Gudauri ski resort wine experience

Georgia's premier ski resort offers excellent powder skiing with the added bonus of Georgian wine culture. After hitting the slopes, warm up with Saperavi and khinkali in cozy mountain restaurants. The combination of Caucasian skiing and Georgian hospitality is unique.

What to do there

6 things to do

1. 1 Stand at the Monument That Became a Punchline History · Free

   At 2,384 meters above Devil's Valley, there is a concrete arch covered in Soviet mosaics designed by Zurab Tsereteli — the same artist whose work New York City once publicly rejected. Built in 1983 to celebrate 200 years of Georgian-Russian 'friendship,' the monument now stands as one of the great accidental ironies of the Caucasus: the friendship it celebrated ended in a 2008 war. The mosaics inside still show Georgian and Russian figures together, with lines from Shota Rustaveli's 12th-century epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin.

   Where: The Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument on the Georgian Military Highway, approximately 5 km north of New Gudauri at 2,384m elevation (coordinates: 42.4600°N, 44.4750°E). On the highway between Gudauri and Jvari Pass — impossible to miss.

   What: A semi-circular Soviet brutalist arch perched on the lip of a cliff overlooking Devil's Valley — the gorge of the Terek River. Inside, a wraparound mosaic mural by Zurab Tsereteli and collaborators shows Georgian nobility and Russian tsars side by side. The monument was commissioned for 1983, celebrating the bicentennial of the Treaty of Georgievsk (1783) in which Georgia became a Russian protectorate. Then came 2008. The 'friendship' has not aged well.

   How: Stop roadside and walk up to the arch. It's open 24/7, always free. Walk through the arch to the observation platform at the cliff edge — the view over Devil's Valley and the Greater Caucasus is one of the finest panoramas on the entire highway. Allow 20-30 minutes. Best light: morning (south-facing cliff catches early sun). In winter, the road can be icy — wear grip footwear.

   Backup: If driving conditions are dangerous, slow down and view from car. The arch is clearly visible from the road itself.

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2. 2 Reach the Pass Where Kings and Tsars Left Their Mark at 2,395m Adventure · Free

   The Jvari Pass — 2,395 meters, the highest point of the Georgian Military Highway — has been crossed by armies, merchants, and invaders since before the first century BC. In 1824, Russian General Aleksei Yermolov planted a red stone cross here, replacing one placed centuries earlier by King David the Builder. The road below it took 64 years to build and was called, upon completion in 1817, the 'Russian Simplon.' Stand here and you are standing at one of the most-fought-over mountain passes on earth.

   Where: Jvari Pass (Cross Pass / Krestovy Pereval) on the Georgian Military Highway, approximately 15 km north of Gudauri at 2,395m elevation (coordinates: 42.5103°N, 44.4633°E). Marked by a cross and often a gathering of roadside vendors.

   What: The literal highest point of a highway that has been described as the only viable crossing of the Greater Caucasus for 2,000 years. The current road was begun by Russia in 1799 after Georgia became a Russian protectorate, and wasn't finished until 1863 — 64 years of construction in conditions that killed men every winter. The view from the pass sweeps 360 degrees across peaks that reach 5,047m.

   How: Stop roadside at the pass. The cross is visible from the road. Step out and feel the altitude — at 2,395m the air is noticeably thin. In winter, vendors often sell hot tea and churchkhela (walnut-and-grape candy). Allow 10-15 minutes. The pass itself is regularly swept by wind even on calm days.

   Backup: If pass is closed due to weather (blizzard conditions close it several times per season), the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument viewpoint gives a comparable panoramic experience.

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3. 3 Ski the Powder That Stays Fresh Long After Everyone Else's Has Turned to Ice Adventure · Price: moderate

   Here is the secret that powder hunters have been whispering about since Gudauri opened in 1988: at 3,279m, where most of Europe's ski resorts are running out of mountain, Gudauri is just getting started. The southwest-facing, sun-catching plateau receives annual snowfall of 5 meters. The snowiest week in the entire season is the third week of March, when an average of 28 centimeters falls in a single week. And because the terrain is above tree line, there are no obstacles — just the Greater Caucasus, running 1,200 kilometers from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea.

