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Adventure travel blog

Mestia Ushguli Trek – Everything I Wish I had Known Before Going

//  by  Kristin

Passing ancient villages, 5,000 meter high mountains and glaciers, the Mestia Ushguli trek is the most popular multi-day hike in Georgia for good reason. If you are up for it, the 3 or 4 day walk will be the highlight of your holiday.

This blog post answers all the questions I had before doing the trek and provides all the information you need to hike Mestia to Ushguli.

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All Your Questions On Trekking Mestia Ushguli Answered

Upper svaneti or kazbegi or tusheti.

We went to Svaneti and Kazbegi during our holiday. For me these mountain regions were the highlight of our trip to Georgia. If you can, both are worth visiting and should be included in your itinerary. My comments below on Tusheti is based on what other travelers told me since we did not visit this area.

Upper Svaneti – the prettiest and most traditional villages you will see in Georgia, except for Sighnaghi. Walking around Adishi and Ushguli, looking at the stone defense towers (some with cracks so big that trees are growing in them), is one of the best memories I have from our two weeks in Georgia. The stone defense towers were originally built in the 9-13 th Centuries to protect the inhabitants during local feuds and gives the area a strong character.

Kazbegi – the most developed village. It even has a top-end spa hotel, Rooms Hotel Kazbegi . After staying in basic accommodation whilst trekking in Svaneti we really enjoyed a couple of nights at Rooms – using the spa, the most amazing breakfast and looking at the views which are jaw dropping. For me this was more about mountain views in comfort and less about hiking.

Tusheti – is the least developed. The main attractions here are the hiking and its remoteness. Both Kazbegi and Svaneti are starting to get a bit touristy but this area is not. However, that does mean that it is more difficult to get to (it will take you a day from Tbilisi ). There are also few guesthouses to stay in (you need to camp) and many ferocious sheep dogs to watch out for.

Best Time to Visit Svaneti

Unless you want to go skiing, the best time to visit is mid-June until mid/ end of September.

It is possible to visit in May or early June but there might be snow on the high passes and tracks can be muddy and wet from the melting snow. June sees fewer crowds than the summer months but has the highest amount of rainfall. If you go in June it is good to have some flexibility in your itinerary in case one of the days is a washout.

The summer here is short and the first snow normally arrives at the end of September. We did the hike the first week of September. As a result we avoided the school holidays in Georgia and Europe (July and August) which is the busiest time. It was also before the first snow. I would highly recommend September for doing this hike, as well as travelling in Georgia in general.

September also sees good weather in neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan which are worthwhile additions to your trip. To further discover what these places have to offer, read my posts on the Top 10 Tourist Spots in Armenia and the Top 10 Places to Visit in Baku .

Local Weather Patterns

Rain is often localised. In fact, every day you will enter a new valley and the weather might change. On day 3 of our hike, trekkers were rushing along since they were worried about the forecast for heavy rain that afternoon. Instead of a rainstorm we ended up walking in the sun. The bad weather was confined to the valley we had left behind.

Another point to note on weather is that the sky is more likely to be clear in the morning providing good mountain views. Clouds roll in mid-morning, so get up early!

Is There Anywhere to Leave Luggage in Mestia?

I spent a lot of time looking into this and my google search was confirmed to be correct – unfortunately there is nowhere except for your Mestia guesthouse or hotel to leave your luggage. 

We had hoped to spend the last night in Ushguli, travelling directly to Kutaisi the next day, but there are two reasons why this is inconvenient:

• You definitely don’t want to carry everything with you!
• Minibuses leave Mestia Square at 8am. If there is sufficient demand there is a minibus leaving in the afternoon to meet the night train from Zugdidi to Tbilisi. The only direct bus to Kutaisi leaves in the morning (at 8 am).

Can I Start Trekking the Same Day as Arriving on the Overnight Tbilisi Zugdidi Train?

Yes you can. That is what we (and most of the other trekkers we met) did.

Travelling from Zugdidi to Mestia, you will arrive around 10am. The first day of hiking is roughly 6-7 hours. It will be a long day, but you should be at your guesthouse by 6pm.

Is it Possible to Trek Mestia Ushguli in 3 Days?

Before going I read that people did the trek in 4 or 5 days. I cannot see why you would need more than 4 days to hike Mestia to Ushguli. 3 days is in fact enough to do the best parts. If doing it again I would set aside 3 days for the hike and spend the 4th in Ushguli, taking a taxi from Lalkhori to Ushguli at the end of day 3 (see day by day itinerary below).

Ushguli is more commercial than the other villages you pass through but well worth a visit. The towering snowy mountains and stone defense towers make you feel like you have really got to the end of the road, with Russia on the other side of the Shkhara mountain. Ushguli is the highest inhabited settlement in Europe at 2,100m.

Is the Trek Safe and Can I Do It Without a Guide?

We felt very safe both while hiking and in the guesthouses. I think your biggest risk is getting lost.

You do not need a guide to find your way but make sure you download the maps.me app before going. We did not see or meet anyone with a guide. At the same time, don’t make the same mistake as us and rely on maps and directions printed from the internet.

We got lost on the first day following details we got online that were incorrect. My print outs said that the first day would see us walking for 3-4 hours, when it is more like 6 or 7. As a result, we descended to the river/ main road too early.

The road is dusty and not pleasant to walk along. We were very lucky and got a lift from some friendly locals for the last part along the road.

It is interesting to read about what each day will be like. But all you really need to know is how many hours you will be walking and have maps.me on your phone. The items you should not start the trek without are your phone, charger, the maps.me app and Georgia map (downloaded to the app).

We downloaded this at the guesthouse on the first night and it was a godsend. Make sure you don’t make the same mistake as us, download it in advance!

This app is very easy to use. When you first download it it might need a couple of minutes to pick up the GPS signal on your phone.

There are two ways to set your route:

• If starting from your current location (i.e. the blue dot) click search to find and select where you want to go. Press ‘route to’ at the bottom right and that you are walking at the top of the screen. You can either follow your progress on the screen or select start for detailed instructions (I recommend the first to save battery)
• You can also set a route from a different place than your current location by putting your starting point into search and selecting ‘route from’

This sounds complicated but it really isn’t. The best tip I can give you for the hike is to download and use this app!

How Busy Is It?

Everybody walks in the same direction and start at the same time (as guesthouses serve breakfast at the same time) so it can get busy, especially in the morning. However, as the day goes on, hikers spread out and we found that we were walking on our own most of the time.

If you are worried about crowds, try to avoid July and August which is school holidays both in Europe and Georgia. In my view September is the best time to go. It has lower precipitation than June and it is less busy than the summer months.

Also consider trekking from Ushghuli to Mestia to see fewer hikers. By walking in this direction, there will be 30 minutes to an hour every day when you meet everyone walking in the opposite direction. For the rest of the day you will be by yourself.

Which Way to Do the Mestia to Ushguli Hike

There is no real reason to do it one way over the other. However, as the trail is becoming more popular, starting in Ushguli is getting more attractive as you will meet fewer people. We only met a handful of trekkers over the 4 days who were walking in this direction.

The main reason to do it the ‘right way’ around, i.e. trekking from Mestia to Ushguli, is to get to the river crossing on day 3 in the morning. At this time the horses will be there to take you across. In addition, the water levels are usually lower which makes it easier to cross on foot.

If you are comfortable crossing the river on your own, I would recommend doing the trek the ‘wrong way’ around. Starting from Zugdidi in the morning, you could be in Ushghuli for lunch. This would give you the rest of the day to walk around the four villages which make up Ushguli (see below) and stay overnight.

The next morning you can skip a relatively long, but not that interesting, part of the hike by getting a taxi to the starting point of the trek for day 3 (I would even get it as far as Guest House Khalde, or the abandoned buildings at the end of the road). For the rest of the hike follow the standard itinerary in the opposite direction.

How to Get Over ‘That’ River?

In our Adishi guesthouse everyone was talking about the river crossing during dinner – wondering what will it be like to cross and whether the horses will be there.

We were told by our guesthouse that if there are tourists, there will be horses, so don’t worry. And they were right. The ride cost 15 GEL each. Have the right change in your pocket or the cost will be 20 GEL.

I had read online that the best places to cross on foot were further upriver from where the horses are. Walking the bank we looked for a better place but could not find one. The bank on the other side was too steep to climb up.

We got a horse in the end. Speaking to hikers who crossed on foot we were told that the currents were not as strong as they had expected and it was only a foot deep (this will depend on the time of year, we were there in early September). The river is likely to be higher and faster flowing early in the season (as more snow is melting). This is only second-hand information, but we were told that the river looks more intimidating to cross on foot than it actually is.

If you are going to do it on your own find someone to buddy up with or use your hiking poles to give you extra stability. Make sure your feet are stable before taking your next step.

How Fit Do I Need to Be?

You only need to be of average fitness. The key is to make sure you have good hiking boots . Go for at least one long walk at home in the boots you will be hiking in to check whether you get any blisters. In Adishi, the couple in the room next to us had so bad blisters they had to abandon the hike and get a taxi the next day.

Day 3 is the most challenging day. You will be hiking for 7 hours with 1-2 of those being steep uphill. If you are worried about your fitness and stamina you can reduce this day by a little over an hour by stopping at Khalde Guesthouse. This will lengthen day 4, but day 4 is the shortest and easiest day.

However, you should note that doing the Mestia to Ushguli trek means staying in basic accommodation for 3 nights, and a lot of walking.  If you prefer a more relaxed and comfortable trip, read our post on visiting Svaneti National Park by car . This allows you to stay in en-suite hotels every night.

What to Pack?

As little as possible. Every extra kilo you carry will feel like a lot more at the end of the day. We had a 30L daypack each and we could comfortably fit in everything. If you need a larger backpack than this, in my view, you are bringing too much.

In the hiking season expect the weather to be warm during the day but cold enough for a fleece at night. This is especially true in Adishi and Ushguli which are at >2,000m above sea level.

What We Packed for the Mestia Ushguli Trek:

For hiking:

• 1 t-shirt for walking, not cotton (wash this in the evening when you arrive and hang it to dry overnight)
• 1 pair of shorts
• Rain jacket (we did not bring rain trousers but that was a personal choice)
• 1 pairs of socks (wash each evening. I find that using clean socks makes it less likely you get blisters. Use your ‘evening socks’ for hiking on the last day)
• Hiking boots

To wear in the evening:

• 1 t-shirt or long-sleeved shirt
• 1 pair of trousers (that you can use for hiking if it gets cold)
• 1 wool/ warm jumper (if you get cold like I do – Ben did not bring this)
• 1 pair of socks
• Underwear (I normally walk in a sports bra and have a clean one for the evenings)
• Flip flops/ sandals (to wear when you arrive to give your feet a bit of a rest)

Other items:

• Phone and charger (to use your maps.me app for direction)
• Money (no credit cards accepted anywhere on the hike)
• T-shirt to sleep in
• Camelbak or water bottle
• Hiking poles (optional but recommended)
• Book (optional)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• SteriPEN or water purification pills (to sterilise water)
• First aid kit. We brought paracetamol, ibuprofen, imodium, Compeed or sports tape for blisters, plasters and a small sowing kit (with thread and needle to fix anything that breaks)

The guesthouses where we stayed provided towels, bedding and shower gel. You might want to consider bringing a small hotel sized bottle of shampoo in case you don’t want to use the one provided. 

Can I Trek in Trainers?

We hiked in trail running shoes – so in-between trainers and hiking boots. The path is well trodden so sturdy hiking boots may be too heavy for some. In my view they are not needed. The other end of the scale is trainers. There were several people hiking in trainers when we were there, but part of the trail is muddy so the extra grip from on our shoes was very much welcome.

We bought Salomon trail running shoes before going which we would highly recommend. I didn’t get any blisters (I normally do). In addition, they are light and have good grip for muddy parts of the trail. If you are in between sizes, buy the larger one as your feet will expand when they are warm.

