Ski Bansko - Ski or Snowboard in Bansko

Ski Bansko - Ski Resort and Snow Summary

Bansko, Bulgaria (1700m to 2560m)

Bansko is the big European boom resort of the first decade of this century. The unspoilt traditional Bulgarian village was reborn with a huge investment in modern lifts and hotels that, along with heavy investment by property buyers, brought the resort rapidly to international prominance. It is located in the Pirin mountains and National Park, a world heritage site.

Bansko Ski Facts

Bansko in brief Bansko Ski Resort is:- OK for Expert Skiers. Excellent for Intermediate Skiers. Good for Beginners. Excellent for Snowboarding.

for Expert Skiers for Intermediate Skiers for Beginners for Snowboarding    1 Black Run    11 Red Runs    6 Blue Runs 65km Downhill Pistes 5km Cross Country Trails 13 Ski Lifts 1630m Max Vertical 2560m Highest Lift 1700m Lowest Piste 930m Resort Altitude Full Page Map of Bansko



Bansko is the newest and the most rapidly developing ski resort in Bulgaria. 100 million Euros have been invested in Bansko to install a state of the art ski facility with equipment specifically designed for the Pirin slopes. A new 8-man gondola carries skiers and snowboarders from the ski centre outside the town to the beginners’ area and ski-school at 1,600m in approximately 20 minutes. Two chair lifts continue on to the highest slopes at 2,500 m, beneath the Todorka Peak. There are 17 pistes, including a 16 km uninterrupted run from beneath the summit where you can ski down to the base station of the Gondola lift at the outskirts of town. The last 7 km of the slope is lighted, and the entire facility is equipped with artificial snow machines to ensure a great skiing experience even in warmer conditions. Bansko is one of the only resorts in the world where this is possible. Expect no queues as Bansko has the newest technology in hands free ski passes fitted with micro-chips readable through the pocket of a ski jacket. Rescue services include a short-code mobile number for skiers in trouble.

The skiing conditions in Bansko are excellent with more than 50% of the slopes covered by snow cannon making sure there is always good snow cover. Bansko has the best snow record of all Bulgarian ski resorts. The runs are groomed by 12 Kassbohrer slope maintenance vehicles. The ski season starts in the middle of December and carries on right through into April.

Slalom and giant slalom runs are available in the Shiligarnika region. Bansko offers a cross-country track with a total length of 5 km at a height of 1530m above sea level at the Banderishka Polyana slope. The ski centre has over 65 km of marked ski runs and cross-country trails that have been extensively cultivated.

Bansko is ideal for beginners and there are English speaking instructors at the ski school. For intermediates the ski area is fantastic with fabulous views and many well-maintained wide tree-lined runs. The advanced skiier can try the Alberto Tomba black, and there is good off-piste available (a guide is recommended). Skiers and snowboarders are welcome to the fun park in Platoto.

For Snowboarders there are long tree-lined runs and for next season is a brand new dedicated snowboarders area with a half-pipe facility 90 metres high by 16 metres wide.

Paragliding and heli-skiing is also available locally.

This information kindly provided by Bansko Apartments, on whose site you can find further details.

Snowmaking :- Bansko is able to augment natural snow, on 45km of ski runs, with 161 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 13 Ski Lifts of Bansko are able to uplift 23,100 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There is an airport within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Bansko are perfectly feasible.

Skiing in Bansko

Bansko has over 56km (35 miles) of marked ski runs with about 80% of the slopes covered by snow cannons, all well groomed by a fleet of a dozen machines.

The main ski runs in Bansko have been extensively renovated and the ski run Stara Pista floodlit for night skiing. The Shiligarnika, Stara Pista, Todorka and Plato ski runs are suitable for beginners and intermediaries, and the Banderiza and Ctzurna mogila ski runs may be used by experts. Experts have the additional challenge of skiing the runs where Bulgaria's Olympic champions train.

Bansko is also a regular host to a number of ski and snowboard competitions, such as the Extreme Ski and Snowboard competition and the Balkan Cup Competition.

The ski runs are serviced by a number of chair lifts and drag lifts, all of which are cutting edge Doppelmayer ski lifts, including the eight person gondola and three detachable quad chairs, one with pull-down bubble cover if the weather in poor. Easy access to all lifts is secured by SkiData chip-card ski passes that one never needs to take out of the pocket.

At the end of the day, skiers and snowboarders have a choice to return by the Gondola or take the ski road down to Bansko, which marks this resort as one of the few in the world to offer this option. This is a unique 16 kilometer (ten mile long) uninterrupted ski run, starting from Todorka Peak (2600 m) at the highest point of the ski center, all the way to base station of the gondola lift at the outskirts of town. The last seven kilometres of the slope are lighted, and the entire facility is equipped with artificial snow machines to ensure a great skiing experience even in warmer conditions.

Those, who do not have their own ski or snowboard gear, can choose from more than 1200 pairs of carving ski and more than 100 snowboards, all of which are cutting edge Salomon and Rossignol and are available for rent at the Gondola base lift station.

The winter sports center also includes more than nine kilometers of cross country ski tracks, a biathlon shooting range, a winter sports stadium and a ski kindergarten-the Junior Ski Club-which welcomes children aged four and up.

There are a number of web cameras by the slopes and images of these are available online at the resort's website. Images of the web cameras are also displayed online at the base station of the Gondola lift and at the best hotels in Bansko.

Snowboarding in Bansko

The new half-pipe is of great interest to both foreign and Bulgarian snow-boarders, as it is the only permanent half-pipe facility in the country. The availaboility of high quality rental gear and excellent tuition are other strong positive points as is the fact that most of the mountainb is now accessible by high speed chair ands cabin lifts rather than surface tows. Bansko is a regular host to a number of ski and snowboard competitions, such as the Extreme Ski and Snowboard competition.

Bansko Après Ski

Among other Bulgarian mountain resorts, Bansko offers what is probably the best après-ski, because it is a unique combination of a modern mountain resort and a living rustic town with a population of about 10,000 people.

Bansko's most popular late night hangout is the Amnesia disco club, which features popular music in a relaxed atmosphere. A great modern après-ski place with a quieter atmosphere is the bowling in hotel Strazhite.

In the common mehana establishments, food is served in the atmosphere of traditional songs and dances, performed by local artists.

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