Gudauri.
Flight from TLV
2h 23m
Best season
ינו–דצמ
Avg temp
7°
Currency
₾ GEL · 1=₪1.17
Time zone
+1 שעה מול ת״א (UTC+4)
Language
גאורגית · אנגלית ורוסית נפוצות בתיירות
Plug
C / F · 220V (כמו בישראל, בלי מתאם)
Visa
אין צורך בוויזה לישראלים, עד שנה שלמה עם דרכון בתוקף
Safety
בטוחה מאוד, גם בלילה. הזהירות היחידה: כבישי ההרים
Overview
🇬🇪Gudauri
🇬🇪Georgia
Gudauri is the ski resort Israelis have adopted as their own: two hours north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway, at 2,200 m, with wide, open pistes that are perfect for beginners and families, and lift passes and lessons at prices the Alps can only dream of. Over Hanukkah, the winter break and Purim the hotels fill with Hebrew, the instructors shout "pizza" in our language, and après-ski rolls from a hot khachapuri on the slope to the hotel bar. Non-skiers get a proper snow holiday: the Friendship Monument and its famous viewpoint, a tandem paragliding flight over the resort, Ananuri Fortress on the way up and a snowy day in Kazbegi 40 minutes away. All of it a direct three-hour flight from Tel Aviv, visa-free and without emptying your savings.
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Where to stay
Where to stay in Gudauri
Each area and who it suits best.
New Gudauri
The new complex at the lift base, with Gudauri Lodge, Loft Hotel and the Redco apartments, rental shops like Ridestation, a supermarket and cafes steps from the piste. The most convenient place to step out on skis in the morning and come back to the apartment for lunch, and where most Israeli families cluster over Hanukkah. The downside: a built-up, fairly dense complex, with a less village-like feel in the evening.
Upper Gudauri: the Marco Polo and Kokhta area
The original resort on the Military Highway, with Marco Polo, Rooms Hotel Kokhta and Alpina right by the Gudaura lift and the main ticket office. This is where the hotels with heated pools, bars and fireplaces are, and there is more life at night than in New Gudauri. Pricier, and from some hotels you cross the road or walk a few minutes to the piste.
Lower Gudauri
The original village down the road, with guesthouses, Gudauri Inn, Carpe Diem and cabins 30-40 percent cheaper than the hotels above. The vibe is Georgian and homely, food is cheaper and the hosts make khachapuri in the morning. You need a shuttle or a 5-10 minute drive to the lifts every morning, and in a storm it feels far.
Kobi
A small village beyond Jvari Pass, from which the cable car rises straight to the resort's high runs, with new hotels and lower prices than Gudauri. Genuinely quiet, an open view toward Kazbek and a short hop to Stepantsminda. Few restaurants, no nightlife, and when the pass closes in a storm you are cut off from Gudauri for a day.
Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)
The mountain town facing Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity, 40 minutes from Gudauri, with Rooms Hotel Kazbegi and its famous terrace, cozy guesthouses and Cafe 5047. Ideal if you want a day or two of skiing and a day or two of scenery, jeeps and hot springs. In winter the drive to the slopes depends on the weather at the pass, so it is not for those who come only to ski.
Tbilisi as a base
Sleep in the Old Town or Vera, close to Chabad and the kosher restaurants, and go up to Gudauri for a day or two with a driver. You also get Tbilisi at night, the casinos and the sulfur baths. Two hours each way is long, longer in snow, so this is an option for a taste rather than a full ski holiday.
Year-round weather
Year-round weather in Gudauri
Temperature averages
Real climate dataינו
-4°
-16°
Cool
פבר
-5°
-15°
Cool
מרץ
1°
-8°
Cool
אפר
5°
-4°
Cool
מאי
8°
-1°
Cool
יונ
14°
4°
Cool
יול
16°
8°
Recommended
אוג
17°
8°
Recommended
ספט
12°
4°
Cool
אוק
7°
-2°
Cool
נוב
4°
-5°
Cool
דצמ
-2°
-12°
Cool
Peak season for Israelis (when everyone goes): ינו · פבר · מרץ · דצמ. Israelis pack Gudauri over Hanukkah, the January-February winter break and Purim, when hotels and Hebrew-speaking instructors sell out months ahead. Snow is best in January-February, while March brings sunshine, longer days and cheaper packages.
Based on a 3-year average · measured in Gudauri · Open-Meteo
This week in Gudauri
Measured in Gudauri
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Things to do
Things to do in Gudauri
On the map
Gudauri on one map
Every spot travelers love — tap a pin for photos, opening hours, navigation and booking.
Suggested plan
A perfect Gudauri itinerary
Day by day, so you can picture the whole trip.
