Brezovica, adventures skiing

Brezovica, Brezovicë in Albanian (Брезовица in Serbian) is Kosovo’s most popular ski resort. On nice days, the queues for the ski lifts can run up considerably and entire classes with sledding children are dropped off by busses. Yet, you see as many good skiers and boarders here, as people who seem to have never had any skiing lessons in their entire life. The ski lifts run irregularly, because you need at least a 4×4 car for the route to the area , considering that the parking lot is only equipped for about fifty cars (creative parking at its best). Well, a little adventurer knows how to deal with this and the reward is great. We had one of the most beautiful descents of the entire trip here.

In a nutshell

• There is a top lift at 2499 meters
• There is a bottom lift at 1717 meters
• There is a vertical drop of 782 meters
• Lunch: Delicious burgers with sauces and extra onion in fresh, locally baked flatbread.

More information about Brezovica

In 1984, Brezovica was set up as an alternative to the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Despite this (and despite several international competitions and events in the 1980s and 1990s), very little has been invested in infrastructure for over twenty years (as witnessed by the prehistoric ski lift in the photo gallery above). During the war of 1998 – 1999 the area was closed. New investment seemed within reach in 2014 with a contract between Brezovica and the French Compagnie des Alpes. However, sadly this was called off in 2016. So to say, there is plenty of room for improvement.

The plan in Skiing Area Brezovica

Brezovica is a special place for the average Dutch or Belgian tourist. On quiet days you pay your ski pass, per ride to a Russian-looking gentleman, who sips slowly from his hip flask. Then you spend about fifteen minutes on a gently rocking ski lift on the way to the top. Then, once at the top, it’s time for what we have came for. Brezovica has a lot to offer for those who know where they are looking for. And we are lucky enough to follow local guides, that know the area at its best!

The guide takes us to vast open snowfields, tree runs where you have to twist and turn very quickly (the trees always win), tree runs with new, small trees to jump over, and a few steeper sections below the lift. At the end of the day, when there is enough snow, we make one of the most beautiful descents on the other side of the mountain, all the way to the parking lot!

Interested in more (skiing) areas in Kosovo? Then check the areas Bogë and the Rugova Canyon!