Georgia hadn’t appeared on my radar until I came across the wild mountain village of Ushguli, and I’m so glad I did as this has been one of the most fascinating countries I have ever researched and one of the most rewardingly surprising!

NORTH-WEST GEORGIA

Mestia to Ushguli Trek

The trek between Ushguli and Mestia in Svaneti is one of the best experiences to have in Georgia, also one of the wildest. Svaneti is a world of its own.

The Svaneti mountain villages had been given a wide berth until lately, as the region was notorious for bandits who took advantage of the impassable roads, known well only to the few locals that permanently live there. Even today, Georgians tend to look down on Svans as uncivilised, but these people are able to endure hardships that mant people can’t conceive of. Little things tell you a lot about life in Svaneti. The local dogs have their tails and ears cut short to give them an advantage in a wolf attack. Roughly only two families in every village stay throughout the 6 month snow season (in total isolation). These villages are the highest inhabited settlements in all Europe.

Whilst you may think any trek through here would seem insane, you would be missing out on the truly epic mountain landscape. Not to mention the warmth of hospitality extended to the few people who climb up here, the chance to ride horses across peaks into the clouds and photographing the world heritage guard towers.

The 4 day trek starts in Mestia, the gateway to Svaneti. The trail leads you through the dramatic peaks of the Caucausus to the village in the clouds, Ushguli, no less than 7000ft high. The hike may start in Mestia’s town square, but it wont be long before you meet the dirt road which will be your companion for the next four days. You will pass through three villages along the way, Zhabeshi, Adishi and Iprali, all of which have guesthouses if you don’t want to camp.

If you take the upper trail on day 1 (hint: always take the upper trail), make sure you take a detour to Lakhiri village, it is one of the most beautiful Svan villages and is unknown to hikers who stay on the lower trail, the majority. On day 2, the valley starts to open up to meadows and incredible vistas, but none more so than the Chkhunderi Pass on day 3! Just after this pass you reach a village, tiny even by Svaneti standards. Khalde village was almost entirely burnt to the ground after villagers rebelled against Russia in the 19th century. Many of the remaing houses are abandoned, but still bear the carvings of the hammer and the sickle.

On the last day, before reaching Ushguli, make your hike even more interesting with a detour through Davberi and Chazhashi villages. Chazhashi in particular, has managed to preserve 200 of its medieval tower houses and even a castle! If you can, stay the night in Ushguli and see the sun rise over Shkhara glacier. (Most tourists don’t stay the night and get a taxi back to the city once they arrive in Ushguli. Luckily, this means you should be able to appreciate the villages’ true isolation all to yourself the next morning.)

Originally there were 300 defensive towers, now there are 30. Though the towers have crumbled and look small in the photos, they originally had 3 to 5 floors where families and thier animals would shelter during an attack.

Koruldi Lakes

This one is for the photographers. Though the lakes themselves aren’t overly appealing, the mirror image they create of the mountain peaks towering above them are! Serious hikers now use the lakes as a halfway point on their climb to the very top.

Tip: The round trip hike starting and ending in Mestia can take up to 8 hours.

Tobavarchkhili Lakes

I’m not going to lie, this hike will take about 4-5 days to complete. Along the way, you have the chance to see secret lakes, waterfalls, isolated shepherds huts in mountain meadows and rocky gorges. You will be in true wilderness, surrounded by amazing beauty. But beware, this trail is for serious hikers who aren’t fazed by crossing multiple mountain passes, deep rivers, not meeting anyone else for miles and living out of their tent for almost a week. This hike will either terrify you or captivate you!

Martvili Canyon

A fairytale water kingdom once reserved for the nobles of Georgia to bathe in, is now open to the public to explore via canyon trails or by orange rafts. The crisp cold mountain water that carved this undulating chasm is the same that makes this a favourite spot for cooling down in the hot summer months, under the shade of the canyon walls and moss hewn trees. You’ll be kayaking between canyon walls that lean so closely together you’ll swear you’re in a cave, but before long it opens onto a rock valley. All this, and you still have yet to pass the 100-120m high Ochkhomuri waterfall. Jump out of the boat or escape the trail and dive into the clear blue waters below.

Okatse Canyon

Even before you can get up close to the canyon you’re taken along nerve-racking walkways drilled into the cliff edge. One of which is shaped like a cross and lunges far over the edge of the ravine, suspended 50m above the canyon floor. If your legs aren’t too wobbly, make sure to add the 4-5km hike on to your afternoon which will take you to the thunderous Kinchkha waterfall. Walking freely along the canyon edge it’s incredible to think the canyon was so inaccessible before the walkway that it was only really known to locals.

Katskhi Pillar

Even on the days when you wish you didn’t have neighbours, I’m sure very few people would consider moving to a house on top of a 131ft high rock pillar! But for Maxime Qavtaradze, a 59 year old monk who desires a life of solitude, this is ideal. He comes down from the rock about twice a week to pray with his followers before climbing back up his ladder again. It’s these devoted followers who regularly winch his supplies up to him from the foot of the rock where they live in a tiny monastery.