- 1
Day 1
Land in Tbilisi and head up the mountain
Land in Tbilisi, stop at Carrefour in Tbilisi Mall on the northern exit for water and snacks, and take the Georgian Military Highway. Pull over for the Zhinvali Reservoir viewpoint and a short walk around Ananuri Fortress before the light goes. Reach Gudauri, rent your gear that same evening at Ridestation and finish with khinkali at Drunk Cherry, because tomorrow you ski early.
- 2
Day 2
First ski day in New Gudauri
Start at 09:30 on the gentle New Gudauri slopes by the Gudaura lift, with a group lesson or a pre-booked private instructor, before the snow softens. Lunch in the sun on the Alpina terrace or at the Gudauri Hut cabin without taking your boots off. A few more runs in the afternoon, après-ski at the Alpina bar, then dinner at the hotel and an early night, because the altitude shows on day one.
- 3
Day 3
The summits, the Kobi cable car and spa
On a clear morning take the first lifts up to Sadzele and Kudebi, where above 3,000 m Mount Kazbek peeks over the clouds, and ski the long runs down before they get chopped up. At midday ride the cable car down to Kobi village on the far side of the mountain and back up after lunch. End the day in the heated pool and spa at Rooms Hotel Kokhta, then a chef's dinner by the fireplace.
- 4
Day 4
Kazbegi day trip
Book a 4x4 driver for 08:30 and cross Jvari Pass, stopping at the Friendship Monument for the famous valley viewpoint while the sun is still low. In Stepantsminda ride a jeep up to Gergeti Trinity Church, one of the most beautiful sights in the Caucasus under snow, and come down for lunch on the Rooms Hotel Kazbegi terrace facing the mountain. Head back to Gudauri before dark, since the road ices over, and keep the evening for khachapuri at Cafe 5047 on the way or at the hotel.
- 5
Day 5
Paragliding, snowpark and snowmobiles
Book a tandem flight with Fly Gudauri for the morning, when the wind is calm, and see the whole resort and the Military Highway from above in 20 minutes you will not forget. Then back on skis: teens to the snowpark, beginners to another lesson, and non-skiers on a snowmobile tour or a snowshoe walk in the Khada Valley. A relaxed evening at the Monte Hotel restaurant or the healthy kitchen at Quadrum.
- 6
Day 6
Last runs and an evening in Tbilisi
Ski a final half day, return the gear and the pass card for the deposit, and leave Gudauri by 12:00 to reach Tbilisi with margin before the flight. In the city pre-book a soak at the Abanotubani sulfur baths, wander the Old Town and take the cable car up to Narikala for sunset. A kosher dinner at Chabad Tbilisi or a Georgian restaurant, then on to the airport.
Quick game
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Budget
How much does Gudauri cost?
Real ILS price ranges, so you know what to expect.
Round-trip flight from TLV
₪900-1,700 (more at Hanukkah)
5-7 night ski package
₪3,500-6,500 pp (half board)
Daily ski pass
₪90-140 (cheaper multi-day)
Daily gear rental
₪60-110 (ski or snowboard)
Ski lessons
₪150-280 group per day · ₪180-300 private per hour
Mid-range hotel nightly
₪350-700 (double room)
5-star / ski-in hotel nightly
₪700-1,400
Restaurant meal
₪45-90 (per person)
Local beer / coffee
₪12-20 / ₪8-14
Airport transfer
₪250-450 per car (4x4 more)
Daily budget per person
₪350-600 (excluding flight and hotel)
Family of 4, 6 nights
₪18,000-30,000 (all in)
Good to know
Good to know before Gudauri
Getting around
From the airport
Tbilisi Airport is about 120 km from Gudauri, and the drive up the Georgian Military Highway takes two to two and a half hours, more in snow. Easiest is a pre-booked private transfer through the hotel or VAYULOR: ₪250-450 for a regular car, ₪500-700 for a minivan with a group and gear, and in winter it is worth paying a little more for a 4x4. An unbooked taxi from the airport costs roughly the same after haggling, and a marshrutka from Didube station is about ₪25 per person but takes three hours and is no fun with skis.
Need a car?
No. In winter the road to Jvari Pass ices over, chains are sometimes mandatory and the police close it in storms, so a rental car suits experienced snow drivers only. Most Israelis arrive by transfer, get around the resort on foot, by lift and by hotel shuttle, and hire a 4x4 driver for the Kazbegi day (₪350-500 per day). In summer a rental car does pay off, since Truso, Khada and Kazbegi are then an easy drive.
Tips
Bolt and Yandex do not operate in Gudauri, so for a ride between Lower and New Gudauri ask reception for a local driver (₪20-40) or the hotel shuttle. The lifts themselves are the best transport between New Gudauri and Upper Gudauri with gear, and the Kobi cable car saves the drive over the pass. Check the Jvari Pass status every morning on the Georgian Roads site before setting off for Kazbegi.