Tenting vs Guesthouses

Tenting means carrying more but it gives additional flexibility over where to stay overnight. I would only recommend camping if you have experience going on multiday hikes and carrying not just your gear but also the food you need for the 3 days.

Should I Book in Advance and How Comfortable Are the Guesthouses?

Booking in advance is recommended as the best options will be full (even off season). Booking.com has good coverage of the villages you will stay in and makes planning ahead easy.

The standard cost is 80 GEL per person (excluding Adishi where some guesthouses charge 100 GEL) including bed in a double room (communal bathrooms), dinner and breakfast. Lunch is 5 GEL extra. We only had lunch on the first day. By day two we had had enough of the local salty cheese you get with every meal!

All the guesthouses only take cash so make sure you bring enough.

Zhabeshi Guesthouse (first night)

Guest House Gogia was the best place we stayed with friendly hosts and tasty fresh food. In other words, the high rating on booking.com for this guest house is fully deserved.

Adishi Guesthouses (second night)

Regardless of the reviews you see online or on facebook, guesthouses in Adishi have the lowest standard. So adjust your expectations accordingly.

We did not speak to anyone who was overly happy with where they stayed here so keep this in mind when reading our review. We stayed at Elisabeth Kaldani’s guesthouse, described under the Day 3 description below. But in summary our main issues were (i) there was a lot of confusion over pricing and (ii) electricity is only turned on in the late afternoon. Therefore, if you walk fast you either end up waiting a long time or have a cold shower.

Lalkhori Guesthouse (third night)

Guesthouse Robinzon is friendly but located by the Mestia Ushguli road, so you feel like you are getting back to civilisation. As I mentioned earlier, I would get a taxi to Ushguli on day 3 if doing the hike again. If you want to do the whole trek this is the best place to stay.

What Is the Food Like?

Don’t expect much from the food. The first guesthouse we stayed at (Guesthouse Gogia in Zhabeshi) had fresh and tasty meals. Everywhere else, the cooking was mediocre and some evenings there could have been larger quantities.

There is nowhere to stop for lunch. Either get a lunch pack from your guesthouse (5GEL for bread, salty cheese and a whole tomato or cucumber) or we recommend bringing energy bars and snacks. The food gets monotonous after a day or two.

Can I Drink the Water?

Yes, you can drink the water in the guesthouses. There are a couple of springs along the way to refill your water bottle while hiking. If you use any of these, I would recommend using either a steriPEN or water purification tablets. 

We met a few people with stomach problems, and this is the last thing you want while hiking.

Negotiating a Ride From Ushguli to Mestia at the End of the Hike

We arranged a ride back to Mestia with the owners of Guesthouse Robinzon in Lalkhori. It cost 100 GEL for up to 8 people (there were only seats for 6 so it was a bit squashed). Speaking Russian really helps when negotiating prices and I think we got a good deal as one of the other hikers could do all the bargaining for us.

As you approach Ushguli you can see the cars lining the road to take you back to civilisation. It cost 20-30 GEL per person for the 1 hour and 30 minutes ride. The first part of the road is rough but there is no need for a 4×4. The surface is gradually getting paved so drive times will continue to reduce.

If you have time, consider staying overnight in Ushguli. If not, try to find a car that is leaving in the early afternoon so you can explore the villages and Lamaria Church.

Day by Day Description of the Mestia Ushguli Trek

Day 1 mestia to zhabeshi.

Leaving Mestia, the dirt path slowly starts to climb the right-hand side of the valley. The views of Mount Ushba in the distance are breathtaking. After crossing into the next valley, a new peak, Tetnuldi, can be seen in the distance from a wide grassy meadow.

Congratulations! You have made it past the highest point of the day’s stretch. It is mainly downhill, or flat, from here.

For the first day I had printed out instructions from the internet which said we would be hiking for c3-4 hours. As a result, when we walked down the hill, we started wondering where Zhabeshi was, thinking we must be nearly there.

We wandered on passing several villages, knowing that we had to cross the river before reaching our destination. Normally we walk faster than most projected times. When we had walked for 3.5 hours and we saw a road leading downwards we thought this must be the way down to the river.

Hearing the water rushing past and seeing a bridge confirmed it. The only problem was that there was a deep and fast flowing “river”, 15 meters wide, flowing across the road. After carefully assessing it we decided to backtrack and try to cross further up.

As we were balancing on rocks trying to find our way over the river we heard a car horn. The occupants, using sign language, “asked” whether we wanted a lift. We jumped in.

Despite our non-existent Russian and their non-existent English, we managed to communicate that we were going to Zhabeshi. So on we drove all the way to our guesthouse. The road was being paved and as we drove, we were happy to be saved a long, dusty walk.

The person who wrote about the first day of the hike in the directions which we used can’t have actually been here. It will be closer to 6-7 hours of walking depending on how fast you are. I had read before going that you should download the maps.me app. It was my fault for not doing so and relying on internet descriptions. Don’t make the same mistake – download the app.

Zhabeshi Guesthouse

Stay at Gogia. They have four rooms that share two bathrooms, which are clean and large with all the amenities you need. The food was the best we had on the trek both in terms of variety of dishes as well as quantity.

Day 2 – Zhabeshi to Adishi

Sitting on Guest House Gogia’s balcony you can see the steep hill you will climb at the start of today’s walk. This is a hard 1.5-2 hour ascent. Picking the right path can at times be difficult, so we were both thankful we had downloaded maps.me the night before. At least the climb was in the shade in the morning and you have panoramic views looking back over the valley with Mount Ushba in the distance.

When you reach the ski lift your climbing for the day is nearly over. From here there are two different routes to Adishi – the higher and the lower path. Having got lost the day before we decided to take the well-defined lower path.

Few people take the upper path today, which is falling into disrepair. It is meant to be the most scenic route with sweeping mountain views.

What Adishi lacks in terms of quality guesthouses, the village makes up for in its charm. It feels wild and mysterious with each house having a stone defense tower designed to house villagers at times of local strife. Svaneti’s history is full of murderous feuds but today the towers are crumbling.

There are two small cafes in the village. One was closed when we visited and in the other the owner was fast asleep, snoring loudly. After trying to wake him, but to no avail, some customers decided create run an ‘honesty-box’ where everyone left the money for the drinks they consumed. The owner was surprised to wake up to his cafe being full of people enjoying a drink but was happy to have had a good afternoon’s trading whilst asleep!

Adishi Guesthouse

Nobody we spoke to was overly happy with where they stayed in Adishi, so lower your expectations.

We stayed at Elizabeth Kaldani’s guesthouse. The rooms were ok, although if you book on booking.com make sure you get the room you booked. For 100 GEL you should get a reasonable room with a double bed. There is a box-room with no window in the middle of the 3-room annex where they tried to put late comers whilst we were there.

For us the two main issues were:

• Firstly, there was a lot of confusion with the hosts around the price of the food and the rooms, which detracted from the enjoyment of our stay. The price for lunch and dinner was 50 GEL per person in 2019. Lunch packs are an extra 5 GEL. For two people the price for a double room, dinner and breakfast was 100 GEL per person.
• Secondly, electricity is only turned on in the afternoon. So if you are a reasonably fast hiker you must wait or have a cold shower.

Day 3 Adishi – Lalkhori

This is the longest but prettiest day, passing glaciers and with 5,000m high mountains in the distance. It is also the day of the “dreaded” river crossing.

The night before, during dinner, the rain was pouring down outside, and everyone was talking about the river crossing. Would the horses be there? Were people going to do it on their own? Would the rain make the river flow too fast?

Day 3 starts with an hour walking slowly up the valley. As you exit Adishi make sure you stop, turn around and take in the view before you turn the sharp corner and lose the village from sight.

When we got to the river, we had a look further up, considering whether to cross on foot or on a horse. We decided for 15 GEL each taking a horse was the best idea but were told by other hikers that the river looks more intimidating than it actually is (see above for further information on how to cross ‘that’ river).

As you get to the other side the path ascends to Chkhunderi pass at 2,655m. It will take 1-1.15 hours to get to the top with good views of the Adishi glacier as you climb.

The pass is a popular lunch spot and on a nice day it will show how many other hikers are doing the same route as you. If you want some solitude, leave your backpack at the pass and take the path further along the ridge to the viewpoint.

The extra effort to get to the viewpoint is worth it for the breath-taking scenery of Mount Tetnuldi, and Shkhara, Georgia’s highest mountain. Did you know that the Caucasus is the highest mountain range in Europe and Shkhara the third highest peak at 5,193m? In fact, 4 of Europe’s 10 highest mountains are in Georgia. That was news to me.

As you sit at the top of the ridge, it is fascinating to think that Russia is on the other side (which has the highest mountain in Europe – I always thought it was Mt Blanc).

Having dealt with the river and the pass we felt like we had done everything we had read about that was going to make this a challenging day. But there is still a long way to go.

From the abandoned buildings after descending from the pass, it is 2 hours, on a mostly flat road, to Iprali. The last 30 minutes to Lalkhori is steep downhill.

After spending a couple of days in the smaller Svan villages this felt like coming back to civilisation. It is a good place to arrange a taxi into Ushguli if you are doing the 3-day version of this hike. 

Lalkhori Guesthouse

Most routes have this day finishing 30 minutes before Lalkhori in Iprali. This slightly longer version is becoming more popular and we think it is worth walking a bit further to stay at Guesthouse Robinzon. If you want to shorten this day you can stop at Khalde Guesthouse which is 1.5 hours before you get to Lalkhori.

Day 4 Lalkhori – Ushguli

The shortest, easiest and least interesting day in my view. Make sure you take the higher trail, walking along the hillside to avoid the road.

When you get to the Ushguli sign take the path down to the right walking through the four villages. The first is Murkmeli, which is the least developed. The second is Chazhashi. To get to the viewpoint where the photo below is taken, keep right and walk past the stone houses and up the hill on the other side.

Chviniani and Zhibiani, the third and fourth villages, merge into each other and it is difficult to see where one starts and the other ends. I would highly recommend arranging a later transport back to Mestia. This gives you time to explore both the villages and Lamaria, the 12 th Century church. If you have time, stay overnight.

Our transport to Mestia (arranged the night before) arrived, although on a Georgian, rather than Western, schedule. After a long chat with a cafe owner, our driver decided he really wanted to buy the cafe owner’s cute little kitten. So negotiations begun and shortly after we started driving with a black kitten sitting next to the driver!

There was also plenty of homemade chacha, the Georgian spirit, for the ride. Sharing a plastic bottle of chacha with the other hikers and a black cat felt like a bizzare but fitting end to our 4 day hike.

Coming back to Mestia, what was a tiny village on day one, now felt more like a city. The road between these two destinations is being paved which has already reduced drive times to 1.15-1.30 minutes. When they finish the final part into Ushguli this will reduce even further.

Mestia Guesthouse / Hotel

We stayed at Chalet Mestia, one of the best options in town. They will happily keep your luggage while you go hiking and coming back to a nice room and shower was heaven.

How to Get From Tbilisi to Mestia

There is no way around it taking significant time and effort to get from Tbilisi to Svaneti (unless you can get a flight) but it is worth it.

Tbilisi to Mestia by Plane

Vanilly Sky fly to and from Tbilisi every day except Thursday and Saturday. The flight time is 1.5 hours.

There is also a flight to and from Kutaisi on Monday and Friday.

The problem with the flights is that they are near on impossible to book unless you are in the country and they can only fly when the weather is good. Unfortunately, we cannot give you any advice on how to book flights since we looked and could not find a good option.

Tbilisi to Zugdidi by train and minibus from Zugdidi to Mestia

In my view this is the best way to get here. There are two options for the train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi:

• Day train leaving at 08:10 arriving in Zugdidi at 13:38
• Night train leaving Tbilisi at 21:45 arriving at 06:05

Tickets need to be booked in advance at Georgia railways with reservations opening 40 days before your travel date. The ticket you get looks strange as you can see from the photo below. Don’t worry, this is the genuine ticket and they will let you on with a printed copy and your passport.

