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Lamaria church in Ushguli beneath the snowy wall of Shkhara

Sample journey · 12–15 days

The High Caucasus: Svaneti on foot

Kutaisi, Mestia and a four-day trek over the passes to Ushguli

Photo: Aydin Hassan / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

For a long time Upper Svaneti could only be reached on foot or horseback, so it has kept what has gone elsewhere: medieval defensive towers beside almost every house, its own language and songs, families who still scythe the mountain meadows by hand. Above it all stand the giants of the Caucasus: Ushba, Tetnuldi and Shkhara, Georgia's highest summit.

This sample journey is for travellers who want to feel the mountains underfoot. After a few days in Kutaisi and Mestia to settle in and adjust to the altitude, the classic four-day trek leads through villages and over passes to Ushguli, with heavier luggage usually driven ahead between guesthouses. It is physically demanding, though it needs no technical skills, and pace, day lengths and rest days can be shaped around your fitness.

The route

The journey

  1. Tbilisi
  2. Kutaisi
  3. Mestia
  4. Zhabeshi & Adishi
  5. Iprali
  6. Ushguli
  7. Kutaisi
  1. The rooftops and hills of Kutaisi, seen from Bagrati Cathedral

    01Days 1–3 · Tbilisi & Kutaisi

    A slow start in the west

    An evening in Tbilisi, then west by train or car to Kutaisi (or fly straight into Kutaisi airport if that suits better). The old capital of Imereti is quiet and green: Bagrati Cathedral above the town, Gelati monastery and its frescoes, and Imeretian cooking, elarji, pkhali and local white wines. A good place to draw breath before the mountains.

  2. Svan towers in Mestia in the evening light

    02Days 4–5 · Mestia

    A town of towers beneath Ushba

    The road to Mestia climbs up the Enguri gorge, about five or six hours with stops. The first day is for the Svaneti museum of history and ethnography and a Svan tower from the inside; the second for a warm-up hike to the Koruldi lakes or the Chalaadi glacier. It's more than a warm-up: with your guide you can settle on a pace before the four trekking days.

  3. Adishi village and its towers in the valley, with a flowering meadow in the foreground

    03Days 6–7 · Zhabeshi & Adishi

    Over the meadows to Adishi

    The first trekking day leads from Mestia over a ridge with views of Ushba to the village of Zhabeshi. The second is a long climb across meadows beneath Tetnuldi and a descent into Adishi, one of Svaneti's most remote villages. Evenings are in simple family guesthouses, with kubdari and chvishtari on the table and a silence broken only by the river.

  4. A path through the green Adishi valley towards snowy peaks

    04Day 8 · Chkhuti Pass & Iprali

    A river, a glacier and a pass

    The hardest day. From Adishi the path climbs the valley until the Adishi glacier opens up, then crosses the river, usually on horseback with a local farmer, before a steep climb to the Chkhuti Pass at around 2,700 metres. From here the glacier is seen in full, and the descent through forest leads down the Khalde valley to the village of Iprali.

  5. Walkers on a stony trail towards the Shkhara glacier, Svaneti

    05Days 9–11 · Ushguli

    A village beneath the highest peak

    The last trekking day follows the valley and a mountain road to Ushguli, a cluster of villages at around 2,100 metres and one of the highest continuously inhabited places in Europe. Then a rest day: Lamaria church on its hill, the towers and the small ethnographic museum and, if your legs allow, a gentler walk to the foot of the Shkhara glacier.

  6. An old Svan defensive tower beside a village house in a wooded Svaneti valley

    06Days 12–13 · Kutaisi

    Back down to the valley

    A 4x4 back through Mestia and down the Enguri gorge: a long but scenic day. A last unhurried evening at the table in Kutaisi, then out from Kutaisi airport, or by train to Tbilisi. With time to spare, the Prometheus Cave and the Okatse Canyon are close by.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Four days on foot

    The classic Mestia–Ushguli route through villages, meadows and passes, with luggage moved between stays.

  2. 02

    The Chkhuti Pass

    The high point of the route, looking out over the Adishi glacier.

  3. 03

    Nights with mountain families

    Simple, warm stays and dinners made from what grows in the mountains.

  4. 04

    Ushguli and Shkhara

    Villages of towers beneath Georgia's highest summit, and a rest day to take them in.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • Gentler

    The first and last stretches can be driven, with horses always on hand at the Adishi river crossing, leaving two long walking days.

  • Longer

    Extra days in Mestia for hikes beneath Ushba, or a longer rest in Ushguli before heading back.

  • Travelling solo

    The route suits solo travellers well, with a local guide or as part of a small walking group.

  • With a wine finale

    After the mountains, a few days in Tbilisi and Kakheti. Tusheti is left out of this route because of its demanding mountain road.

Practical considerations

  • The trekking season usually runs from June to September; snow can linger on the passes into early summer, and mountain weather changes fast.
  • This is a physically demanding route: several 6–8 hour days with big height gains and losses. It's worth speaking to a doctor or travel clinic beforehand and preparing for long walking days.
  • Mountain guesthouses are simple; shared showers and a limited power supply are normal in places.
  • The road to Mestia is long and winding, and the Ushguli road depends on the weather, so it's wise to leave slack in the schedule.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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