# Goderdzi ski resort, Adjara (Georgia): 2026-27 guide to passes, prices, getting there and where to stay

Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/goderdzi-ski-resort · Updated 2026-10-09 · Glamping Tago

## TL;DR

- Goderdzi is the ski resort of mountainous Adjara, Georgia, about 109 km and 2.5 to 4 hours by road from Batumi, with lifts from 1,724 m to about 2,366 m.
- The Mountain Trails Agency plans to open the 2026-27 season on 20 December 2026, snow permitting; last season the same 20 December plan slipped to 27 December. Lifts run 10:00-16:00, to 17:00 at weekends.
- The adult day pass cost 30 GEL in 2025-26 (child 15 GEL), the cheapest in Georgia; a ski set costs 30 to 100 GEL a day and a private instructor 120 to 150 GEL an hour.
- Two main lifts and about 8 km of mostly easy and intermediate runs, no night skiing and no snow park: good for beginners, families and tree skiing, too small for a week.
- Winter tyres are compulsory on the road from Keda from 1 December to 1 March, there is no ATM at the resort, and the pass road to Akhaltsikhe is not cleared in winter.

Goderdzi is Adjara's ski resort, 109 km from Batumi, with two lifts from 1,724 m to about 2,366 m and an adult day pass of 30 GEL in 2025-26. The Mountain Trails Agency plans to open the 2026-27 season on 20 December 2026; here is how to get there in winter, what a day costs and where to stay.

## What is Goderdzi ski resort, and who is it for?

Goderdzi is the ski resort of mountainous Adjara in Georgia (the country), on the Batumi to Akhaltsikhe road about 109 km from Batumi. Its lifts run from 1,724 m to about 2,366 m, the adult day pass cost 30 GEL in 2025-26, the cheapest of Georgia's four state-run resorts, and it is the only one within a morning's drive of the Black Sea coast.

The lifts belong to the [Mountain Trails Agency](https://mta.ski/en/about) (MTA), the state company that also runs Gudauri, Bakuriani and Mestia and took over Goderdzi in 2015. Around the gondola base stand nine hotel complexes, with about 20 more planned, according to the [Adjara government's investment conference](https://georgiaonline.ge/goderdzi-resort-hosts-investment-conference/) in September 2026.

It suits skiers who want deep snow, forest runs and short lift queues more than a big ski area: beginners, families and intermediate skiers on the pistes, and freeriders among the fir trees. It does not suit a week of hard piste skiing, anyone who wants night skiing or a snow park, or a group where half the people do not ski, because there is little else to do in winter.

> **Goderdzi ski resort (MTA lifts)** (Danisparauli, Khulo municipality (Adjara))
> The subject of this guide: two lifts from 1,724 m to about 2,366 m and about 8 km of runs, run by the state Mountain Trails Agency. Lifts 10:00-16:00, to 17:00 at weekends in 2025-26.
> Price: Adult day pass 30 GEL (2025-26) · Season: Mid-December to late March or early April; lifts also run in summer · Google 4.7 (716)
> [website](https://mta.ski/en) · [Instagram @m.t.a_mountain_trails_agency](https://instagram.com/m.t.a_mountain_trails_agency) · phone +995 577 90 90 93 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJO2RbSz9KXUARWpI_hzHP1j8)

> **Good to know:** "Goderdzi" is three things on a map: the ski resort (1,724 m), the Goderdzi Pass (2,025 m) 5.7 km further up the road, and the Goderdzi Alpine Garden beyond it. Navigate to the resort's gondola base at 41.6373, 42.4909.

## When does Goderdzi open in 2026-27, and when is the snow best?

The Mountain Trails Agency plans to open the 2026-27 season at all four of its resorts, Goderdzi included, on 20 December 2026 ([Travel News](https://travelnews.ge/en/winter-season-georgia-mountain-resorts-2026/)), and on 27 September 2026 the resort's [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/goderdziresortofficial/) counted three months to opening. The lifts start only once there is enough snow: last season the opening was also set for 20 December and then moved to 27 December ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/)).

Recent seasons show how much the start moves: the lifts opened on 9 December 2023, on [14 December 2024](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/GoderdziOpening2025) and on 27 December 2025. Last season the Zanka gondola and the Chanchakhi chairlift were announced together for [27 December 2025](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/SkiSeason2026_ENG), and Goderdzi closed on [29 March 2026](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/SeasonClosing2026_Eng).

- **First snow:** November. The season runs December to April and the snow is most reliable in January and February, according to [Visit Ajara](https://visitajara.com/en/resorts/1), the Adjara tourism portal.
- **Snow depth:** the [national tourism administration](https://georgia.travel/skiing-in-goderdzi-resort) puts the average at 3 to 4 m in winter and up to 6 to 7 m in the heaviest years.
- **Lift hours:** 10:00 to 16:00, and to 17:00 at weekends under the [2025-26 opening notice](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/SkiSeason2026_ENG). The ticket office stops selling passes 30 minutes before the lifts close ([MTA FAQ](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/FAQ_Eng)).
- **Early season:** the gondola opens first. The upper chairlift needs more snow, and in 2025-26 it started on 1 January, [four days after the gondola](https://goderdzi.ski/ge/); it also stops in strong wind or fog.
- **End of season:** [Goderdzi Fest](https://goderdzifest.com), the closing music festival, runs 19-21 March 2027, with ticket sales from 1 December and packages with two hotel nights and the transfer from Batumi from 790 GEL.