We took the night train which is clean and safe. If you buy the most expensive tickets, you get a two-birth cabin. You can see a picture of our cabin under the section on how to get from Zugdidi to Tbilisi below.

At the train station in Zugdidi there will be numerous minibuses waiting to take the tourists arriving on the train to Mestia. It cost 20 GEL per person and takes 2.5 hours, including a 30 minute bathroom break. You will arrive at around 10 am.

Kutaisi or Tbilisi to Mestia by minibus

Tbilisi : Minibuses leave from Samgori-Navtlugi and Vagzali bus station at 7am in the morning and takes 9 hours. The ticket price is 40-50 GEL.

Kutaisi : Buses leave from the main bus station (at the rear, past McDonalds) early in the morning. If the direct Mestia bus has left or is full you can get the bus to Zugdidi and go on from there. Tickets are 25 GEL.

If you would like to travel on a specific day, I would suggest buying your ticket in advance (from both Tbilisi and Kutaisi).

How to Plan Your Departure

Mestia to zugdidi by minibus and zugdidi to tbilisi by train.

Minibuses from Mestia to Zugdidi, to meet the train, only go if there is enough demand. This is the best way to get to Tbilisi in my view and it is worth getting a taxi to Zugdidi rather than taking the 9 hour minibus all the way. A taxi will cost from 150 GEL.

There are two trains from Zugdidi to Tbilisi which need to be booked in advance (see above):

• Evening train leaving at 18:15 arriving in Tbilisi at 23:55
• Night train leaving Zugdidi at 22:15 arriving at 06:37

Minibus from Mestia to Tbilisi or Kutaisi

Minibuses leave the main Square at 8am.

• To Kutaisi: Takes 5-5.5 hours and costs 25 GEL per person
• To Tbsilisi: It is 9 hours and costs 40-50 GEL per person

For all bus tickets inquire at the office opposite Guesthouse David Zhorzholiani on the square (this is also where you will be dropped off when you arrive). You should book your ticket the day before and show up early to get a good seat. We were 20 minutes early but got the last two seats together.

You might also be interested in

How to Visit Svaneti National Park Without Hiking

The Complete Guide to Visiting Kazbegi in Georgia

Inspiration

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did”

A Singaporean's Adventures at Home and Abroad

The Mestia To Ushguli 4-Day Trek: A Complete Guide

Beautiful country Georgia – not to be confused with the US state of the same name – is a mixture of East and West. The Caucasus in Georgia is one such beautiful place to hike. Of these, the trek from Mestia to Ushguli is the most popular.

Situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia, the former Soviet Republic has beautiful Black Sea beaches, towering mountains and ancient architecture.

But how and why would a Singaporean girl – me! – want to travel to this relatively unknown country that is neither East nor West?

Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia make up the Caucasus region – a patch of mountains that acts as a natural barrier between East and West. The Caucasus isn’t what we studied in school, much less would want to visit unless you are that curious . The journey to get there from Singapore was long and arduous. But once you’re there, you’ll realise how affordable it is! We saw no crowds like those in Western Europe, felt safe in this country, and enjoyed our trip.

Aside from its interesting culture and delicious food, Georgia is a hiker’s wonderland , as much as New Zealand ! The hike also reminded me of an earlier hike I did in the fairytale-like Yubeng Village of Shangri-La, China .

With just two weeks of my annual leaves dedicated to the Caucasus, time is limited, and there is only so much I can do.

So here goes – my multi-day trek in Svaneti, Caucasus, from Mestia to Ushguli.

This trek was completed in Aug 2019. Post may be updated periodically.

Mestia to Ushguli: The Track

The Mestia to Ushguli track is one of the popular multi-day treks in the country. I first read about it from a website created specifically for trekking in the Caucasus . The creator, Josef, did a great job collating all the possible routes in Georgia. His site is the best I’ve seen thus far.

The conventional route goes like this:

• Day 1: Mestia – Zhabeshi (16.1 km)
• Day 2: Zhabeshi – Adishi (10.6 km)
• Day 3: Adishi – Iprali (18.7 km)
• Day 4: Iprali – Ushguli (12.4 km)

Based on information from Josef’s site, the journey would cross 57 km and take four days.

The Track I Took

For my trip, I err away from the usual and added a bit more challenge and scenery. The result is this:

• Day 1: Mestia – Tsvirmi (we took the ski lift)
• Day 2: Tsvirmi – Adishi (only managed to capture data after Tetnuldi Resort: ⬆:420 m, ⬇:85 m, 7.5 km , 3 hours, Highest altitude: 2,170 m)
• Day 3: Adishi – Khalde (⬆:950 m, ⬇:960 m, 18.5 km , 8 hours, Highest altitude: 2,691 m)
• Day 4: Khalde – Ushguli (⬆:1,070 m, ⬇:1,000 m, 16 km , 9.30 hours, Highest altitude: 3,022 m)

Most of my trek follows the conventional route. What differs is the Lagem Pass (Southern Karetta Crossing) to Ushguli on Day 4, which rises to a height of 3,000 m.

Accommodation

There are many guest houses along the way, so a tent is impractical . Most guesthouses prepare meals too, though the level of deliciousness would differ. They pack lunch boxes too.

If you are paranoid and must have a bed booked, or would be trekking during a busy period, know that most guest houses have an online presence on your usual booking platforms like booking dot com, hostelworld or Agoda.

Getting to Mestia is a bit complicated .

You’ll probably be coming from the capital Tbilisi .

To get to Mestia, take an overnight train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi , then switch to a marshrutka – a van/ small bus in Georgia – to Mestia.

Get your train ticket sorted out online from Georgian Railway . The website has an English version, but the inbuilt translation for Georgian on Google Chrome works better.

Create an account – you have to – to buy a ticket from Tbilisi-Pass to Zugdidi .

Timings might have changed since then, but the sleeper train I took left Tbilisi around 9.40 pm to reach Zugdidi at 6.25 am .

Georgian Railway has an app for your digital tickets, and the conductors are very diligent at checking your tickets. To be on the safer side, I printed mine out – just in case my phone or the app does not work.

How early do you have to book your tickets? You could go as early as four weeks if your travel coincides with the European summer vacation.

Prices (2019):

• Class I (2 sleepers): 35 lari
• Class II (4-berths): 21 lari
• Class III (seats): 8.5 lari

For the second leg of your journey, leave the train to board one of the many marshrutkas waiting by the train station.

Drivers tend to yell for people to fill their vans as fast as possible so they can leave. Be quick to get into one and depart early .

Our journey from Zugdidi to Mestia was smooth sailing and took us three hours .

Back to Tbilisi

Find your way back to Tbilisi in the same manner as above, but throw another marshrutka from Ushguli to Mestia.

We found ours from our backpackers and left Ushguli at 10.30 am . The two hours journey back was over a potholed road with several river crossings. I guess that justifies the higher cost (40 lari) .

Upon reaching Mestia, we had a late lunch and loitered around the visitor centre where the Zugdidi-Mestia marshrutka first dropped us five days ago. They swung by to pick up passengers in the late afternoon, and we were back in Zugdidi for dinner, followed by the night train back to Tbilisi.

My Experience

Day 1: mestia to tsvirmi.

We tried to pick up physical copies of the map from the visitor centre, but the queue was too darn long.

In the end, we relied on pre-downloaded offline maps from Maps.me , which worked pretty well except for certain places where our GPS location betrayed us. Warning: do not trust the over-ambitious forecasted duration. It never works and makes you doubt your abilities.

Hatsvali Ski Cable

We set off from Seti Square to the lower Hatsvali cable station, passing by the neighbourhood and the local museum.

The plan was to take the cable up and cut down our hiking time over the steep Zuruldi range to reach the village of Tsvirmi before sunset.

But lo and behold, the cable car decided to fail us that morning. A group of hikers around the station told us technicians working on it said it could take as long as twenty minutes, two hours or two days to get it fixed. Huh?

Just when we thought we should pursue the conventional route and walk to Zhabeshi instead, a tour guide leading a group of retired Europeans came and spoke to the technicians. Twenty mins or two days became five minutes, and we were back on track!

Needless to say, the guide and his customers went first. The trip cost us 15 lari pp .

There were two cables to take – the first cable was over a forest. We saw hikers below us trekking up. The second cable stole the show with the best views of Mount Ushba , though that needed some neck straining since we were travelling in the opposite direction.

A cafe at the top had beer, coffee and simple pastries overlooking the gorgeous mountain range.

Mentashi Transmitter

Nothing fancy between the cafe and the mentashi transmitter. It was generally flat with lots of day hikers . 

Descending from Mentashi Hill was a pain.

The steep gradient and unclear path made it a challenge, but we still survived to tell the tale.

Then it was a pleasant walk over trees and meadows and the occasional cow to the village Tsvirmi.

We descended over a slippery loose gravel slope towards the village. Along the way, we met a group of Europeans trying to find transport back to Mestia.

I’m not sure if they succeeded, but it was getting dark, and the sky began to drizzle.

The small village of Tsvirmi had no guest houses with an online presence when we were there. We randomly stumbled into a cottage with a grandpa who welcomed us in with a smattering of English.

He and his wife prepared a table full of homemade delectables like stuffed aubergines and bread.

We spent 150 lari for two a night , including dinner and breakfast.

Day 2: Tsvirmi to Adishi

Day 2 started as a brilliant morning on a boring and dusty gravel road .

We trekked out of Tsvirmi, enveloped by the cacophony of chirping cicadas and birds .

Boring road aside, we did meet three interesting parties along the way: (1) an uncle doing his daily walks who tried to talk to us despite the language barrier; (2) a group of Catalans with small daypacks attempting the same Mestia – Ushguli route; and (3) a cute dog guarding a church.

Tetnuldi Ski Resort

Nothing is fascinating here, as with all ski resorts in the off-season.

You could take the cable lift to the mountain top from the ski resort – as an American couple did. The view from above must have been amazing. I’m not sure if they did eventually hike down to Adishi or went on to do some other treks.

The last leg of our journey was comparatively better – no more dusty road! 

Colourful flowers and dancing butterflies welcomed us as though we were Disney princesses . Or you could think of it as the dreamy European mountain scene of The Sound of Music . 

Take note that there was no shade nor hydration along the way for us, so bring enough sun protection and water.

Then came the slippery scree route down to Adishi – not too difficult – and we were in our pre-booked guest house moments later.

As the cook of our guest house was away at a funeral that week, all patrons had to source for their meals elsewhere. We had beer, goulash and soup at Tetnuldi Cafe for dinner. The takeaway lunches – pastries – we ordered during breakfast were soggy by the time we had them.

Day 3: Adishi to Khalde

We had good weather on the second day but not on our third day.

The third day of our multi-day tramp started dreary with rain that came intermittently and with varying intensities.

Josef mentioned a river crossing that had to be done early when the level was low, and we followed his advice. But with an overnight rain thrown in, expectations and reality differ.

After an hour of trekking over muddy puddles, we saw horsemen heading back to Adishi. Hmm, that doesn’t look good.

According to Josef’s guide, horsemen usually wait by the river to ferry trekkers across for about 20 GEL per person – not a small sum! Seeing them return to Adishi could only mean (1) the water level has gone atrociously high, or (2) no one’s there for them to ferry. We could only hope for the latter.

Crossing Adishi River

Crossing the glacial cold river water was made even more chilling by the strong currents .

We walked upstream and went with the shallowest part of the river, as the narrowest part downstream was too dangerous . That meant crossing three streams or dipping into the frigid water three times.

I could feel the pull of the currents as I trod across the river with the water level rising beyond my knees. Now that I am updating this post after spending two years in New Zealand , this episode wasn’t as dreadful as I thought. Instead, I found it hilarious . Sure the level was higher, and the current was stronger, but we were doing it with care and within our limits. I suppose it was indeed terrible for someone doing her first self-planned multi-day tramp.

Adishi Glacier

Post river fording, we stopped by a clearing to have lunch with the Adishi Glacier right in front of us.

