Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

Azerbaijan's Shahdag Mountain Resort entered the top three popular ski resorts in the CIS area among Russian tourists.

TurStat has presented the rating of the most popular mountain resorts of the CIS among Russian citizens for winter 2018-2019.

The Shahdag Mountain Resort is rightfully in the list of three top-ranking destinations preferred by Russian ski lovers in the CIS.

It is the first and largest ski resort in Azerbaijan based in Azerbaijan's Greater Caucasus range. Pure white snow glittering in the sun, wisps of clouds catching the enigmatic peaks of the Caucasus – this is the view that greets the visitor.

Appearance of ski tourism in the southern country was something improbable for many, whilst this did not prevent development of successful winter tourism complexes in Azerbaijan.

The country decided to use the advantage of its contrast nature in January 2013, and in 30 km from the town of Gusar, the first hotels and the ski slopes of the Shahdag complex was opened. It stands 2,500 meters above sea level and serves as an outstanding getaway with its rich nature, fresh air, and wonderful climate. The temperatures at Shahdag ranges from winter lows of -20°C to pleasant summer evenings of 20°C.

There are brand new hotels such as Zirva, Park Chalet, Gaya Residence, and PIK Palace that meet modern international standards and are stylishly designed to ensure maximum comfort for the visitors.

Shahdag is a right holiday destination due to its novelty, positive feedback from tourists, as well as the fact that the resort is still not overcrowded with tourists.

The site is located close to Shahdag National Park, a unique attraction with an intact ecological system and an untouched flora (Caucasian Oak, Caucasian Ash, White Birch) and fauna (East Caucasian tur, wild boar, common jackal).

It is also not surprising that Tufandag (Blizzard Mountain), another ski resort of the country operating in Gabala region with its stunning mountain scenery accessible in both winter and summer seasons, has taken its well-deserved place on the top ten list.

Tufandag complex provides visitors with skiing slopes and cable roads with a total length of 17 km with red, black and blue stripes. Both amateur and professional skiers can fancy the service level at Shahdag and Tufandag which is on a par with the European ski resorts.

According to the agency, tourists plan to rest on average for seven days in ski resorts of Azerbaijan. The tourist budget at the country’s resorts will amount to $100 per day.

The rating is based on the analysis of the online booking systems of hotels for 2018-2019.

The top ten list also includes Kazakhstan’s Chimbulak, Georgia’s Gudaury etc.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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