WELCOME TO BANSKO Here’s some essential info to get you ready for the mountain STILL NEED TO ORGANISE YOUR SKI EXTRAS ? O ur expert team can help you sort your lift passes, equipment hire and ski /snowboard lessons so you’re all set for your first day on the slopes Check where to find us on our Ski Explorer app, and w hen you arrive in your resort, just let us know what you’d like to book – we’ll do the rest. YOUR LIFT PASS If you’ve pre - booked your lift pass with Crystal , it’ll be in your ‘welcome to the mountain’ pack. You can use your l ift passes from Sunday. It’s important to keep your lift pass safe because if you lose it the lift pass office will not be able to replace it and you have to buy a new one at a local price Lift p ass What’s i ncluded? We recommend Bansko local lift pass Access to the Bansko ski area It gives you access to the whole ski area. If you are beginner we recommend you take ski road N1 and Shiligarnika nursery slopes. To get your ski legs back head to slope N10 followed by N5. For the advanced skiers and boarders we have the challenging slope N9. YOUR EQUIPMENT If you’ve pre - booked your equipment with Crystal , you’ll get your equipment voucher in your ‘welcome to the mountain’ pack. Just take it to your hire shop (details below) to pick up your gear Your h ire s hop : Depot N4 (behind the bottom station of the Gondola) Opening t imes: Monday - Sun day: 8 30am – 5.00 pm You can collect your equipment on Sunday morning after the Welcome meeting , but give yourself some extra time in case it’s busy. And r emember , you’ll need to wear ski socks if you’re hiring boots , and you’ll need to take your own boots with you if you’re just hiring skis or a snow board. N ot sure what equipment you ’ ll need ? W e recommend standard if you’re a beginner getting used to the slopes, or you ’re a more advanced skier wanting to take it easy If you’ve got more experience and are looking to improve your existing skills , you should go for intermediate equipment A nd advanced is best for experienced skiers who want to use more recent, high - performance equipment. During the week you can ski to the door of our depot and store your hired equipment for free, however ski boots should be kept with you overnight. If you wish to keep your own equipment at the bottom station of the Gondola, there is a storage room which can be booked at extra charge. SKI OR BOARD SCHOOL Booking on to ski or snowboard school is the best way to learn and practise your technique . Here in Bansko , we work with sev eral reputable suppliers Their uniform is bright and clearly visible If you’ve pre - booked lessons with Crystal , there ’ll be a voucher in your ‘w elcome to the mountain’ pack. You’ll need to take this with you on your first day of lessons and give it to the instructor. Ski school m eeting p oint: S unday, ski depot N4. Usually the following days the meeting point is on top of the gondola station, where there is a sign ‘Ski school meeting point’. Arrive at : Once you are ready with the equipment, preferably 9:00 - 09:45 am. All groups regardless of skill level meet the same aforementioned time. Same principle applies for the snowboard groups. If you still need to book your lessons , your Crystal R ep can help. Just let them know if you ’ re interested , and we ’ll so rt the rest. HOW DO I GET TO THE SLOPES? Next door to the ski depot N4 is the main gondola building which will take you to the top of the gondola station. All hotels in resort provide shuttle service to the gondola. The times are hotel specific, so do che ck with reception for the frequency and start - end times of the shuttle bus. The average time it takes for the shuttle to take you to the gondola is 5 - 6 mins max. WHERE TO FIND YOUR CRYSTAL TEAM Our Ski Explorer a pp i s packed full of useful info about Bansko. To see where to find your Crystal R ep, go to the ‘Trip’ section, under ‘Meet the Team s ’. Come and see us for a chat and to ask any questions or for more advice on where to ski a nd things to do in Bansko You can also join us at our Crystal w elcome meeting where we’ll give you a 15 - minute intro to Bansko, including personal recommendations on making the most out of your time here. Need to speak to someone? Get in touch with our Crystal overseas team 24/7: From a UK Mobile: +44 33333 65917 From an Irish mobile: 00353 1541 0278 S ee you on the slopes Your Crystal Team – Sofie, Vlad & Denis