I might have seen glaciers before this tramp, but the sight of Adishi Glacier shall forever be ingrained in my mind. The blues intermingled with some greens and whites, and by their side were bushes peppered with red and yellow flowers.

Our lunch episode triggered all five senses , and all five combined have been living rent-free in my mind thus far, safely parked under the cabinet marked for my impressive long walks. We tasted soggy pastry, saw a beautiful glacier, felt the cool air, smelt the rain, and heard distant avalanches.

Chkhunderi Pass

It was another hour of merciless ascent to reach the highest altitude of that day – 2655 m over Chkhunderi Pass.

When there’s a mighty ascent, there will be a mightier descent. I banged several of my toenails dead from that.

Checking the condition of a bridge

Just before we crossed the divide to Khalde, we hiked a bit more to check on the condition of a bridge we were supposed to cross the next day. According to Josef , the poorly maintained old bridge may collapse. We saw it was still holding up, so the plan remained as scheduled.

With the checks done, we rerouted towards Khalde – a very small village – for the night. That journey wasn’t short either – it took us an hour and a half over streams and rocky paths to reach one of the two guesthouses.

You can imagine how relieved I was to strip my feet bare and sink into a seat after the hike – never mind that we had to fight 20 over occupants for that one shower with hot water.

Day 4: Khalde to Ushguli via Lagem Pass (Southern Karetta Pass)

Another lovely morning to begin with compared to the rain from the previous day.

For our hike that day, we left early and retraced our way back to the bridge.

Crossing the rickety old bridge

Crossing the bridge was nerve-wracking – the old bridge supported by just two thick wooden poles and a few planks scattered in between looked dubious.

Underneath it was the turbulent milky blue Khaldechala River .

Ascent to Lagem Pass

We left the bridge, cut across a meadow, and bashed through the bushes – all these while the gradient gradually steepened.

For most of that day’s trek, I recall trampling over slippery roots and branches of rhododendrons, mud and field flowers. We somehow reached a spot so steep that you’d need the hiking sticks .

It wasn’t long before we reached the top of the Lagem Pass (3,000 m) . There’s an even higher vantage point at 3,200 m – we saw two hikers there – but the effort was too much, and we risked running late.

Descent and Ushguli

Descending was treacherous. I was walking – and falling five or six times – on the steep mountainside at an awkward angle.

You would have tumbled too – the so-called path was slippery from mud, grass, and the occasional loose gravel. Actually, there weren’t any proper paths. Someone had to walk it out.

The two pro hikers from the top raced down and cleared the way for us. But they were too quick and we lost them. We later spotted one of them – wearing bright yellow – already across the Inguri River .

We couldn’t figure out how and where they crossed to the other side. The further we ventured, the steeper the drop to the bottom of the valley. Those hikers seemed to have floated over.

As the outskirts of Ushguli slowly came into sight – we saw more jeeps, people and horses on the other side – dread started streaming in. We were still at a height across the river from the other side. Are we on the right path to Ushguli?

Then we saw a cow. And another. And soon, we were walking through a large group of grazing cows and horses. If these farm animals are here, surely there must be a way across.

And we were right. Not long after, we reached a gradual descent from the ridge to a concrete bridge, and finally, Ushguli!

• Clean sheets/ liner. For hygiene in the train/ dorms. The beds for our overnight train were old, and the walls were gross. At least the toilet was cleaner than the trains in Western Europe. They rent clean sheets for 4 GEL
• Power banks. Don’t we all need to power our phones? You need the digital map or GPS from your phone. Also to track your progress.
• Bookings. Important during peak tramping period – i.e. holidays, summers
• Sun Protection.
• Wind and rain protection.
• Proper hiking shoes.
• Hiking poles.
• Camera. Beautiful scenery.
• Cash. No ATM.
• Pick me up snacks. I would have replaced the packed soggy lunches with dry biscuits instead.
• Hydration. Pack enough water. You may fill up your bottles from the streams at your own risk.
• Day trip to Shkhara Glacier . If you are game for more walks in Ushguli.

The Mestia – Ushguli is a walk you must not miss if you are in Georgia (and have spare time to do so). Sure, you could travel to Mestia and Ushguli separately, but then you’ll miss out on all the nice sights in between. Adishi Glacier – and how it was framed by the greens surrounding it – was my highlight. The takeaway lunches were all bad, and some guesthouses can be ridiculous.

Nevertheless, this is definitely a trek to remember .

You May Also Like

Guide to Visiting the Tbilisi Sulphur Baths

Guide to Exploring Tbilisi, Georgia

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MESTIA TO USHGULI TREKKING GUIDE

TRANSCAUCASIAN TRAIL | GEORGIA

MESTIA TO USHGULI

TRANSCAUCASIAN TRAIL

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TRANSCAUCASIAN TRAIL SVANETI | GEORGIA

In this guide we cover everything you need to know about hiking from Mestia to Ushguli. This includes a detailed outline of the route, trekking distances and times, camping and accommodation options, packing lists, transport info, and more. We also provide a map and our GPX track download to help you find your way.

If you’ve heard of any hiking trails in Georgia, chances are it’s the Mestia to Ushguli trek in mountainous Svaneti. Part of The Transcaucasian Trail , this four day hike passes beneath snow-capped peaks, impressive glaciers, and countless historic defence towers. It’s a scenic trek but not overly challenging, with guesthouse accommodation dotted along the trail. This makes it ideal for those looking for a multi-day hiking adventure, without the need to carry camping gear or food supplies. What’s more, with trails in good condition, the max elevation below 3000 m, and the lack of any big ascents, this trek is a great option for people with wide ranging experience and fitness levels.

QUICK FACTS WATCH OUR FILM HIKE MAP & GPX DOWNLOAD TREK BREAKDOWN & DETAILS MESTIA TO CHVABIANI CHVABIANI TO ADISHI ADISHI TO IPRALI IPRALI TO USHGULI WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN TO TREK PRACTICALITIES WHAT TO PACK ACCOMMODATION GETTING THERE ADD-ON TREKS/HIKES

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – if you purchase a product or service via these links, we may earn a small commission  at no extra cost to you . This helps offset the cost of running this blog and keeps us travelling so that we can continue to produce great content for you. We greatly appreciate your support!*

MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK QUICK FACTS

• Distance | 55 – 60 km
• Duration | 3 – 4 days
• Start/End | Mestia/Ushguli (or vice versa)
• Min Elevation | 1400 m (Mestia)
• Max Elevation |   2719 m (Chkhunderi Pass)
• Total Ascent | approx. 3400 metres
• Total Descent | approx. 2700 metres
• Hiking Season | July – September (possibly mid-June – mid-October)
• Accommodation | Guesthouses or Camping
• River Crossings | Adishchala river on Day 3
• Water Sources | Streams, springs, and taps 

Distance 55 – 60 km

Duration 3 – 4 days

Start/End Mestia/Ushguli (or vice versa)

Min Elevation 1400 m (Mestia)

Max Elevation 2719 m (Chukhunderi Pass)

Total Ascent approx. 3400 metres

Total Descent approx. 2700 metres

Hiking Season July – September (possibly mid-June – mid-October)

Accommodation Guesthouses or Camping

River Crossings Adishchala river on Day 3

Water Sources Streams, springs, and taps

WATCH OUR FILM

Watch the behind the scenes version of our mestia to ushguli hike on instagram stories, watch the behind the scenes version of our mestia to ushguli trek on instagram stories .

Part 1 | Part 2

MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK HIKING MAP

Mestia to ushguli trek.

Use the map below to help guide you from Mestia to Ushguli. Tap the menu button at the top left for more details, to toggle layers on and off, and switch between satellite and terrain view.

To use an offline version of this map, download our KML file for use with Maps.me ( iOS / Android ), or the GPX file for use with other offline mapping apps such as Gaia ( iOS / Android ) or OsmAnd Maps ( iOS / Android ). See the expandable box below for tips on using these apps. 

Download GPX   |  Download KML

(if the download does not automatically start, right click and select ‘Copy Link Address’ and paste it into a new tab)

HOW TO SAVE THIS MAP (ONLINE VERSION)

To save this map to use online on desktop or mobile just tap the star symbol at the top. When you open Google Maps on your phone, navigate to ‘Saved’ at the bottom, then swipe along to ‘Maps’ at the top. You’ll find this map in your list of maps.

On desktop, click the three lines at the top left, select ‘Your Places’, then ‘Maps’. Click the map, then scroll down and select ‘Open in My Maps’ to access the interactive version .

Alternatively, just tap the rectangle symbol at the top right of the map in this blog post to view the My Maps version larger on desktop.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to view this version of the map offline, but we’ve provided a download for a similar version for offline use.

TIPS FOR OFFLINE MAPPING APPS

Maps.me is our go-to offline mapping app. We find it straightforward to use for planning routes in advance, as well as navigating on the trail. It doesn’t drain our phone battery, and it’s quick and easy to save and organise ‘bookmarks’. There are many trails already marked on Maps.me, plus you can download and import a KML track of your route to the app. 

To use Maps.me, first download the app ( iOS / Android ). Hover over the region or country that you want to visit and the app will prompt you to download this map. Once downloaded, it can be viewed offline. 

You can tap anywhere and save it as a ‘bookmark’ by tapping the star symbol at the bottom. Hit ‘Edit Bookmark’ to personalise the bookmark colour, organise your bookmarks into different folders, and rename them. 

You can navigate easily or plan routes in advance by tapping your start point and selecting ‘route from’, then tapping your end point and selecting ‘route to’. Tap the car, walking, or cycling symbol at the top of the screen to indicate your mode of travel. If you want to plot a different route to the one suggested by Maps.me, just tap a third (or fourth, fifth, etc.) bookmark between the start and end points and select ‘add stop’. 

Maps.me shows the distance and travel time, plus elevation profiles for hiking trails . Note that the estimated time isn’t always reliable, but we’ve always found the distance and elevation gain/loss to be largely accurate. It only shows very basic contour lines.

You can track your progress on the trail using GPS . The arrow shows your direction of travel. Tap the compass at the top right of the screen to keep the map in a fixed position (the arrow will rotate). Alternatively, tap the arrow at the bottom right of the screen to rotate the map in the direction of travel (the arrow will stay in a fixed position).

Gaia ( iOS / Android ) is another offline mapping app that is very useful. It shows the contours in much more detail than Maps.me, and you can download both the topographical and satellite view of your route in advance for offline use. The app has existing OpenStreetMap trails marked and you can import GPX tracks and view them offline. You can also create new routes online yourself and export them as GPX or KML files. You can navigate easily on the trail using the arrow that shows your GPS location. You can also check distances between places offline , however you will only get elevation profiles while online. There are a lot of useful features in the free version and even more benefits if you have a paid annual membership, so if you spend a lot of time outdoors it is worthwhile learning how to use the app to its full advantage.

In our experience, Gaia drains your phone battery much quicker than Maps.me, even in flight mode, so it’s best to shut down the app completely each time you finish using it.

OSMAND MAPS

OsmAnd Maps ( iOS / Android ) is another great offline mapping app with lots of useful features. In our opinion, it’s not as intuitive as Maps.me, and it has so many features that it can be a bit overwhelming at first. Like Gaia, we recommend checking out the written and video tutorials on the OsmAnd website to learn how to fully use the app. The benefits of the app include being able to plot routes in advance and save them as GPX tracks , and to view detailed elevation and terrain information, including surface types . You can also import GPX tracks. One downside is that the free version does not include contour lines, but these can be added via a paid plugin .

MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK BREAKDOWN

We’ve broken down the Mestia to Ushguli trek into separate days and sections below.

We’ve also given approximate timings and distances for each day and section, as well as approximate figures for elevation gain and loss . The total daily figures for elevation gain and loss are based on our recorded route using Garmin and may not be 100% accurate, but they are a good guide of what to expect. The elevation gain and loss figures for each hiking section are estimates based on our recorded track and mapping apps.

The timings are based around average hiking speeds and are intended as a rough guide. If you’re a fast hiker it may take you less time, and conversely, if you’re a slow hiker it may take you longer.