> **Tip:** Do not book non-refundable nights for mid-December. Book from the first week of January, or keep your dates flexible until MTA confirms the opening.

## How big is Goderdzi: lifts, runs and altitudes?

Goderdzi is small: two main lifts, a beginner carpet and about 8 km of marked runs. The longest descent is 4.5 km from the top station at about 2,366 m down to the base at 1,724 m, a vertical of 642 m.

| Lift | Type | Year | Length | Capacity |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Zanka | 8-seat Doppelmayr gondola | 2012 | 1,807 m | 2,800 people an hour |
| Chanchakhi | 6-seat bubble chairlift | 2014 | 1,974 m | 2,500 people an hour |
| Beginner area | Sunkid moving carpet | 2022 | 80 m | - |

The lift data is from [Skiresort](https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/goderdzi/ski-lifts/). The ride up takes about 15 minutes ([Travel Batumi](https://travel-batumi.com/en/goderdzi-ski-resort-tour-from-batumi)), and a top-to-bottom run needs both lifts.

- **Zanka:** about 2,000 m, intermediate, under the gondola.
- **Chanchakhi:** 2,300 m, graded advanced, from the top station.
- **Chanchakhi 2:** 2,400 m, intermediate.
- **Beginners:** a 200 m practice run and the 80 m carpet by the base.

The run names and lengths are from the [national tourism administration](https://georgia.travel/skiing-in-goderdzi-resort). [Skiresort](https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/goderdzi/slope-offering/) counts 7.2 km in total, 4.9 km easy and 2.3 km intermediate, with no black runs. There is no night skiing, no snow park, no halfpipe and no cross-country track. The resort has a rescue service and a medical station, and the runs are checked every morning.

## What does a day at Goderdzi cost in 2026-27?

A ski day at Goderdzi costs 30 GEL for the adult lift pass plus 30 to 100 GEL for rental. MTA publishes the 2026-27 prices in December; the table shows the 2025-26 prices, which did not change from the season before and are the best guide until then.

### 2026 prices (last season's rates, 2025-26)

| What | Price | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adult day pass | 30 GEL | Cheapest of the four MTA resorts |
| Child day pass (6-12) | 15 GEL | Under 6 ride free |
| 2 rides | 15 GEL | Two lift rides, for the view or a ski tour |
| Adult 3-day / 7-day pass | 86 GEL / 160 GEL | Loaded on the same card |
| Season pass, Goderdzi only | 210 GEL adult, 105 GEL child | Pays off after about 7 ski days |
| Season pass, junior 13-18 / student | 155 GEL / 100 GEL | ID or a valid student card |
| Season pass, all four MTA resorts | 650 GEL adult, 325 GEL child | Goderdzi, Gudauri, Bakuriani, Mestia |
| Multiski, any 7 / any 10 days of the season | 370 GEL / 460 GEL | Ski days at any of the four resorts |
| Multicard (the pass card) | 5 GEL | Refundable, reusable next season |
| Ski or board set, shops below Ire Palace | from 30 GEL a day | The cheapest rental at the resort |
| Ski set at Ire Palace | 50-70 GEL a day | |
| Ski set at Ambassadori | from 100 GEL a day | |
| Ski set in Batumi | from 60 GEL a day | Collect the day before |
| Private instructor | 120-150 GEL an hour | Few instructors: book weekends ahead |
| Snowcat hire (whole cat, up to 13 people) | about 400 GEL an hour | For freeride laps |
| Snowmobile | 350-500 GEL an hour | |
| Sled or tube hire | 10 GEL an hour | |
| Kharcho, Family Kitchen by the lift | 12 GEL | 35 GEL in the Ambassadori restaurant |

Pass prices are from [goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/skipass) and [The Georgian Guide](https://thegeorgianguide.com/guides/skiing-in-georgia/); rental, lessons, snowcat and food from [goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/ge/); snowmobiles and sleds from [Sputnik8](https://www.sputnik8.com/ru/batumi/activities/69968-zimnie-priklyucheniya-na-gornolyzhnom-kurorte-goderdzi) and [Travel Batumi](https://travel-batumi.com/en/goderdzi-ski-resort-tour-from-batumi).

**How the pass works.** The pass is loaded onto a reusable plastic Multicard; the lift gates do not take a QR code on your phone. You can buy passes at the ticket office or online through SKIPASS.GE, TKT.GE, the Super App and Biletebi. MTA does not refund a pass once it is bought, and the [MTA FAQ](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/FAQ_Eng) sets the age bands: free under 6, child 6-12, junior 13-18. MTA also runs sales during the season: in December 2025 the four-resort season pass was 30% off, 455 GEL instead of 650 GEL, and in January 2026 the 7- and 10-day Multiski passes were 30% off ([MTA news](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter), [goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/skipass)).

> **Cost:** For two skiers, a day on the slopes comes to 60 GEL in passes plus 60 to 200 GEL in rental. Getting there is the bigger bill if you hire a driver: from 350 GEL per car each way from Batumi, shared by the group.

