The review Bansko was created by Skiresort.info, the world’s largest test portal for ski resorts.
Altitude difference
1570 m (Valley 990 m - Mountain 2560 m )
Lifts/ cable cars
14
Number of lifts to get from one end of the ski resort to the other
→ 4 ← 2
Slope offering, variety of runs
Run location
above tree line, under tree line
Total capacity
23033 Passengers / hour
Length of all lifts
21.9 km Total
Worth knowing
- Artificial snow-making
70 % of the slopes have snow-making capabilities
- The valley run is often open.
Season 2009/2010
130 Days open
100 Days when valley run open
The slope preparation is excellent.
Tip: By new snow, an optimal slope prepartion is not always possible, even with a large effort. In addition, the new snow can not combine with the snow lying underneath and moguls are created quickly. For safety reasons, usually no slope preparation is possible during operating times.
Orientation (trail map, information boards, sign-postings)
Environmentally friendly ski operation
Public transportation/ on-site mobility
- No direct train connection
- No ski busses
- Scheduled busses
Mountain restaurants, ski huts, gastronomy
6 Mountain restaurants & Ski huts
Accommodation offering directly on the slopes and lifts
Ski-in/Ski-out
There are some accommodations with direct access to the slopes and to lifts (Ski-in/Ski-out)
Tips
Towns/villages
- Bansko
Distance to ski resort 0 km (directly at ski resort)
Note: For the evaluation, only the accommodations which are located directly on the slopes and lifts, or have very easy access to the ski resort have been considered.
Information for families and children
- Kid's Land/ separated area for children
- Beginner's lifts in ski resort directly at the feeder lift
Information for beginners
- Easy and manageable slope offering, which is easy to achieve
- Beginner's lifts in ski resort directly at the feeder lift
Advanced skiers, freeriders
Information for advanced skiers, freeriders
- many freeride / deep snow areas
- no extremely difficult, steep and unprepared runs (Double Diamonds)
Slope offering advanced skiers
Note: Always mind the avalanche warnings and barriers, please. Never ski into a closed and unsecured area.
Information for Snowboarders
- many freeride / deep snow areas
Offering snow parks
Cross-country skiing and trails
- Cross-country trail offering
Total trail length: 5 km
Conclusion
modern and new high speed lifts, nice runs through the trees, panorama
loud music at the restaurants
Detailed description of the ski resort
The ski resort Bansko is the leading ski resort in Bulgaria. They have renewed the ski resort completely to the season 2003/2004. With the eight person gondola with a length of over 6km you can reach the ski resort via a mid station very easy. Arrived in Bunderishka at an elevation of 1635m you can take the high speed quad Bunderishka Polyana (Todorka I) and in connection the Bubble Todorka II up the highest point in the resort at 2560m. From here you can ski the hole resort. The two t-bars Plato 1 and 2 open up two very nice easy runs at the peak. Via easy to intermediate runs you can ski down to Shiligarnika, from where a slow triple chair brings you up short underneath the peak or you can take the high speed quad Shiligarnika-Plato up to the t-bars Plato near the peak. In Shiligarnika is also a t-bar and an easy run down to Bunderishka. You can also drive down to the high speed quad Mosta-Plato (opened for the season 2004/2005) which is with 2,6km the longest chair lift in the resort and the top station is near the Plato t-bars. Via the skiroad 2 you can go to the mid station of the gondola to Chalin valog. The two t-bars at the mid station are closed, as well as the double chair Ctzurna Mogila on the right side of the ski resort. Here is something new planned for the future. For the experts is a lot of free skiing terrain below the peak - there are very nice steep runs through the forest. The run no. 9 called Alberto Tomba is an advanced run, which leads below the the high speed quad Bunderishka Polyana down to Bunderishka. Here is another t-bar, especially for beginners, which open up a very easy and wide run next to the gondola. The long valley run no. 1 starts at Shiligarnika and lead via Bunderishka down to the base station of the gondola. The run is very easy and in the lower part you have to push yourself a bit to reach the valley. The runs in the whole ski resort are very well groomed and for a break or for lunch you have a lot of restaurants in the resort - for example two huts at the Plato lifts, some restaurants in Shiligarnika and Bunderishka. They offer Bulgarian specialities from the grill for a good price and you can listen to a lot of different music. If you have completed the long valley run (from the peak to Bansko you have to ski 16 km) you can enjoy the après ski at the Happy End - here you have a lot of fun and with prices of 1,50 Euro for a beer you can drink also one more beer as planned.
Test Report issued on 2006-01-31
Highlights
Slope offering, run variety
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