Kosher & Jewish
Chabad / community
Gudauri has no Chabad house and no synagogue. The nearest is Chabad Tbilisi on Kote Afkhazi Street in the Old Town, two hours away, with a daily minyan, Shabbat meals and a kosher restaurant, and that is where to arrange things before heading up. During Hanukkah and Purim weeks organized Israeli ski groups sometimes bring a rabbi or set up a minyan in the hotel lobby, so ask the group organizer.
Kosher food
There is no kosher restaurant in Gudauri, and most observant Israelis solve it one of two ways: organized groups pre-order kosher meals from Chabad Tbilisi or bring a mashgiach into the hotel kitchen over Hanukkah, while independent travelers take an apartment with a kitchenette in New Gudauri and stock up at Carrefour in Tbilisi Mall and the Spar up top. In restaurants you can manage vegetarian: lobio, pkhali, badrijani, mchadi, salads and dairy khachapuri, but remember the kitchen is not kosher. Frozen kosher meat is picked up from Chabad Tbilisi on the way up.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance for Gudauri 🇬🇪
A hospital day in Gudauri can cost thousands. Full coverage with Hebrew support.
- Medical + hospital 24/7
- Trip cancellation
- Baggage
- Ski & winter sports add-on
Currency & rates
Live rateCurrency & rates
Quick conversion at today's rate
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You get
116.7
1 GEL
₪1.17
100 GEL
₪116.7
1,000 GEL
₪1,167
Source: exchangerate-api · updated Sep 13 · refreshes daily
Visa & documents
Visa & documents for Gudauri 🇬🇪
What you need before you fly
- אין צורך בוויזה לישראלים, עד שנה שלמה עם דרכון בתוקף
- Passport valid 6 months
- Travel insurance, leave details for a quote
Local tips
Good to know about Gudauri
- 🎿Rent your gear the evening you arrive, while the New Gudauri shops are open until about 20:00 with no queue, instead of losing the first Hanukkah morning to boot fittings.
- 🎫Buy a multi-day pass at the main ticket office by the Gudaura lift rather than a day ticket every morning, and keep the plastic card since its deposit is refunded at the end.
- 👨🏫Hebrew-speaking instructors are gone a month before Hanukkah and Purim, so lock one in through the hotel or VAYULOR before you fly and ask for a morning slot, when the snow is still firm and pleasant.
- ☀️At 2,200 m the sun bouncing off the snow burns even when it is cold: SPF 50, goggles, plenty of water, and layers rather than one heavy coat, because at the 3,000 m summit the wind cuts.
- ⚠️Do not follow tracks that leave the marked piste, especially behind Kudebi and Sadzele: it is genuine avalanche terrain, and freeride is done only with a local guide and avalanche gear.
- 🚕Bolt does not operate in Gudauri, so book the airport transfer in advance and get around the resort with hotel shuttles or a local driver the reception calls for you.
- 💵Carry lari in cash for rental deposits, small places and tips, since Gudauri's few ATMs run dry on Hanukkah weekends; withdraw in Tbilisi or at the airport.
- 🌨️A storm can shut Jvari Pass and the upper lifts for a day, so never schedule the flight home on the morning of a forecast storm, and leave for Tbilisi on departure day by 12:00 with margin.
- 🛡️Standard travel insurance does not cover ski injuries; add a winter-sports extension that includes on-piste rescue and evacuation, because a rescue or helicopter in the Caucasus costs thousands of dollars.
- ✡️There is no Chabad and no kosher restaurant in Gudauri, so order meals from Chabad Tbilisi before heading up, or take an apartment with a kitchenette in New Gudauri and stock up at Carrefour on the way.
מאיה רוזן
Senior agent · Greece for 12 years
"Gudauri is where Israelis who have never stood on skis discover they can. The pistes are wide and gentle, the instructor shouts "pizza" at you in Hebrew, and at lunch you sit on the Alpina terrace in the sun with a hot khachapuri, facing 3,000 m peaks. It is skiing without the snobbery and prices of the Alps, two hours from Tbilisi and a three-hour flight from home, which is why half the country is there over Hanukkah."
Loves
My secret is taking the first lift on a clear morning up to Sadzele, before the runs get chopped up, and watching Mount Kazbek peek over the clouds. You ski down slowly, stop for photos, and reach Gudauri Hut before the khachapuri queue begins.
Skip
I would never arrive in Hanukkah week without an instructor and gear booked in advance: the rental and ski-school queue on the first morning eats half a ski day, and that is exactly the day the kids are most excited.
Boutique pick
I build a day that starts at 09:00 on the New Gudauri slopes with a two-hour private instructor, moves to a sunny lunch on the Alpina terrace, and continues with a tandem flight with Fly Gudauri over the whole resort in the afternoon. In the evening, spa and fireplace at Rooms Hotel Kokhta, then khinkali at Drunk Cherry with the whole gang.