## How do you get from Batumi to Goderdzi in winter?

Drive the Sh1 from Batumi through Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo: about 109 km, 2.5 to 3 hours in good weather and 3.5 to 4 hours in snowfall. Winter tyres are compulsory on this road from 1 December to 1 March, and a 4x4 is the sensible car for the climb above Khulo.

The first 85 km to Khulo is asphalt all the way ([our road guide](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago)). Above Khulo the road climbs about 26 km and more than 800 m to the gondola base, through Danisparauli. The hardest part in winter is the last 15 km after Khulo, and the climb after the old bridge, about 4 km before the resort, is often icy ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/transfer)). [MyDrive](https://mydrive.club/en/georgia/blog/goderdzi-ski-resort-how-to-get-there) describes patchy stretches between Dioknisi and Danisparauli. After heavy snow cars get stuck on the single-lane sections, which [stretches the trip to 4.5 to 6 hours](https://nlevshits.com/gornolyzhnyj-kurort-goderdzi/). Leave Batumi at 07:00 to be on the slopes when the lifts open.

### By car

- **Tyres:** under [Georgian law](https://mia.police.ge/en/2024-tslis-1-ianvridan-dzalashi-shedis-kanoni-romelits-satransporto-sashualebis-zamtris-saburavebit-aghchurvis-valdebulebas-itvalistsinebs/16094), winter tyres (snowflake symbol, at least 3 mm tread, under 10 years old) are compulsory from 1 December to 1 March on listed mountain roads, and the [government resolution](https://www.matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/6040563?publication=0) lists the Batumi to Akhaltsikhe road from Keda. Police check tyres near Khulo and can require chains. The season runs to April, so keep winter tyres on after 1 March too.
- **Rental cars:** many Georgian rental companies exclude the Batumi to Akhaltsikhe road over the Goderdzi Pass in their contracts, and [their insurance does not cover damage on its rough sections](https://mydrive.club/en/georgia/blog/goderdzi-ski-resort-how-to-get-there). Ask for written permission for Goderdzi before you pay.
- **Fuel and food:** Khulo is the last town on the way up. There are no real shops at the resort ([Travel Batumi](https://travel-batumi.com/en/goderdzi-ski-resort-tour-from-batumi)), so bring what you need.

### By marshrutka and local 4x4

Two options work without a car:

1. **Batumi to Khulo, then a 4x4:** minibuses leave the [old bus station at 1 Mayakovsky St](https://gobatumi.com/public/index.php/ru/content/25) every 30 minutes from 08:00 to 20:00, about 2.5 hours, 10 GEL ([our transport page](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago)). In Khulo, 4x4 drivers wait in the centre: [70 to 100 GEL a car](https://orbitrip.ge/guide/batumi-to-goderdzi-transfer-guide) to the resort, the same range the [national tourism administration](https://georgia.travel/skiing-in-goderdzi-resort) gives.
2. **The seasonal bus to the resort:** in 2025-26 a bus left the old bus station in Batumi in the late morning, around 11:00, for about 25 GEL, and its last stop was in front of Ambassadori ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/transfer)). It does not run every day and is cancelled in heavy snow, so ask at the bus station the day before. It arrives in the afternoon, too late for a ski day.

> **Batumi old bus station** (1 Mayakovsky St, Batumi)
> Named because the minibuses to Khulo and the seasonal Goderdzi bus leave from here, not as a place to linger: 2.9 stars on Google, a busy and basic station.
> Google 2.9 (93)
> [website](https://gobatumi.com/en/catalog/794-samto-satkhilamuro-kurorti-goderdzi) · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJASUI8pOHZ0ARmPRWwRrI4Vw)

The Khulo Tourist Information Centre, near the cable car station in the centre of Khulo, knows the day's transport and the state of the road above the town.

> **Khulo Tourist Information Centre** (Batumi-Akhaltsikhe road, Khulo (Adjara))
> Not rated on Google. Near the cable car station in the centre of Khulo: the place to ask about the day's transport and the road above the town.
> [website](https://www.gobatumi.com/en/content/25) · phone +995 577 90 90 15 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJq-nG6tdPXUAR6FRt2vWZuTs)

### By private transfer or day tour

A private 4x4 or minivan from Batumi costs from 350 GEL a car one way, 750 GEL for a same-day return and 840 GEL for a return on another day ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/transfer), 2025-26 prices). [BatumiLife](https://batumilife.com/gruppovoy-transfer-v-goderdzi/) runs a shared 4x4 transfer that leaves Batumi at 07:00-07:30 and is back at about 20:30: 190 GEL per person for two, 120 GEL each for five or more, paid in cash to the driver. [Travel Batumi](https://travel-batumi.com/en/goderdzi-ski-resort-tour-from-batumi) sells a group day tour at 150 GEL per person, leaving at 06:30 and back at 21:00, with a 40 GEL deposit.

