Situated just south of Russia and north of Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia is a small former Soviet Republic full of mountains. While most of the country’s backcountry skiing is found in the northern Caucasus Mountains, the country does have a few other, even more low-key spots as well.

On the county’s southern border with Turkey sit both Machakhela Planned National Park and Mtirala National Park. While neither one of these has mountains as talla s those in the Caucasus, they both boast astoundingly beautiful scenery and excellent backcountry skiing in the winter, perfect for beginners who are just getting used to the sport.