GEORGIA
GEORGIA
HELI-SKI IN SVANETIA, CAUCASUS-GEORGIA!
This destination is one of the most adventurous and scenic places in the world to dive into the fresh powder. It’s an ancient and historic world that’s also close to Europe and the Black Sea, making for manageable travel times and plenty of snow, respectively.
The Georgian province of Svanetia is located on the south side of the Central Caucasus Mountains and is surrounded by mountain peaks around 3,000-5,000 meters high.
Our playground and base is located in the village of Mestia (1,500 meters up), which has always been considered the main community of Zemo or Svanetia province. Despite its small size, the town-let was an important centre of Georgian culture for centuries and contains a number of medieval monuments, such as churches and forts, included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Heliskiing here is unique for many reasons. You’ll have access to a huge area (1,500 km2) with countless mountainsides that are made for heliskiing. The northern and colder mountainsides offer plenty of powder, with some incredibly scenic surroundings that you will never forget.
This place is unique not only as a Heliski destination but also the chance to experience the culture and the food and wine. (Georgia is reputed to be the first place in the world to produce wine some 8.000 years ago).
On non-flying days (due to bad weather conditions) there are a number of ski resorts and lifts we can use to ski in the forests under the shelter of the trees, ensuring we can ski every day, whatever the weather. There is interesting freeride terrain located at the small lift systems in Tetnuldi and Hatsvali.
Tetnuldi has high-alpine lifts and is only a 20-minute drive away, while Hatsvali is in our village and is a great place for forest skiing, which is perfect during heavy snowfall when you need the trees to see!
Mestia has been on the map for some years as the ‘mountain of refuge’ for many Georgians, but is considered a fairly new heliski destination with only one operator until recently.
See the full process from the moment you give us a call to when you skiing down the beautiful snowy mountains of Georgia right here.
The terrain is truly varied and you’ll find everything from high alpine glaciers to runs below the tree line. You can expect descents of up to an incredible 1,800 vertical meters!
Most of the slopes in Svanetia region are above the treeline. There is a variety of steepness and that can often be adapted to skill level in the group.
Safety is paramount, so skiing in the steepest terrain will only take place when conditions allow.
Our base is the Posta Mestia hotel, located in the heart of Mestia.
This hotel offers its guests stylish and cozy rooms with views of the breathtaking Caucasus Mountains. There is a great restaurant serving local cuisine and a bar where you can hang out and share stories of the day’s adventures.
We use AS350B3 helicopters, which are versatile machines and perfect for the terrain. The helicopters are flown by highly experienced pilots and route selection and skiing is controlled by certified GMGA guides. This means 4 skiers or boarders per helicopter + guide. There will be max 8 guest sharing two Helicopters. We have the helicopter available from Sunday through Friday, but as we are dictated by the weather, 5 days of heliskiing is the most realistic scenario.
The highest mountain in Georgia, Mount Shkhara at 5.201 meters is located in the province. Other prominent peaks include Tetnuldi (4.974 meters), Shota Rustaveli (4.960 meters), Mount Ushba (4.710 meters), Ailama (4.525 meters), as well as many others.
GEORGIA
ABOUT THE TRIP
Departure
There are many flight connections via European cities to Tbilisi (TBS), Kutaisi (KUT) and Batumi (BUS).
Eastern Snow will gladly help out with finding the optimal flight.
Please note additional fee for bringing ski equipment.
Also note that there are special rules that only allow you to travel with a certain type of avalanche airbag (ABS) cartridge if you do not have the electric version. It’s a good idea to check with the airline regarding the type of cartridge you plan to bring.
Transfer
We will meet you at the airport and transfer by minibus for 5 hours (Kutaisi) or 6hrs (Batumi) to your Hotel
Stay
Our base is the Posta Mestia hotel where we spend 6 nights in the heart of Svaneti with direct access to the fantastic skiing in the surrounding mountains, as well as entertainment and cultural things to see and visit after skiing.
Accommodation
The trip includes full board accommodation. In the Hotel, you’ll be eating gourmet meals every evening. At the hotel, you’ll enjoy gourmet meals every evening.
We have chosen to eat half of the evenings at the hotel restaurant and half in some of the local restaurants in town.
In the morning you’ll have a hearty breakfast and later there’ll be lunch in the terrain.
Skiing ability
We get a unique trip with lots of great skiing. Therefore, a certain level of basic fitness is required and that you have experience in off-piste terrain from previous trips. During the booking process, one of our agents will discuss your level.
SAFETY
Of course, safety is always a priority while heliskiing in Georgia as it is on all our tours. Certified GMGA guides with local knowledge will accompany you at all times. They are there to ensure your safety and in case of an accident, they know what to do and how to get you directly off the mountain to a safe zone or hospital if required.
Avalanche equipment including air bags will be available if you do not have them. On arrival we will conduct a security briefing and ensure or refresh knowledge on use of the safety equipment.
You need to make sure you have the appropriate insurance to cover off-piste and be valid in Georgia. You can read more about it here.
Passport and visa
It is very important that the information in your passport matches what is on your ticket. No visa is required to enter the country.
Extra info
The power plugs are 220v and of the same type as in most Northern European countries (not UK).
GEORGIA
Prices and weeeks
€8.900
OM. PERSON
- 2023-2024
Calculate price!
2023-2024
- WEEK 10
028, Feb. – 07, Mar. 2026
Included:
- English speaking GMGA guide during the whole trip
- Heliskiing for 6 days (10 effective flight hours shared among a group of 8 people)
- Transfer from Tbilisi (TBS), Kutaisi (KUT) og Batumi (BUS) to and from the destination
- Full board accommodation
- Stay at Mestia Lodge with heated pool and sauna
- Logistics and safety
- Borrow safety equipment for free (beacon, probe and shovel)
- Skiing at the local lift system in bad weather conditions
Furthermore, you can:
- Order drinks according to needs
- Rent ski/board equipment
- Purchase massage in spa area
- Purchase more helicopter hours (2200 Euro per hour if all group agree to exceed the included flight time)
Not included:
- Plane tickets
- Alcoholic beverages
- Transportation of equipment
- Ski rental
GEORGIA
GALLERY
