Krasnaya Polyana (or rather Esto-Sadok) is the most popular ski center in Russia, which is available all year round.
To begin with, it should be noted that Krasnaya Polyana is a village in which there are no ski (mountain) resorts, as well as cable cars. All ski resorts with lifts, which are year-round and are called mountain resorts, are located in the village of Esto-Sadok. However, for the general definition of resorts, such names are used as: "mountain resorts of Krasnaya Polyana" and "ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana". Therefore, to visit the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana, it is necessary to go to Esto-Sadok, and not to Krasnaya Polyana itself.
The majority of tourists visiting Krasnaya Polyana (Esto-Sadok) go to mountain resorts, of which there are three in Krasnaya Polyana: Rosa Khutor, Krasnaya Polyana (formerly Gorki Gorod) and Gazprom, consisting of the Laura and Alpika slopes.
Each of the resorts is an independent full-fledged complex, each of which has its own infrastructure: trails and areas for skiing, a network of cable cars, accommodation facilities (hotels, apartments, chalets), as well as parks, museums, places for recreation, entertainment and services, shops and salons, cafes and restaurants.
This article will focus on mountain resorts, the village of Esto-Sadok and the village of Krasnaya Polyany in the winter season: rest, what to do, where to go, where to ride, what to see, etc.
More information about Krasnaya Polyana in the summer season-recreation, entertainment and what to do can be found here →
Krasnaya Polyana ski slopes
The main winter pastime and sport in Krasnaya Polyana is skiing and snowboarding.
All conditions are provided for skiers and snowboarders at the resorts. At various heights there are ski slopes, ticket offices, luggage storage, medical centers, cafes and restaurants, instructor services and rental of ski equipment.
All resorts have trails of all levels of difficulty, ranging from light (green) to very difficult (black) trails. There are also educational and children's slopes; trails with artificial snow and lighting, suitable for evening skiing.
The resorts of Rosa Khutor and Krasnaya Polyana have snow parks, flight zones and freeride trails.
There are two Olympic slopes on Rosa Khutor.
There is a ski and biathlon complex on the Laura Gazprom slope, where you can go cross-country skiing.
Learn more about the trails and ski areas of the Krasnaya Polyana resort…
Learn more about the trails and ski areas of the Rosa Khutor resort…
Learn more about the slopes and ski areas on the Laura Gazprom slope…
More about the Alpika Gazprom slope…
Cable car riding in Krasnaya Polyana in winter
To ensure comfortable access of guests to various heights and routes, there are lifts (cable cars) at the resorts: gondola (closed cabins with seats inside, capacity up to 6-30 people), chair, tow and conveyor (escalators).
Chairlifts and rope lifts, as well as escalators in the winter season are available only for guests on ski passes, that is, for those who ski and snowboard. Gondola cable cars are also available for guests on ski passes.
For all those who do not ski and snowboard, in winter, a walking visit is available at all resorts of Krasnaya Polyana - ascent and descent on gondola cable cars to certain heights of the resorts:
- at Rosa Khutor itis: the ascent to Rosa Peak on three cable cars "Olympia", "Zapovedniy les" and "Kavkazskiy express", with exit at the stations Olympic Mountain Village (Rosa Plato), Besedka, Rose-1600 and Rose Peak is 2320 meters. The main observation deck of the resort is located on Rosa Peak;
- at Krasnaya Polyana itis: three cable cars - Krasnaya Polyana K-1, Relict forest K-2 and Vertex K-3. On these cable cars, you can climb from the mark Polyana 540 to the top "Polyana 2200" with transfers at the marks "Polyana 960" and "+1460 meters". On the Glade 2200 there is the main viewing panoramic 360° platform;
- Gazprom has this:
- Laura slope: cable cars A/A1, A2 and A3 on which you can climb to the station "Mountain shelter "Pikhtovy", which is the highest point of the Laura slope and located at an altitude of 1660 meters above sea level,
- Alpika slope: the cable car K1-K5 on which you can climb to the Shelter Vetrov station, which is the highest point of the slope and is located at an altitude of 2256 meters above sea level.
Mountain resorts of Krasnaya Polyana-winter services and entertainment
In addition to skiing and climbing to heights, each of the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana in the winter season offers its guests entertainment and services that are located at different heights of each of the resorts.
Rosa Khutor
The Rosa Khutor mountain resort is located on the slopes (north and south) of the Aibga ridge.
In winter, Rosa Khutor offers: viewing platforms at various heights, evening winter skiing on Alpine sleds, snowmobiling, rodelban entertainment, winter tubing, alpine swings, small suspension bridge entertainment, helicopter rides, husky farm, deer farm and ethno-farm "Shishin Dvor".
There are also cafes and restaurants, areas for living (hotels, apartments, chalets), shops and salons, spa centers and various services. More about Rosa Khutor resort…
Krasnaya Polyana (Gorki Gorod)
The mountain resort Krasnaya Polyana is located in the foothills of the Main Caucasian Ridge, the Aibga ridge.
