 Poster: A snowHead
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Myself and teenage son took our first together ski trip for half term.
Despite the recent ‘red top’ press reports, neither of us were sold huge amounts of drugs nor constantly propositioned by ‘women of dubious character’.......
Transfer from the airport was around 2.5 hours including rest stop.
Plenty of shops and local restaurants and eating out every night costs £10-£15 pp. most hotel bars are approx £3 per spirit & mixer and measures are generous.
Street food (pancakes/kebabs) approx £2/£3
The gondola is very long, it’s approx 1/2 an hour from base to top station and the que in the morning is legendary ...we had fast pass as we booked with Balkan holidays, but for those who don’t, get there any later than 7.30am or have a very long wait.
Likewise the mountain, get up there any later than 8-9am and it will be busy at main station. But the top reds and blues are lovely and spacious. The ski schools tend to keep to the snow road 1 and Blue 1, stay off these as much as you can and you won’t playing chicken with the ski schools and learners.
We had a fabulous week, I decided after 3 days that boarding was the way forward for me, the boy chose to stay on planks, so we beg to differ.
Enjoyed the holiday immensely, I’ve done Bulgaria twice now (Borovets last year) so next time it will be somewhere different.
Hope this review helps anyone who is thinking of going. If I can answer any questions please just ask.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Girl in the office skiied it last week and said the gondola queue was one hour in the morning 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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To be honest, I don't know why anyone would go there knowing you have to wait at least an hour to get up the hill. I get that it's cheapish and there's the novelty of Bulgaria. Surely there are better bargain alternatives? What about Slovakia or Slovenia, or even the Pyrenees? Or someplace like Valloire? Or even set aside an extra 500 euros/pounds and go to a next-level ski station.
I'm not trying to poke fun here, just don't see the point.
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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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| Pasigal wrote: |
To be honest, I don't know why anyone would go there knowing you have to wait at least an hour to get up the hill. I get that it's cheapish and there's the novelty of Bulgaria. Surely there are better bargain alternatives? What about Slovakia or Slovenia, or even the Pyrenees? Or someplace like Valloire? Or even set aside an extra 500 euros/pounds and go to a next-level ski station.
I'm not trying to poke fun here, just don't see the point. |
Why not Borovets?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have only been to Bansko once and that was before the gondola was installed. Can you still get a vehicle upto the lifts?
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| johnE wrote: |
| I have only been to Bansko once and that was before the gondola was installed. Can you still get a vehicle upto the lifts? |
yes
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| Pasigal wrote: |
To be honest, I don't know why anyone would go there knowing you have to wait at least an hour to get up the hill. I get that it's cheapish and there's the novelty of Bulgaria. Surely there are better bargain alternatives? What about Slovakia or Slovenia, or even the Pyrenees? Or someplace like Valloire? Or even set aside an extra 500 euros/pounds and go to a next-level ski station.
I'm not trying to poke fun here, just don't see the point. |
Because Balkan holiday are flogging Ski packages for £600 that include a 4* half board hotel, lift pass, hire, group lessons, flights & transfers. £400 spending money will go a long way with beer being £1.50 a pint. So a grand all in for a beginner!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Yup Mr Egg is right.
I’m really no great skier (in fact I sacked it off completely and decided to snowboard instead)
So for me to spend £££ on a ski holiday is just completely pointless, so with ability vs cost and expectations then Bulgaria fitted the bill perfectly (twice)
Next year we are going somewhere new, now we are more confident in our ability.
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@Mr.Egg, @Lou1, No, I get that it's cheap. Is 600 pounds a person really that much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe that has a proper lift system?
Although 1.50 a beer...I could be tempted. Well played!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For me for half term this year £600 for flight, half board, transfer, ski hire, board hire and board school and lift pass......I couldn’t find anything else that cane close to that.
And Borovets last year was a girls holiday for £500 each for flight, hotel, transfer, ski hire, ski school (4 hrs x 6 days) and lift pass.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
@Mr.Egg, @Lou1, No, I get that it's cheap. Is 600 pounds a person really that much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe that has a proper lift system?
Although 1.50 a beer...I could be tempted. Well played! |
Can you show anywhere else where you can get flights, 6d lift pass (about 60km of slopes), hire, group tuition, 4* hotel with a spa, breakfast & evening meal?
Bulgaria is a great place to learn on the cheap if you can put up with the issues which may be sorted by next season with the 2nd gondola.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
@Mr.Egg, @Lou1, No, I get that it's cheap. Is 600 pounds a person really that much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe that has a proper lift system?
Although 1.50 a beer...I could be tempted. Well played! |
Can't tell re: the price, as I am flying from another continent, but Bansko has a proper lift system. It is just that the initial uploading gondola comes with an annoying queue in february. I have been there at 07:30 on february 18 this year - it was february and a weekend, so the place was full. At 07:45 they started uploading people, at 08 we have been on our way. And we had a great day (and in the following 4 in which we took the car up at  with no problems at the next lifts. The blue pistes were congested, but not in the early hours. The reds and the 2 blacks were perfect. Apres ski at Happy Ending was great.
Last march it was easier.
BTW, their peak times are not related to french school vacation, for we hardly saw french skiers there. Check for british schools, bulgarians, russians, greek and israeli school hol.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Fri 2-03-18 15:14; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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We went to Bansko for a long weekend outside school hols a few years back in March. Our first ski visit to Eastern Europe.
- No gondola queue.
- Fantastic conditions (powder!!).
- Skiing back to the resort.
- Modern lift system.
- Bigger and better ski area than we envisaged.
- Some decent (and steep) off piste and glades.
- Massive new apartment at bargain price.
- Cheap food and drink.
- Interesting town.
- A totally different cultural experience (some road signs in cyrillic alphabet, mosques and minarets along the way, Istanbul sign posted at one point).
What was not to like? 
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FAQ
