Gudauri Ski Resort from Dubai: Season, Ski Pass Prices and Getting There

The short answer: Gudauri is Georgia's main ski resort, about 120 km (two hours by road) from Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Road, with skiing between roughly 2,200 m and 3,276 m. The season usually runs from late December to mid-April, though the exact 2026-27 opening had not been confirmed when we checked. A day ski pass is commonly quoted around GEL 70 (about AED 99) for adults. Flights from the UAE take about three hours on flydubai or Air Arabia.

Where Gudauri is and how to get there

Gudauri sits on the Georgian Military Road (the S3 highway), Georgia's main route north towards the Russian border, about 120 km from Tbilisi. The drive takes roughly two hours in clear weather, climbing through Zhinvali and over the Gudauri plateau. Most visitors use a private transfer or driver rather than self-drive in winter, since the road climbs to around 2,200 m and conditions change fast.

The resort has two linked areas. New Gudauri, the apartment-block district around the main gondola stations, is where most UAE visitors stay, within walking distance of a lift. Old Gudauri, lower down, has a handful of ski-in hotels, including Marco Polo, by the Pirveli chairlift.

Flights from the UAE to Gudauri

There is no airport at Gudauri itself: everyone flies into Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) and drives the two hours up. flydubai flies nonstop from Dubai several times a week, and Air Arabia flies nonstop from Sharjah, both in around 3 hours 15 minutes.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi shut down all its Abu Dhabi operations in September 2025, so that budget option is gone. There is also no direct UAE flight to Kutaisi, Georgia's second airport, and it's the wrong airport for Gudauri anyway: flying into Tbilisi adds far less driving.

The 2026-27 ski season

Gudauri's season has typically opened in the last ten days of December and run to around mid-April: the 2025-26 season opened December 27 and the 2024-25 season opened December 21, both closing in mid-to-late April. At the time of writing, the 2026-27 opening date had not yet been announced. Check gudauri.ski or gudauri.travel closer to your travel dates for the confirmed opening, since it moves with the snowfall each year.

Ski pass prices, in GEL and AED

Gudauri's own site doesn't publish an English-language price list, so the figures below come from independent ski guides and should be checked at the ticket office before you go. The most consistent figure for an adult full-day pass is around GEL 70 (about AED 99), with children aged 6 to 12 at roughly half that.

These are rough, third-party figures rather than an official 2026-27 tariff, so treat them as a planning guide and confirm the exact price when you buy. Card terminals on the mountain aren't always reliable, so carry some lari in cash as a backup.

Lifts, runs and who Gudauri suits

Gudauri's own figures put the resort at about 70 km of marked trails over 15 lifts; independent trail guides give a smaller total, closer to 35 km over 17 lifts, so the numbers vary by source. Either way, the terrain leans intermediate and advanced: open, mostly treeless mountainside rather than winding forest runs, which is also why it's one of the Caucasus's best-known freeride spots. There's a beginner slope with a magic carpet near the New Gudauri lift base, but a first-timer will spend most of their time there.

Beginners: lessons and equipment rental

Several ski schools operate out of New Gudauri, offering lessons in English, Georgian and Russian for all ages. Independent guides put a typical private lesson at roughly GEL 110 to 150 an hour (about AED 155 to 212), depending on group size and instructor. Rental shops cluster around New Gudauri and the main lift stations, with day rates commonly quoted at around GEL 50 (about AED 71) for skis, boots and poles, and around GEL 70 (about AED 99) for a snowboard and boots. If you own well-fitted boots, bringing them is usually worth the suitcase space, since rental quality varies.

Freeride, heli-skiing and paragliding

Gudauri's open slopes have made it a genuine freeride destination, not just a beginner add-on. Local operators run guided off-piste days on top of your lift pass, priced per group rather than off a fixed resort rate, so get a direct quote before you travel. A handful of heli-ski operators also fly out of Gudauri in winter: Heliksir, one of the longest-running, quotes from around €550 a day for three runs (about USD 600, roughly AED 2,200), though prices vary a lot by operator, group size and weather.

Tandem paragliding over the snow is also on offer in season, with reseller listings quoting roughly USD 130 to 180 a flight (about AED 480 to 660) for a tandem flight of around 15 minutes. Confirm with an operator once you're there, since it depends on the wind that day.

Where to stay

Most UAE visitors base themselves in New Gudauri, the apartment-block district built around the main gondola stations. It covers everything from simple self-catering studios, the kind of serviced apartment developments locally branded as Gudauri Loft, through to larger hotels, and the appeal is walking to a lift in your ski boots. Old Gudauri, lower on the mountain, has fewer but more established hotels, including the ski-in Marco Polo by the Pirveli chairlift, generally quieter and a short shuttle from the main lift network. Whichever you pick, book within walking distance of a lift: getting around Gudauri on foot is harder than it looks on a map.

The Kazbegi day trip and the Jvari Pass

Most ski trips to Gudauri build in a day for Kazbegi (Stepantsminda), the small town below Mount Kazbek, Georgia's third-highest peak. The classic route continues north over the Jvari Pass, then up a steep side track by 4x4 to Gergeti Trinity Church. An easier winter alternative is the Kobi-Gudauri cable car, which several guides rate as a quicker, steadier way to close most of that distance than the icy 4x4 track; check current ticket prices and running hours locally, since they aren't published in English.

