Bulgaria Ski discussion board
Report from Bansko, Orphey
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posts : 13 (Beginner)Date : 03-06-05 09:21Report from Bansko, Orphey
Just back from Bansko.
The snow is really excellent, and more on the way apparently. We had a 70cm fall overnight and the following morning was awesome, even for a relative novice like me.
Runs mostly in excellent condition, but some high winds made it pretty chilly at the very top. The upper runs get pretty lumpy in the afternoons, and hard work for yours truly, but they smooth them back overnight. Not all lifts are working all the time, especially at the top but the lower runs ...
The snow is really excellent, and more on the way apparently. We had a 70cm fall overnight and the following morning was awesome, even for a relative novice like me.
Runs mostly in excellent condition, but some high winds made it pretty chilly at the very top. The upper runs get pretty lumpy in the afternoons, and hard work for yours truly, but they smooth them back overnight. Not all lifts are working all the time, especially at the top but the lower runs ...
Just back from Bansko.
The snow is really excellent, and more on the way apparently. We had a 70cm fall overnight and the following morning was awesome, even for a relative novice like me.
Runs mostly in excellent condition, but some high winds made it pretty chilly at the very top. The upper runs get pretty lumpy in the afternoons, and hard work for yours truly, but they smooth them back overnight. Not all lifts are working all the time, especially at the top but the lower runs including the Tomba Black still skied well (not that the Tomba is a personal experience:-)).
The gondola from the town works really well, except that it shut down at 11.30am on our first day (lightning strike and high winds on the upper slopes shut most lifts, and the gondola was limited to townwards as aa precaution. This was tedious as out instructor had just skied us down the road to town, as our first warmup. Still, the Happy End (just by the gondola station) does good food and drink:-)).
The road run back to town was variable - hard work just after snow and when it got a bit slushy one day, but I skied back every day except once (see below:-() and it was a great experience. The local rep says it should probably be skiable until the end of March, they've got lots of snow cannons, and the upper slopes are expected to stay open until mid May!
Bad bits - well, some b*stard stole my skis from outside the upper gondola station - it does apparently happen, so split skis when you leave them unguarded. Cost me £140, which I hope to get some/all back on insurance, but took the edge off the day, to say the least.
We stayed at the Orphey. It doesn't very much matter where you stay for location as the hotels all have their own shuttle buses. The Orphey is very new, though, and they haven't really got their act together yet. Usual bleats about bg hotel food apply, and it's a bit soulless - I certainly wouldn't recommend it over eg Pirin or Strazhite.
We've been to Pamps twice before, and which you'd find better depends on your priorities (not been to Boro). Skiing for inters and advanced definitely better in Bansko. Bansko is a real town, lots of good places to eat and drink, several nightclubs (which we did not try) and cheaper shops (well, Pamps hardly has any!)
OTOH, Pamps is a much shorter transfer from Plovdiv - say 1 1/4 hours vs 3 1/2 to Bansko. And there's no faffing about with a gondola, however pretty it is.
Others have said Pamps has been crowded this year, but apart from our final day, which was a Bulgarian National Holiday, there were no queues to speak of, and even on Friday the max we queued for was 15 minutes. So avoid 1 - 3 March, this would apply to all three resorts I guess.
That's about it. We flew on the usual coal burning Tupolev courtesy of Balkan Hols, the flight was cramped but on time, in flight catering basic (but charmingly delivered;-)) and we'll certainly go again - not quite sure yet whether to Bansko or Pamps!).
Email me if you want any further info.
x kev
The snow is really excellent, and more on the way apparently. We had a 70cm fall overnight and the following morning was awesome, even for a relative novice like me.
Runs mostly in excellent condition, but some high winds made it pretty chilly at the very top. The upper runs get pretty lumpy in the afternoons, and hard work for yours truly, but they smooth them back overnight. Not all lifts are working all the time, especially at the top but the lower runs including the Tomba Black still skied well (not that the Tomba is a personal experience:-)).
The gondola from the town works really well, except that it shut down at 11.30am on our first day (lightning strike and high winds on the upper slopes shut most lifts, and the gondola was limited to townwards as aa precaution. This was tedious as out instructor had just skied us down the road to town, as our first warmup. Still, the Happy End (just by the gondola station) does good food and drink:-)).
The road run back to town was variable - hard work just after snow and when it got a bit slushy one day, but I skied back every day except once (see below:-() and it was a great experience. The local rep says it should probably be skiable until the end of March, they've got lots of snow cannons, and the upper slopes are expected to stay open until mid May!
Bad bits - well, some b*stard stole my skis from outside the upper gondola station - it does apparently happen, so split skis when you leave them unguarded. Cost me £140, which I hope to get some/all back on insurance, but took the edge off the day, to say the least.
We stayed at the Orphey. It doesn't very much matter where you stay for location as the hotels all have their own shuttle buses. The Orphey is very new, though, and they haven't really got their act together yet. Usual bleats about bg hotel food apply, and it's a bit soulless - I certainly wouldn't recommend it over eg Pirin or Strazhite.
We've been to Pamps twice before, and which you'd find better depends on your priorities (not been to Boro). Skiing for inters and advanced definitely better in Bansko. Bansko is a real town, lots of good places to eat and drink, several nightclubs (which we did not try) and cheaper shops (well, Pamps hardly has any!)
