Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi all,

Went to Bansko for the first time last year with the missus and have booked again for March . Will be taking our 9 year old for his first ski holiday (he's already done the fast track on the snowdome), but what we really want to do is get the 4 year old on the slopes. I can't find any UK tour operators that will take on such youngsters - Is there a way to get the local bulgarian instructors to have a go and who would you recommend - we are looking for next season and would be looking to sort it out while over there in March. Any top tips welcome.

I also used the ski kindergarten last season for my 4 and 6 year olds - was a good intro to skiing for the both but I thought the instruction for the older one was a bit 'light' - they were in a big group and they were basically going down a gentle slope then back up again - whether it was the size of the group that made a difference I don't know but I would say they didn't learn much in the 3-4 days they were there - but we only wanted to give them a taster anyway to it worked out well. It was perfect for my 4 year old, but the 6 year old was itching to do more by day 3.Overall though - I was happy with the service.
The kindergarted is run by Ulen - you can't book it in advance unless you book a package through an operator - everyone else has go along on the day and pay as you go - I was worried it would get overbooked and I wouldn't get spaces but no-one sems to have heard of people being turned away - March seems to be generally queiter too. To sign up you have to go into the office to the right of the stairs that go up to the gondloa inside that building. Cost was equivalent to about 25 GBP per day per child, which considering they get their skis and all kit plus lunch etc, I though was good value. look at banskoski.com for this years pricing. Good luck.

We skiied the road down the first couple of times by harnessing my poles together and putting then around his waist and me snow ploughing behind him. Have to say both are legs really worked hard. It was amazing though by the fouth run down (fifth day) he had naturally managed to slow himself down and turn, so he skiied unaided. (we had to hire skis to do this.) It is however a big leap of faith. Hope you have a good time. We found the girls in the kindergarten to be helpful even if they spoke limited english.

hiya

My first visit to pamps was when my son was 4 and he started in a normal ski group with me but he was a little impatient with it as he just wanted to be off not faff around. With such reasonable prices in BG I got him a 1-1 instructor for the rest of the week and he was skiing blues by the end of that holiday and black runs by the time he was 6. He is now 10 and can ski anything way better than me and boards too ........ get them started early and they have no fear and develop a real love for skiing ...... hope this helps

Both my kids started at aged 4- missed a couple of year, but both comfortable on all slopes now-started in Austria and France, but been doing Borovets since!
its hard though getting them into a group that has others their own age- too good for most kids their own age(begginers), and yet, well looked after by the elders in their group (as last year- thanks), they would prefer to be with kids their age- they even talk about not wanting to be in ski school this year. because no one their own age is in their group.