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Author Topic: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine  (Read 76035 times)

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Offline Chris

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Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« on: August 29, 2011, 07:23:59 AM »
Bukovel - Буковель

We are currently in Ukraine and have spent some time again in The Carpathian Mountains and a soon to be World Top 20 Ski Resort in Bukovel

For anyone thinking Ukraine is dirt poor, you only have to visit this area to see, whilst that may well be true of many parts of the FSU, the Bukovel Region is certainly not one of those areas.

Whilst driving through this area, I have seen at least 100 new hotels being built or now open compared to last year and the year before, the place is booming!

Bukovel has major plans for expansion and by the 2012-2013 ski season, it plans to have 278 km of runs and 35 lifts, which would make it one of the 20 largest ski resorts in the world.  Bukovel is the first Ukrainian ski resort, which achieves the European-class service.

Currently, before the start of the 2011-2012 season, there are 14 lifts and 50 km of great runs and even a multi storey car park in the heart of the mountains,  :o and one of only a handful I have ever seen in Ukraine, pictures to follow.

You can see great views on Hoverla – the highest mountain in Ukraine, sitting in the cosy cafe on the top of several different mountains.

Bukovel's base elevation is nearly 900 m above sea level, and the highest ski lift rises to 1370 m, making Bukovel the second highest ski resort in Ukraine after Dragobrat. All categories of difficulty are available for great snowskiing and snowboarding.

There is a very long gradual slope that is perfect for beginners, a couple short tows for children and "super-beginners," all levels of intermediate runs, and several black diamonds. Night skiing is available from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m, on two slopes that are upper intermediate

Stunning scenery, crystal clear air, a rich historical heritage and the unique cultural traditions of the native highlanders always attracts tourists to this resort in the village of Polanytsya. The resort has everything you would expect in a top class European winter holiday ski-resort including numerous runs (some floodlit) catering for all levels of experience, snow-mobiles, luxury hotels and cottages, nightclubs, pubs, restaurants, saunas, fitness centres, and even paintball. Not to forget idylic snowskiing and snowboarding facilities.

Whilst at Bukovel, you will have an opportunity to have a great ride on horseback or take look at the Ukrainian mountains from a helicopter, play paintball or visit an ice rink. The skiing season on Bukovel starts at the beginning of December and lasts mid-April. This resort is often the venue of different winter competitions.
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Offline Chris

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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2011, 01:35:14 AM »
An average size hotel here will cost you around 650 - 800UAH per night in high season, late December to March, (Skiing available into April) prices can obviously go as high as you want to pay and I have seen some over 8000UAH per night, and if you happen to have your own helecopter  (:) there are helecopter pads you can use in the town centre.  In July/August which is obviously outside the ski season, the same hotel prices are between 450 - 650UAH per room per night.

However even in High Ski season, if you are willing to stay 10km - 15km outside the town, you can get a decent hotel room for as little as 20UAH  per night.

For those who are not into winter sports, then the summer season is well worth a visit as somne of the ski lifts are still working ferrying passengers up the mountains to view the spectacular scenery.
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2011, 01:41:12 AM »
Webcams

Lake the temperature is currently around 30c and people are sunbathing and swimming in this lake as I write this.

Shelter Hotel  Reasonable Hotel right in the heart of the ski lift areas, decent food we experienced

Lake View
I have some photos I will post soon taken from this same angle from the ski lift

Lift 2

Residential Area you actually fly over the top of this area on the main ski lift (open during summer also)
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2011, 05:43:27 AM »
How to get there



By bus or railway

You can get by bus or railway to Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi or Lvov.
 

    * Ivano-Frankivsk – TC Bukovel - 110km
    * Lvov – TC Bukovel - 245km
    * Ternopil - TC Bukovel - 250km
    * Chernivtsi - TC Bukovel - 160 km

By personal transport

If you use your personal transport and travel from any city of Ukraine (except Chernivtsi or Uzhgorod), you should get to Ivano-Frankivsk first.
To reach TC Bukovel from Ivano-Frankivsk (110 km) you should travel via Nadvirna and Yaremche towns and then Mykulychyn and Tatariv villages.
There is a free parking lot on the territory of TC "Bukovel".

By air

You can travel by plane to Ivano-Frankivsk or Lvov.
 

    * Ivano-Frankivsk - TC Bukovel - 110km
    * Lvov – TC Bukovel - 245km 

or take your own private helecopter and land right in the City centre :)
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Offline Chris

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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2011, 07:59:39 AM »
For those interested in a Summer hioliday with sports thrown in, in the Bukovel area you can participate in sports activities such as:-

Mountain Biking
Rafting
Climbing
Hiking
Biking
Swimming
Quad biking
Paintball
Horseriding

and many more, here is a great website for more information on these activities.
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2011, 08:02:40 AM »
In Winter you have of course the traditional Winter sports:-

Skiiing  - A great site for those who want all things Skiing
Snowmobiling
Ice Skating
Mogul skiing
Slalom skiing
Dog sledding
Snow biking
Zorb and so on,

again here is more on these winter sports
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2011, 08:04:46 AM »
and for night time activities there are the usual, disco's, nightclubs, bowling, hookah, games machines, billiards, spa's, sauna's swimming, restaurants and pubs etc
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2011, 08:05:44 AM »
So here are some photos of this area of The Carpathian Mountains and the main Bukovel resort area, as you can see there is a lot of building work going on everywhere, new hotels are popping up all over the place, many are built and open and it is a beautiful area.

Road up to the Bukovel Resort
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2011, 03:22:38 AM »
Many new hotels being built
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2011, 03:26:33 AM »
What must be the only multi storey carpark in the Mountains
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2011, 03:29:37 AM »
and now some of the more picturesque parts of the resort and some of the accommodation and ski lifts etc



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The Shelter Hotel
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2011, 03:46:05 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2011, 03:47:59 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2011, 03:50:47 AM »
Some of the Chalets you can rent
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2011, 03:52:57 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2011, 03:53:57 AM »
One of the main ski lifts
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Korova's
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A snow maker, they are everywhere just in case and to help make sure there is always snow available.
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2011, 03:56:31 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #17 on: September 08, 2011, 03:57:16 AM »
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You can see ski runs all over the place and of course building going on in summer
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #18 on: September 08, 2011, 03:59:58 AM »
More ski runs
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More Korova's
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #19 on: September 08, 2011, 04:01:09 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #20 on: September 08, 2011, 04:01:49 AM »
As you can see a lot of Mountain bikers use this lift in summer, there are a number of bike runs down the mountains, while we were there there was a lot of bikers around, and the lift was very popular with them.
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #21 on: September 08, 2011, 04:03:45 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #22 on: September 08, 2011, 04:05:13 AM »
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #23 on: September 08, 2011, 04:05:57 AM »
This is a new Health Centre
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Re: Bukovel - The Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine
« Reply #24 on: September 08, 2011, 04:07:11 AM »
Lake or swimming pool or ice skating rink in the distance depending on the time of year
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Close up view of the lake or swimming pool or ice skating rink
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Roads still being built
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