   Where: Gudauri Ski Resort gondola base at New Gudauri (42.4710°N, 44.4877°E). The main gondola departs from New Gudauri and reaches 3,007m in a single stage.

   What: 76+ km of FIS-certified runs across 18 lifts (most by Austrian Doppelmaier), spanning 2,000m to 3,279m. Day ski pass runs approximately 60-80 GEL ($22-30 USD) — one of the most affordable lift tickets at a major Caucasus resort. For a step-change in terrain, Heliksir (established 2009, the largest heli-ski operator in the Caucasus) offers helicopter drops above 3,000m — and their highest landing points reach 4,200m, where snow preservation is extraordinary after storms.

   How: Buy lift passes at the gondola base in New Gudauri. Equipment rental available on-site from 50-80 GEL/day. For heliskiing, contact Heliksir at heliski.travel — 3-day packages include certified mountain guide, avalanche gear (beacon, probe, shovel), and exclusive use of a private A-Star B3 helicopter. Groups of 1-3 skiers for private packages.

   Backup: If conditions are poor or visibility is low, use the day to ski to Cafe Vitamin (mid-station) for khinkali and Georgian beef soup — a mountain lunch experience in its own right.

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4. 4 Taste the Wine Georgia Buried for 8,000 Years Before the World Noticed Wine · Price: low

   Forty kilometers south of Gudauri, in the village of Kaspi, Shalva Merebashvili continues what his father Gia started in 1992: making wine the way Georgians have made it for 8,000 unbroken years. Not in French barrels. Not in temperature-controlled steel tanks. In qvevri — enormous clay jars buried in the earth, which have been UNESCO-recognized since 2013 as humanity's oldest intangible winemaking heritage. The grapes here are varieties you cannot find anywhere else on earth: Chinuri, Tavkveri, Goruli Mtsvane, Shavkapito.

   Where: Merebashvili's Marani, Kaspi municipality, Shida Kartli Region (approximately 41.9218°N, 44.0240°E). Accessible as a day trip from Gudauri via the Georgian Military Highway south — approximately 80 km (1.5 hrs). Kartvelitours offers guided pickup from Gudauri hotels starting at $80/person (book via kartvelitours.com/georgia/tours/wine-tour-gudauri).

   What: Nine traditional qvevri buried in the cellar floor — total capacity over 5,000 liters. The winery produces amber wine by leaving white grape juice on the skins in the qvevri for up to six months. The organic vineyard sits in the Okami Valley at 550-650m, south-facing hillside, mineral-rich soils of Shida Kartli. Varieties: Chinuri (base of the sparkling 'Atenuri' wine, unique to this micro-zone of Kartli), Tavkveri (deep ruby, black plum, expressive grape aroma), Shavkapito (intense, long finish, ripe plums and cherries), Goruli Mtsvane.

   How: Tours depart Gudauri at 10:00 with hotel pickup. The Merebashvili visit includes: walk through the collection vineyard, full cellar tour with qvevri explanation, chacha (pomace brandy, 70%+ ABV) production demo, honey bee farm visit, wine tasting, and optional Georgian culinary workshop. Standalone visits: contact merebashvili.com/wine-tour directly. Tasting is included with cellar tour.

   Backup: If not doing a day trip, ask any Gudauri restaurant to pour you a glass of qvevri amber wine — Truso and Ati Ambavi both stock it. The story is the same; the cellar visit is richer.

