Cheap ski resort in the Carpathians for foreigners

Brief review of Ukrainian ski resorts: choose the best

In order to save money in luxury Bukovel a good idea is to dwell in the neighboring villages and eat from the owners.
The season of winter recreation in the Carpathians has already started. In recent days the snow piled up so that skiers have the full expanse and locals - profit.
'God has heard us. November was unusually warm, and we are constantly in the church praying for snow. After all, without snow there is no customers at all, which for us are the only source of income,' - says our Yaremche resident pan Vasily.
Fans go skiing in the Carpathian Mountains, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Transcarpathian and Chernivtsi region. Today I am going to tell about the features of the winter holiday in Frankivsk, and in the coming days - the rest of the Carpathian resorts.

The most expensive Carpathian resort
- Bukovel, which is according to the level of service and routes currently considered as "Ukrainian Austria." Located 30 km from the informal capital of the Ivano-Frankivsk Carpathians - Yaremche, Bukovel is famous  by record for Ukraine a dozen ski lifts (in Yaremcha, for example, only one lift and just 200-meter-long), fifty kilometers of trails, night lights, web cameras and high prices for accommodation.

What is the cost to celebrate New Year in the Carpathians

«Buk (Bukovel) - this is certainly cool and European. But one step away from the VIP resort - and you're in the outback, with its rough roads - says Lviv skier Andrew. - Better to go skiing in the Polish Zakopane or Slovak Tatras: cheaper and still with excellent roads. There are only visa troubles, but the problem can be solved through a travel agency. "

However, many tourists in order to save money, do not stop in the cottages of the elite ski resort, but in particular prefer "a cabin» (small house) of neighboring villages - more and cheaper. If you are without "wheels", then you can get on the bus ride to (around 20 UAH) or "Fira" (horse-drawn cart) or taxi (around 35 UAH).

This is how Fira looks like

FEATURES of the Carpathians

 Huzulschyna, where the fashionable Ukrainian resort is located - one of the most picturesque regions of the Carpathians with sprawling fir and pine trees, conical Koliba and unique magical atmosphere (not in vain, according to legend, most of all wizards called «molphar» live there.

The Carpathian Molphar

One of the main local features is a souvenir market in Yaremche, with its hand-made products. Kind of a museum of the Carpathian art in the open air. Here you can buy wooden crafts, jewelry made of beads, metal and leather, wool socks, slippers, blankets (on the local language, "lyzhnyk" or "Kots"), hats, and gloves with Huzul ornament. Other attractions of the region - a waterfall, rock and cave of Dovbush, the Carpathian «hatynka» (cottage) of Yushchenko (one of the Ukrainian ex-presidents) in the village of Tatariv (you will be not allowed to get close to the possessions of the president, but it’s possible to take a look from afar), a mini-zoo with deer and roe deer, and the restaurant "Hutsul" built almost half a century ago from wood without a single nail.

Typical Carpathian «hatynka» (cottage) 

FOOD

In the local kolyba food is tasty and inexpensive. Lunch, dinner will cost 50-100 UAH per person. Special Hutsul dishes  are potatoes with mushrooms in a pot, banosh (maize porridge) with cheese, mushroom soup, porcini mushrooms in cream sauce, trout with white mushrooms, pudding with bacon, potato pancakes with meat and mushrooms. In Yaremche I recommend "Red sadibu", "Vedmezha mountain" in Polanica - "Old Koliba", "Old Mill", "Merry Hutsul", and in Tatariv - "Hutsul house". "But the price of a snack in the cafes at stations of Bukovel lifts - are very high. A cup of tea from a bag in a paper cup - UAH 25-40, a portion of potato pancakes - fifty hryvnia, dumplings - 60-90 UAH", - complains skier from the city Irina Nowicka. Seasoned travelers advise to book a full board in the owners of cottages where you stop. It’s homely and cheap.

Carpathian food - soup with mushrooms

SKIING

If you can live cheaply in the vicinity of Bukovel, the board of the "wheelchair» will not give you a possibility to save some money - ski passes much cost a pretty penny. This season, it is necessary to cook from 75 UAH per rise to almost 4900 UAH for the subscription for 10 days (during the New Year holidays the price will rise by almost 30%). "They have a promotion for" The Lark ": if you buy a ticket before 9am, discount - 20-40%," - says an experienced skier Valentine Kozak. In the season it is advised to be patient - the huge queues at the lifts.

Set of the roll ski equipment (skis, boots, poles, helmet) is from 75 to 390 UAH per day (depending on the "coolness" and brand equipment - from simple to professional). The helmet is 50 UAH (it is mandatory), and snowblades (ultrashort skiing, skating poles that are not necessary) with the boots - 220 UAH per day.

Subscriptions prices 2015-2016

ACCOMODATION

If you catch renting a room in the private sector Frankivsk Carpathians before the New Year it can be for 100-120 UAH per person (now more favorable rent a cottage - 800 UAH for 6-8 people), in the holiday price jumps four times. For luxury numbers in the best hotels for the New Year in Yaremche you will have to pay 2000-3000 UAH, the same amount will cost you the most modest room in Bukovel (because of its glory among the tourists). Accommodation prices start to fall after January 10-14. Some owners do not lower them before Baptism, and some people - and by mid-February.

The best way to search for the prices is here.

If you book in advance it's going to cost even 150 UAH per night!

You can also book directly from the resort using this link.

So the best way-out to take care about your winter vacation is now!