Ski resort Bukovel - reviews, prices, how to get there

With skis and mountains, we “married” not so long ago, only in 2007, but with all our hearts we fell in love with snow-white mountain peaks, snow-covered slopes and chilling wind speed in our ears. And this despite the fact that we were put on skis in a rather radical way. It was on Mount Trostyan (Slavskoye resort). There was no question of any "paddling pools", we were lifted up the mountain on a cable car, and our dear friend, the only skier in the company, left us to the mercy of fate.

I will not retell all the compliments addressed to him, but I will say: “Somehow we went down ... at the 5th point, sideways, herringbone and a dozen different non-skiing ways. As a result, I learned to ride and a solid three, encroaching on the four, I will boldly set myself. Since then skiing has become an annual tradition.

We had dreams of Bukovel for a long time, but all the time it seemed: “Expensive, expensive ...” However, there was no other way out: Trostyan had outlived his usefulness, so to speak. About snowcats, snow cannons, sharp edges and sober employees in Slavske, apparently, they did not hear. Over the years we have become more experienced and more picky riders, and again we were not ready to see a complete lack of service.

Therefore, we were going to go to Bukovel (after dozens of advice from those who had already been there, and viewing the site of the complex, brochures inspired us very much). Of course, there was no talk of any subscriptions bought in the summer, because. the issue with the trip was resolved literally before departure, and accommodation was booked at the railway station in Kyiv an hour before departure.

So, the impressions of the first vacation in Bukovel of people who do not know where they are going and what to do. February 2011

 

Bukovel - how to get there

It is difficult to drive without your own car or pre-purchased Kyiv-Vorohta tickets. Our path was:

Chernihiv - Kyiv (minibus, 40 UAH)

Kiev-Lvov (train 168 UAH, there were no tickets to Ivano-Franskovsk),

Lviv - Ivano-Frankivsk ("Etalon", 40 UAH),

Ivano-Franskivsk - Tatariv ("Standard", 16 UAH),

Tatariv-Yablunytsia (the first available bus, 3 UAH).

Very difficult, bad, long, hard.

Bukovel - accommodation

Accommodation. Housing in Bukovel is varied, and luxury apartments for 800 UAH / day right under the slope to standard rooms for 500 UAH / day. The best option is to rent rooms in nearby villages: Palyanitsa (3 km), Yablunitsa (15 km), Mykulychyn (28 km), Yaremche (35 km).

We decided to stop in Yablunitsa. In principle, we did not have any special preferences, we have not been anywhere. However, in Yablunytsya we (three skiers) were offered accommodation 2 + 1 in two double rooms for 100 UAH per day. Finding housing for such a price is not a problem, but to settle one person in a double room for 100 UAH. not everyone agreed.

The cottage turned out to be simply charming, all made of wood, hot water, a spacious dining room and a "Dynamo" ski lift 20 meters away. Actually here we spent the first 2 hours to refresh our skills. The cost of lifting is 10 UAH.

 

Bukovel - prices for equipment, descents, meals

Equipment rental . Skis, poles, boots were rented 100 meters from the house, they were left there for the night to dry, in the morning they were taken back. In past years, skis were rented in Chernigov and dragged to Slavske. Then maybe there was a reason. On Trostyan, the choice is not so big - every day they change, then they press, then they hang out, then they are stupid. Here the choice is amazing. It feels like everyone only rides in rental skis, judging by the emblem of Bukovel on skis.

In Yablunytsia, a ski kit cost us 50 UAH per day. In Bukovel, you can rent skis of the same class for 100 UAH per day. There is a principle, the further - the cheaper. We didn’t worry about the distance, we agreed with the taxi driver, he paid us “20 UAH. from the nose ”with skis under the house he took away and brought there when we needed. On the 3rd and 4th day we left the house, immediately shod in ski boots. So it makes no sense to overpay for housing under the descent, it does not even pay off the cost of travel, well, except that it saves 40 minutes. time.

Routes and subscriptions. There is a very wonderful promotion "Rankova". Until 9:00 a.m., day and half-day passes can be purchased at a 30% discount. We were at the ticket office at 8 o'clock in the morning, there was no special queue at the 5th lift at that time. In the afternoon - the queue is as in the photo 🙂

 

Don't think that 8 o'clock is too early. It is better to ride in the morning, while the tracks are empty and not rolled out, than in the afternoon, when the ice comes through in places, and the snow has already been removed by skis along the edges of the track. Now about the tracks. There are many, many, we traveled only half in 3 days. They are even, pierced (it is especially pleasant in the morning), some of them are illuminated, a patrol is on duty everywhere. In general - service.

So, having bought half-day passes for 115 UAH, we made 13 descents from 8-30 to 12-30 (it turns out that one descent costs less than 9 UAH). Or you can buy a subscription for the whole day for 190 UAH. For such a service and class of lifts is very, very nice. The queues are not long, you do not stand for more than 10 minutes.

There was no snow, of course. But they monitor the available snow and, I think, carry buckets from the forest at night 🙂 If it weren’t for snow cannons and snow removal equipment, there would be nothing to do there, although the forecast promised daily precipitation, mountains of snow and other splendor. Do not believe the forecasts, there are webcams on the Bukovel website, and you can see the condition of the slopes online, which we did in order to more accurately decide on the date of departure. For comparison: there is also one webcam on Trostyan, but it is located at the foot of the mountain, so it will not be possible to assess the slopes. I remember in Slavske 2 years ago, they called the owner of the estate before leaving, asked the real state of affairs with snow, the answer was amazing: “Don't worry, the mountains are turning blue, it will snow soon” 🙂

Nutrition . But with food in Bukovel, it’s not very expensive yet, very expensive and refined food - cold sandwiches for 22 UAH, french fries for 20 UAH, a glass of mulled wine for 15-20 UAH.

Whether it's on Trostyan, where mushroom soup for 5 UAH. in a cup with a broken handle, potato pancakes with sour cream for 10 UAH. or Chinakha for 12 UAH. There is no such homemade food in Bukovel. There are huts, but expensive and not very tasty, there is a cafe "Bugel", where food is worth the weight. That's where we ate. Lunch on the mountain - at least 50 UAH. Mulled wine was brewed at home and carried with them in a thermos - both more convenient and cheaper.

 

But the dinner was enjoyable. We agreed with our hostess, a breathtaking roast for only 18 UAH. And so many…. 🙂

Internet . With access to the network is still a little tight. I had two 3g modems "MTS Connect" and "Utel" with me. In Yablunitsa, I took MTS only on a basin in the corridor, Utel did not work at all. There is free wi-fi on the territory of Bukovel, but we did not manage to get online, in the same "Bugel" there is a very weak signal. They say Intertelecom works well.

That's actually all. We liked it, the reviews about Bukovel are the best, I put + and I want to go there next year.

PS I hope they helped you a little to orient yourself in the existing situation.

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