### From Kutaisi and Tbilisi

- **Kutaisi airport:** about 234 km by car via Batumi. The shorter mountain road over Bakhmaro is not a winter route. Without a car, take the airport bus or train to Batumi (about 2 hours, [our transport page](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago)) and continue from there.
- **Tbilisi:** in summer the road over the Goderdzi Pass from Akhaltsikhe is 250 to 260 km ([MTA](https://mta.ski/en)). From about mid-December to late April that road is not cleared, so in winter you drive via Kutaisi and Batumi: about 480 km and 8 to 9 hours ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/transfer)). Navigation apps still suggest the pass road in winter; ignore them. For the state of the pass in spring and autumn, call the road department on +995 32 2 31 30 76 ([our road guide](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago)).
- **Snowcat from the east:** in February and early March 2026 a free snowcat carried passengers and luggage between Utkisubani on the Adigeni side and the resort, twice a day (from Utkisubani at 10:00 and 18:00, from Goderdzi at 09:00 and 17:00), booked by phone. The ride takes about an hour ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/transfer)).
- **Airport transfer:** [PVD Club](https://pvd-club.com/en/transfer-goderdzi/) drives Tbilisi airport to Goderdzi for USD 280 and Kutaisi to Goderdzi for USD 300 per vehicle (a 4WD Starex for 10 or a Delica for 7).

## What should you bring, and how do you pay?

Bring cash, your own ski clothes and anything you need from a pharmacy. There is no ATM or exchange office at the resort, and only some places take cards.

- **Cash:** take out lari in Batumi. Cards work at Ambassadori, Ire Palace and the lift ticket office, but not everywhere else ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/ru/), [Nikolai Levshits](https://nlevshits.com/gornolyzhnyj-kurort-goderdzi/)). Shared transfers and many drivers want cash.
- **Clothes:** the rental shops rent skis, boards, boots, poles and helmets, not jackets, trousers or gloves ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/ge/)).
- **Phone signal:** a storm in January 2026 cut phone and internet at Alliance Villa for two days. Tell someone your plans and keep an offline map.
- **Bad weather:** strong wind or fog can stop the upper chairlift. MTA posts the day's lift status in its [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/m.t.a_mountain_trails_agency/) stories ([MTA FAQ](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/FAQ_Eng)); check it before you drive up.

## Where should you stay at Goderdzi?

Stay at the lift base for a ski trip: Ambassadori for a full-service hotel, Ire Palace or Twins for the middle price range, the resort chalets or Alliance Villa for your own kitchen, and a Danisparauli guesthouse for the lowest price. Khulo, 26 km down the road, works for a mixed trip, and in summer Glamping Tago is the base for the whole Goderdzi area.

### Glamping Tago (our place): the summer base, April to October

Glamping Tago is on the hill above Village Tago near Khulo, 34 km by road below the Goderdzi lifts, about an hour's drive. We are closed in winter, from November to March, so we are no use for a ski trip. From April to October we are the base for the summer side of Goderdzi: the gondola rides, Green Lake, the Alpine Garden and Beshumi (see the summer section below).

> **Glamping Tago** (Village Tago, Khulo municipality (Adjara)) - our venue
> Our place: the summer base for Goderdzi, Green Lake and Beshumi, 34 km below the lifts. Not an option for skiing, because we close for the winter.
> Season: 1 April to the end of October (closed in the ski season) · Google 4.9 (645)
> Pros: Tents with wood stoves on a ridge above Village Tago; Our own jeep tour over the Goderdzi Pass to Green Lake and Beshumi; Yurtalicious, the vegetarian yurt restaurant, and a sauna on site; 4.9 on Google from 642 reviews
> Cons: Closed November to March, so no ski trips; 34 km, about an hour's drive, from the lifts; The last stretch up from Khulo is a 4x4 road; Tents, not hotel rooms
> [website](https://glampingtago.ge/glamping) · [Instagram @glampinggeorgia_tago](https://instagram.com/glampinggeorgia_tago) · phone +995 555 56 24 83 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJCWibuR1PXUARUTua5xy7clc)

### Hotel Ambassadori Goderdzi: five stars, ski-in/ski-out

The biggest hotel at the resort, with 211 rooms and suites right by the gondola, free ski storage, rental and instructors in the building, children's play areas with a nanny service, and the Garden Spa with indoor pools. It runs 2-night Ski and Spa packages, carries its guests up in a snow vehicle for free when the road is snowed in, and in March 2026 let under-18s stay free in their parents' room ([Ambassadori](https://ambassadori.com/goderdzi)).

> **Hotel Ambassadori Goderdzi** (Goderdzi resort, gondola base)
> The full-service choice at the resort: five stars, right by the gondola, with its own spa and rental.
> Capacity: 211 rooms and suites · Season: All year · Google 4.7 (337)
> Pros: Ski-in/ski-out by the Zanka gondola; Garden Spa with indoor pools; Rental, instructors and free ski storage in the building; Children's play areas with a nanny service
> Cons: The dearest rental at the resort, from 100 GEL a day; 211 rooms, a nightclub and conference rooms: busy, not intimate
> [website](https://www.ambassadori.com/goderdzi/hotel) · phone +995 32 243 94 94 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJJaCuNtJLXUARSF8jz4snQGc)

### Hotel Ire Palace Goderdzi: 100 m from the lift

More than 100 rooms on seven floors, 30 to 55 m2, about 100 m from the gondola, with breakfast in every rate and a rental shop in the building ([Ire Palace](https://irepalacegoderdzi.com/)). A double with breakfast starts at 300 GEL a night ([Take and Hike's hotel guide](https://takeandhike.com/en/goderdzi/hotels)). The restaurant is open 12:00 to 23:00 and the bar to midnight.