You’ll be surprised to know, this was once a normal way of life for many monks, referred to as Stylites, who would climb high precipices to avoid worldly temptations. When a team of adventurous climbers first ascended this pillar in 1944 they found the 600 year old skeleton of the last Stylite monk who lived there. Similarly, when Maxime first climbed up to his new home there were only ruins. His only shelter for the first two years was to sleep inside a fridge! (How did the fridge get up there?) Maxime hopes to live out the rest of his life upon Katskhi Pillar and continue helping the younger monks as long as he is able to climb the ladder, which takes 20 minutes.

Tip: Whilst you won’t be invited to the top anytime soon, there is a neighbouring cliff face with a view onto the rock pillar at a similar height.

If this eccentric lifestyle fascinates you, read my blog post about the cliff top monasteries of Meteora and the monks who also scaled rock faces to escape the temptations below.

File:Katskhi Pillar.jpg by ლევან ნიორაძე is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Stalin’s Rope Road

Chiatura is a Soviet-era mining town, trapped in a time warp of the 1950s, deep in one of Georgia’s highest mountain valleys. The residents’ lives have changed as little as the perilous aerial trams that transport workers from peak to valley floor. The ‘steel coffins’ operating over the valley are an unforgettable icon of the town, The Rope Road.

You’ll see workers cue at dilapidated tram stops waiting for a few more people to join before they can signal the controller to plunge back down into the valley. Though no one has died recently, a group of 8 people become suspended above the gorge in 2008 when the tramcar halted midway. The people inside had to wait for 12 hours for a rescue team from the capital to release them. Whilst I can’t say this is a charming mountain village, I can say it is any URBEX photographers dream. Not just for the shear mass of crumbling soviet era architecture and the atmosphere it creates, but also for the daily life of the resilient residents who have made this their home.

File:Chiatura Cable Cars 5.jpg by Kabelleger, David Gubler is licensed underCC BY-SA 4.0

File:Chiatura Cable Cars 20.jpg by Kabelleger, David Gubler is licensed underCC BY-SA 4.0

SOUTH-WEST GEORGIA

Gomismta

Known as ‘The Kingdom of Clouds and Fog’ this little mountain village is one of the best places to witness the natural phenomenon of blanket clouds which roll over the village like waves at sea, creating the illusion of the village dissolving just as quickly as it materialises. If you arrive in the summer, the entire village will be blanketed not only in clouds but in yellow azaleas. Gomismta is the perfect place to watch the sunrise and appreciate the silent wilderness of Georgia as it vanishes right before your eyes only to be conjured again moments later. All in the isolation of just a little over 2100m above sea level.

Beshumi

Another of Georgia’s hidden mountain villages is Beshumi, often overlooked in favour of the Las Vegas of Georgia, Batumi (nearby on the Black Sea coast). Unlike the other mountain villages tucked into Georgia’s hills, this one is home to an easily accessible alpine lake. This isn’t the only attraction, the annual festival of Shuamtoba is one of the few things that draws visitors out of Batumi and into the mountains. Join the locals and witness the bareback horse races, wrestling and folk crafts native to the region. Beshumi may not have the stone towers of the Svaneti mountain villages, but it has its own distinctive wooden clad huts raised on stilts.

Beshumi by Geo Max is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Vardzia Monastery

This beehive of caves built into the rockface at an elevation of 1300m was built as a frotress city by Queen Tamara. As a girl, she would play in the labyrinth of caves, eventually getting lost and crying out “Ak var, Dzia” (I’m here uncle). It’s rumoured this is how the caves got their name, Vardzia. The cave city grew to such prosperity that at their height more than 2000 monks lived there. The caves turned into a network of stables, halls, living quarters, libraries, churches, wine cellars and even shops and pharmacies. The 6000 ‘rooms’ of Vardzia completed a living town developed over 13 storeys, embedded deep in the rock, each interconnected by tunnels and ladders.

To find out about other cave cities you can explore, read my post on what to see in Cappadocia

Queen Tamara kept around 366 of those rooms for herself, so that if there was attack the invaders would never know where to find her and would get hopelessly lost. Unfortunately, due to a catastrophic earthquake and multiple attacks, only 600-700 of the rooms have survived.

Nowadays, just 5 monks remain in Vardzia as unofficial guides. Though they don’t speak English, they do their best to make sure no one gets lost in the caves.

NORTH – EAST GEORGIA

Omalo To Shatili Trek

This is the second best hike in Georgia if you want to see more mountain villages. Many people often overlook it, as it’s so close to the Russian border. They shouldn’t, as this is an incredible 5 day journey through pure wilderness.

The first day of the hike will take you through 5 mountain villages, Omalo, Dartlo, Girevi Chesho, Pharsma. Omalo is technically two villages, as upper Omalo is only accessible to outsiders in the summer. In the winter, residents migrate down the mountain to Lower Omalo where there is less snow. The second village of Dartlo is incredibly beautiful and deserves a stop. The last stop of day 1 is Girevi, the last inhabited village in this part of the valley. Just past the village is an alpine meadow which is traditionally the meeting place of the village elders.

