 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi snowheads
We have been to Bansko a few times and are looking for a reliable agent to buy passes, equipment hire and ski school through.
Reasonably happy with Bulgaria Ski who we have used before but the equipment was quite old. We are a group of 13 ranging from new to ski 5 year old to seasoned 50 year old advanced skiers.
Can’t remember the agent we previously used but the hire shop was in the gondola station, to the left if you go in the back door and that was reasonable quality.
I understand that unless you buy the ski pass from an authorised agent, the mountain insurance is invalid, so that’s a must; about 10 of us will need ski school.
Have considered using Bansko blog but not sure about the insurance thing?
We are also looking for transfers from Sofia.
Any help gratefully received.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We booked our ski hire, lift passes and lessons through Bansko blog. Didn't have any issues but didn't know anything about the mountain insurance? TBH it isn't something we normally worry about as have travel insurance and just make sure that that is sufficient to cover what we are doing?
The lessons in the ski school were with significantly less people than other lessons we observed on the mountain (you can search for my threads of the issues we encountered with those if you are interested).
Happy to give you more details if you are interested.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi , the guy who runs bansko.blog is a friend of mine , his passes like mine do incl the mountain insurance , as do those bought direct from gondola station or ski .point booths
www,bansko-sports.com we can do all you have asked for also
If you e mail , mention snowheads
TIA
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Hi @skiseekers, bansko blog resell skimania passes, kit and lesson. I used them 3 times last season for kit, twice for lessons and pass.
They were excellent on all counts, opening earlier than most of the other shops so you could get a head start. Lessons were great too. On my last visit I think they had combined with another ski school. From talking to other people in my groups they had lots of repeat customers.
Their lessons had an odd start time compared to the other schools, if I remember correctly 2 hour group lesson were 11 to 13:00. This suited me as I got a bit of a ski in first. You’d need to check this season.
One trip I used ULEN for lessons, wish I hadn’t. The ski hire places next to the gondola, the TOCs use, are generally considered poor. Each time I had to visit I found them to be rammed.
Couldn’t say categorically about insurance, sounds to me like someone’s said that to disturb a customer into buying a pass at thier shop and it’s become “fact”. I can see ULEN, who run the mountain, invalidating insurance on passes resold by touts etc. and I’d suspect that true of most resorts.
I’ve met Lance a few times in Bansko and I take him for a genuine guy, he’s a very plesant ex-pat who clearly believes in Bansko. I’d email him and see what he says. Ultimately you can always buy your passes from ULEN at the gondola.
Ski mania aren’t the only game in town, heard good things about Bansko-sport and Tsakiris (for kit) too.
Have fun 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Lance's passes inc insurance.
We use Pirin 2000 for gear & Jordan for transfers (banskoservices.co.uk)
We also go as a big group & have had no issues with Jordan transfers.
Think there was 14 last year inc a toddler. Check whoever you use for transfers about booster seat, etc. for the little one.
Pirin lessons start at 9am, 11am & 1pm
lots of other schools do 10am & 12pm
Not sure if 9am is doable when the gondola is busy (Pirin do have a car that will take you up for a few lev each).
One thing I noticed last year was the Gondola was starting at 8.30 - so no chance to make a 9am lesson unless you are at the front!
Guess this is Ulen monopolising & trying to force schools out of business.
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Ive been to Bansko 3 times now, and if youre going during the school hols then the lift queue to get onto the gondola and up to the ski area (they still only have 1) can be horriffic. There is a way past these queues. There is a VIP entrance at the back which sees you straight onto the lift bypassing the queue (but not the stares of the poor saps whove spent the last 3 hours zig zagging up and down the car park, only to see you walk right on by un hindered.)
The ONLY way to get this pass is to be a resident of the the best hotel in Bansko, the Kempinski, and then pay a small supplement.
Peter
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price you pay for kempinski, you may as well go to france!
would work out cheaper to just get a taxi up each morning. It's a lot quicker than the gondola ride! 10mins compared to 30mins + the taxi will take you to the main slopes, rather than the main gondola.
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