> **Hotel Ire Palace Goderdzi** (Goderdzi resort, gondola base)
> The mid-range hotel next to the lift, with breakfast in every rate and a rental shop downstairs.
> Price: 300 GEL a double with breakfast · Capacity: 100+ rooms · Season: All year · Google 4.7 (130)
> Pros: About 100 m from the gondola; Breakfast in every rate; Rental shop in the building, 50-70 GEL a day
> Cons: Two 2026 reviews mention broken showers and worn fittings; A 100-room hotel, not a quiet chalet
> [website](https://irepalacegoderdzi.com/) · phone +995 574 87 07 07 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ0X7LKV1LXUARZrXTZ-NAbpI)

### Goderdzi Twins Hotel: pool, apartments and dorm beds

A four-star building a few minutes' walk from the lift, with an indoor pool, a sauna and a shared kitchen, and a mix of studios, apartments and a 6-bed dorm ([Twins Hotel](https://twinshotel.ge/)), which makes it the one hotel at the base with dorm beds for a solo skier.

> **Goderdzi Twins Hotel** (Goderdzi resort)
> Four stars with a pool, and the only hotel at the base with dorm beds as well as apartments.
> Season: All year · Google 4.9 (69)
> Pros: Indoor pool and sauna; Studios and apartments with kitchens; A 6-bed dorm for solo skiers
> Cons: A few minutes' walk to the lift, not ski-in; Smaller hotel: book early for holidays
> [website](https://twinshotel.ge/) · phone +995 568 99 00 00 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJB8SK025LXUARK5nrQX-bhLM)

### Goderdzi resort chalets and Alliance Villa: your own kitchen

The resort's own wooden chalets at the lift base have double and 4-bed rooms and kitchens but no meals, from 150 GEL a double, and one house takes a group of 20 ([Take and Hike](https://takeandhike.com/en/goderdzi/hotels)). Alliance Villa has 22 studio and duplex apartments with kitchens, 5 to 10 minutes' walk from the lift: [Visit Ajara](https://visitajara.com/en/hotels/974) lists 200 GEL for a double, 250 for a triple, 350 for a duplex for four and 400 GEL for a premium duplex for six.

> **Goderdzi resort chalets** (Goderdzi resort, lift base)
> The resort's own wooden chalets at the lift base: the cheapest beds by the lift with a kitchen.
> Price: 150 GEL a double, no meals · Capacity: Double and 4-bed rooms; one house for 20 · Season: All year · Google 4.7 (28)
> Pros: At the lift base; Kitchens in the chalets; A house for a group of 20
> Cons: No meals included; Breakfast in the restaurant costs extra, about 29 GEL
> [Instagram @goderdziresortofficial](https://instagram.com/goderdziresortofficial) · phone +995 598 88 60 60 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ3whvHRZKXUARoj_jrmmcYu0)

> **Alliance Villa Goderdzi** (Goderdzi resort)
> Apartments with kitchens a short walk from the lift, good for families and groups of four to six.
> Price: 200 GEL a double · Capacity: 22 apartments: studios and duplexes for up to 6 · Season: All year · Google 4.7 (31)
> Pros: Studios and duplexes with kitchens; Duplex for six from 400 GEL; 5-10 minutes' walk to the lift
> Cons: Two January 2026 reviews report no phone or internet for two days in a storm; 5-10 minutes' walk to the lift, not ski-in
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/hotels/974) · phone +995 595 55 33 66 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJe6zeK5dLXUARbbAEG6T_qOI)

### Hotel Arsiani: beyond the lifts, toward the pass

Arsiani stands 5.5 km past the gondola base on the road up to the Goderdzi Pass, on the way to Beshumi. It is quieter than the base and a good summer stop. In winter the hotel takes its guests to the lift by snowcat; confirm it when you book.

> **Hotel Arsiani** (Batumi-Akhaltsikhe road, 5.5 km above the resort)
> A quieter hotel on the road to the pass, closer to Beshumi and the Alpine Garden than to the lifts.
> Season: All year · Google 4.7 (297)
> Pros: Quiet, away from the lift base; Close to Beshumi and the Alpine Garden in summer
> Cons: 5.5 km above the lifts: a car or the snowcat each morning; Away from the cafes and rental shops at the base
> [website](https://www.facebook.com/hotelarsiani) · phone +995 598 09 02 68 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ_wPwYWhKXUARo8nkKh5BWzc)

### Danisparauli guesthouses: the cheapest beds

Danisparauli is the last village below the resort, 5.8 km by road from the gondola and on the way up from Batumi. Its family guesthouses charge from about 40 GEL per person without meals and 60 to 80 GEL with home-cooked meals ([Batumelebi](https://batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/news/510200/), [BatumiLife](https://batumilife.com/gornolyizhnyiy-kurort-goderdzi/)). Hosts often drive guests to the gondola and back, for about 25 GEL; a local 4x4 charges [25 to 30 GEL](https://visitajara.com/en/resorts/1) one way.

