Svaneti
5
Day Itinerary •
Georgia
Five days in Svaneti gives you the complete extraordinary range of Georgia's most spectacular mountain region, from the medieval towers of Mestia and the Koruldi alpine lakes to the extraordinary UNESCO village of Ushguli with Europe's highest permanently inhabited settlement, the Chalaadi glacier hike, the Bcho valley crossing and the extraordinary Svan culture that has preserved a unique language, religion and tradition in isolation for two thousand years. This route covers the full Svaneti region at a leisurely pace. Mestia towers and museum, Hatsvali cable car panorama, Koruldi lakes hike, Bcho valley and the Caucasus cross, Chalaadi glacier, the full Ushguli village circuit, the Shkhara glacier approach, the extraordinary Lamaria church and the finest kubdari meat pies, chabino cheese and Svan honey throughout.
Best Time To Visit
June to September
Getting There
Fly Tbilisi to Mestia (45 min) or drive 9 hours
Getting Around
Rental 4WD essential for full exploration
Budget Per Day
Approx 40 to 75 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate to challenging; altitude and multi-day hiking
DAY 1
MESTIA
MORNING
MESTIA, THE CAPITAL OF THE SVAN TOWERS
Mestia is the most extraordinary mountain town in Georgia, its medieval Svan towers rising from the modern town in a remarkable combination of ancient defensive architecture and contemporary mountain life. The Svaneti Museum has the finest collection of medieval Svan icons, manuscripts and religious objects in Georgia, rescued from the tower churches of the region over centuries. The extraordinary carved wooden decorations of the old Svan houses are the finest vernacular architecture in the Caucasus. Museum entry approx 5 GEL. Drive: Cable car
MIDDAY
HATSVALI CABLE CAR AND THE SVANETI PANORAMA
The Hatsvali cable car above Mestia gives the finest aerial view of the Svaneti valley and the extraordinary Mestia towers below, with the glaciated peaks of the Greater Caucasus including Ushba rising directly above. The ridge walk above the cable car station gives a 360-degree panorama over the entire Svaneti region. The view of the extraordinary Caucasus peaks from the Hatsvali ridge is the finest introduction to the scale of the mountains that dominate Svaneti. Drive: Walk back to town
AFTERNOON
OLD TOWN TOWERS AND THE MARGIANI HOUSE MUSEUM
The afternoon in the Mestia old town tower compounds gives the finest insight into Svan domestic life, the extraordinary combination of defensive tower and family living space that has defined Svan culture for a millennium. The Margiani tower house museum gives the most complete picture of how these extraordinary buildings functioned as both home and fortress. The evening in Mestia is the finest time for local kubdari meat pie and chabino cheese.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Ushba mountain north of Mestia at 4,710 metres is considered the most difficult and dangerous peak in the Caucasus, its extraordinary twin summits visible from Mestia on clear days. The mountain was first climbed by a British expedition in 1903 and remains the most technically demanding peak accessible from the Svaneti valley.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Mestia Svan breakfast with kubdari, chabino cheese and extraordinary local honey. | Lunch: Lali Restaurant, Mestia Local Svan dishes at the finest restaurant in Mestia. Extraordinary mountain setting. | Dinner: Guesthouse dinner Traditional Svan supra with local beer and extraordinary polyphonic hospitality.
DAY 2
KORULDI LAKES
MORNING
KORULDI LAKES, THE FINEST ALPINE HIKE IN SVANETI
The Koruldi lakes hike is the finest short mountain experience in Svaneti, a 3-hour ascent to extraordinary alpine lakes at 2,700 metres with the entire Mestia valley and the Caucasus peaks above in a single extraordinary panorama. The lakes reflect Ushba and the surrounding peaks in extraordinary mirror images on still mornings. Start before 8am to have the lakes to yourself. The descent gives different extraordinary views of the Mestia towers below. Free. Drive: On descent
MIDDAY
MESTIA VALLEY FLOOR WALK
The afternoon after the Koruldi hike is best spent on the valley floor walk from Mestia along the Mulkhura river through extraordinary meadows and ancient tower villages to the village of Lenjeri. The extraordinary combination of medieval towers, traditional stone houses and the glaciated Caucasus directly above gives the finest valley walk in Svaneti. The wildflowers in June and July are extraordinary. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
EVENING SVAN CULTURE AND POLYPHONIC MUSIC
The extraordinary Svan polyphonic singing tradition is UNESCO-listed as a cultural heritage of humanity. The three-part harmonies sung at village celebrations are unlike any other music in the world. The guesthouses in Mestia often organise informal singing evenings and the extraordinary experience of Svan polyphony in a traditional tower house setting is one of the finest cultural experiences in Georgia. Ask the guesthouse owner in advance.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Mestia to Ushguli trek is the most celebrated multi-day hike in the Caucasus, a 4-day walk through extraordinary mountain passes and Svan tower villages. Local guide hire and guesthouse arrangements can be made through the Mestia tourist office. The trek is the finest mountain walk in Georgia.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Mestia Early breakfast before the Koruldi hike. Pack substantial food and water. | Lunch: Packed lunch at Koruldi Eat by the extraordinary alpine lakes with the Caucasus peaks above. | Dinner: Guesthouse, Mestia Svan dinner with local wine and extraordinary polyphonic singing if arranged.