OTOH, Pamps is a much shorter transfer from Plovdiv - say 1 1/4 hours vs 3 1/2 to Bansko. And there's no faffing about with a gondola, however pretty it is.
Others have said Pamps has been crowded this year, but apart from our final day, which was a Bulgarian National Holiday, there were no queues to speak of, and even on Friday the max we queued for was 15 minutes. So avoid 1 - 3 March, this would apply to all three resorts I guess.
That's about it. We flew on the usual coal burning Tupolev courtesy of Balkan Hols, the flight was cramped but on time, in flight catering basic (but charmingly delivered;-)) and we'll certainly go again - not quite sure yet whether to Bansko or Pamps!).
Email me if you want any further info.
x kev
re: Report from Bansko, Orphey
If you were pushed to choose which is best overall right now, Bansko or Pamps, which would you pick?
re: Report from Bansko, Orphey
Bansko.TBH, for me it's only the transfer that is an issue, and it really only happens before you start the skiing and after it ends;-) OTOH, if it were a choice of Pamps or nothing, I'd have no hesitation: it represents excellent value at the basic end of the market.
x kev
re: Report from Bansko, Orphey
Bansko.TBH, for me it's only the transfer that is an issue, and it really only happens before you start the skiing and after it ends;-) OTOH, if it were a choice of Pamps or nothing, I'd have no hesitation: it represents excellent value at the basic end of the market.
x kev
Ski Packages Bansko (Lessons, Ski Hire and Lift Pass)
Hi KevinCan you help this is our first time skiing and we have decided to go to Bansko. We have booked our flights and are in the process of booking an apartment, on the website for the apartmenst they also offer a reduce ski package for beginners which includes 4hrs Ski Lessons, Ski Hire & Boots and Lift Pass (6 Days) Costing 249 Euro's. Does the ski package sound reasonable to you or would you advise getting to Bansko and booking lessons.
re: Ski Packages Bansko (Lessons, Ski Hire and Lift Pass)
Hi Dee,
That cost (249 Euro= about 170 quid) is probably about right. I think you are better off booking in advance - the official Ulen price list I happen to have in my work bag offers 584 lev for that package, or about 215 quid at resort rates. You might be able to better that locally, but then you might not, and you'd spend time faffing about setting it up. One of the benefits of booking a Balkan Hols package, btw, is their very cheap "Learn to Ski" packages - around 100 quid if ...
That cost (249 Euro= about 170 quid) is probably about right. I think you are better off booking in advance - the official Ulen price list I happen to have in my work bag offers 584 lev for that package, or about 215 quid at resort rates. You might be able to better that locally, but then you might not, and you'd spend time faffing about setting it up. One of the benefits of booking a Balkan Hols package, btw, is their very cheap "Learn to Ski" packages - around 100 quid if ...
Hi Dee,
That cost (249 Euro= about 170 quid) is probably about right. I think you are better off booking in advance - the official Ulen price list I happen to have in my work bag offers 584 lev for that package, or about 215 quid at resort rates. You might be able to better that locally, but then you might not, and you'd spend time faffing about setting it up. One of the benefits of booking a Balkan Hols package, btw, is their very cheap "Learn to Ski" packages - around 100 quid if pre-booked, includes 6-day lift pass, kit hire and 4 hours of instruction per day.
The instructors do vary in style and competence, by the way, but I've been fortunate at Pamps and Bansko to get a good one each time. You should be in a group of 8 or thereabouts, and this is good for company. If you get an instructor who's lazy, incompetent or otherwise doesn't do the biz, complain and ask for another group.
An alternative if you are a complete beginner would be to have the first day as one-to-one instruction, usually lass than 100 lev, see previous messages for ideas - I think that would probably get you to the confident linked snowploughs or even a bit more, and that's where it's a lot more fun!
But enjoy it anyway, and if you're going in the next couple of weeks you should be able to end the skiing part of your holiday by skiing down the road from the top gondola station:-)
x kev
That cost (249 Euro= about 170 quid) is probably about right. I think you are better off booking in advance - the official Ulen price list I happen to have in my work bag offers 584 lev for that package, or about 215 quid at resort rates. You might be able to better that locally, but then you might not, and you'd spend time faffing about setting it up. One of the benefits of booking a Balkan Hols package, btw, is their very cheap "Learn to Ski" packages - around 100 quid if pre-booked, includes 6-day lift pass, kit hire and 4 hours of instruction per day.
The instructors do vary in style and competence, by the way, but I've been fortunate at Pamps and Bansko to get a good one each time. You should be in a group of 8 or thereabouts, and this is good for company. If you get an instructor who's lazy, incompetent or otherwise doesn't do the biz, complain and ask for another group.
An alternative if you are a complete beginner would be to have the first day as one-to-one instruction, usually lass than 100 lev, see previous messages for ideas - I think that would probably get you to the confident linked snowploughs or even a bit more, and that's where it's a lot more fun!
But enjoy it anyway, and if you're going in the next couple of weeks you should be able to end the skiing part of your holiday by skiing down the road from the top gondola station:-)
x kev
