Unsure if you are aware but if you stay at kempinski bansko you can purchase a vip lift pass from them and this give the option to skip the que at the gondola.
I leave in Sofia. Thia year I went to Banako with my car. The roads are perfect now. In ski day i did not use the gondola but used my car to go to the parkings which are right at the chairlifts and the slopes. It takes 20 minutes with the car from the hotel to these parkings. You just need to be there before 9 oclock. The parking is 10 EUR. For foreigners I am wondering is it better just to get a rent a car for the transfer from the airport to the resort and back and use it also to skip the ques like i did.
Thank you Steve for the informative video. Come to Bansko in summer time and you will be surprised that Bansko is not only a sky resort. It full of adventures in the summer. Do you know about the International Jazz and Opera Fests in August? Bansko is a fantastic place. For me this is a second home. Greetings from Western Siberia. Today is minus 40 and i am dreaming if Bansko)0
Thinking of going from America. Usually go snowboarding in colorado or the rockies in California but its gettong SO EXPENSIVE. I live in Florida & ive been snowboarding for over 10 years. An intermediate that goes on some blacks but dont want to pay $400 for a 5 hour flight, $150 a night for a 1-2 star hotel, $20-30 for a bad burger and fries or $180-$250 for a ski lift ticket. My gf is very new at skiing/snowboarding. What do you recommend?
Do it dude. I’m an American living in Bulgaria. Been to both, and it’s been a great time. Bulgaria is a beautiful country, and feels very different than the U.S. If you’ve ever played the game Half-Life 2, Sofia was the inspiration for City 17 in the game. Blew my mind the first time I visited and realized how much it felt like I was in a video game.
if your a new snowboarder then bansko is going to be tough. hard to learn on all those blues and the snowroad is not ideal for boarders. BUT once you go there you will be able to board anywhere so take on the challenge!!
Bansko has better tracks for advanced & expert skiers (plenty of red tracks to shred). Borovets is generally a bit cheaper and has better beginner to intermediate tracks (Martinovi Baraki, Sitnyakovo & Markudzhik 1). For families, I'd recommend Borovets. For the best ski experience, go to Bansko.
To say there's some red/black runs to keep people occupied on the Rila side of Borovets isn't right. You'll be down them in two minutes if you're lucky and then you'll be stuck in a long queue again not to mention dodging people who have no understanding of any behaviour on the slopes. If you ski a decent blue let alone red or black, Borovets is truly terrible. And that gondola at Borovets is a massive issue - 60+ mins even if you're up relatively early doors.
Great review! I was in Bansko for the weekend, first time skiing in my life and i would say Bansko is not a great place for begginers 😂 The slopes were very hard for me and i was able skiing only the ski road which is not even a slope 😂 However if you come with a personal car it will be far more cheaper, way more faster and i even suggest if you don’t have a car, better rent a Spark car it will cost you around 120 leva for 72 hours but it’s worth it than giving this money for taxi :) Also if you’re not in a budget i suggest you to go to the Katarino Spa hotel in Razlog it is the best hotel i have ever been in Bulgaria :) And i am from Bulgaria so i have been in a lot😂 It is 12 km away from Bansko but it’s worth it believe me! Hot Springs in selo Banya is not bad also! :)
I tried Bansko some years ago now and the queue for the gondola was horrendous made infinitely worse by the fact that so many people push in. Bansko town is very nice in and out of season. As for Borovets I first stayed at the Samokov hotel didn’t like it at all. Way too big for me. I now go to Samokov town about five or so miles outside of Borovets towards Sofia. I stay with koolski and it is way way cheaper than borovets and much nicer and more quiet in the evening Totally agree with you about skiing differences however if you get a good dump of snow Borovets gondola side is pretty good With the strangest drag lift I’ve ever been on
Very fair summary but I think you are doing Borovets a slight injustice from the more advanced skier point of view. There are some good very good blue/red/black runs at the top of the gondola ( Markudjic) area that link up with the Yastrabets red runs which means you can ski top to bottom uninterrupted. There are also some lovely connecting runs between the Yastrabets reds through the pine trees which create different routes. Another plus for begginers/ improvers is the long green and blue runs right on the top ridge which allows begginers and less experienced skiers to enjoy the ‘ top of the mountain’ experience without feeling intimidated. And the gemin the crown is the lovely Mussala ski way, a 7 kilometre blue runs from the top of the mountain all the way down to the Rila through beautiful pine forests.
