Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

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Nord Freeride

Nord Freeride 4.1/53

Nord Freeride 4.1 out of 5 based on 3 reviews

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Nord Freeride cat skiing, Shar Mountains Kosovo

Skarpa Lodge, Nord Freeride cat skiing, Shar Mountains Kosovo

Nord Freeride cat skiing, Shar Mountains Kosovo

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

Overall Rating

Nord Freeride 4.1/53

Nord Freeride 4.1 out of 5 based on 3 reviews

View all 3 reviews

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

Nord Freeride is amongst the world's newest cat ski operations, and also one of the most affordable. Starting in season 22/23, Nord Freeride has been scoping its 3,500 hectares of terrain above its mountain lodge in the Sharr Mountains of Kosovo. Located just 101km from Pristina airport the transfer from city to remote mountains is extraordinarily quick. For more info on where Nord Freeride is situated, see the Location tab.

With tour groups limited to a maximum of 12 guests per trip, this is a 'boutique' cat ski experience. Runs are up to 7km long. The skiable vertical on most runs is in the realms of 500 to 700m between the altitudes of 1,800m & 2,500m. Longer descents and even tree skiing are possible in the best snow conditions. The initial standard for a day's cat skiing at Nord Freeride is a daily total vertical of 3,500m/day!

The accommodation used includes a recently built lodge in southwest Kosovo. Skarpa Lodge is the main accommodation and includes its own nearby T-bar ski lift! Located near the village of Zaplluxhe it has all-weather access & is a quick drive from the airport. The lodge was built in 2020 & has cosy hotel style rooms, plus several chalet/villa options. Naturally, all accommodation is included in the tariff (except the Skarpa Lodge villas), with full board (breakfast, lunch & dinner), plus return transfers between the lodges & airport. The food & drink is based on local, organic ingredients.

See below for all the Nord Freeride tours listed on Powderhounds

Where is Nord Freeride Kosovo?

Nord Freeride is in the far southwest of Kosovo, based at Skarpa Lodge near the village of Zapulluxhe. The closest major airport is near the Kosovan capital of Pristina. The Pristina (PRN) International Airport is around 101km, and less than ½hr drive. Skarpa Lodge is accessible by a fully sealed all-weather road. Cat ski packages with Nord Freeride include return transfers between the airport and lodge.

Flights into Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari

The recommended airport to access Nord Freeride catskiing in Kosovo is Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari (PRN). The airport is located 20km west of the Kosovo capital of Pristina. Flights to Pristina are available from most major European airports including Munich, Frankfurt, Paris CDG, Geneva, Zurich & Vienna, all major Scandinavian airports & London-Luton in the UK. A host of minor European airports also provide direct links. Search & book flights to Pristina.

As Good as Hoped

Brendan

21/03/2025

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Rider Type
Snowboarder
Rider Age
36-50
Rider Ability
Strong Intermediate
Country
UK
Admin Rating
3

As Good as Hoped

Brendan

21/03/2025

Just returned from the five day cat skiing package with Nord Freeride. Had a great time.

Conditions improved every day, and had a blue-bird powder day to finish. Epic.

Danny and Donatt were expert guides, good company, and spoke excellent English. Art led everything else, from driving the cat, giving the safety tutorial, liaising with the lodge restaurant & accommodation, handling transfers, and sorting the various issues that arose (mostly the guests' fault!). No mechanical faults with the snow-cat.

As other reviews have said, the food was fresh from a nearby dairy farm and absolutely delicious. Accommodation was comfortable and modern - don't expect luxury and you won't be disappointed. It's all about the skiing, snowboarding, and camaraderie, which were top-notch.

