Bansko Ski Season Survival Guide
If you asked me a year ago where I would fall in love with all things snow, I definitely wouldn’t have told you about a small ski village in southwestern Bulgaria, but life is strange like that. This leads me to Bansko, I lived here for two months and grew to LOVE the place. It’s the perfect hub for co-working, learning to ski, snowboarding on a budget, or even a wild night out.
Today, I’ll focus on the snowboarding/skiing portion of the town! When planning for my time in Bansko, I couldn’t find many resources on how to buy a pass, where to rent a board, or who to take lessons with, so please learn from my mistakes and focus on enjoying your time in Bansko.
Buying A Pass: Timing Is Everything
This one is tricky; if you go to Bansko before the start of the season, you can score some real deals, BUT that’s not the case for most people, so ultimately, you will purchase a pass upon arrival and don’t worry about them running out of passes. Even during peak season, you could buy a same-day pass. With Bansko only having one gondola up the mountain, there are some serious lines; if you buy the 20-day or season pass, you will get access to the VIP line, but during peak season, this will still take half an hour or more. This brings me to a big point about Bansko: don’t go during February. Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and the UK all have school breaks this month, and there are hoards of visitors without regulations on the number of people on the mountain, so it gets very packed very quickly. I tried to learn during this time, with horrible conditions . . . It was an experience, to say the least. I’d recommend coming in January or March to avoid peak crowds. See below the difference in February and March.
February 2023
March 2023
Renting Equipment: A Window Shopping Day
Another great topic I needed help finding much information on. If staying for an extended period, take a day to window shop and compare prices. I found TSAKIRIS Ski & Snowboard to have the most reasonable prices, reliable gear, and efficient staff. I did a 20-day rental for a board, boots, and helmet and was happy with the experience! One of my favorite things about this company is that you keep the same board for long-term rentals. This really helped me in the learning process because I became familiar with the board quickly. My partner went with a different company and had a different board every day; therefore, he had a different experience on the mountain with those boards. Also, Tsakiris is very efficient for the size of its operations, and the apres bar next door is a major plus! A major plus: if you are co-working in Bansko, you’ll run into other remote workers at the apres bar next door. If you’ve forgotten any equipment at home, don’t worry; there are plenty of shops with several different price points. I bought plenty of equipment while staying: googles, thermal gear, wrist guards, butt-pads, and even a new bathing suit for the amazing nearby thermal spas!
Lessons Learned: Group vs. One-on-One
Now, onto my biggest lesson learned: DO NOT TAKE, I repeat, DO NOT TAKE GROUP LESSONS IN BANSKO. The price tag may be tempting but ultimately unrewarding. The instructors who do the group lessons are a mixed bag, and you will likely be landing an instructor who is overworked and uninterested in teaching you. My partner and I took a weekend-long group lesson on introduction to snowboarding. The instructor was about 1 to 10 in our group, and without going too into detail, he was grumpy at best and condescending at his worst. I chocked it off to him having a bad day and maybe a cultural difference, but when speaking to other visitors and other instructors during our two-month stay, it became clear this was a common theme. Back at the co-working spot, when describing the experience, several people asked in astonishment how I could sign up for the group lessons, “Did I not know better?!”
Later in the month, after trying to learn without success, my partner booked us a private lesson, and the experience couldn’t have been more different. The instructors were patient, clear, and encouraging. I was pushed to my limit, and towards the end of our stay, I was going down runs by myself! I can’t recommend the “SMART SKI Academy” enough, specifically Ivo and Reni. If I return to Bansko, I would love to learn how to ski and freshen up my snowboarding skills with them.
Much needed coffee break at the restaurant up the mountain, 180!
Final Thoughts
If you have the opportunity to spend some time in Bansko, DO IT! It’s an affordable and eclectic small ski village that is easy to navigate. Just remember, timing matters! Try your best to avoid peak season and group lessons.