ELEVATION PROFILE AND 3D ROUTE MAP VIDEO

The elevation profile of the trek, starting at Mestia and finishing at Ushguli

DAY 1 | MESTIA → CHVABIANI/ZHABESHI

15-16 km | + 688 m / – 478 m | 4 – 6 hours, mestia → chvabiani/zhabeshi, 15 – 16 km, + 688 m / – 478 m, 4 – 6 hours.

DAY 1 ACCOMMODATION

SEE 3D ROUTE MAP

Day 1 starts with a fairly relaxed 500 metre climb to a viewpoint looking towards Tetnuldi mountain, with Ushba prominent behind. The route then descends to the valley floor, passing through villages and ending up at Chvabiani or Zhabeshi. There is a fair amount of road walking, although most of it is on old or disused tracks. Expect the sound of construction to carry through the valleys on both sides of the viewpoint, from industrial enterprises near Mestia and Cholashi.

The quality of guesthouses in Chvabiani/Zhabeshi is generally good, with hosts used to catering to a steady stream of hiking and skiing tourists throughout the year.

MESTIA → VIEWPOINT | 6 km | + 520 m / – 28 m  | 1.5 – 2.5 hours

Mestia → viewpoint, 6 km | + 520 m / – 28 m, 1.5 – 2.5 hours.

The trail leads out of Mestia on a dirt road track, passing Hotels Tetnuldi and Banguriani. It’s a gentle climb, with a view of Mt Ushba appearing on your left. At the trekking signpost, turn right up the hill and continue following it around to the left. There is a spring marked on Maps.me here, but we found it to be dry in late September.

After about 1.8 km, you’ll reach another trekking signpost. From here it’s a short, steep climb through the forest to where the trail joins an old road. Turn right and follow the road around as it curves to the left, where wonderful views of pyramid-like Tetnuldi peak open up ahead of you. The biggest climb is now done for the day, and this makes a great rest spot before continuing through the villages in the valley below.

We found our first water source of the day here (in late September), a pipe spouting water in the midst of a marshy field near the trekking signpost. We’re not sure if this is a permanent feature or not. Some construction had been going on and the water pipe was laid in a trench dug through the field –  water was flowing out at the end and seemingly slowly flooding the field. The spring marked on Maps.me was nowhere to be found.

Stopping to appreciate the view of Tetnuldi before descending into the valley below

VIEWPOINT → LAKHIRI | 4 km | + 81 m / – 198 m | 1 – 1.5 hours

Viewpoint → lakhiri, 4 km | + 81 m / – 198 m, 1 – 1.5 hours.

From the forest clearing the trail leads down to the valley and through a few small villages, winding up at Chvabiani, or a little further on at Zhabeshi. We took a higher trail, leading us to a wonderful viewpoint of Lakhiri village and its numerous towers, before descending to the river.

The high trail route branches off to the left about 250 metres after starting the descent. It undulates around the hillside for about 3.5 km, before leading you straight through the fields to Lakhiri. The view just before the village, with Tetnuldi rising in the background, is one of our favourite village scenes on the trek.

This view of the towers in Lakhiri is reason enough to stay on the high trail instead of descending earlier to the road

This view of the towers in Lakhiri is reason enough to stay on the high trail instead of descending earlier

LAKHIRI → CHVABIANI/ZHABESHI | 5 – 6 km | + 87 m / – 252 m | 1.5 – 2 hours

Lakhiri → chvabiani/zhabeshi, 5 – 6 km | + 87 m / – 252 m, 1.5 – 2 hours.

Turn right in Lakhiri and head south down the hill, all the way to Zhamushi village. Turn left here and continue east, crossing a small wooden bridge at the river. Carry on walking along the dirt road to Cholashi and down to the car bridge below. After crossing the bridge you join the road on the south bank of the Mulkhura river, just beyond a noisy industrial site. Turn left and continue for 2 – 3 km, depending on which village you choose to stay in. This final stretch on the road is the least pleasant section of the day.

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Day 2 | chvabiani → adishi (high route), 12.5 km | + 1184 m / – 693 m | 4 – 6 hours, chvabiani → adishi, + 1184 m / – 693 m.

DAY 2 ACCOMMODATION

Day 2 is the shortest in terms of distance, but involves the biggest climb of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. What’s more, the 850 metre ascent up the hillside behind Chvabiani and Zhabeshi comes at the very start of the day, so you’ll need to muster all your energy from the get-go! Once at the top, you can choose to continue climbing an extra 250 metres before turning off on the scenic ‘High Route’ to Adishi, or take the shorter, quicker, and less picturesque ‘Low Route’. The last 1 – 3 km of the climb (depending on whether you take the ‘Low’ or ‘High’ route) is on gravel road and is definitely the lowlight of the day (see cable car info box below on how to skip this). On the plus side, in good weather, you’ll have excellent views of Ushba, Tetnuldi, and many more impressive snowy peaks.

Adishi village feels more remote than any other on the trek, nestled in a narrow valley far from the main Mestia to Ushguli road. It only comes into view at the very last moment of your hike and looks particularly impressive with a golden hour glow. The quality of guesthouses here is generally not as good. The hosts are used to catering to hikers staying just one night during trekking season, rather than benefiting from year-round tourism and multi-day stays (which tends to encourage better service levels).

Our GPX/KML track follows the ‘High Route’ outlined above.

CHVABIANI → LOW ROUTE TURN-OFF | 5.3 km | + 851 m / – 7 m | 2 – 3 hours

Chvabiani → low route turn-off, 5.3 km | + 851 m / – 7 m, 2 – 3 hours.

The trails from Chvabiani and Zhabeshi meet on the hillside above the villages, so there’s no need to continue along the road to Zhabeshi if you stayed in Chvabiani.

Either way, the morning starts with a heart pumping climb the moment you leave your guesthouse. There are many small trails, gullies, and fenced off fields near the start, so keep an eye on your GPS to stay on track.

It’s a fairly steady climb for about 2-3 hours, depending on how often you stop. The trail alternates between forest sections and open hillside. There are a few steeper parts here and there, with the trail flattening out a bit as you approach the road. The mountain views get increasingly more impressive as you climb higher.

In late September, we found the springs marked on Maps.me to be dry, with no water source until we reached the stream on the ‘high route’. If you’re hiking later in the season, we recommend leaving your guesthouse with enough water to last the duration of the climb.

Emerging at the wide gravel road leading up to Tetnuldi ski resort is a bit jarring, especially with the mammoth cable car pylon looming overhead. From here it’s less than 1 km and a climb of 120 metres on the road to reach the turn-off for the low route to Adishi (signposted).

Following this trail will soon lead you past a small cafe hut, and down to Adishi in around an hour.

Look back on the climb for mountain views: the twin peaks of Ushba on the left, Chatyn-Tau on the right

LOW ROUTE TURN-OFF → ADISHI (VIA HIGH ROUTE) | 7.2 km | + 333 m / – 686 m | 2 – 3 hours

Low route turn-off → adishi (via high route), 7.2 km | + 333 m / – 686 m.

If, like us, you opt for the high route, then you’ve still got a bit to climb on the energy-sapping road. To reach the turn-off for the high trail, marked with a white ‘Peak Tetnuld’ trekking signpost, climb another 250 metres and walk 2 km further.

The views of Tetnuldi and the surrounding valleys are wonderful, but after a long slog uphill on the road, it does feel a bit like the scenic stretch of high trail is over in a flash before you start descending. It takes around 45 minutes to hike the undulating trail, from the turn-off to the start of the steep grassy descent. Around halfway, you cross a small stream which is perfect for filling up water.

Approaching the end of the road section and the start of the high route to Adishi

There’s not much of a trail to follow on the descent, so pay close attention to your GPS track and watch your footing – the final section before joining the low route trail is the steepest and hiking poles are a good idea. It takes 45 minutes or so to descend. Once you’ve joined the low route it’s a short distance downhill to the picturesquely situated village of Adishi.

The village of Adishi looking particularly dramatic in the late afternoon sun with overcast skies

Adishi village looking particularly dramatic in the late afternoon sun with overcast skies

Phone reception is very poor here, so don’t expect to be able to use your data. If there’s anything essential you want to check (upcoming weather for example), check it up on the hillside beforehand.

SKIP THE ROAD, TAKE THE CABLE CAR

If you’re keen to take the more scenic ‘high route’ to Adishi, you can skip the 330 metre climb on gravel road by taking the lowest line of the Tetnuldi Cable Car. You’ll bypass the least enjoyable part of the day, and from the exit station it’s an easy stroll to the turn-off for the high trail.

The usual trail from Chvabiani/Zhabeshi emerges from the forest around 1 km uphill from the entry cable car station. So if you want to take the cable car, it’s better to take an alternative route up from Chvabiani/Zhabeshi which will take you right to the station. This route is marked on Maps.me, leaving the main route approx. 1 km from and 150 metres above the villages. Of course, it’s best to check in advance that the cable car is actually operating.

DAY 3 | ADISHI → IPRALI

17 – 19 km | + 903 / – 1025 m | 5 – 8 hours, adishi → iprali, 17 – 19 km, + 903 m / – 1025 m, 5 – 8 hours.

DAY 3 ACCOMMODATION

Day 3 is the undoubted highlight of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. You get up close to the magnificent Adishi glacier and spend almost the entire day on trail surrounded by mountains. It’s the longest day in terms of both distance and time, but the ascent to Chkhunderi Pass involves much less of a climb than the day before. Whether you’re crossing the Adishchala river on foot or by horse, aim to get there in the morning before glacier meltwater swells it further.

To prolong the ‘remote’ feeling, the largely abandoned Khalde village makes a good overnight stop instead of Iprali.

ADISHI → ADISHCHALA RIVER | 5.6 km | + 226 m / – 41 m | 1.5 – 2 hours

Adishi → adishchala river, 5.6 km | + 226 m / – 41 m.

From Adishi the trail meanders along the hillside for around 5 km, with the Adishchala river flowing to your right. There’s one notable fork in the trail. When you reach it, look for the waymarked rock and take the left path.

As you round the corner after an hour and a half or so, the magnificent Adishi Glacier comes into view. Keep following the trail until it reaches the riverbank. You need to cross this river one way or another in order to continue up the tree-covered hillside opposite. Depending on the time of year, the river can be a wide, deep, fast flowing torrent of water, or an altogether less threatening beast.

CROSSING THE ADISHCHALA RIVER

Crossing the adishchala.

When the river is high , from spring till late August/early September, the safest and easiest way to cross is by horse. During the peak trekking season (July-August), local guys hang around by the river in the morning, charging about 30 GEL to carry you and your backpack across. You can also hire a horse from your guesthouse in Adishi if you are trekking outside of peak season and want to guarantee a horse for the crossing (expect this to cost more).

In September and October , the water level is at its lowest , making a crossing on foot usually more manageable. The water is still pretty fast flowing but is likely to be below your knees. It is absolutely freezing though, literally glacier meltwater, so it’s best to cross quickly but carefully and spend as little time in the water as possible.

In our experience, crossing in late September, the river was about 5 – 6 metres wide. The actual point to cross wasn’t as obvious as we were expecting (the usual telltale cluster of horses and trekkers by the crossing was absent), and there were steep embankments on the opposite side. We looked up and downriver for a while, scouting out the best place to cross, eventually settling on the spot marked on Maps.me (not the spot marked on the TCT GPX track). It looked easy enough to clamber up the embankment on the other side, where we assumed (correctly) that we’d pick up the trail.

A good place to ford the Adishchala river on foot, a little further upstream from where the horses usually cross

We recommend changing into sandals for the crossing. It is a good idea to use hiking poles for stability and checking the depth. They also help you check for obstacles before each step. You cannot see the bottom and there are rocks underfoot.

If in doubt about crossing the Adishchala, go with the safest option and hire a horse. Accidents can (and have) happened, with people being swept off their feet and carried far down river. In water this cold, hypothermia will kick in very quickly, so don’t take any unnecessary risks.