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5. 5 Hold the Khinkali Correctly — The Mountain People Will Notice History · Price: low

   Pasanauri, a mountain village 40 kilometers south of Gudauri on the Georgian Military Highway, claims to be the birthplace of khinkali — the soup dumplings of the Caucasus mountains. Every Georgian knows this. Every Georgian has an opinion about whether Pasanauri's version is still the best. The thing nobody tells you: there is a right and wrong way to eat a khinkali, and if you do it wrong in a mountain restaurant, it will be noted. Hold by the twisted dough top. Bite. Sip the broth — the broth is the point — then eat the rest. Never bite into it without drinking first. Never, ever, leave broth in the dumpling.

   Where: Pasanauri village on the Georgian Military Highway, approximately 40 km south of Gudauri (coordinates: approx 42.3560°N, 44.4740°E). Stop at Guda Restaurant or Kavtaradzes' Khinkali — both are roadside family-style restaurants that serve Mtiuluri-style (mountain-style) khinkali.

   What: Mtiuluri khinkali are the original mountain form — spiced ground meat, herbs, broth sealed inside hand-twisted dough. The dumpling contains about a tablespoon of hot broth. Proper technique: hold the twisted knot at the top, bite a small hole in the side, sip the broth, then eat the rest. The top dough knot (called kudi, or 'hat') is traditionally left on the plate — some say it's too chewy, others say leaving it signals the kitchen you've finished. Order a minimum of 6.

   How: On the drive from Tbilisi to Gudauri (or the return), all buses and most private taxis stop at Pasanauri. Tell your driver you want to stop at Kavtaradzes' (the family roadside spot) or any local khinkali house. Price: 1-2 GEL per dumpling ($0.35-0.75). Pair with draft beer or local Saperavi. Allow 30-45 minutes.

   Backup: If staying in Gudauri, Restaurant Truso (5-min walk from lifts) serves excellent khinkali with natural Georgian wine at the table — the mountain experience without the road stop.

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6. 6 Toast the Tamada Before the Chacha Arrives — Or Pay the Forfeit Wine · Price: low

   At Drunk Cherry (Mtvrali Alubali) in New Gudauri, the ski boots come off and the supra begins. The Georgian après-ski is not the French version — no gluhwein and mild conversation. Here a tamada (toastmaster) manages the evening's toasts: to Georgia, to the mountain, to friendship, to those who are absent. When the chacha — the pomace brandy at 70%+ ABV that every Georgian winemaker distills from the skins and seeds left after wine — arrives, there is a specific protocol. You do not sip it. You wait for the tamada.

   Where: Drunk Cherry (Mtvrali Alubali), New Gudauri base area (coordinates: 42.4710°N, 44.4877°E). Located at the base of the slopes in New Gudauri — walk from the gondola base. Also: Restaurant Truso, a 5-minute walk from the lifts in central Gudauri, is the best spot for a more traditional evening with Georgian natural wines, khinkali, and quieter atmosphere.

   What: Drunk Cherry transitions from restaurant to après bar around 16:00-17:00 when the lifts close. The homemade red wine — a house Saperavi — costs almost nothing. Chacha shots accompany every serious order. The evening often progresses with live music and dancing. For the most authentic supra experience, Truso offers Georgian New Year celebrations with traditional music bands and wine/chacha included for long-stay guests.

   How: No reservation needed at Drunk Cherry for general après (book ahead for dinner). Order: start with a glass of house Saperavi (dark, tannic, the grape that has been grown in the Caucasus for at least 2,000 years — the name literally means 'dye' in Georgian, for the depth of its color). Ask for chacha — it will arrive in a small jug. Watch what happens next. If there is a tamada at your table, wait for the toast before drinking. At Truso: book a table for dinner, ask for the natural wine selection, and specify you want to try amber (qvevri) wine alongside Saperavi.

   Backup: If Drunk Cherry is closed or overcrowded, Snow Friends Bar (also New Gudauri base area) is a reliable après alternative with music, dancing, and Georgian wine.

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Insider tips

• The après-ski scene features Georgian wine alongside beer

• Try the local khinkali dumplings with Saperavi

• Book through Gudauri Info for packages including wine dinners