19. The best ski resorts in Ukraine

Ski resorts

Ukraine's ski industry is young and underdeveloped, but some segments of it are rapidly. Almost every year new lifts are opened and improvements are made to ski areas around the country. The vast majority of these resorts are in the Carpathians at the far west end of the country, but there are also a handful in Crimea.

The most important ski resorts in Ukraine are Drahobrat, Bukovel, Tysovets, Yaremcha and other. These resorts have nice hotels, inns, and cottages and good ski rental equipment, as well as restaurants and a night life.

Primary Carpathian ski resorts

These are Ukraine's best-equipped ski resorts with a variety of ski runs and more or less decent infrastructure. Slopes are usually groomed. These resorts have nice hotels, inns, and cottages and good ski rental equipment, as well as restaurants and a night life. Here foreign tourists will probably feel most at home.

At the moment the only European-level ski resort in Ukraine is Bukovel. The other resorts might better be called "ski areas" — clusters of ski lifts and lodgings that belong to different owners and have evolved chaotically over the years.

Planned ski resort development Most Ukrainian ski areas do not have long-term development development potential because of their small size and the relatively low elevation of surrounding mountains (especially in light of the Europe-wide trend towards warmer winters). Word has it that Drahobrat, the highest and snowiest resort, might some day improve their road up the mountain or install an aerial tram from the town of Yasinya below. Also, a new $60 million ski resort is in the planning stages for an area near Bystrets village (6 km from Verkhovyna) that includes road contruction and might reach to some of the higher peaks of the Chornohora ridge, which has hitherto been free of ski resorts.

Drahobrat is Ukraine's highest ski resort. Drahobrat is the first ski resort to open its lifts and the last to turn them off — usually around May. Drahobrat is located in the region with the most dramatic peaks in the Carpathians. Drahobrat is located 18 km away from the nearest civilization, so the only place to buy food or rent equipment is directly at the resort. Hot water, electricity, and hot meals are available everywhere. Ukrainian skiers often say that Drahobrat is their favorite Ukrainian resort, because of the snow, the solitude, and the off-piste skiing.

Bukovel ski resort is a new large ski resort in Ivano-Frankivsk region to the west of Yaremcha. It is Ukraine's first European-class resort. Bukovel the second highest ski resort in Ukraine after Drahobrat. All categories of difficulty are available. There is a very long gradual slope that is perfect for beginners, for children and "super-beginners". Bukovel's ski season open is usually around the beginning of December to mid-April.

Tysovets is located 32 km from Lviv region. Tysovets is an old ski training base. Tysovets is a resort for serious skiers and some of Ukraine’s. There are also ski jumps of 90m to 120m. There are numerous ski rent facilities and the resort has all the necessary sports equipment. The ski jumps that Olympic athletes used to train on still stand, but aren't used anymore.