> **Guesthouse Luka** (Danisparauli, 5.8 km below the lifts)
> A family guesthouse in Danisparauli with home cooking on request; guests say the host drives them up to the lift.
> Season: All year · Google 4.9 (23)
> Pros: Dinner and breakfast on request; Ski storage and a shared kitchen; On the road up from Batumi, no detour
> Cons: 5.8 km by road from the gondola; Not walkable to the lift: you rely on the host's car or a 4x4
> [website](https://www.booking.com/hotel/ge/guesthouse-luka-39-39.html) · phone +995 577 15 01 93 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJyZ0vMjhJXUAR_slkEWDbvUs)

### Khulo: a town base for a mixed trip

Khulo is 26 km and more than 800 m below the lifts, with shops, cafes and fuel. It suits a group that mixes a ski day with village life, but you drive the hardest part of the road twice a day. [Visit Ajara](https://www.visitajara.com/public/en/mountainous-ajara/2) also lists Khikhadziri, Danisparauli, Elelidzeebi and Tago as villages with overnight stays and local food.

> **Hotel Khulo Inn** (Khulo, on the Batumi road)
> A small hotel in Khulo with a home breakfast, for a trip that mixes a ski day with the villages below. Ask for a valley-view room.
> Season: All year · Google 4.9 (53)
> Pros: Clean rooms and home breakfast; Valley views over Khulo; On the Batumi road, shops nearby
> Cons: 26 km and about 850 m below the lifts; You drive the icy part of the road twice a day
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/hotels/1028) · phone +995 511 20 91 35 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJ6yDJWX5PXUARP2OTZgAXPi8)

> **Watch out:** Check the map pin before you pay. A place sold as "Goderdzi" can sit on the far side of the mountain, several hours' drive away in winter, [as one traveller found out](https://t-j.ru/travel-plan-goderdzi/). The lift base is at 41.6373, 42.4909, above Danisparauli.

## Where do you eat at the resort?

In the hotels and a handful of cafes around the gondola base; there is no village of restaurants. The hotel restaurants and cafes are open to everyone.

A bowl of kharcho cost 12 GEL at Family Kitchen by the lift in 2025-26 and 35 GEL in the Ambassadori restaurant, and the snack bars next to the rental shops are the cheapest places to eat ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/ge/)). Breakfast at Ire Palace, 09:00 to 11:00, costs 35 GEL per person ([Take and Hike](https://takeandhike.com/en/goderdzi/hotels)). If you have a kitchen, shop in Khulo or Batumi on the way up.

## Is Goderdzi good for beginners, families and freeriders?

Yes for all three, with limits. Beginners and families get a short practice run, a carpet, instructors and cheap passes; freeriders get deep snow in the trees; piste skiers who want mileage run out of new runs in a day or two.

- **Beginners:** the 200 m practice run and the 80 m carpet are at the base, and most of the ski area is graded easy. There are few instructors, so book a lesson ahead for a weekend.
- **Families:** children under 6 ride free and a child day pass costs 15 GEL. Ambassadori has children's play areas with a nanny service. The one drawback is the drive: 3 hours or more each way makes day trips from Batumi long for small children.
- **Intermediate skiers:** 8 km of runs is enough for a long weekend, not for a week. The snow and the short lift queues make up for the size.
- **Freeriders:** the fir forest along the runs is the draw, and [Journal of Nomads](https://www.journalofnomads.com/skiing-in-georgia/) rates the tree skiing for intermediate freeriders. The resort does no avalanche control off the marked runs, so go off-piste only with a guide, beacon, probe and shovel ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/)). [PVD Club](https://pvd-club.com/goderdzi-vse-tury-i-programmy/) runs a 3-day freeride tour here with avalanche training on the first day and a snowcat or skinning day at the end, and longer ski-touring trips.
- **Non-skiers:** there is little to do besides snowmobiles, sledging and the hotel spas; [Localrent](https://www.localrent.com/ru/journal/georgia/articles/ski-resorts/) warns about the same.

## Goderdzi vs Gudauri vs Bakuriani: which is better for you?

Gudauri is the big resort, Bakuriani the family resort with a real town, and Goderdzi the small, cheap, snowy one close to Batumi. If you start on the Black Sea coast, Goderdzi is the only one you can ski on a day trip.

| | Goderdzi | Gudauri | Bakuriani |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Altitude | 1,724-2,366 m | 1,993-3,279 m | 1,641-2,702 m |
| Marked runs | about 8 km | 34.8 km | 29 km in three areas |
| Adult day pass 2025-26 | 30 GEL | 70 GEL | 55 GEL |
| Nearest city | Batumi, 109 km, 2.5-4 h | Tbilisi, 122 km, about 2 h | Tbilisi, 184 km, under 3 h |
| Best for | Deep snow, trees, low prices | Long runs, high altitude | Families, a town to walk around |

The figures are from [The Georgian Guide's overview](https://thegeorgianguide.com/guides/skiing-in-georgia/), its [Gudauri guide](https://thegeorgianguide.com/destinations/gudauri-ski-guide/) and its [Bakuriani guide](https://thegeorgianguide.com/destinations/bakuriani-guide/). Mestia, the fourth MTA resort in Svaneti, charged 50 GEL for a day pass in 2025-26. One season pass at 650 GEL covers all four.

