Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains Ski Trip from Lviv

Travel from Kharkiv to Lviv: 1️⃣6️⃣ hours Day 1️⃣ Arrival: Reached Lviv at 12 PM. Took a taxi directly (taxi app: OnTAXI). Accommodation: Booked through Airbnb (also available on Booking.com). Airbnb allows direct payment, while Booking.com required a deposit, which I had to transfer via bank since I didn't have a credit card. Exploration: Lviv is a small city, perfect for exploring on foot. Visited various attractions including churches ⛪, theaters, city hall, chocolate factories, beer breweries, rib restaurants, the Dragon Restaurant 🍴, and the Penguin chain restaurant. Day 2️⃣ Sightseeing: Covered all the major attractions. Ordered takeout in the evening (Lviv is small, delivery takes about 30 minutes). Tip for Spicy Food Lovers: If you enjoy spicy food like me, bring a bottle of chili oil or Laoganma, or you might get bored of the local cuisine. Photo Opportunities: This place is perfect for taking lots of photos 📷. Day 3️⃣ Destination: Bukovel Ski Resort. Transportation: Contacted the local host in advance, who arranged a car directly from Lviv. The drive took about 4️⃣ hours (this area is near the Ukraine-Hungary border, with beautiful and unique scenery). Paid 3,500 грн for the ride. Accommodation: Stayed in a cozy wooden cabin in the mountains, 15 km from Bukovel. It was very quiet and comfortable, with underfloor heating. The mobile signal 📶 was poor, so we relied on Wi-Fi. Activities: After settling in, the host took us to a local restaurant and a grocery store. The restaurant was unique but more expensive than in Lviv. Four of us spent about 2,500 грн, and the food was just okay. Day 4️⃣ Skiing: Drove to Bukovel (about a 20-minute drive). Equipment Rental: Initially, we planned to rent equipment from a place near our accommodation, but the host advised us to rent from a location closer to the ski area. He helped us negotiate prices. For four people, we rented equipment and clothing for 1,350 грн. Later, we found out that renting directly at the ski area would have cost 850 грн per person. Lesson learned: always listen to the host! Ski Tracks: First-time skiers should try the beginner track for 80 грн instead of the more expensive 7A track (600 грн for three hours 🚠). We ended up only using the beginner track. Remember, if you buy the more expensive ticket, you don't need the cheaper one. After-Ski: After skiing, we contacted the host to take us to a restaurant 🍴. We were exhausted from falling so much. Tips: Bring extra masks ⚠️ and tissues 🧻. Food at the ski area is expensive (e.g., a bowl of fried rice costs 400 грн, and water is 50 грн). Day 5️⃣ Departure: The host drove us to Ivano-Frankivsk Train Station (2️⃣ hours away). Lunch: Enjoyed a meal at an Italian restaurant next to the train station (about 200 meters away). The food was decent. Train Station Tip: Ask locals which train car you need, as it can be challenging to find. Total Cost for Host's Services: Paid 3,500 грн for two days of transportation and assistance. The host was incredibly helpful and took care of everything. Highly recommended! #UkrainianTravel #UkrainianRestaurant