ADISHCHALA RIVER → CHKHUNDERI PASS | 2.4 km | + 457 m | 1 – 2 hours

Adishchala river → chkhunderi pass, 2.4 km | + 457 m, 1 – 2 hours.

Once you’ve crossed the Adishchala River, the trail up to the Chkhunderi Pass is quite obvious. The initial section is narrow and can be overgrown, with some steep bits here and there. Beyond the initial switchbacks there is a wonderful viewpoint looking straight across to Adishi Glacier, marked as ‘splendid view of the glacier’ on Maps.me (and we’d have to agree!).

Shortly after this viewpoint you’ll reach a spring where you can fill water. The rocky bit of trail leading up to it is a bit wet so watch your footing. From the spring, the trail makes a sharp right turn and starts heading south-west towards the pass. It becomes wider, with more open views as you climb above the trees and enter rhododendron land. The last stretch towards the pass is nice and flat. If you’re trekking in Autumn, the colours around here are glorious.

Coming off the trail to appreciate the face-to-face view of Adishi Glacier

RIDGE SIDE HIKE (RETURN) | 1.4 km | +/- 96 m | 30 mins

Ridge side hike (return), 1.4 km | +/- 96 m.

From Chkhunderi Pass there is an easy, well trodden trail leading along the ridge to the left. It’s well worth the short side hike to the viewpoint, which is around 100 metres higher than the pass itself. The views of Adishi Glacier are spectacular, as are those of the mountains and glaciers to the east. You can dump your bag at the pass and make the trip there and back in about 30 minutes.

Looking northeast from the ridge viewpoint on a dramatic day of light and shadow

CHKHUNDERI PASS → KHALDESCHALA VALLEY | 2.8 km | – 473 m | 45 – 60 mins

Chkhunderi pass → khaldeschala valley, 2.8 km | – 473 m, 45 – 60 mins.

The descent to the Khaldeschala valley takes around an hour. The trail works its way down an open grassy hillside, crossing a stream about halfway where you can fill water. There are some slightly overgrown sections further down, and the final part of the descent to the old shepherds’ huts and trekking signpost is a bit steep.

KHALDESCHALA VALLEY → IPRALI | 6.8 km, + 220 m / – 511 m | 1.5 – 2 hours

Khaldeschala valley → iprali, 6.8 km | + 220 m / – 511 m.

Turning right at the signpost, the trail turns into an old, disused road, and runs high up above the Khaldeschala river. It’s an easy walk, gently descending for around 4 km to Khalde village. The road crosses a few streams and has impressive views down into a narrow gorge at one point. Just don’t get too close to the edge!

Khalde village is largely abandoned. Ruined houses and towers are all that remain besides the Khalde Guesthouse, and the brand new Qaldea Resort tucked into the hillside below. It makes for a more atmospheric overnight stay than Iprali in our opinion, but Khalde Guesthouse was closed and Qaldea Resort was still under construction when we passed through, so we didn’t have the pleasure.

Continue for a further 2.9 km on a wide dirt road to reach Iprali, a small village that sits above the Mestia – Ushguli road.

The sun shines through after rain

Mountain peaks and moody skies

The river rushing through the gorge

DAY 4 | IPRALI → USHGULI

12.5 km | + 632 m / – 511 m | 3.5 – 5 hours, iprali → ushguli, + 632 m / – 511 m, 3.5 – 5 hours.

DAY 4 ACCOMMODATION

Day 4, the final section on the Mestia to Ushguli trek, can be a very different experience depending on the route you choose to take. The road connecting Iprali and Ushguli is one option, but a soul destroying one if you ask us. A much more enjoyable hike can be had on a forested hillside trail running high above the valley floor, connecting with the dusty road only for a short time towards the end.

Ushguli feels different yet again from the other villages visited on the trek. It’s a sprawling collection of four villages, with old towers and houses tumbling down the hillside, and the impressive Shkhara Mountain looming behind. Original stone roofed dwellings sit beside more practical metal-roofed homes, a hodgepodge of old meets new which is characteristic of many remote Georgian mountain communities these days. If you’re expecting a time-warped village, this isn’t it, but it remains an atmospheric place nonetheless.

IPRALI → DAVBERI | 2.6 km | + 79 m / – 200 m | 45 – 60 mins

Iprali → davberi, 2.6 km | + 79 m / – 200 m.

The dirt road continues from Iprali all the way down to the river where it joins the main Mestia to Ushguli road. Before you reach the car bridge, turn left up a trail between old houses. Climb the small wooden ladder over the gate and continue around to the right, on an overgrown grassy trail behind the houses. This leads straight up to Davberi village.

DAVBERI → USHGULI ROAD | 7 km | + 473 m / – 264 m | 2 – 3 hours

Davberi → ushguli road, 7 km | + 473 m / – 264 m.

Make a hairpin left turn immediately at the first house in Davberi. Continue up the path, ignoring the trails leading off to the right and left. The wider path curves northward and turns into a narrow rocky trail with steep grassy embankments either side. After a short, steep climb through this gully, the trail turns to the right and heads east.

You’ll keep climbing to an altitude of around 2100 m before the trail becomes more undulating and finally leads back to the road. This section of the route alternates between open fields, grassy hillsides, and dense forest, with a couple of short but steep parts after the second stream. It was the most overgrown trail we experienced on the entire Mestia to Ushguli hike, but easy to follow once you’re on it.

Campers – note that there are two spots marked for camping on Maps.me and other OSM apps along this trail, but we found both to be completely overgrown and unsuitable.

The Mestia to Ushguli road snaking through the valley far below

Forested section of the trail

The Mestia to Ushguli road snaking through the valley below the trail

ROAD → USHGULI | 2.9 km | + 80 m / – 47 m | 45 – 60 mins

Road → ushguli, 2.9 km | + 80 m / – 47 m.

Joining the dusty road you’ll soon spot the ‘Ushguli’ sign signalling the imminent end of your trek. Thankfully, you don’t have to walk on it for too long. Branch off to the right when you reach the fork (at the ‘Right Way’ sign). A less busy road leads up through Murkmeli village, the first in the Ushguli community.

You can continue on the road but it’s more pleasant to cross the bridge over the Enguri river, just beyond the houses. Climb a few metres up the grassy hillside and continue on a trail heading east, parallel to the river. You’ll pass through a couple of gates*, then over a bridge to Chazhashi, the lower of the three villages making up the main part of Ushguli.

The upper villages of the Ushguli community

Depending on your schedule and/or choice of accommodation, you can carry on up the rocky dirt streets through Chvibiani and Zhibiani, the middle and top villages of Ushguli. The views of Shkhara and other snowcapped peaks are usually best appreciated from the very top of Ushguli, in the morning before the clouds set in.

*Note that as of 2021, one of those gates now has a private property sign and the owners are charging 2 GEL for passage.

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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM GEORGIA’S MOST POPULAR TREK

The Mestia to Ushguli trek is Georgia’s most popular trek by some distance. If people travelling to the country do only one multi-day hike, it’s very likely to be this one. As mentioned above, it’s scenic and culturally interesting, but not overly challenging, making it suitable for people with wide ranging experience and fitness levels.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that most popular doesn’t necessarily mean the best. There has been a lot of exaggerated stuff written about this hike. It has frequently been described as ‘stunning’ and ‘remote’, but in our opinion, much of the route is quite ordinary. Day 3 from Adishi to Khalde/Iprali is the clear standout, with exceptional glacier and mountain views, plus the excitement of the river crossing. But on the whole, we felt that it ranked well below many other multi-day treks in Georgia. And in Svaneti itself, the two days before Mestia, from Etseri to Mazeri and Mazeri to Mestia , have much more appeal than the majority of the Mestia to Ushguli trek.

The views of Adishi Glacier help provide some ‘wow’ moments on the Mestia to Ushguli trek

Nonetheless, it remains a great option for the reasons previously outlined. We just think it’s important to recognise that there are many other trekking options in Georgia. We also hope that more people travel to Svaneti without the ‘Mestia to Ushguli’ blinkers on, so they don’t miss out on some of the best scenery and hiking the region has to offer.

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we can answer questions, give advice, review your existing itinerary, or use the time to talk about anything else trip related, plus we’ll send a follow up email with links and notes about what we discuss

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includes a video consultation, plus detailed day-by-day pdf itinerary, accommodation and/or camping suggestions, and an accompanying digital route map

Whether you’re planning a Georgia trek, road trip, or backpacking adventure, just get in touch via our contact page to let us know your rough plans and the kind of support you would like and we’ll get back to you with options and detailed pricing

WHEN TO TREK FROM MESTIA TO USHGULI

Unlike Tusheti , Svaneti is accessible year-round, however the hiking trails are covered in snow in winter and many guesthouses close. The trekking season usually extends from mid-June to mid-October, with July to September being the ideal trekking time. The trail is generally quieter at the start and end of the season. It can be very rainy in June, meaning lush green hillsides but cloudy skies and swollen rivers. Water levels tend to be much lower from September, making the river crossing easier, but leaving some springs dry.

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MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK PRACTICALITIES

Hiking the Transcaucasian Trail between Mestia and Ushguli takes most people 4 days, although it’s possible to combine Days 1 and 2, completing the trek in 3 days. Guesthouses are available in villages along the way, but there are plenty of places to camp if you prefer. We’ve covered a few practicalities below to help you prepare for your trek.

CAMPING AND GUESTHOUSES

It is possible to stay in guesthouses every night on the Mestia to Ushguli trek. The usual stops are in Chvabiani or Zhabeshi, Adishi, Khalde or Iprali, and finally in Ushguli. Guesthouses offer meals, private rooms, and shared bathrooms. Dinner, bed, and breakfast is normally 70 – 80 GEL per person.

Of course, you don’t have to stay in guesthouses. If you prefer to camp you can do so for the entire trek, carrying food supplies with you or eating in guesthouses along the way. We’ve marked possible camp spots on our map and we cover guesthouses in more detail below.

There are cafes and restaurants in Mestia and a few in Ushguli, but the only place to buy meals during the hike is at guesthouses (you can eat at them even if you are camping). It is usually around 10 GEL for breakfast or lunch, and 15 – 20 GEL for dinner. It’s a good idea to bring some hiking snacks with you from Mestia, such as dried fruit, nuts or Snickers.

Guesthouse meals generally consist of potatoes, soup, chistvari (fried corn bread stuffed with cheese), Khachapuri, cheese, salad, and bread. Breakfast often resembles dinner a little too closely, with the addition of eggs. You can ask for Khachapuri to carry with you for lunch, or pay for a ‘lunch box’ which will usually include tomatoes, cucumber, a boiled egg, bread, etc.

There are streams and mountain springs situated along the trail. Some springs run dry later in the season, so be aware that those marked on mapping apps can’t always be relied upon. Personally, we always sterilise drinking water collected from streams (using a Steripen ), and we recommend you use your prefered sterilisation method to do the same. For good, ready-to-drink water there are taps in almost every village, and you can also fill up at guesthouses.

Traditional Svan tower in Cholashi on Day 1 of the Mestia to Ushguli trek

MAPS AND NAVIGATION

The Mestia to Ushguli hiking trail is waymarked and signposted. However, it’s advisable to use an offline mapping app such as Maps.me, Gaia, or OSMand to follow the route via GPS. You can download our KML/GPX tracks to use with these apps. The Transcaucasian Trail website also has a downloadable KMZ file of the route .

There are ATMs in Mestia but nowhere else in Svaneti. Bring enough cash (in small denominations) to pay for meals and guesthouses. Cards are not accepted. Budget 70 – 80 GEL per person per night for dinner, bed, and breakfast.

PHONE RECEPTION AND INTERNET

You can’t rely on phone reception and a data connection for the entire Mestia to Ushguli trek. However, in most villages and at many places on the trail you will be able to get a signal with a Magticom SIM. Service is particularly patchy around Adishi. Remember to set any webpages you want to reference on the trail to ‘read offline’ beforehand.

