Georgia cat skiing
Our favourite place to ski in the world!
The western Georgian region near the Black Sea is highly snow-reliable, with a ski season that extends from November to March–April. Average snowfall levels are comparable to Japan’s best ski destinations. This is due to the same weather phenomenon as in Japan: the ski area is only 50–60 kilometers from the Black Sea coast, and in winter, cold air masses arriving from the north absorb moisture over the sea, which eventually falls as snow in the Georgian mountains. The village of Bakhmaro is located at an altitude of about 2,000 meters, and the village itself is already worth seeing. During the summer season, it fills with holidaymakers, with over 20,000 Georgians spending their summer vacations there. In winter, however, the situation is completely different: massive snowfall closes the roads, and the village becomes almost completely silent. Apart from a few dozen skiers, the village is deserted, and in recent winters, only about 20–50 people have lived there. Previously, before cat skiing tourism began, the village was entirely uninhabited during the winter. Many of the village’s houses appear so dilapidated that they hardly seem capable of withstanding the next major snowstorm – in most European countries, they wouldn’t even be called houses. It is precisely the massive snowfall and the almost non-existent tourist flow that make Bakhmaro a dream destination for freeride skiers.
Your guides
Pette Halme
The head guide is Pette Halme, working alongside local mountain guides, with additional support from both Finnish and local ski guides.
Pette Halme
The head guide is Pette Halme, working alongside local mountain guides, with additional support from both Finnish and local ski guides.
Georgia cat skiing
Program of the week
We will stay for six nights in the village of Bakhmaro, at an altitude of just under two kilometers, in the small but cozy Pioneers or Riders lodge. The program includes six guided ski days, with ascents primarily done using a snowcat. Powder skiing takes place both in the forests surrounding the village and in the higher alpine areas. In good snow conditions, descents can extend hundreds of vertical meters below the village level.
The group consists of a maximum of 12 skiers and two guides.
At the same time, multiple Lumiversum groups will be in Bakhmaro, with at least two Finnish guides present. The head guide is Pette Halme, working alongside local mountain guides, with additional support from both Finnish and local ski guides.
Flights and ground transport
For the winter of 2026, we have reserved Turkish Airlines flights from Helsinki to Batumi, including an overnight stay in Istanbul both ways. Detailed information about these overnight stays will be provided in an info letter sent approximately one month before the trip. Since not all airlines have yet confirmed their schedules and prices for the 2026 winter season, flight routes and schedules may still be subject to change. This is a group flight, so tickets will be delivered about a week before departure. From Batumi, the journey continues with a three-hour bus transfer, followed by an additional one-hour snowcat ride to the village of Bakhmaro, in the heart of the Lesser Caucasus Mountains.
4o
Passport and visa
Finnish citizens do not need a visa for trips to Georgia. If you are citizen of some other country, please check the requirements for your country in the local embassy or consulate.
Difficulty level
You can ski in varying snow and terrain conditions, including deep snow outside of groomed slopes.
Equipment
- We recommend bringing equipment that allows for ascents using your own muscle power (skins, snowshoes, or splitboards). Occasionally, we may need to ascend short distances if the snowcat cannot reach the starting point for some reason. However, bringing this equipment is not mandatory, and it can be rented on-site if necessary.
- Avalanche safety equipment
- Off-piste/freeride insurance
Price
Price includes
- Flights Helsinki-Batumi-Helsinki
- Airport transfers Batumi-Bakhmaro-Batumi
- 6 or 7 nights' accommodation in Pioneers or Riders hotel in Bakhmaro village with full board (breakfast, packed lunch, & dinner)
- 6 days of cat skiing with 2 guides for a group of 8-12 clients
- Avalanche safety day in Helsinki in fall 2025
- Carbon footprint compensation fee
Price excludes
- Alcoholic beverages at the hotel
Accommodation
Our accommodation in Bakhmaro is a small but very cozy lodge-style hotel, Pioneers or Riders (a second similar building, completed in winter 2024). Built just a couple of years ago, this hotel is by far the best lodging option in Bakhmaro—one could even say it is the only hotel that meets Western standards.
The hotel is located in the center of the village, and the snowcats depart every morning directly from the front of the hotel. The distance from the hotel to the snowcat seat is about 8 meters.
At Pioneers Lodge, we stay in double or triple rooms, all equipped with private bathrooms. The hotel also features a sauna and an outdoor hot tub. Georgian food is excellent, and the Pioneers Hotel staff ensures that every evening's meal is both delicious and more than plentiful.