One real planning risk: the Jvari Pass closes temporarily for snow or avalanche risk several times most winters, sometimes for a few hours, occasionally longer, and only vehicles with chains are let through once it reopens. If you're travelling December to March, build a spare day into the itinerary rather than planning Kazbegi for your only full day.

Visa and insurance for UAE residents

Most UAE residents can enter Georgia visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180 days, as long as their UAE residence permit stays valid for the trip, and travel on the passport the permit is attached to. Holders of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and 15 other passports need a multiple-entry residence permit with at least a year left on it. This policy is renewed periodically and has lapsed before, so check eligibility by passport rather than assuming it. If yours doesn't qualify, an e-visa through Georgia's official portal usually takes about five working days.

Since 1 January 2026, every visitor, visa-free or not, must carry health and accident insurance covering at least GEL 30,000 (about AED 42,500) for the whole stay, shown on paper or on your phone. For the exact rules for your passport, see our Georgia visa service, and for a full itinerary beyond the ski resort, see our Georgia trip from Dubai guide.

Other ski resorts in Georgia

Gudauri isn't the only option if you're searching for ski resorts in Georgia. Bakuriani, two to two and a half hours from Tbilisi in the other direction, is the family resort: lower (around 1,700 m), gentler, with sledging and skating alongside the pistes, and a day pass quoted at around GEL 55 for adults (about AED 78) and GEL 28 for children (about AED 40). Further afield, Goderdzi above Batumi, and Svaneti's Tetnuldi and Hatsvali near Mestia, are smaller, quieter and newer resorts, but a long way from Tbilisi, so they suit a longer Georgia trip rather than a ski weekend.

Before you go: what to pack

• Proper winter layers. A real ski jacket and salopettes, not just a city winter coat: Gudauri's wind chill on the lift bites harder than the air temperature suggests.
• Your own goggles, and sunscreen. UV at altitude is strong even on a cloudy day, and sunscreen bought in Gudauri is reportedly expensive, so pack your own.
• A helmet. Not legally required, but several ski schools insist on one for lessons, and rental shops carry them if you don't want to bring your own.
• Travel insurance that actually covers skiing. A standard travel policy often excludes winter sports; check for a winter-sports add-on, separate from Georgia's own GEL 30,000 insurance requirement above.
• Cash in lari. Card terminals on the mountain can be patchy; carry enough GEL for a rental top-up, a gondola-only ticket or a tip for your instructor.
• A local SIM, bought in Tbilisi. Phone shops are easier to find in the capital before you head up.

Plan your Gudauri trip with Holidayys

Our Georgia packages hub lists a winter option built around this trip: a Tbilisi base with a day or more at Gudauri for the snow. If you'd rather have a private driver and English-speaking guide handle the Georgian Military Road, Kazbegi and the rest of the country around your ski days, our booking site runs two private Georgia tours from Tbilisi: a 4-day private Georgia tour covering Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Kazbegi and Kakheti, and a 5-day private Georgia tour that adds Borjomi. Neither includes ski passes, but both cover the transport and guiding that make a winter Military Road trip far less stressful than self-driving. We can also arrange your flights, hotel and travel insurance.

For dates, a custom itinerary or a quote, message us on WhatsApp at +971 4 589 0001 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Gudauri ski season start?

Usually in the last ten days of December, running to around mid-April; the 2025-26 season opened 27 December and 2024-25 opened 21 December. The 2026-27 opening date had not been announced when we checked, so confirm it on Gudauri's own site closer to your travel dates.

How much is a ski pass at Gudauri?

Independent ski guides put an adult full-day pass at around GEL 70, about AED 99, with children roughly half that. This isn't an official published 2026-27 tariff, so confirm the exact price at the ticket office or on gudauri.ski.

How far is Gudauri from Tbilisi?

About 120 km, normally a two-hour drive on the Georgian Military Road, though winter conditions and any closure of the Jvari Pass further north can add time.

Do I need a visa to ski in Georgia from the UAE?

Most UAE residents can enter visa-free for 90 days as long as their UAE residence stays valid for the trip, though Pakistani, Bangladeshi and 15 other passports need a multiple-entry residence with a year left; anyone who doesn't qualify applies for an e-visa, usually issued within about five working days. Since 1 January 2026, every visitor also needs insurance covering at least GEL 30,000.

Is Gudauri suitable for beginners?

There's a beginner slope and ski schools at New Gudauri, but most of the mountain is open, treeless intermediate and advanced terrain, so a first-timer will stick to a smaller part of the resort than an intermediate skier would.

How do I get to Gudauri from the UAE?

Fly into Tbilisi on flydubai from Dubai or Air Arabia from Sharjah, both around three hours, then drive about two hours up the Georgian Military Road. There's no useful direct flight to Kutaisi for this trip.

Related guides

• Georgia trip from Dubai: flights, visa and costs
• Best time to visit Georgia
• Places to visit in Georgia
• Ski holidays from Dubai: 9 resorts compared
• Where to travel in January from the UAE

Last checked 4 November 2026 against Gudauri's own site (gudauri.ski) and Gudauri Travel's site (gudauri.travel) for altitude, season pattern and current snow conditions; independent ski guides (including Skiresort.com, OnTheSnow and Wander Lush) for piste, lift, lesson, rental and pass prices, which disagree with each other in places; Holidayys' own Georgia trip and visa guides for flights and entry rules; and live mid-market exchange rates checked the same day. The 2026-27 season opening date, the exact current ski pass tariff, and heli-ski and paragliding prices were not confirmed on an official source, so check them directly before you book.