Yes been Borovets 4 times awesome resort. We call it tikka masala 😉🤙 awesome run from top to bottom if you link the runs. Think we managed it in about 18 minutes, yes we were flying.
Hello my friend lovely to meet you. 1st time here. My very first skiing experience was in Bulgaria, Borovets in 1997.never been back unfortunately but have been to pamporovo twice. Great channel really like it see you again soon. Huge hugs.
@@skifamily Hintertux in Austria... it’s an all year round resort on a glacier. 3 cable cars needed though to get to the top if it’s not winter. Can be icy though - not great at the top for beginners! I’ve been in October... never again! (Stunning scenic location though) 👍
If u think 2 hours to bansko is bad try 4 hours to pamporovo. Been going for 13 years now so done the drive 26 times, each one more painful than the last
Bansko biggest downside is definitely the wait for gondola, just rent a car its dirt cheap and you can skip the waiting to the gondola by driving up hill (they got parking spots there)+ stuck your equipment in the car and gear up comfortably up hill.
i was stuck on the gondola queue in Bansko for about 1 hour and a half the other day.. so my advice for that is to wake up as quickly as possible and be at the queue at about 8:15.. otherwise you gonna be stuck there forever xD.. or you can always wait on a much smaller queue next to the gondola queue and take a taxi or a mini bus up the mountain which it will cost you 10lv (5 euros) for each person!
Adding this comment January 2024 so some time after you posted your video. I have been to Bansko 6 time previously and am writing this while sitting in the Rila Hotel in Borovets looking out onto the slopes right outside my window. I've skied for 50 years in over 30 different resorts (big small, old and new) and agree with your summary of these two friendly Bulgarian resorts. They have hiked the prices for EVERYTHING in both resorts so it is far from the budget ski holiday it once was coming to Bansko or Borovets. A few personal comments if I may. If you enjoy the company of lots of small kids stay at the Rila - they are everywhere..!! The hotel certainly encourages family skiing breaks. If you don't want to have to dodge kids running about the place then stay elsewhere. Nice rooms, good views if a tad noisy with partying people heading home in the early hours if you have a room overlooking the slopes and various pubs. If you leave your balcony door ajar for mountain fresh air when you sleep be prepared to have the smell of wood smoke permeating your room. The 6 person Gondola in Borovets is ancient, cramped, slow and badly in need of updating or better still replacing whereas the gondola in Bansko is twice as fast, way more modern and comfortable so big queues in either resort are probably tackled equally. Just head up the mountain a little later in the morning if you want to avoid queues - it usually works and is way more relaxing - remember you are on holiday after all!! Ski hire in Borovets is OK but I am biased because Bansko 360 ski hire offer outstanding service and when i say outstanding i really mean "outstanding service". I like to hire skis and change from one pair to another throughout my stay to experiment out on the slopes. This is not a problem for Bansko 360 ski hire. Modern ski hire companies should offer you bang up to date skis - this season's model or perhaps last seasons. Don't settle for beat up equipment. Enjoy skiing Bulgaria - it has a lot to offer. You'll enjoy both Bansko or Borovets but for me for the skiing Bansko is the better resort on the higher Pirin mountain.
I planned to go skiing on Feb 2025, flight bought but I'm still struggling to decide where to go: borovets vs bansko. I've changed the apartment reservation 4 times now swapping in one and the other town😅. Still can't decide. I would like to ask you if possible as you've said you've been in both places. I've been reading that in bansko queue are like 3h. Is that right? Prices for the apartment are a bit cheaper in bansko, in borovets now in August 2024 the cheapest it's already fully booked. And it's 1,5km far from the lift. Also I read that in case of bad weather conditions bansko closes all the lift instead in borovets you can find an open one always. I'm still in big confusion. What do you think about? ( Ah, I ski normally, but my boyfriend never did so we need school lessons)
@@bettyboh3824 The gondola in Borovets is ancient ('80s) but the waiting is about 2 hours. As a local my strategy is going up early. The ski schools start at 9:30 or 10:00. The rest is about your skiing level. Borovets has a majority of red slopes and a few black ones. If you are going for an easier time or a family holiday, there is a third option - Pamporovo in the Rhodopes mountain.