## What is Goderdzi like in summer?

Green and quiet: in summer the gondola and the chairlift carry walkers from 11:00 to 17:00 every day, and the resort is the start for Green Lake, the Alpine Garden and Beshumi. The pass road over to Akhaltsikhe is open, so you can cross to the east of Georgia by car.

- **Lifts:** the 2026 summer season started on 21 July, with both lifts running daily from 11:00 to 17:00 and tickets at the resort ticket offices ([MTA](https://mta.ski/en/presscenter/GoderdziSummer2026_ENG), [Ambassadori](https://ambassadori.com/goderdzi/news/308)). The summer lifts ran into early September ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/skipass)).
- **Flowers:** rhododendrons bloom on the Goderdzi slopes in [June and July](https://iberogeorgia.com/en/destination/goderdzi/).
- **Walking, riding and cycling:** [Visit Ajara](https://visitajara.com/en/resorts/1) lists hiking, horse riding and cycling around the resort, and the Goderdzi fossil forest of petrified trees.

### Green Lake: 8.2 km from the resort, a separate trip

Green Lake lies at 2,058 m, 8.2 km by road from the gondola base: up to the pass, then onto the Goderdzi to Bakhmaro road. It is not on the way from Batumi: as a stop on the Batumi to Goderdzi drive it adds 14 km and about half an hour. From June to October a normal car gets there; in winter the road is under snow. Our [Green Lake guide](/blog/green-lake) has the details.

> **Green Lake (Mtsvane Tba)** (Goderdzi Pass, Khulo municipality (Adjara))
> The best-known summer trip from Goderdzi: 8.2 km by road from the gondola base, via the pass. Bring food, there is nothing to buy at the lake.
> Price: Free · Season: June to October by road · Google 4.9 (251)
> [website](https://georgia.travel/green-lake) · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJx1a5ZBM2XUARy8bCHqcSaKw)

### Goderdzi Alpine Garden and Beshumi: past the resort

The [Goderdzi Alpine Botanical Garden](https://visitajara.com/en/sights/87), part of the Batumi Botanical Garden, covers about 9.6 hectares between 1,859 and 1,960 m and is at its best from 15 May to 15 October, open 09:00 to 20:00. It lies 8.9 km beyond the gondola base on the Beshumi road, so it is a separate trip, not a stop on the way up from Batumi. Beshumi, the summer cottage resort, is 12.5 km from the gondola base, past Hotel Arsiani on the Goderdzi Pass to Beshumi road.

> **Goderdzi Alpine Botanical Garden** (Beyond the Goderdzi Pass, Khulo municipality)
> A branch of the Batumi Botanical Garden at 1,859-1,960 m, with a short walking loop and a picnic area. A separate trip past the resort.
> Season: 15 May to 15 October, 09:00-20:00 · Google 4.8 (117)
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/sights/87) · phone +995 591 98 00 04 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJbUfU2MRLXUARhJLzNBmnJjo)

> **Beshumi** (Zeda Tkhilvana, Khulo municipality (Adjara))
> The summer cottage resort 12.5 km past the Goderdzi lifts, via Hotel Arsiani and the Beshumi road.
> Season: Summer · Google 4.8 (916)
> [website](https://visitajara.com/en/resorts/1) · phone +995 558 66 94 57 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJj1ZaiMhKXUARcgtUYUDkXkk)

### Goderdzi from Glamping Tago

From Glamping Tago the resort is 34 km, about an hour by car. Our [Green Lake and Beshumi jeep tour](/tours) crosses the Goderdzi Pass with our own drivers, from spring to autumn, and takes half a day.

## What do people get wrong about Goderdzi?

- **Driving over the pass from Tbilisi in winter.** The Akhaltsikhe side is not cleared from about mid-December to late April. Come via Batumi.
- **Trusting the rental car.** Many rental contracts exclude the Goderdzi Pass road. Get written permission.
- **Summer tyres after 1 March.** The law stops on 1 March, the snow does not.
- **Planning a day trip from Batumi on a snowy day.** After a storm the drive can take 4.5 to 6 hours each way. Stay at least one night.
- **Booking the opening weekend.** The season has started anywhere from 9 to 27 December in the last three years, and at first only the gondola runs.
- **Showing up with a QR code.** The lift gates need the plastic Multicard (5 GEL deposit).
- **Coming without cash.** There is no ATM at the resort. Take out lari in Batumi.
- **Expecting a ski town.** There are hotels and a few cafes, no real shops and no nightlife beyond the hotels.
- **Going off-piste alone.** There is no avalanche control outside the marked runs.

## Where can you rent skis in Batumi before you drive up?

Two outdoor shops in Batumi rent skis and snowboards, so you can collect them the evening before and skip the queue at the resort. Batumi rental starts at about 60 GEL a day ([goderdzi.ski](https://goderdzi.ski/ge/)).