WEATHER FORECASTS

Yr.no ( iOS / Android ) and Windy ( iOS / Android ) are the best weather apps we know of. They don’t work offline, but are very useful for checking the weather in advance. Mountain Forecast is also helpful for detailed weather reports in the areas around significant peaks such as Tetnuldi and Shkhara. If you have a Garmin InReach like us, you can get weather reports at any location.

Looking back towards Adishi from Chkhunderi Pass on a day of dramatic weather

Looking back towards Adishi from Chkhunderi Pass on a day of changeable and dramatic weather

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR TREKKING AT ALTITUDE

It’s important to note that most travel insurance providers will only cover hiking up to a certain altitude as standard (often 2500 m or 3000 m). In order to be covered for hiking above this, you will probably need to add on an ‘activity pack’ or such like. The highest point on the Mestia to Ushguli trek sits above 2700 m, so make sure you check in advance whether your travel insurance policy covers you or not.

  Whether you are currently in your home country or are already travelling, two travel insurance policy providers that can cover for hiking above 3000 m are World Nomads (for residents of 140+ countries) and True Traveller (for UK and EEA residents only). We have purchased travel insurance policies from both of these companies in the past. We have found their policies to be comprehensive, and their online claims and extension processes straightforward.

If you still need to organise your travel insurance, we’d suggest getting a quote from each to see which suits you best.

TREK MORE OF THE TRANSCAUCASIAN TRAIL IN SVANETI

MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK PACKING LIST

There are a number of things we recommend packing in order to make your Mestia to Ushguli trek run smoothly and safely. We’ve compiled some useful lists and provided more info below.

ALL WEATHER CLOTHING

Make sure you pack clothing for all weather eventualities. The weather can be very unpredictable, change quickly, and vary greatly between the lower and higher altitudes. You need waterproofs and layers (including a base layer, mid layer, and outer layer) . Ideally your base layers should be made from merino wool or sweat-wicking material. Avoid jeans or any cotton materials – if they get wet they are heavy, take forever to dry, and you’ll get cold easily. A hat, gloves and sunglasses are also needed. Make sure you have proper footwear (ideally hiking boots ) that are broken in already. It’s a good idea to pack a pair of sandals too for the wearing around camp/guesthouses.

CLOTHING LIST

Merino T-Shirts x 2 His / Hers

Merino Thermal Baselayer His / Hers (if camping)

Merino Thermal Leggings His / Hers (if camping)

Merino Underwear His/ Hers

Sports Bra x 2

Fleece His / Hers

Down Jacket (if early/late in season) His / Hers

Rain Jacket/Shell His / Hers

Waterproof Trousers His / Hers

Quick Drying Hiking Trousers (preferably with zip-off shorts) His / Hers

Trousers to wear around camp/guesthouses (Lightweight, similar to above)

Trekking Socks x 2 His / Hers

Warm Socks for night x 1 (if early/late in season)

Gloves Liner & Waterproof Outer

Warm Hat (if early/late in season)

Hiking Boots His / Hers

Sandals for evening

Bandana Soak it in the river and tie it round your neck or wrists to keep you cool

Belt You might lose weight on the trek!

HIKING GEAR

You’ll need the usual hiking gear, such as a backpack , hiking poles , a refillable water bottle or water bladder , a water purification method , a first aid kit , rubbish bags for carrying out all your waste, a headtorch , and suncream .

HIKING GEAR CHECKLIST

50-70L Backpack + rain cover

Hiking Poles

Water Bladder / Water Bottle

Water Purifier (eg. Steripen , purification tablets , LifeStraw , etc.)

First Aid Kit

Maps (offline GPS + paper)

Rubbish Bag(s)

Basic Toiletries

Toilet Paper

Toilet Trowel 

Hand Sanitiser

CAMPING EQUIPMENT

If you plan to camp, you’ll need a tent , sleeping mat , and sleeping bag . We always like to have a pillow and sleeping liner too. You’ll also need a small burner , gas canister and cooking supplies if you want a hot meal. You can rent camping gear at MPlus in Tbilisi. You can buy screw-in style camping gas at Geoland or MPlus in Tbilisi, and in various shops along the main street in Mestia.

CAMPING CHECKLIST

Sleeping mat

Sleeping bag

 Tent 

Small camping stove

Gas for stove (buy at MPlus or Geoland in Tbilisi)

Biodegradable washing up liquid

ELECTRONICS

A power bank is always a good idea for charging your phone, camera batteries, etc. However, you’re never far from an electricity supply when trekking from Mestia to Ushguli. Just remember to pack an adapter for charging at guesthouses .

SEE OUR COMPLETE HIKING GEAR

SEE OUR BACKPACKING CAMPING GEAR

CHECK OUT OUR BACKPACKING CAMPING GEAR

MESTIA TO USHGULI GUESTHOUSES

The main villages offering guesthouse accommodation along the Mestia to Ushguli trail are Chvabiani and Zhabeshi (Day 1), Adishi (Day 2), Khalde , Iprali , and Lalkhori (Day 3), and Ushguli (Day 4). They usually charge around 70 – 80 GEL per person for dinner, bed & breakfast. It’s also possible to get a packed lunch (often referred to as a ‘lunch box’), or indeed no meals at all (but with nowhere else to eat along the trail, it makes sense to always include the meals in your stay).

Some places offer rooms with private bathrooms but most have shared facilities. Guesthouses provide bedding and towels. Some places will serve dinner and breakfast at one set time, especially if many guests are staying, while others will serve meals at a time you request.

It’s possible to book via booking.com for guesthouses in each of the villages, and if you’re hiking in July or August it’s a good idea to book accommodation in advance . If you prefer not to, there are usually guesthouses available which don’t have online booking, so you should be able to find a bed somewhere but you might have to hunt around a bit. It’s also possible to ask your guesthouse to call ahead and book your next guesthouse for you.

DAY 0 | MESTIA ACCOMMODATION

There are endless accommodation options in Mestia. We highly recommend Mushkudiani Manor , a medium sized guesthouse (5 rooms with 3 shared bathrooms) by the river with wonderful tower views. It’s run by a very welcoming family, and Nino makes a great breakfast. It’s located close to the start of the Mestia to Ushguli trail, as well as the Dede Pub and Cinema. Another good option recommended by friends is Guest House Keti Margiani , an attractive stone and wood building near the top of the cobbled street on the trail as you enter Mestia. You can search many more Mestia accommodation options on booking.com .

DAY 1 | CHVABIANI AND ZHABESHI ACCOMMODATION

There are a lot of guesthouses in the neighbouring villages of Chvabiani and Zhabeshi. We stayed at Maizer Qaldani Guesthouse in Chvabiani and highly recommend it. Maizer is very proud of his Svan heritage and happy to share Svan culture with you. You can go up his brother’s 900 year old tower and check out his family ‘museum’, an original tower house complete with hand-carved wooden barn, furnishings, and other items of ethnographic interest. The food is good and the family are very friendly. For more options in the area, check out booking.com .

DAY 2 | ADISHI ACCOMMODATION

Adishi feels more remote than any other overnight stop on the hike. The village is tucked away up a side valley, away from the main Mestia to Ushguli road. We wouldn’t particularly recommend the guesthouse that stayed at in Adishi, so if we returned we’d opt for Stone House Marexi or Elisabeth’s Guesthouse which both get good reviews and are reasonably priced. For more Adishi accommodation options check out booking.com .

DAY 3 | KHALDE, IPRALI AND LALKHORI ACCOMMODATION

Khalde is the first village you come to after crossing the Chkunderi Pass. Most of the houses are abandoned or partially destroyed, with just one guesthouse, Guesthouse Khalde , and the new Qaldea Resort offering accommodation. About 3 km further on is Iprali village, with a few more guesthouses including Betegi Guesthouse , Guesthouse Ucha (+995595557470), and Iprari Family Hotel (+995599250578). Lalkhori village is about 1.6 km further down the road and has three guesthouses, Sweet Home , Bezengi Guesthouse , and Guesthouse Robinzon Lalkhori .

DAY 4 | USHGULI ACCOMMODATION

There are many accommodation options in Ushguli, mainly spread across the middle and upper parts of the community. We had a great stay at Guesthouse Angelina  which is near Lamaria Church at the very top of the village (if you’ve seen Dede you might recognise the mum, Shorena, as the doctor from the film). Other places that come recommended include XII Century , Nizharadze’s Tower , Guesthouse Qaldea , and Caucasus Guesthouse . You can browse many more options on booking.com .

GETTING TO/FROM MESTIA/USHGULI

How to get to mestia.

Zugdidi is the main hub for public transport to Mestia. Marshrutkas leave from Zugdidi train station regularly from early morning until early afternoon (the last leaves around 1430). It takes 3 – 4 hours and costs 40 GEL. From Mestia to Zugdidi, marshrutkas depart from the main square at 8am, 12pm, and 2pm.

From Mestia to Zugdidi, marshrutkas depart from the main square at 8am, 12pm, and 2pm.

From Tbilisi, the best way to get to Zugdidi is by train. Search and book tickets via matarabeli.ge , tickets.railway.ge , or tkt.ge .

From Kutaisi, a direct marshrutka departs for Mestia from the bus station near McDonalds at 1000. Go early to secure a seat.

It’s also possible to fly from Kutaisi or Natakhtari (near Tbilisi) to Mestia with Vanilla Sky . Seats are very reasonably priced, however it’s a small plane and they book out far in advance, especially in peak summer season.

HOW TO LEAVE USHGULI

A taxi from Ushguli to Mestia costs 150+ GEL.

While a marshrutka does go between Ushguli and Mestia, the driver is unlikely to allow you on board. This is because Ushguli taxi drivers purportedly prevent tourists from using the marshrutkas in an effort to force them all to pay for taxis, and the marshrutka drivers don’t want trouble with the Ushguli locals.

Taking a marshrutka from Mestia to Ushguli is more straightforward. They depart in the morning from the main square in Mestia and cost 20 GEL per person.

It’s also possible to drive from Ushguli to Kutaisi via Zagari Pass and Lentekhi (163 km) with a 4×4 vehicle, assuming the road is clear of landslides. No public transport goes this way though, so you will need to hire a private car and driver for approx 400 GEL. Alternatively, you could arrange a vehicle to take you over Zagari Pass to Mele village (38 km), from where you can take the daily marshrutka to Kutaisi at around 6am. There is a guesthouse in Mele (+995599246499).

HIKE FROM JUTA TO ROSHKA

ADD-ON TREKS/HIKES

For an extended trek through Svaneti, start your hike further west in Chuberi. This way you can hike the entire completed section of the Transcaucasian Trail in the region, from Chuberi to Mestia and then from Mestia to Ushguli, over 8+ days.

A great option for connecting Upper and Lower Svaneti is the 1 – 2 day hike from Ushguli to Chvelpi, via Latpari Pass . From Chvelpi village a marshrutka goes directly to Kutaisi. The first half of the hike is very scenic and it makes a great alternative to going all the way back to Zugdidi by road.

THANKS FOR READING!

If you’ve found this guide helpful, please consider leaving us a small tip. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps cover the costs of running this blog.

Kim and Del Hogg

If you’ve found this guide helpful, please consider leaving us a small tip.

Your support is greatly appreciated and helps cover the costs of running this blog.

That’s the lot for our Mestia to Ushguli trekking guide. If you have any useful info to add or stories to share, get in touch through the comments section below. Equally, if you have any questions, let us know and we’ll do our best to answer them. And if you’re planning your own trek, good luck and enjoy!

