Gudauri | All the Basics

Gudauri is Georgia's premier winter-resort, 80 km (or, to be more precise, 100 minutes north) of Tbilisi. In relatively barren landscape, it offers some spectacular views.

A challenging flying location in thermal conditions, it is a good place to practice in winter with ski lifts.

Launchsites:

There are three main launch sites. In summer they are accessible by 4x4, on a rough road. Taking a local driver is a good idea.

1. Kudebi (3000 m) -- the very top of the resort, typically primarily for winter flights when the lifts are working.
   
2. Austrian hut (~2700 m) -- a good launch site in early afternoon, just below Kudebi, exposed to the South, and overlooking a huge gulley: a good exit point for cross-country flights. No need to go up to Kudebi, typically, since you can launch from here.
   
3. Red boxes (~2650 m) -- a launch site later in the afternoon, easily recognizable as you are coming up the road, a little lower down from the Austrian hut, also good for afternoon soaring.
   

Landing:

Potentially, there are many landing spots in Gudauri. In winter, the bottom of the second lift is the preferable landing location. In summer, this site is treacherous, since the slope below has occasional thermal releases, which instantly reverse the wind direction.

Difficulty:

Not a place for beginners in thermal summer conditions. Landing sites are in relatively narrow valleys, winds are strong, and the landscapes and winds are complicated. Located at the weather divide along the Caucasus main ridge, this is a complex environment. Unlike, say, Svaneti, it does not have a generous landing space.

Strong regional winds may not break through to ground level, but create strong turbulence at higher altitudes.

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