean pizza), Khinkali (dumplings), Shashlik and salads, in addition to tasty dishes such as Ojakhuri (potatoes with meat), Shkmeruli (chicken in garlic sauce), Pkhali (spinach and walnut tapenade) and Kharcho (stew). Georgia is also the cradle of wine production. Wine had been drunk here for 8,000 years. You can find it in all kinds of flavours and colours including mulled wine. If wine is not your thing, then there is always local specialty beer or the stronger cha-cha (the local version of raki). Of course there will also be tea, coffee, water or soft drinks available as part of the tariff, whilst alcoholic drinks are at local bar prices.
Guides
Your experienced tour host will be with you the entire trip. They will show you around the ski resorts of Tetnuldi & Hatsvali. For cat skiing at Goderdzi, all guides are GMGA (Georgian Mountain Guide Association) certified and have extensive knowledge of avalanche safety, mountaineering, first aid and snowpack. The tour operator predominantly works with local staff and believe it is important to use local knowledge and to support the local community.
Ski & Snowboard Ability & Gear
This Ski Adventure Svaneti & Western Georgia tour is for intermediate to advanced riders preferably with some off-piste experience in powder.
Bring your own ski & snowboard gear if you have it, otherwise there is an option to rent skis, snowboards & boots from the tour operator. Enquire when booking.
Transport - Getting There & Away
The tour starts in the centre of Kutaisi and whilst all transport during the tour are included in the tariff, it does NOT include any airport transfers but not too worry! Getting to Kutaisi is easy from the local airport (KUT) (30min taxi/bus). For more details about getting around the city, see our Kutaisi City & Airport Info page.
As flights to Kutaisi are from a relatively limited number of origins, Tbilisi may make more sense as an arrival/departure point. Tbilisi (TBS) airport is easily accessible from numerous flight origins throughout Europe, the UK, Türkiye & the Middle-east. To get to the tour start point, you will need to arrange a return transfer to Tbilisi city centre or airport for departure. Use one of our travel partners to arrange a private return transfer.
We recommend spending at least an extra night or two in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, preferably after the tour. For more details & accommodation options, see our Tbilisi City & Airport Info page.
More Info & Tour Bookings
Solos and small groups are welcome to join one of the fixed-date trips via the date listing links above. Open group, fixed date tours will run with 5 to 14 participants (maximum).
If you have any questions, make a General Booking Enquiry ->
If you have a minimum group size of 5, you can make a booking request for a private, customised ski adventure tour.
About the Tour Operator
Our tour partner Ryce Travel is a foundation dedicated to supporting Community Based Tourism (CBT) and they work predominantly with local partners and guides. As a non-profit tour agency, Ryce supports tourism in developing countries, providing you with an authentic local experience while ensuring that locals earn a decent income. Additionally, Ryce helps to foster local initiatives to grow winter tourism.