Photographer Kari Medig grew up skiing in Fernie, southeastern British Columbia, and has spent the past 15 years traveling to ski and document the sport, from the iconic Hahnenkamm downhill in Austria to slopes in landlocked Lesotho in South Africa. But there’s one place in particular that has captivated him: the Balkans, where the eponymous mountains extend 330 miles through Bulgaria and the lesser-known Dinaric Alps run south through Bosnia and Herzegovina toward the Sharr Mountains of Kosovo. More than 30 peaks are higher than 8,200 feet (the average height of the Swiss Alps), but the regional ski culture remains laid-back; Medig once found a woman running a ski rental business out of an old Yugo hatchback.
Medig first visited Bulgaria in the winter of 2004. In the decades since, he returned for another lap through the country, carved turns through Kosovo in 2014, and ventured to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023. “There’s good skiing to be had,” he says of the slopes at low-key resorts he went to, all within an hour or two by car from each country’s capital.
“It is skiing that is less concerned with modern amenities and simply exists for the pure joy of gliding on snow,” Medig says. Which isn’t to say amenities don’t exist; many of the ski areas he’s visited have updated their original Yugoslav-era chairlifts. Still, the Ottoman-style architecture and the pale pink of a nearby Orthodox church distinguish ski towns and resorts like Brezovica and Jahorina.
“I find skiing is just a great way to get to know a culture,” Medig says. “You’re sharing the same joy that locals are, in their own home place, so that just opens up a whole world of adventures.”
The purveyor at Ski Rent Mima poses for a portrait first thing in the morning at Bjelašnica ski resort, Dinaric Alps, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Photo by Kari Medig
The base of Brezovica Ski Resort, in the Šar Mountains, Kosovo
Photo by Kari Medig
Greek skiers pose in front of an unfinished church at the base of Jahorina ski resort, in the Dinaric Alps, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Photo by Kari Medig
A painting of a local mountain in the Malyovitsa Hut (1960m) in Rila National Park. The hut is part of a short ski tour above the Malyovitsa ski area, a small ski hill near Govedartsi, about 40km from Borovets, in the Rila Mountain range, Bulgaria.
Photo by Kari Medig
A skier poses below an old chair lift at the base of Brezovica Ski Resort, Kosovo.
Photo by Kari Medig
A ski fence in Govedartsi, about 40km from Borovets, in the Rila Mountain range, Bulgaria
Photo by Kari Medig
Skiers sit and take a break at the Malyovitsa ski area, a small ski hill near Govedartsi, about 40km from Borovets, in the Rila Mountain range, Bulgaria.
Photo by Kari Medig
A trail sign before Orlovets peak (2686m) in the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria
Photo by Kari Medig
A rental shop at the base of Brezovica Ski Resort, in the Šar Mountains, Kosovo
Photo by Kari Medig
A skier at prepares for a run on a stormy day near the top of the Jahorina ski resort, in the Dinaric Alps, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Visible is the summit peak Ogorjelica (1916m).
Photo by Kari Medig
How to Ski the Balkans
The Balkan Peninsula is large, so it’s best to concentrate on one country at a time. Most of the resorts Medig visited are close enough to big cities that visitors can grab rental skis for a day trip, though they all have hotels, restaurants, and facilities for longer stays. Just make sure to get the timing right: Winters are short in the Balkans, with ski seasons running from late December to early March. Members of Afar’s Travel Advisory Council can also assist with planning a trip to the region.
The town and ski area of Brezovica is 90 minutes from the airports in both Pristina (Kosovo) and Skopje (North Macedonia). Nonprofit tour agency Ryce Travel specializes in organizing ski trips, including weeklong adventures in Kosovo and Serbia, using local partners and guides.
In Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains, the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko sits just across from the gondola that whisks skiers from town to the main base of the ski area. Guests can purchase the VIP Ski Pass, allowing them to skip the lines for the gondola and get fast access to the slopes.
For traditional lodging, bed down at Mountain House Rajska Vrata in Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where ski days end on the sunny patio with local specialties such as nettle soup or herbal rakija (brandy) around the fireplace.
Tour operator Exeter International will help create highly tailored itineraries across the Balkans, combining skiing with historical and cultural exploration. Contact travel manager Arina Sazhina.