Client stories
What returning travelers say about Gudauri
"We stayed at Rooms Hotel Kokhta, skied straight out of the hotel in the morning and came back to the heated pool facing the snow. One day we took a driver to Kazbegi and rode a jeep up to Gergeti Trinity in the snow, and that was the moment of the trip."
Noa and Tomer, Tel Aviv
Couple · 5 nights · February
"The kids learned to ski in three days with an Israeli instructor in New Gudauri, while we rested in the Gudauri Lodge pool. Hanukkah in Gudauri felt like an Israeli winter camp, without the Alpine prices."
The Avrahami family, Modiin
Family + 2 kids · 6 nights · Hanukkah
"We rented an apartment in New Gudauri, skied from morning until the lift closed, and at night did the rounds between the Alpina bar and Drunk Cherry. One day we did a tandem flight with Fly Gudauri over the resort, and we have not stopped talking about it since."
Omer, Shahar and Itai, Haifa
Friends · 4 nights · January
"We did not ski at all: we sat in the sun on the Monte Hotel terrace, drove to the Friendship Monument and Ananuri Fortress and had a spa day. We missed proper kosher food, but the beauty of the mountains made up for everything."
Ruti and Eli, Rishon LeZion
Older couple · 4 nights · March
FAQ
Common questions about Gudauri
Do Israelis need a visa for Gudauri?
No. Israelis enter Georgia visa-free for up to a full year with a valid passport, and Gudauri sits on the main road from Tbilisi to Kazbegi, with no border crossings.
How do you get to Gudauri from Israel, and how long does it take?
Fly direct from Tel Aviv to Tbilisi with El Al, Israir, Arkia or Georgian Airways in about three hours, then a two to two-and-a-half hour transfer to Gudauri up the Georgian Military Highway, ₪250-450 per car.
When is the best time to visit Gudauri, and when is peak?
Gudauri's ski season runs from December to early April, snow is best in January-February, and March brings sunshine and cheaper packages. The Israeli peak is Hanukkah, the January-February winter break and Purim, when you book months ahead.
How many days do you need in Gudauri, and what do you combine it with?
Five to six nights is the right number for Gudauri: three or four ski days, a Kazbegi day and a rest day. Most Israelis add a night in Tbilisi at the start or end for the Old Town, the baths and kosher food at Chabad.
Is Gudauri suitable for beginners and families with kids?
Gudauri is one of the most beginner-friendly resorts in Europe: wide, gentle pistes in New Gudauri, ski schools with Hebrew-speaking instructors and lessons at a third of Alpine prices. Kids from age 4-5 learn here in three days, and hotels like Gudauri Lodge and Marco Polo are set up for families.
How much does a ski holiday in Gudauri cost?
A 5-7 night Gudauri ski package with flight, half-board hotel and pass usually costs ₪3,500-6,500 per person, and a family of four does six nights for ₪18,000-30,000 including gear and lessons. A day pass is ₪90-140 and gear ₪60-110 per day.
Do you need a rental car in Gudauri?
Not in winter: the road to Jvari Pass ices over and closes in storms, so most Israelis reach Gudauri by private transfer and get around on foot, by lift and by hotel shuttle. For Kazbegi hire a 4x4 driver for the day. Bolt does not operate in the resort.
Is there kosher food or a Chabad in Gudauri?
No, Gudauri has no Chabad and no kosher restaurant. Israelis solve it by ordering meals from Chabad Tbilisi before heading up, joining an organized group that brings a mashgiach to the hotel over Hanukkah, or taking an apartment with a kitchenette in New Gudauri and stocking up at Carrefour and Spar.
Are there casinos and nightlife in Gudauri?
There are no casinos at all in Gudauri; the nearest are in Tbilisi, two hours away, such as Shangri La and Casino Adjara. Gudauri nightlife is après-ski: the Alpina bar, Drunk Cherry, Gudauri Hut and the bars at Marco Polo and Rooms Kokhta, and it winds down around midnight because everyone skis in the morning.
What should I pack for Gudauri?
For Gudauri pack thermal layers, waterproof ski jacket and pants, gloves, a hat, goggles, a face mask for the summit wind, SPF 50 and snow boots for the evening. Skis, boots and helmets are rented on site for ₪60-110 a day, so there is no point hauling them.
How do I stay connected in Gudauri?
Simplest is to buy a Georgia eSIM on VAYULOR before flying and land connected, since Magti and Silknet coverage is good across Gudauri and the lifts. Signal fades in the Truso Valley and on parts of the road to Kazbegi, so download offline maps.
Is Gudauri safe, and what insurance do I need?
Gudauri is very safe and Israelis feel at home there; the real risk is on the piste and the snowy road. Take travel insurance with a winter-sports extension that covers rescue and evacuation, since a ski injury or helicopter rescue in the Caucasus is not covered by a standard policy.