> **Adjara Peak** (19 Gen. A. Abashidze St, Batumi)
> Outdoor shop in central Batumi that rents skis and snowboards: collect the evening before you drive up.
> Season: Daily 11:00-20:00 · Google 4.9 (654)
> [website](https://www.adjarapeak.ge/) · [Instagram @adjarapeak](https://instagram.com/adjarapeak) · phone +995 571 20 85 55 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJFenSBYGFZ0ARhJUKCgWfYVo)

> **Take and Hike** (27 Tbel-Abuseridze St, Batumi)
> Batumi ski, snowboard and outdoor rental that also publishes a guide to the Goderdzi hotels.
> Google 4.9 (230)
> [website](https://takeandhike.com/) · [Instagram @take_and_hike](https://instagram.com/take_and_hike) · phone +995 551 51 64 04 · [map](https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJL1Aqc2WFZ0ARshr7NYrzR9s)

## Glamping Tago: your summer base for Goderdzi

We are on the hill above Village Tago near Khulo, 34 km below the Goderdzi lifts. We close for the winter, so we are not a ski base, but from April to October we are the place to stay for the summer side of Goderdzi: the gondola rides, Green Lake, the Alpine Garden and Beshumi.

Our [Green Lake and Beshumi jeep tour](/tours) crosses the Goderdzi Pass with our own drivers, and we arrange the 4x4 up from Khulo ([how to get here](/how-to-get-to-glamping-tago)). Meals are in Yurtalicious, our vegetarian yurt restaurant.

- **Season:** 1 April to the end of October; closed in the ski season
- **Distance to the Goderdzi lifts:** 34 km, about an hour by car
- **Drive from Batumi:** About 2.5 hours: 85 km of asphalt to Khulo, then 30-35 minutes by 4x4 up to Tago
- **Beds on site:** 12 Lotus Belle tents for two plus a nine-bed dorm dome, up to 33 guests
- **Prices:** They change with the date: see today's prices on glampingtago.ge/glamping
- **Tours:** Green Lake and Beshumi jeep tour over the Goderdzi Pass, half a day; today's price on the tours page

## FAQ

**When does Goderdzi ski resort open for the 2026-27 season?**

The Mountain Trails Agency plans to open the season at Goderdzi, Gudauri, Bakuriani and Mestia on 20 December 2026, and the Goderdzi lifts start once there is enough snow. Last season the same 20 December plan slipped to 27 December; earlier seasons opened on 9 December 2023 and 14 December 2024. Book flexible dates for December.

**How much is a ski pass at Goderdzi?**

The adult day pass cost 30 GEL in 2025-26 and a child pass (6-12) 15 GEL, the cheapest of Georgia's four state-run resorts. Children under 6 ride free, a Goderdzi season pass cost 210 GEL and a season pass for Goderdzi, Gudauri, Bakuriani and Mestia 650 GEL for an adult. The pass sits on a plastic Multicard with a 5 GEL refundable deposit.

**How long is the drive from Batumi to Goderdzi?**

About 109 km: 2.5 to 3 hours in good weather and 3.5 to 4 hours in snowfall. After a heavy storm cars get stuck on the single-lane sections above Khulo and the trip can take 4.5 to 6 hours, so leave early and plan at least one night.

**Do I need a 4x4 to reach Goderdzi in winter?**

Winter tyres are compulsory on the road from Keda to Goderdzi from 1 December to 1 March, and police can also require chains. A 4x4 is the safe choice for the last 15 km above Khulo, which is icy in the mornings and evenings. Many rental contracts exclude the Goderdzi Pass road, so get written permission first.

**Can I get to Goderdzi by public transport?**

Partly. Minibuses run from Batumi's old bus station to Khulo every 30 minutes for about 10 GEL, and a 4x4 from Khulo to the lifts costs 70 to 100 GEL a car. In 2025-26 a seasonal bus also left Batumi around 11:00 for about 25 GEL and stopped in front of Ambassadori, but not every day and too late for a ski day.

**Is Goderdzi good for beginners?**

Yes. There is a 200 m practice run and an 80 m carpet at the base, most of the 7-8 km of runs are graded easy, and passes are cheap. Book an instructor ahead for weekends: a private hour costs 120 to 150 GEL and there are few of them.

**Can I drive from Tbilisi to Goderdzi over the pass in winter?**

No. The Goderdzi Pass road from Akhaltsikhe is not cleared from about mid-December to late April, so in winter you drive from Tbilisi via Kutaisi and Batumi, about 480 km and 8 to 9 hours. In February and early March 2026 a free snowcat ran twice a day from Utkisubani on the Adigeni side to the resort.

**What is there to do at Goderdzi in summer?**

The gondola and chairlift run daily from 11:00 to 17:00 for walkers (from 21 July in 2026), rhododendrons flower in June and July, and Green Lake is 8.2 km away via the pass. The Alpine Botanical Garden and Beshumi lie beyond the resort. Glamping Tago, 34 km below, is open from April to October and runs a jeep tour over the Goderdzi Pass to Green Lake and Beshumi.

**Is there an ATM or card payment at Goderdzi?**

There is no ATM or exchange office at the resort, so take out lari in Batumi. Ambassadori, Ire Palace and the lift ticket office take cards; many cafes, guesthouses and drivers want cash.

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Source: https://glampingtago.ge/blog/goderdzi-ski-resort
Glamping Tago, Village Tago, Khulo, Adjara (Georgia) · hello@glampingtago.ge · WhatsApp +995 555 56 24 83