Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Was in borovets first week of march last year. Out of my 6 skiing days, the gondola was closed 3 of those days due to the wind, even though it was about 14 degrees at the resort and blistering sun. Everyone then was skiing the lower slopes, of which about half were closed due to no snow and the other half probably should have been closed as they were in terrible condition, muck and rocks everywhere and so busy as the gondola was shut, absolute mayhem.

Also when the gondola was open, runs back to resort were closed so there was about an hours que to get back to resort using gondola at end of ski day. Conditions could be better for you at new years and it would alleviate some of the problems i experienced, or conditions could be worse and the problems worse. I've never been to bansko but on my own experience would choose it over borovets if i were to return to bulgaria again.

The queues espically at new year are bad in every resort ive ever bin.
The trick with most of the resorts is get to the lift at 8:30 or wait till about 11.
for me im there at 8:30 have an early lunch and finish the day with a run back to resort 2-3ish. Even if you can not ski to the bottom in borovets there sill be horse and karts waiting at the point the snow stops and i find these a nice cheap way to beat the queues.

Also if the gondola is shut but the yastrebetz lift is running a quick taxi up the road and you will have a good days boarding or skiing.

But as waterskikate says always keep fingers crossed the gondola is open every day.

we did bansko for the first time last new year, like someone has already said, you have to get up early, the 1st gondola leaves about 8.30, if you are there before 9 you will queue no more than half an hour, get there much later and it can be 1 - 2 hours.
Queue isn't really the right word for it, its more like a general free for all,especially the side door (which was a fight, but quicker than the main door).

Don't leave your ski gear in the main depot at the bottom of the slope if you want that early start, because it doesn't open until 8.30, leaves you at back of the queue.

We are trying borovets this new year, where you can do the lower slope if you dont want the early morning gondola queue, but new year is going to be busy wherever you go.

Its getting a bit long winded this, sorry!, but one last thing, we struggled to get somewhere to eat on new years eve, ended up in a restaurant under a hotel at the top of the town (there is a cross roads just down from the gondola with a cafe on the corner - the restaurant was 200 yds down on left, down some steps under the hotel - great set meal, inc all drinks, and as much bulgarian dancing as you can take!) at midnight everyone went outside to set off the fireworks they had brought with them, the bulgarian 'fireworks code' is a all out war, just hold a rocket by the wooden stem, light it, point it at the bloke on his balcony across the road and let it go - bloody hell!!!! but that was nothing to the chap who pulled out two automatic pistols and unloaded I don't know how many rounds into the the bansko night, (blanks? who know's!!) a whole new concept to going with a BANG, - all that said despite the 'wood smoke' chest we all went home with, it was great.

we did bansko for the first time last new year, like someone has already said, you have to get up early, the 1st gondola leaves about 8.30, if you are there before 9 you will queue no more than half an hour, get there much later and it can be 1 - 2 hours.
Queue isn't really the right word for it, its more like a general free for all,especially the side door (which was a fight, but quicker than the main door).

Don't leave your ski gear in the main depot at the bottom of the slope if you want that early start, because it doesn't open until 8.30, leaves you at back of the queue.

We are trying borovets this new year, where you can do the lower slope if you dont want the early morning gondola queue, but new year is going to be busy wherever you go.

Its getting a bit long winded this, sorry!, but one last thing, we struggled to get somewhere to eat on new years eve, ended up in a restaurant under a hotel at the top of the town (there is a cross roads just down from the gondola with a cafe on the corner - the restaurant was 200 yds down on left, down some steps under the hotel - great set meal, inc all drinks, and as much bulgarian dancing as you can take!) at midnight everyone went outside to set off the fireworks they had brought with them, the bulgarian 'fireworks code' is a all out war, just hold a rocket by the wooden stem, light it, point it at the bloke on his balcony across the road and let it go - bloody hell!!!! but that was nothing to the chap who pulled out two automatic pistols and unloaded I don't know how many rounds into the the bansko night, (blanks? who know's!!) a whole new concept to going with a BANG, - all that said despite the 'wood smoke' chest we all went home with, it was great.