DAY 3
CHALAADI GLACIER AND BCHO
MORNING
CHALAADI GLACIER, THE EXTRAORDINARY ICE RIVER OF SVANETI
The Chalaadi glacier north of Mestia is the finest accessible glacier in Svaneti, a 1.5-hour trail from the road through extraordinary old-growth forest to the glacier snout where the extraordinary ice river descends from the Caucasus peaks above. The glacier has retreated dramatically since Soviet measurements but remains an extraordinary sight. The moraines below the glacier contain extraordinary mineral formations and the meltwater streams are an extraordinary turquoise. Entry to trail free. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
BCHO VALLEY AND THE CROSS OF THE CAUCASUS
The Bcho valley north of Mestia leads to one of the finest mountain crossing points in the Caucasus, the pass above which connects Svaneti to the Racha region. The trail follows the extraordinary Bcho river through gorges and meadows to the high pastures where Svan shepherds bring their flocks in summer. The Svan cross at the valley head is one of the finest examples of medieval Svan religious metalwork in the region. The valley is almost entirely unvisited. Drive: 30 min drive back
AFTERNOON
MESTIA FINAL EVENING
The final evening in Mestia before the Ushguli departure is the finest time to stock up on Svan honey, churchkhela and local products at the Mestia market. The Svaneti Natural History Museum gives the finest overview of the extraordinary wildlife and geology of the region including the Caucasian Snowcock, the Caucasian Tur and the extraordinary geological history of the mountain formation. Entry approx 3 GEL.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Enguri gorge below Mestia on the road south contains some of the finest geological exposures in the entire Caucasus, extraordinary sections of ancient ocean floor metamorphosed into the most spectacular rock formations in the region. The drive through the gorge is the finest geological landscape journey in Georgia.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Mestia Breakfast before the Chalaadi drive. Pack water and snacks for the glacier trail. | Lunch: Picnic at Chalaadi Bring food from Mestia. Eating at the extraordinary glacier moraine is unforgettable. | Dinner: Final Mestia dinner Last Svan kubdari and local beer before the Ushguli departure tomorrow.
DAY 4
USHGULI
MORNING
DRIVE TO USHGULI, THE HIGHEST VILLAGE IN EUROPE
The 4WD drive from Mestia to Ushguli through the Enguri gorge and the extraordinary Svan tower villages takes 1.5 hours on a rough road. Each village passed on the drive has its own cluster of medieval towers rising above the rooftops. Ushguli at 2,200 metres is the most extraordinary destination in Svaneti, a UNESCO World Heritage cluster of four hamlets with over 20 Svan towers and the Shkhara glacier at 5,193 metres directly above. Check into the guesthouse and explore. Drive: On site
MIDDAY
USHGULI TOWER CIRCUIT AND THE COMMUNITY MUSEUM
The Ushguli tower circuit takes 2 hours to walk through all four extraordinary hamlets that make up the UNESCO village, each with its remarkable tower cluster and the extraordinary combination of ancient stones, traditional Svan life and the glaciated peaks above. The Ushguli Community Museum gives the finest insight into the extraordinary isolation of this community, which remained inaccessible by road until the Soviet era. Entry approx 5 GEL. Drive: On foot
AFTERNOON
SHKHARA GLACIER TRAIL AND THE EVENING VIEW
The trail from Ushguli to the Shkhara glacier viewpoint at the valley head takes 45 minutes through extraordinary flower meadows and gives the finest view of the 5,193-metre peak. The view back to Ushguli from the moraine, with the towers in the foreground and the full Caucasus range visible in every direction, is the most extraordinary mountain photograph in Georgia. The evening light on Shkhara from the village is extraordinary and completely changes in colour from moment to moment.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Chvibiani hamlet within Ushguli contains the finest tower cluster in the village, with several towers standing over 20 metres tall in extraordinary condition. The lane through Chvibiani between the towers, with the Shkhara glacier visible at the valley end, is the most extraordinary medieval street in Georgia.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Mestia Early departure breakfast before the Ushguli drive. The 4WD leaves by 9am. | Lunch: Guesthouse in Ushguli Simple Svan food at the guesthouse. The chabino cheese made here is extraordinary. | Dinner: Guesthouse dinner, Ushguli Traditional Svan dinner at 2,200 metres. The most extraordinary dinner location in Georgia.