@@НевенаНиколова-к6ы well, thanks for the information. At final we will go bansko this year and if my boyfriend likes skiing we could plan another year changing place
as @joroananiew says... Bansko has about 9,000 residents, it's a town, vs about 800 for Borovets which makes it a village, so very different. I've been going to Bansko for 16 years, as I have a place, and seen improvements every year, new motorway, new road into bansko, new road up the mountain, As it hosts World Cup events it attracts lots of investment. As others have commented, it's an all year round resort, massive new spa hotels in Banya (Therme) which is 3 miles down the road. I'm yet to go to Borovets, though might take a day trip this week to have a look as it's snowing as I type...⛷🏂. Happy Skiing everyone!
Borovets is a resort, specialized area for tourism form the town of Samokov. The municipality of Samokov offers another skiing resort, Malyovitsa, a spa resort at Belchin with mineral water and some Roman ruins. There is a medieval fortress by the road to Sofia (actually the last one that stood against the Ottomans in the 15th century). Plenty of churches, a nunnery, a mosque, a synagogue, several museums if you do not feel like skiing. Bansko can offer you a plenty of taverns and a concrete jungle of hotels.
![[4K] Skiing Borovets, The Big Reds - Popangelov and Yastrebets 1, Bulgaria, GoPro Hero11](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HldzoCQdO2I/mqdefault.jpg)
Greatly reviewed! There is one key difference between them - Borovets is actually resort but Bansko is village with permanent residents.
Unsure if you are aware but if you stay at kempinski bansko you can purchase a vip lift pass from them and this give the option to skip the que at the gondola.
I leave in Sofia. Thia year I went to Banako with my car. The roads are perfect now. In ski day i did not use the gondola but used my car to go to the parkings which are right at the chairlifts and the slopes. It takes 20 minutes with the car from the hotel to these parkings. You just need to be there before 9 oclock. The parking is 10 EUR. For foreigners I am wondering is it better just to get a rent a car for the transfer from the airport to the resort and back and use it also to skip the ques like i did.
Really great summary there. Been to Borovets 4 years in a row and your resort description is absolutely spot on.
Borovets is the best I’m 10 and have been 6 years in a row!
Thank you Steve for the informative video. Come to Bansko in summer time and you will be surprised that Bansko is not only a sky resort. It full of adventures in the summer. Do you know about the International Jazz and Opera Fests in August? Bansko is a fantastic place. For me this is a second home. Greetings from Western Siberia. Today is minus 40 and i am dreaming if Bansko)0
Loved your video . However in Bansko there are free buses that take you to Bunderishks polyna .
Thinking of going from America. Usually go snowboarding in colorado or the rockies in California but its gettong SO EXPENSIVE. I live in Florida & ive been snowboarding for over 10 years. An intermediate that goes on some blacks but dont want to pay $400 for a 5 hour flight, $150 a night for a 1-2 star hotel, $20-30 for a bad burger and fries or $180-$250 for a ski lift ticket. My gf is very new at skiing/snowboarding. What do you recommend?
Do it dude. I’m an American living in Bulgaria. Been to both, and it’s been a great time. Bulgaria is a beautiful country, and feels very different than the U.S. If you’ve ever played the game Half-Life 2, Sofia was the inspiration for City 17 in the game. Blew my mind the first time I visited and realized how much it felt like I was in a video game.
@@ShadyRonin very nice
if your a new snowboarder then bansko is going to be tough. hard to learn on all those blues and the snowroad is not ideal for boarders. BUT once you go there you will be able to board anywhere so take on the challenge!!
Bansko has better tracks for advanced & expert skiers (plenty of red tracks to shred). Borovets is generally a bit cheaper and has better beginner to intermediate tracks (Martinovi Baraki, Sitnyakovo & Markudzhik 1). For families, I'd recommend Borovets. For the best ski experience, go to Bansko.
Agreed... pretty much exactly what I said in the review!
To say there's some red/black runs to keep people occupied on the Rila side of Borovets isn't right. You'll be down them in two minutes if you're lucky and then you'll be stuck in a long queue again not to mention dodging people who have no understanding of any behaviour on the slopes. If you ski a decent blue let alone red or black, Borovets is truly terrible. And that gondola at Borovets is a massive issue - 60+ mins even if you're up relatively early doors.
