Krasnaya Polyana (or rather Esto-Sadok) is the most popular and respectable ski center in Russia.
Krasnaya Polyana is a village where there are no ski resorts, as well as cable cars. All ski resorts and ski lifts are located in the village of Esto-Sadok, which borders the village of Krasnaya Polyana and both settlements are part of the municipal formation of the resort city of Sochi.
Nevertheless, for the general definition of the ski resorts of Sochi, the name ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana is most often used. But to visit the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana, it is necessary to go to Esto-Sadok, and not to Krasnaya Polyana itself.
Ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana:
- Krasnaya Polyana (formerly Gorki Gorod)
- Gazprom, consisting of two slopes - "Laura" and "Alpika".
Each of the ski resorts is self-sufficient, is a full-fledged complex and has its own lifts, ski slopes and all related infrastructure: accommodation facilities, shops, cafes and restaurants, entertainment, activities and services.
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.
To ensure comfortable access of guests to various heights and routes, there are lifts (cable cars) at the resorts: gondola (closed cabins with seats), chairlift, towbar and conveyor (escalators).
Trails of the Rosa Khutor resort
The Rosa Khutor resort is located on the slopes (northern and southern) of the Aibga ridge and covers approximately 1820 hectares. All the resort facilities, including ski slopes and lifts, are located at various heights of the Aibga ridge: starting from the Mzymta River from 560 meters above sea level (Rose Valley) and reaching the peaks of the mountain range - "Rose Peak" and "Stone Pillar", located at 2320-2509 meters above sea level.
The total length of the ski slopes on Rosa Khutor is 102 kilometers, with a height difference of 1569 meters on the slopes.
Rosa Khutor has trails of all levels of difficulty, starting from easy (green) and ending with very difficult (black) trails, including Olympic descents. There are also educational and children's slopes, snow parks and trails with artificial lighting, suitable for evening skiing. Learn more about the trails, ski areas, lifts and ski passes at Rosa Khutor…
Map-scheme of trails and skating zones of the Rosa Khutor resort
Do you want to enlarge the map? - click on the image
Trails of the Krasnaya Polyana resort
Krasnaya Polyana mountain resort is located in the foothills of the Main Caucasian Ridge, the Aibga ridge.
The total approximate area of the resort is 863.7 hectares. All the facilities of the resort, including ski slopes, ski lifts and entertainment, are located at various heights: starting from the Mzymta River (Polyana 540) from the mark of 540 meters above sea level and reaching the peaks of the mountain range - "Polyana 2200" and "Black Pyramid 2375", located at 2200-2375 meters above sea level.
The total length of the ski slopes is about 30 kilometers from an altitude of +2340 meters to +960 meters.
At the resort of Krasnaya Polyana, there are trails of all levels of difficulty, ranging from light (green) to very difficult (black) trails. There are also educational and children's slopes, snow parks, a flight zone, freeride trails and trails with artificial snow and lighting, suitable for evening skiing. Learn more about the trails, ski areas, lifts and ski passes in the Krasnaya Polyana resort…
Map-scheme of trails and skating zones of the Krasnaya Polyana resort
Do you want to enlarge the map? - click on the image
Gazprom Resort trails
The Gazprom Mountain Resort, which is officially called the Gazprom Mountain and Tourist Center, has about 800 hectares. and technically it consists of two zones-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 on the slopes of the Aibga ridge at altitudes from 550 to 2256 meters above sea level.
The Laura slope has ski slopes of all levels of skiing, from light (green slopes) up to very difficult (black tracks). There are educational and children's slopes, as well as trails for evening skiing.
The width of the ski slopes of the Laura slope reaches 66 meters, and the length is up to 1900 meters.
There is a ski and biathlon complex on the Laura Gazprom slope, where you can go cross-country skiing. Learn more about the slopes and ski areas on the Laura slope…
Alpika is a slope with an extreme atmosphere, along which there are difficult (red) and very difficult (black) ski slopes, where avid riders can show their character and hone their skiing skills.
The slopes of the slope have a height difference of 1156 meters. Learn more about the Alpika slope…
Map-scheme of trails and skating areas of the Gazprom resort (Laura and Alpika slopes)
Do you want to enlarge the map? - click on the image
Ski passes of Krasnaya Polyana resorts
There are ski passes from midday and evening to multi-day and seasonal.
There are also educational and children's ski passes.
Each of the resorts has its own variations of ski passes, the combinations and the cost of which vary from season to season.
You can buy ski passes 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 (the sites are listed at the end of this article). !!! When buying online, the prices for ski passes are usually lower than when buying at the ticket offices or terminals of resorts.
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. A single ski pass can be purchased at the ticket offices of the ski complexes.
When to visit the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana for skiing
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 ski seasons are determined by the administrations of each of the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana, depending on weather conditions and snow cover. Also, the administrations can determine the dates and terms of routine maintenance. Information about determining the start and end dates of the ski seasons is posted on the official websites of the resorts.
Attention! During the winter season, lifts and trails (one or another, or all) may be closed due to weather conditions. We recommend that you check the information before riding on the official websites of the resorts in real time (you can download the mobile application of each of the resorts).
Where to stay in the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana
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:
- at the Rosa Khutor resort-this is Olympic Mountain Village (Rosa Plato), located at an altitude of 1170 meters above sea level. You can get to the height from the lower level on gondola cable car "Olympia" or by car. All accommodation facilities on Rosa Khutor (first and second level) can be view and book here
- at the Krasnaya Polyana resort, this is 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-Sadka (on the first and second levels of the resorts) can be viewed and booked here
How to get to the resorts of Krasnaya Polyana
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 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 all the ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana (Esto-Sadok) can be found here →
Websites of Krasnaya Polyana resorts
Website of the Rosa Khutor mountain resort: iscoverrosa.
Website of the mountain resort Krasnaya Polyana: krasnayapolyanaresort.
Website of the Gazprom Mountain and Tourist Center (Laura and Alpika slopes): polyanaski.