My first cat-skiing experience, so nothing to compare it to, but an unforgettable winter adventure. Highly recommend.
See our video here

Nice People, Some Setbacks

18/02/2025

Antonio Piazzoni

Powder Puppy

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Antonio Piazzoni

Powder Puppy

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Snowboarder
Rider Age
36-50
Rider Ability
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Country
Italy
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Nice People, Some Setbacks

18/02/2025

I participated in the 4-day package from February 2 to 6, 2025. In the end, it turned out to be a fantastic experience. Unfortunately, the snow conditions were not great (mostly crusty, no powder at all, and there was a lack of snow in the lower parts due to rain). We also had two days of fog, which I understand can happen in the area.
There were also some issues with the snowcat: it only worked for one day, then broke down. We had to wait for a replacement snowcat, but that one also broke down, forcing us to cut two catskiing days short. On top of that, on the second day, they had an accident with the shuttle bus.
So, there were quite a few inconveniences, but Art and his incredibly friendly team made up for them with great effort and a fantastic attitude. I had a great time with them and with the group of participants. The location was very nice—a farmhouse with simple but genuine food and beautifully renovated rooms.
Considering the competitive price, I still think it was a good deal, and I’m sure Art and his team will work on fixing these issues in the future to make the experience even better.
See our video here

Diellza Pula

Diellza

13/04/2023

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Skier
Rider Age
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Rider Ability
Expert
Country
Austria
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Diellza Pula

Diellza

13/04/2023

Very organized. Artan the guide is very friendly guy. The hotel is not big, but very old school and classic. The food is organic coming from the 2200ft cow meat.
The best of this trip were terrains are virgin, no one had touched them before , and very wild mountine. Every day new terrain, we were never bored because everyday we had to ski in new terrain. Also they send us in a night life club one of the days with free beers, or alcoholic drinks and live music. It was fun really. I would suggest the transportation to be quicker. Overall I would recommend. One of the most affordable and fun catskiing I did in Europe.
See our video here

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing Packages

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DETAILS

Price p/p

USD 1,977

See reviews (3)

GUIDED CAT SKIING PACKAGE
4 or 8 Days | 4 or 7 Nights | 3 or 6 Days Cat Skiing

Location: Europe | Tour Focus: Guided | Terrain Focus: Backcountry

Ability: Intermediate to Advanced

Price p/p

USD 1,977

Great value catskiing on the remote north side of the Sharr Mountains in Kosovo. With a maximum of 12 guests/tour, ride up to 3,500m vertical/day on descents up to 7km long. Standard packages include 6-days of cat skiing, all meals & drinks, transfers & accommodation. Go solo or in a group & join a 4 or 8-day tour ... More

Inclusions

CAT SKIING: 6 full days of guided cat skiing
ACCOMMODATION: 7 nights accommodation at Skarpa Lodge
MEALS: Full board - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, soft drinks
TRANSPORT: All ground transport during the tour, incl return airport transfers Prishtina <--> Skarpa Lodge
AVALANCHE SAFETY GEAR: Including BCA airbag backpack, shovel, probe & transceiver
GUIDING: 2 guides per snowcat (max guide to guest ratio 1:6)
SKI LIFT: Use of T-bar ski lift near lodge
OTHER: Sightseeing & restaurant nights in nearby town of Prizren
SMALL GROUP: Maximum 12 guests

Add-ons

ROOM UPGRADE: Private villa at Skarpa Lodge - price on request
EXTRA DAYS: Price on request

Not Included

FLIGHTS: To Pristina (PRN) - Search for cheapest flights here
INSURANCE: Ski travel Insurance
OTHER: Alcoholic drinks & any other personal expenses not listed as inclusions
SKI & SNOWBOARD GEAR

Click here for rates, dates & availability

Future rates & dates are currently not yet available for this operator. Click here to enquire.

DETAILS

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

Overall Rating

Nord Freeride

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

Overall Rating

Nord Freeride Cat Skiing

Where is Nord Freeride Kosovo?

Flights into Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari

As Good as Hoped

As Good as Hoped

Nice People, Some Setbacks

Antonio Piazzoni

Powder Puppy

Antonio Piazzoni

Powder Puppy

Nice People, Some Setbacks

Diellza Pula

Diellza Pula

GUIDED CAT SKIING PACKAGE4 or 8 Days | 4 or 7 Nights | 3 or 6 Days Cat Skiing

GUIDED CAT SKIING PACKAGE
4 or 8 Days | 4 or 7 Nights | 3 or 6 Days Cat Skiing