Great review! I was in Bansko for the weekend, first time skiing in my life and i would say Bansko is not a great place for begginers 😂 The slopes were very hard for me and i was able skiing only the ski road which is not even a slope 😂 However if you come with a personal car it will be far more cheaper, way more faster and i even suggest if you don’t have a car, better rent a Spark car it will cost you around 120 leva for 72 hours but it’s worth it than giving this money for taxi :) Also if you’re not in a budget i suggest you to go to the Katarino Spa hotel in Razlog it is the best hotel i have ever been in Bulgaria :) And i am from Bulgaria so i have been in a lot😂 It is 12 km away from Bansko but it’s worth it believe me! Hot Springs in selo Banya is not bad also! :)
I tried Bansko some years ago now and the queue for the gondola was horrendous made infinitely worse by the fact that so many people push in. Bansko town is very nice in and out of season. As for Borovets I first stayed at the Samokov hotel didn’t like it at all. Way too big for me. I now go to Samokov town about five or so miles outside of Borovets towards Sofia. I stay with koolski and it is way way cheaper than borovets and much nicer and more quiet in the evening
Totally agree with you about skiing differences however if you get a good dump of snow Borovets gondola side is pretty good
With the strangest drag lift I’ve ever been on
What about Pamporovo ?
Very fair summary but I think you are doing Borovets a slight injustice from the more advanced skier point of view. There are some good very good blue/red/black runs at the top of the gondola ( Markudjic) area that link up with the Yastrabets red runs which means you can ski top to bottom uninterrupted. There are also some lovely connecting runs between the Yastrabets reds through the pine trees which create different routes. Another plus for begginers/ improvers is the long green and blue runs right on the top ridge which allows begginers and less experienced skiers to enjoy the ‘ top of the mountain’ experience without feeling intimidated. And the gemin the crown is the lovely Mussala ski way, a 7 kilometre blue runs from the top of the mountain all the way down to the Rila through beautiful pine forests.
Yes been Borovets 4 times awesome resort. We call it tikka masala 😉🤙 awesome run from top to bottom if you link the runs. Think we managed it in about 18 minutes, yes we were flying.
Thank you so much ☺
Hello my friend lovely to meet you. 1st time here. My very first skiing experience was in Bulgaria, Borovets in 1997.never been back unfortunately but have been to pamporovo twice. Great channel really like it see you again soon. Huge hugs.
Agree private transfer is great and easy. Love going to Borovets. Hunters ski school and Krasi!
Unfortunately not looking likely this year 👎 3 trips cancelled so far!
@@skishackreviews913 meh! We have the alpes booked for Feb but that looks like a no. Might have to go summer skiing! Any tips?
@@skifamily Hintertux in Austria... it’s an all year round resort on a glacier. 3 cable cars needed though to get to the top if it’s not winter. Can be icy though - not great at the top for beginners! I’ve been in October... never again! (Stunning scenic location though) 👍
Which one has the better off piste?
If u think 2 hours to bansko is bad try 4 hours to pamporovo. Been going for 13 years now so done the drive 26 times, each one more painful than the last
Omg I go on Chris taxi!
Bansko biggest downside is definitely the wait for gondola, just rent a car its dirt cheap and you can skip the waiting to the gondola by driving up hill (they got parking spots there)+ stuck your equipment in the car and gear up comfortably up hill.
Pamporovo?? What about that i think it does family and expernced skiers both
i was stuck on the gondola queue in Bansko for about 1 hour and a half the other day.. so my advice for that is to wake up as quickly as possible and be at the queue at about 8:15.. otherwise you gonna be stuck there forever xD.. or you can always wait on a much smaller queue next to the gondola queue and take a taxi or a mini bus up the mountain which it will cost you 10lv (5 euros) for each person!
Very good comparison. Based on your comparison, I'll be taking my son to Boro
12:5з bansko, you forget to mensio the vip lift pass, no cue what so ever )
Been to borovets but will have to go to Bansko sometime just to know the difference 😉 nice review
Adding this comment January 2024 so some time after you posted your video. I have been to Bansko 6 time previously and am writing this while sitting in the Rila Hotel in Borovets looking out onto the slopes right outside my window. I've skied for 50 years in over 30 different resorts (big small, old and new) and agree with your summary of these two friendly Bulgarian resorts. They have hiked the prices for EVERYTHING in both resorts so it is far from the budget ski holiday it once was coming to Bansko or Borovets.
