Snowboard Lessons in GudauriFrom First Slide to Linked Turns
Day one on a board is slower than on skis and has more falling in it. After the first two or three days it usually catches up fast. Here is how those days go — what gets taught first, what comes after, and which of our lessons fits where you are now.
- Day one Which foot goes forward, strapping in, and skating along the flat with one foot free — the way you will get on and off every lift. Then the heel edge: facing down the hill, sliding and stopping. Then the toe edge, facing up the hill, which is harder because you cannot see where you are going.
- Days two and three The falling leaf: drifting left and right across the slope on one edge, steering with your weight. Then the first turn, from one edge to the other — with the instructor close, because that is where most of the falls are. Linked turns usually come here.
- Blue runs Linked turns down a blue without stopping, and any lift in Gudauri on your own. This is where the intermediate lessons start.
- Red runs One change at a time: weight over the front foot, a quiet upper body, cleaner edge changes so you stop catching an edge, finishing the turn instead of skidding sideways. Then your first carves, and riding switch.
The order does not change; how fast you move through it is yours. Three lessons on three days teach more than one long one.
- First-timer — never been on a board, or you cannot yet link a turn from one edge to the other. Also you, if you rode a few days years ago and remember almost nothing.
- Intermediate — all three are true: you link turns down a blue run without stopping, you control your speed on a red even if it is not tidy, and you ride any lift in Gudauri on your own.
- Somewhere in between? Pick the one you are closer to. The instructor sees you on the first run and adjusts.
| Lesson | Who it is for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Private lesson → | One instructor for you, or for up to 4 of you, any day of the season, at any level. |
90 min ₾320 · 3 h ₾560
for one; more people pay less each
|
| First-timer class → | Your first days, in a group of 4 at most with one instructor, on the days a class is posted. 1.5 hours. Tell us you ride a board when you book, so we put you with a snowboard instructor. | ₾150 per person |
| Intermediate class → | You already ride blues on your own and want reds to feel like riding. 3 hours, same group size. | ₾250 per person |
| Kids lessons → | Children from 3 to 15: the Kids Club, or a private of their own. Under 10, we suggest skiing or a private snowboard lesson. | Club ₾650 a day · private from ₾340 |
| Women's lessons → | The same lessons, taught by a woman to women. | private from ₾380 |
Three days or more of the same lesson and every day of it costs less. The lift pass is not included in any lesson.
- You will fall, a lot. Many times on day one — that is day one on a board going well. You learn how to fall and get up before you need to.
- Getting up is the workout. Standing up with both feet strapped to a board tires you faster than the riding does. It gets easier quickly.
- The toe edge feels backwards. Riding facing up the hill is strange for everyone. It comes a little after the heel edge, every time.
- The altitude is real. Gudauri starts at about 2,000 m. You tire faster, get thirsty sooner and burn in the sun quicker than at home.
- Then it clicks. Nothing seems to happen for a day or two, then the turns link and a board starts to feel easier than skis looked.
- Board, boots and a helmet, on you at the meeting point. Rent the afternoon before if you can — a morning rental queue eats into a lesson.
- Boots that fit: snug, heel not lifting when you lean forward. A boot that hurts ends a lesson early — tell the rental shop, not your instructor.
- Your lift pass, bought before the start time.
- Waterproof trousers and gloves: on day one you sit and kneel in the snow more than you stand. Layers you can open, goggles or sunglasses, sun cream.
- Arrive five to ten minutes early. The lesson ends at its booked time either way.
I have never snowboarded. Where do I start?
With a first-timer lesson: a private of 90 minutes, or the first-timer class on a day one is posted — tell us you ride a board when you book. Both start at the very beginning: which foot goes forward, then sliding and stopping on a gentle slope.
Why is the first day so hard?
Both feet are fixed to one board, so balance comes from your edges, and until they work you fall. Day one on a board is slower than on skis and has more falling in it. After the first two or three days it usually catches up fast.
Regular or goofy — how do I know?
You do not need to before the lesson. Which foot goes forward is the first thing your instructor works out with you.
How many lessons until I can link turns?
Linked turns usually come on day two or three. Three days or more of the same lesson cost less each day, and the same instructor takes them where we can.
Do the classes teach snowboarding?
Yes. Tell us you ride a board when you book, so we put you with a snowboard instructor.
Can my child snowboard?
For children under 10 we suggest skiing, or a private snowboard lesson. Tell us your dates anyway: if other children want to snowboard on the same days, they can ride together.
Where do I rent a board?
Anywhere you like, or at our shop. Come the afternoon before your lesson: equipment collected in the afternoon is charged from the next day, and you arrive at the lesson ready.
Is the lift pass included?
No. You need your own lift pass, bought before the lesson starts.
Is there anything above intermediate?
Yes, but not as a posted class. Book a private, or message us and we arrange it directly.
I already ride. Can someone show me around Gudauri?
Take the Slope Tour: 2 hours with a guide who knows the mountain, ₾200 for up to 6 of you. It is about where to ride, not how — for how, take a private.
What if the weather is bad or the lifts stop?
If the lifts run, the lesson runs. If they do not, you choose another date or your money back.