The second day will involve zigzagging over the Russian border. You will need a permit for this day, but it can be arranged before hand and if you hike with a local guide they make the process far easier.

On your way to Shatilli you will also pass through the villages of Bochorma, Tusheti and Mutso, the first of which only has one permanent resident!

On the last day you will reach the 60 impressive defensive towers of Shatili, a world renowned UNESCO site. Its well preserved towers make it a popular place for filming historical dramas in Georgia.

Stepantsminda

Stepantsminda village, below the Holy Trinity Church, is the most popular stop on the Military Highway and it’s no wonder why. The Military Highway was built to give Russian troops easy access to Georgia through the Caucusus and retain control. Now the highway is the perfect road trip through the natural wonders of Georgia.

The Holy Trinity Church of Stepantsminda is not only the poster child of Georgia’s tourism, but one of the 23 most beautiful churches in the world AND a fantastic hike. The mountain fortress church was considered so unreachable before the highway that Georgia used to hide national treasures there in times of invasion. That can’t be said nowadays, as now that church services are no longer banned (since Georgia became independent) many couples choose to trek up here to be married beneath the highest mountain peak in their country.

The Military Highway

If you do take the Military Highway road trip, look out for other incredible locations such as the viewpoint of the Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument (photo below), a popular viewpoint for paragliding enthusiasts! Another stop along the way should be Georgia’s version of Easter Island’s sculptures… large stone heads rolling around the valley fields in Sno (yes Sno, not snow).

Kazbegi National Park

Of course, there are many magical vistas to be found in Kazbeg National Park, but my personal favourite is the Chaukhebi Pass as seen from Juta Village, looking out on to the peaks of Chaukhi Massif (below). To me, this is almost like the Dolomites.

According to legend, Zeus chained Prometheus to these mountains as punishment for stealing fire from the Gods and giving it to mortals. Wether or not you are interested in mythology, as you approach the foot of the mountain you definitely get the feeling of a monumental presence.

File:Chaukhebi, view with a waterfall, Juta Valley DT1.jpg by David Talakhadze is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

CENTRAL – EAST GEORGIA

Birtvisi Canyon

If you like canyon adventures, unusual rock formations and river trekking then you can not leave Georgia without a day hike in Birtvisi Canyon. These volcanic hills erupting from the forest hide a once impregnable fortress. You’ll soon appreciate not only the men who built this towering fortress but the invaders who conquered it, as you scramble over enormous rocks and slide down gravel ravines on your bum. You will be so relieved to see the crumbling staircase cut into the rock at the foot of the tower.

DSC_0848 by a.barys is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Mtskheta

Mtskheta used to be Georgia’s capital, that was until 600 BC, when Georgia’s King decided he wanted his kingdom to have its new center at the hot springs in Tbilisi. This was a blessing in many ways, as it has saved Mtskheta from development that might have ruined what made it Georgia’s first capital, the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. My favourite place in the city is the the view from the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, not for its religious significance, but the sunset that rolls down the valley walls in the evening. The architect felt the same way. In fact he felt so strongly that it’s rumoured he cut off his right hand after the cathedral was completed, so that there would never be another building to rival its beauty.

Tbilisi

Having ordered the country’s capital to be moved from Mtskheta to the hot springs, the King now needed a city to be built. This is how Tbilisi came to be.

Tbilisi is surprisingly gorgeous and is quickly emerging as one of the hottest city breaks in Europe. The stepped houses below the fortress thrust their painted balconies over the city just like those of Positano. Whilst deep in the valley, the Kura River runs past natural thermal hot springs and futuristic bridge installations. Even without all the modern additions, it’s easy to see why Tbilisi became the capital of Georgia and why the King ordered a city be built by the Kura river.

To see those colourful balconies of Positano, read my post on what to see along the Amalfi Coast

There is so much to see in Tbilisi, especially for art and architecture lovers. (I’m going to have to make a separate blog post at some point just for the city) The highlights not to miss are, The Bridge of Peace (designed to look like a wave which becomes illuminated at night with millions of LEDs), Abanotubani bathhouses for a revitalising scrub, The Rezo Gabriadze Marionette Theater’s patchwork tower and most importantly, wonder the streets lined with ornate balconies and striking murals.

Sighnaghi

This fortified town above the rolling vineyards is one of the prettiest in the country, adorned with pastel verandas and traditional wooden houses. Yet, only two hours drive from Tbilisi. To Georgians, Sighnaghi is known as ‘The City of Love’, not least because you can get married 24 hours a day here. The other reason is that a local painter who once lived there sold his house to but 1 million roses for his lover, who quickly dumped him and left him penniless! He should have taken advantage of the 24 hour marriages and locked that one down first.

This isn’t just a local legend, but actually part of a display in the town museum. Sighnaghi has other claims to fame, according to a dodgy travel documentary, it has the second-longest fortified wall in the world after China (needless to say, it was a dodgy doc). You may be convinced after tasted a few glasses of locally produced wine atop the city wall!

“Sighnaghi iconic” by johndegree is licensed under CC BY 2.0