In winter, there are viewing platforms at various heights, snowmobile excursions, hot air balloon flights , high-altitude swings, megazipline, winter tubing, husky center, archery, reindeer farm, Wonder Land adventure park, mountain baths "4 elements" and a spa complex available on Krasnaya Polyana.
There are also cafes and restaurants, living areas (hotels and apartments), shops and salons, a spa center and various services. More about Krasnaya Polyana resort…
Gazprom
Structurally, the Gazprom resort consists of two slopes:
- the "Laura" slope, located on the Psekhako plateau, among the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains and the fir forest of the ridge, at an altitude of 550 to 1660 meters from sea level;
- the "Alpika" slope, located in a picturesque place - on the slopes of the Aibga ridge at altitudes from 550 to 2256 meters above sea level.
In winter on the Laura slope are available: viewing platforms at various heights, snowmobiling, hiking snowmobiles, ATVs and buggies, husky park, deer farm, winter tubing, exhibition of mining equipment, Zelenaya Polyana and Ice Age Parks.
There are also cafes and restaurants, living areas (hotels and apartments), shops and salons, a spa center and various services. More about the Laura slope…
On the Alpine slope in winter, thereare : observation decks, cafes and restaurants at some heights, a high-altitude bath with panoramic windows - #Neoban, the sledding center "Sanki", where the extreme attraction "Fanbob" is available to guests and you can also visit the bobsleigh complex without riding on the attraction. Learn more about the Alpika slope…
Visiting the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana in winter
The best time to visit the mountain resorts of Krasnaya Polyana as ski resorts is from December to March (April). Sometimes the season starts in November and ends in May (June). But there are also rains at the height of the season, then the snow lies only on the upper slopes of the slopes of the resorts. The longest ski season, as a rule, is at the Krasnaya Polyana resort.
The opening and closing dates of the seasons are determined by the administrations of each of the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana individually, depending on weather conditions and the level of snow cover. Also, the administrations can determine the dates and terms of routine maintenance. Information about determining the start and end dates of the seasons is posted on the official websites of resorts.
Attention! Lifts, entertainment and trails (one or the other, or all) may be closed due to weather conditions. We recommend that you check the information before visiting the official websites of the resorts in real time (you can download the mobile application of each of the resorts).
All resorts have lower stations of cable cars, which are located in the village of Esto-Sadok, close to each other (walking distance of one resort from another).
For each of the resorts, whether it is a visit for skiing (on ski passes) or year-round on walking tickets (visiting resorts without skiing), you need to buy separate tickets.
Each of the resorts has its own variations of ski passes, as well as walking tickets, the combinations of which vary from season to season.
You can purchase a single ski pass, according to which skiers and snowboarders get the right to ride, as well as use the infrastructure and services of all the ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana( Esto-Sadka): Rosa Khutor, Gazprom GTC (Alpika and Laura slopes) and Krasnaya Polyana.
You can buy ski passes and walking tickets both at the ticket offices or terminals of each of the resorts, which are located at the lower and second stations of the cable cars, and in advance online - on the websites of each of the resorts. !!! When buying online, the prices for ski passes, walking tickets and some entertainment are usually lower than when buying at the ticket offices or terminals of resorts. At the Gazprom resort, tickets in terminals are cheaper than at the ticket offices and when buying online.
A single ski pass for all resorts of Krasnaya Polyana can be purchased at the ticket offices of ski complexes.
Each of the resorts has its own ticket offices, which are located near the lower stations of the cable cars in Esto-Sadka, as well as at the second heights of the resorts:
- u Rosa Khutor is the lower station of the cable cars in the Rosa Valley, Rosa Stadium and the Mountain Olympic Village (Rosa Plateau);
- Gazprom has the Laura slope - this is the lower station of the Laura cable cars and the Psehako station, at the Alpika slope - the lower station of the Alpika cable cars;
- at Krasnaya Polyana - the lower station of cable cars in Polyana 540 and Polyana 960.
You can find out the cost of ski passes and walking tickets, as well as all their available variations, on the official websites of the resorts:
- website of the Rosa Khutor mountain resort: discoverrosa
- website of the mountain resort Krasnaya Polyana: krasnayapolyanaresort
- website of the Gazprom Mountain and Tourist Center (Laura and Alpika slopes): polyanaski.
Esto-Sadok in winter
Esto-Sadok is located in a mountainous zone, on both banks of the Mzymta River.
The terrain is mostly mountainous with pronounced fluctuations in mountain heights. The average heights directly on the territory of the village are about 698 meters above sea level.