DAY 5
USHGULI TRAILS AND RETURN
MORNING
USHGULI TO SHKHARA BASE CAMP APPROACH
The trail beyond the Shkhara glacier viewpoint continues up the valley to the base camp area at the foot of the 5,193-metre peak, accessible to fit hikers without technical equipment. The extraordinary combination of the Shkhara ice face, the moraines and the views back over Ushguli from the high approach give the finest glacier experience accessible on foot in Svaneti. The walk takes 1.5 hours each way from Ushguli. Come back before 1pm. Drive: On return
MIDDAY
LAMARIA CHURCH, THE SACRED HEART OF USHGULI
The Lamaria church on its extraordinary rocky promontory above Ushguli is the finest church in Svaneti, a 12th-century structure with remarkable frescoes still in use by the Ushguli community for their extraordinary mixture of Orthodox Christianity and pre-Christian Svan religion. The view from the Lamaria promontory over the entire Ushguli valley with the towers below and the Shkhara glacier above is the finest panorama in Svaneti. Entry free. Drive: 1.5 hour drive back to Mestia
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO MESTIA AND DEPARTURE
The drive back from Ushguli to Mestia gives the extraordinary Svaneti landscape in reverse as the valley descends through the tower villages and the Enguri gorge back to the regional capital. The Mestia airport gives a final extraordinary flight over the glaciated Caucasus peaks back to Tbilisi. The extraordinary Svan culture, the medieval towers, the finest hospitality in Georgia and the most extraordinary mountain scenery in the Caucasus will be impossible to forget.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Mestia to Ushguli walk takes 4 days through tower villages and mountain passes and is the finest long-distance hike in the Caucasus. Even completing one day section between villages is an extraordinary experience. Local guides can be arranged in Mestia for the full route or any section.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Guesthouse, Ushguli Final extraordinary Svan breakfast at 2,200 metres before the Shkhara approach. | Lunch: Picnic near Shkhara Bring food from the Ushguli guesthouse. Eating at the glacier base is extraordinary. | Dinner: Mestia guesthouse or Tbilisi Final Svan dinner or arrival dinner in Tbilisi after the flight.
Where To Stay
Mestia, Nights 1-3 Guesthouses with tower views. Approx 30 to 70 USD per night. Ushguli, Nights 4-5 Community guesthouses at 2,200m. Approx 25 to 50 USD including dinner. Budget option Svan guesthouses from approx 20 USD throughout, including extraordinary breakfast.
Top Tips
1. Fly to Mestia if time allows. The extraordinary 45-minute flight over the Caucasus on the small aircraft gives the finest introduction to the scale of Svaneti.
2. The Ushguli guesthouses include dinner and breakfast in their price. The communal dinners with other travellers at 2,200 metres are extraordinary experiences.
3. Svan kubdari meat pies are the finest food in Georgia. Each family makes them slightly differently. Try at least three versions during the five days.
4. The Koruldi lakes hike should be done before 9am to have the lakes to yourself. Afternoon cloud builds quickly and obscures the extraordinary Caucasus views.
5. Altitude in Ushguli at 2,200 metres affects some visitors. Drink 3 litres of water per day, avoid alcohol on the first night and take the first morning slowly.
6. Svaneti honey is the finest in Georgia, produced from extraordinary alpine flowers above 2,000 metres. Buy at least 500 grams directly from guesthouses for an extraordinary souvenir.
Total Budget
40 to 75 USD/day