A few personal comments if I may. If you enjoy the company of lots of small kids stay at the Rila - they are everywhere..!! The hotel certainly encourages family skiing breaks. If you don't want to have to dodge kids running about the place then stay elsewhere. Nice rooms, good views if a tad noisy with partying people heading home in the early hours if you have a room overlooking the slopes and various pubs. If you leave your balcony door ajar for mountain fresh air when you sleep be prepared to have the smell of wood smoke permeating your room.
The 6 person Gondola in Borovets is ancient, cramped, slow and badly in need of updating or better still replacing whereas the gondola in Bansko is twice as fast, way more modern and comfortable so big queues in either resort are probably tackled equally. Just head up the mountain a little later in the morning if you want to avoid queues - it usually works and is way more relaxing - remember you are on holiday after all!!
Ski hire in Borovets is OK but I am biased because Bansko 360 ski hire offer outstanding service and when i say outstanding i really mean "outstanding service". I like to hire skis and change from one pair to another throughout my stay to experiment out on the slopes. This is not a problem for Bansko 360 ski hire. Modern ski hire companies should offer you bang up to date skis - this season's model or perhaps last seasons. Don't settle for beat up equipment.
Enjoy skiing Bulgaria - it has a lot to offer. You'll enjoy both Bansko or Borovets but for me for the skiing Bansko is the better resort on the higher Pirin mountain.
I planned to go skiing on Feb 2025, flight bought but I'm still struggling to decide where to go: borovets vs bansko. I've changed the apartment reservation 4 times now swapping in one and the other town😅. Still can't decide. I would like to ask you if possible as you've said you've been in both places.
I've been reading that in bansko queue are like 3h. Is that right?
Prices for the apartment are a bit cheaper in bansko, in borovets now in August 2024 the cheapest it's already fully booked. And it's 1,5km far from the lift. Also I read that in case of bad weather conditions bansko closes all the lift instead in borovets you can find an open one always.
I'm still in big confusion. What do you think about? ( Ah, I ski normally, but my boyfriend never did so we need school lessons)
@@bettyboh3824 The gondola in Borovets is ancient ('80s) but the waiting is about 2 hours. As a local my strategy is going up early. The ski schools start at 9:30 or 10:00. The rest is about your skiing level. Borovets has a majority of red slopes and a few black ones. If you are going for an easier time or a family holiday, there is a third option - Pamporovo in the Rhodopes mountain.
@@НевенаНиколова-к6ы well, thanks for the information. At final we will go bansko this year and if my boyfriend likes skiing we could plan another year changing place
This video really cleared it up for me. Very good made me decide better.
Thanks for the review. I'm going to Rila next week. Do you know if they prefer Lev or Euro or take both? Thanks , Ken.
Lev is the national currently.
Have you seen them horses on sleighs in borovets? Also the sledging place!
Do a review of Pamporovo next time!
Great video! Quick one on the Bansko gondola queue: what do you think it's like around 10.30/11am? Still as bad? We're late risers
its fine then, typically walk straight on, assuming not school hols or a world cup ski event week etc...
@@decwool6372 excellent cheers
as @joroananiew says... Bansko has about 9,000 residents, it's a town, vs about 800 for Borovets which makes it a village, so very different. I've been going to Bansko for 16 years, as I have a place, and seen improvements every year, new motorway, new road into bansko, new road up the mountain, As it hosts World Cup events it attracts lots of investment. As others have commented, it's an all year round resort, massive new spa hotels in Banya (Therme) which is 3 miles down the road. I'm yet to go to Borovets, though might take a day trip this week to have a look as it's snowing as I type...⛷🏂. Happy Skiing everyone!
Borovets is a resort, specialized area for tourism form the town of Samokov. The municipality of Samokov offers another skiing resort, Malyovitsa, a spa resort at Belchin with mineral water and some Roman ruins. There is a medieval fortress by the road to Sofia (actually the last one that stood against the Ottomans in the 15th century). Plenty of churches, a nunnery, a mosque, a synagogue, several museums if you do not feel like skiing. Bansko can offer you a plenty of taverns and a concrete jungle of hotels.
Great review ! Thanks !
Thanks for this .
Thanks Steve
Borovets for me
Thank you for the video bro, but please the zipper of the jumper,please fix that straight 😂