Estosadok and all its main objects are concentrated along the Mzymta River, on a plot of about 7 kilometers, on which there are: pedestrian and carriageway roads, parking lots and public bus stops, well-maintained embankments, residential buildings and hotels, shops and salons, cafes and restaurants, baths, spa complexes, as well as parks, recreation areas, playgrounds, museums, fairs and some entertainment. Learn more about Esto-Sadok…
The territory of the Esto-Sadka can be conditionally divided according to the lower reaches (lower stations of cable cars) of mountain resorts:
- 540 Polyana Krasnaya Polyana, where: shopping and entertainment center "hills Mall" with a water Park and a major supermarket, Park seasons with a Seating area and a skate Park, children's and sports grounds, trade fair with children's carousel, the casino Sochi, Museum, Friends, concert and entertainment venue "WOW arena" and the house-Museum of A. H. Tammsaare. Learn more about Polyana 540…
- the area near the lower station of the cable cars of Laura, where: shopping and entertainment center "Galaxy" features a water Park with a panoramic outdoor swimming pool, an ice rink, cinema, bowling alley and Museum, fair Park and the Green earth; the Museum Solarium; Spa in a 5 star complex "Grand Hotel Polyana".
Nearby are: the ruins of the Achipse fortress, the Pyramid complex, the old Estonian road along which you can walk or bike to the village of Krasnaya Polyana, the Laura aviary complex of the Caucasian Natural Biosphere Reserve;
- Rosa is the valley of the Rosa Khutor resort, where there are: fairs, casinos, an ice rink, go-karts, playgrounds, a sauna complex, Rosa Square with a town hall, a health trail, an observation deck, a park, an Archeology museum, an ethnopark "My Russia" and the multifunctional concert complex Rosa Hall. More about Rosa Dolina…
Krasnaya Polyana village in winter
The village of Krasnaya Polyana is located about 5 kilometers from Esto-Sadka.
In Krasnaya Polyana there are no entertainment, clubs, large shopping centers and an abundance of cafes and restaurants.
Krasnaya Polyana is a quiet mountain place with low-rise buildings, which is not bad for a more secluded holiday and leisurely walks around the village and the surrounding area.
In Krasnaya Polyana there are several supermarkets, shops, cafes and accommodation facilities, as well as a small park, a couple of attractions, several hiking routes around the village and numerous bath complexes. Learn more about Krasnaya Polyana…
Where to stay in the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana and Esto-Sadka
Each of the mountain resorts (Krasnaya Polyana, Rosa Khutor and Gazprom) has two levels, in which all accommodation facilities are located-hotels, chalets and apartments.
The first levels of resorts (lower), which are located directly in the village of Esto-Sadok, and where the most accommodation facilities are located.
The second levels of resorts (second heights), where the accommodation facilities are also located:
- near the resort Rosa Khutor is a Mountain Olympic village (Rosa Plateau), located at an altitude of 1170 meters above sea level. You can get to the height from the lower level by the gondola cable car "Olympia" or by car. All accommodation facilities at Rosa Khutor (first and second level) can be viewed and booked here
- the Krasnaya Polyana resort has a mark "Polyana 960", which can be reached by the Krasnaya Polyana gondola cable car (K-1), as well as by car;
- at the Gazprom resort, the second level is available on the Laura slope - this is the "Psekhako Mountain Shelter "(Green Glade), located at an altitude of 1440 meters above sea level. There is one resort hotel on Psekhako - the 4-star hotel and spa "Polyana 1389". You can get to the height of Psehako by the A/A1 gondola cable car, as well as by car. On the slope of the Alpika of the Gazprom resort, there are no accommodation facilities at heights.
For everyone who stays in the accommodation facilities on the second levels of the resorts, free unlimited access is provided to the cable cars of a particular resort (depending on which resort you are staying in), which lift and lower guests to the lower levels of the resorts; transfers also run. That is, if you live in the Mountain Olympic Village of the Rosa Khutor resort, then you use the Olympia cable car for free; if on the Psehako of the Gazprom resort, then the A/A1 cable car; if in the Glade 960 of the Krasnaya Polyana resort, then, respectively, the K-1 cable car.
All accommodation facilities in Esto-Sadok (on the first and second levels of the resorts) can be viewed and booked here
How to get to Esto-Sadok, Krasnaya Polyana and mountain resorts
The nearest airport to the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana (Esto-Sadok) is located in the city of Sochi (Adler), 43 kilometers from Estosadka. Flights to Sochi (Adler) →
The fastest and most convenient way to get from Sochi airport to any of the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana (Esto-Sadka) is a taxi. You can order a taxi / transfer in advance, even from home. At any time of the day, at the airport, a driver will be waiting for you with a sign where your first and last name will be written. To order a taxi is enough to inform your flight details.
If you come by car, you can leave it on the territory of Krasnaya Polyana (there are paid and free parking lots) and in Esto-Sadka, near the lower stations of the cable cars of the resorts. There are also parking spaces on the territory of the second heights of the resorts (parking is paid).
More information about how to get to the village of Krasnaya Polyana, all the mountain resorts of Krasnaya Polyana and Esto-Sadok can be found here →
