Gudauri

Gudauri sits at around two thousand two hundred metres on the southern side of the Jvari pass, and it is the main ski resort in Georgia: a set of modern lifts running up treeless slopes above the village, with long open pistes, a large amount of accessible off-piste terrain and a reputation among freeride skiers that has grown steadily. Heliskiing operates from here. In summer the same slopes are used for paragliding, with tandem flights running from the lift stations, and for walking. A short distance north on the pass stands a curved concrete viewpoint monument of 1983, its inner face covered in mosaic, above a drop into the Devil's Valley.

What you actually see

• Open treeless pistes - the terrain the resort is built on.
• Freeride and heliski terrain - the off-piste the resort is known for.
• Summer paragliding - tandem flights from the lift stations.
• The 1983 mosaic viewpoint - the curved monument north on the pass.

When to go

December to April for skiing, with the best snow usually from January; June to September for paragliding and walking. Two days to a week. The pass road closes in heavy snow.

Honest expectations

The pass road closes without warning in storms and can strand visitors. Off-piste avalanche risk is real and the terrain is not patrolled beyond the marked areas. Development in the village has been rapid and unattractive. Lift queues build at weekends.

Nearby

The Khada valley is south; Stepantsminda lies north over the pass.