ORGANISE YOUR TRIP

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We did this trek in July 2024. Two adults and a 16 year old boy. The trek was challenging but not too hard. It was one of the most beautiful treks we have ever done. Some comments: 1. In July the wild flowers are in full bloom. This is a wonderful time to do this trek. 2. Before or after the trek, go and see the movie Dede. It’s showing in Mestia at the Dede Cafe at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 pm. It shows how people lived in Ushguli only 30 years ago. The movie also shows in …  Read more »

Hi, thank you for your amazing and helpfull posts about hiking in Georgia. I am wondering how heavy your backpacks were when you did the hike? Since I am going to stay more than one night in Ushguli and already travelling relatively light, I would like to hike with my normal backpack. Do you think that I should store just some of my things in Mestia, or will it not be necessary? – Oline

Hi Oline, we always end up carrying heavier backpacks than most people because we have all of our camera gear, etc. I guess it depends on how much you are used to carrying, and feel comfortable with. Around 12 kg is a good max weight to aim for. You can stay in guesthouses every night, so there is no need to carry food or camping gear, which makes it easier to keep your backpack weight down. But if you have extra stuff with you that you don’t need, it’s no problem to leave it in Mestia, your guesthouse should be …  Read more »

Thank you, it is nice to have a bag weight to compare with. I will defintely have your tips in mind when I decide what to bring with me on the trek and what not to. Since I loved hiking in Kazbegi, I can almost not wait to go to Svaneti and hike! Thanks again and have a nice day!

Hi, thank you for this wonderfull and really helpfull guide. I am going to use it as the main source for our trip to Georgian mountains this July. Just a quick question: do you need to book the guesthouses on the way in advance? Thanks a lot, Adéla

Hi Adela, that’s great you’ll be hiking in the Georgian mountains this summer : ) On busier trails such as Mestia to Ushguli it is a good idea to book guesthouses in advance. This way you know you definitely have a bed for the night, you don’t have to spend time checking lots of different guesthouses when you arrive in a village to find one with a room available, and you can choose a guesthouse you like, instead of ending up in a not so great guesthouse because it’s the only one available. And of course, there is always a …  Read more »

Hi Kim, thank you for your reply and a helpfull advice, I did as you adviced me and already booked the accomodation. We will be staying at a few pretty amazing places. Thank you one again for this guide and I wish you great day and many, many more adventures. 🙂

Hi Adela, that’s good to hear, have a great time on your trek!

Thank you Kim for this detailed article! I am going to visit Georgia during next 30 days with my (sedan) car; I don’t have enough time for a 4 days hike from Mestia to Ushguli but I really like to hike until Adishi Glacier viewpoint; Is it possible to drive to Iprali village and then hike up to the Adishi Glacier viewpoint with a light backpack and return to Iprali on the same day?

Hi Omid, thank you, glad you find this article helpful! It is possible to hike from Iprali to the pass at Chkhunderi where you’ll have wonderful views, and then back again. It would be about 20 km return. It’s also possible to drive to Adishi village, and walk to the bottom of the glacier from there (about 12 km return with much less climbing), or cross the river and hike up the hill to the “splendid view of the glacier” (an extra 1km or so). Comparing the two, I think the walk from Adishi is nicer as it is on …  Read more »

Thanks a lot for your Mestia to Usguli trekking guide! Just two remarks around Adishi: High route to Adishi was wonderful, with possibility to get close to Tenuldi ski resort infrastructure and imagine this place in winter. In Adishi at Elisabeth’s Guesthouse I first time felt as Tourist on its worth meaning (tourist means money no meter what you get for it), sadly☹.

You’re welcome! We definitely agree with you about the high route to Adishi. We didn’t take the low route but surely the views couldn’t compare? Sadly, we and others have had similar experiences in Adishi itself, at a variety of different guesthouses.

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Frugal Travellers

Join us as we wander the globe, mestia to ushguli trek.

This is my account of the 4 day Mestia to Ushguli trek amongst some of the most awe inspiring scenery and villages of Svaneti. It explains our journey in detail and gives tips and advice on how to organise this excellent trek independently on a budget .

Why trek from Mestia to Ushguli?

Trekking in Georgia is sublime. On the nature side, it has high mountains, glaciers, deep forested valleys, and wild running rivers. On the cultural side it has historic picturesque villages; friendly and hospitable people, and delicious and unique food to sample.

There is a good reason the Mestia to Ushguli trek is by far the most popular in Georgia. It has all of the above in spades. The villages are littered with these incredible Svaneti stone towers that give them a magical, medieval aura. It simply is an awe-inspiring and dramatic hike through some of the best scenery in the Caucasus.

To top it off the Mestia to Ushguli trek is an relatively easy, comfortable trek over an undulating landscape, the longest day being 7 hours long. The trail is reasonably easy to follow and the villages en route offer accommodating guest houses with excellent food. No need to carry a heavy backpack!

For these reasons I chose to trek from Mestia to Ushguli. While Mandy took some time off relaxing in Mestia, I teamed up with Gabriel, a Swiss trekker I met in the hostel there and together we hit the trail.

Mestia to Ushguli trek description

Day 1 – mestia to chvabiani – 5 hours.

It was not a great start as i’d slipped on the wet bathroom floor the night before and smashed my elbow on the floor. It left a deep wound and a painful bruise so I could hardly move my arm. Not to be perturbed, we began walking after a leisurely start at 10.30 am from Mestia. First we stopped for some supplies including fresh baked bread, still hot out of the tandoor and delicious lobiani (large bread boats filled with bean paste). Very tasty snacks.

We walked towards the edge of Mestia and then raced back to buy an emergency supply of sun block. The sun was already burning our necks and supplies were low. We knew 4 days of exposure could be bad news for us so erred on the side of caution and bought enough to keep us covered. Leaving Mestia, we followed the excellent hiking instructions on Caucasustrekking.com and used maps.me which gave us a good idea of what trail to follow.

Leaving Mestia on the Mestia to Ushguli trek

It was a little difficult finding the route as some signs out of Mestia are missing but there are plenty of the red and white trail markers to lead the way. Later in the trek we came upon red ribbons tied to trees and bushes to guide us also. We crossed the fast flowing river with an impressive view back to the collection of watch towers looming over the town.

After hanging a left we started ascending a steep, rough road which turned into a track leading up the valley wall. The trail climbed higher and a side trail took us up a steeper, muddy bank to a fantastic view point at the top of the ridge. It was worth a long rest stop here to admire the scenery looking back down on Mestia below and the snow capped mountains beyond. Clouds perched on top of the peaks giving it a mystical vibe as we gazed in awe at the spectacle.

Over the pass

It was a short hike on to summit the pass and grab an even more dramatic view of the Mulkhura valley spreading away to the east. This was a clear view of what the rest of our days walking had in store for us and the best part was it was mostly downhill from here on. We could see the small hamlets of Murshkeli, Lakhiri and Chomasli spread out below us. Their watch towers stood, like dominos’ lining up the valley into the distance.

The high trail

There are two trails, one descending directly onto the valley floor and following the road through the low villages. We took the high trail with its more dramatic views over the valley and the Mulkhura river below. We walked and talked, enjoying the pleasant sunny day and slowly descended into these villages.

Stepping back in time

Approaching Lakhiri was the highlight. We rounded a corner and it stood in front of us, stone watchtowers surrounding a medieval stone hamlet with a mountain backdrop. Pigs and piglets frolicked in the muddy lanes and a curly horned goat eyed us disapprovingly over a crumbling wall. It was like we’d stepped back in time 500 years.

The path crosses a gurgling side stream on wobbly wooden planks and then slowly dips down to the river side. The Mulkhura river was running high and fast, carrying melt water and debris down from the mountains. The washed out bridges were a sure sign of the power of this river. We walked with two young German students for a while, all of us drunk on the pleasure of the beautiful, bucolic vistas.

Finding some shade on the river bank we stopped to eat a picnic. We’d let time pass us by and had a late lunch as we had gotten carried away with our fine journey.

To Chvabiani

Only a short walk on, and we crossed the metal bridge that took us to our destination, Chvabiani village. At the top of the hill, past more stone buildings and towers were our beds for the night at Vodo’s guest house. The owner invited us in and made us welcome. It was 3.45 pm, just over 5 hours after leaving Mestia. Time for a good rest and to enjoy this peaceful place.

Before the sun set I wandered the enigmatic village, photographing the many huge stone towers which were glowing in the golden hues of the late evening. Returning to the guesthouse, 4 old village ladies in traditional black dress, sitting on a wooden bench called me over. We had a basic conversation in my schoolboy Russian and they offered me a drink from a huge jug. It was natural water from a local spring which had a very cloudy look to it. They assured me it was incredibly healthy for my body so I swallowed the lot. It had a warm, sulfurous taste and wasn’t unpleasant. It was a kind gesture of Georgian hospitality that I was to find a common occurrence in this mountain region.

We stayed at – Vodo’s guesthouse . Booked in advance on booking.com. Cost – Bed 15 Lari Dinner 20 Lari Breakfast 15 Lari = Total 50 Lari

Like to hike? Check out Xinaliq – The highest village in Europe

Day 2 – Chvabiani to Adishi – 6 hours

The day began with a steep 800 metre climb up a track following a stream up towards the Tetnuldi ski resort. It was hot and sticky so we were pouring with sweat by the time we reached the top. Our feet were pretty wet too as we had spent so much time hopping across running water and muddy puddles.

Across the Tetnuldi ski resort

The patch comes out onto the open road following the ski lift to the highest point of the day. It is exposed here and unpleasant walking in the heat but fortunately does not last long and the views towards Mount Tetnuldi are impressive.

We followed the trail off to the right where we came across a small wooden cafe with a cracking view. It seemed to be a popular with the other trekkers on the trail so we joined them for a coffee and a rest. From here on it was downhill all the way to Adishi.

Downhill to Adishi

From the cafe it was a gentle downhill descent for 5.5 km to Adishi. The path was easy and comfortable and passed through beautiful open grasslands littered with a dazzling array of colourful wildflowers.

We stopped for a picnic lunch at a wonderful spot half way down in a flower filled field close to an ice cold mountain stream. The idea of bathing was irresistible so the boots came off and we enjoyed a paddle in the refreshing water. A multitude of colourful butterflies fluttered around us and it felt like we were in a true natural paradise.

Into Adishi

Arriving in Adishi late afternoon, we searched for a guesthouse and found a very good one in the centre of the village. After kicking off the boots and donning some more comfortable plastic sandals we did a little exploring. It is a pretty, atmospheric place in a spectacular location which was slowly rebuilt after an avalanche had destroyed many buildings.

Slightly further along the trail from the village is a wooden bridge over a another freezing cold mountain stream. Here we took great delight in bathing and washing some clothes. A group of us, trekkers who had united on the trail, then enjoyed a wonderfully restorative yoga session on the bridge. A perfect location with the water gushing below us.

We feasted yet again in the guesthouse at night. The owners really know how to treat you and we were fed copious portions of great Georgian food. Nine of us sitting round the table couldn’t even come close to finishing this amount of food. This is trekking at its most comfortable! A powerful thunderstorm knocked out the electricity and sent us to bed nice and early.

We stayed at – Family guesthouse . Not booked in advance. Cost – Bed 15 Lari Dinner 20 Lari Breakfast 15 Lari = Total 50 Lari

Like to hike? Check out Fira to Oia hike on Santorini

Day 3 – Adishi to Iprari – 7 hours

Everyone leaves Adishi early so they can attempt the river crossing early in the day when the water level is lower. Our guesthouse offered breakfast at 8am so we managed to get on the trail at 9.30. Our German friends had started at 6.30 but we were not so keen!

The easy path followed the Adishi river upstream for a little over an hour of walking. We then came to the river crossing, downstream from the glacier. Here the gushing, freezing cold glacial melt water is at its narrowest and horsemen wait to ferry trekkers across to the other side.

The Adishi river crossing

At the Adishi river we had two choices. Pay the horsemen 20 Lari to be carried the dozen or so steps across the river or take our boots off, roll up our shorts and wade through ourselves. We chose the latter!

It’s a bit of a scam actually. A bridge could easily span this river but it doesn’t. The horsemen wait at the fastest section which is probably the hardest to cross on foot so tourists just pay the money rather than take the risk. You could easily walk upstream and cross at a wider, shallower section which should be far easier. They have to make a living though I suppose.

The Adishi River Crossing

Into the ice cold water

We watched others cross on foot first to assess the situation. A young couple tried and although he made it easily, she stumbled at the far side and got drenched. I decided to follow his route across similar to the horses. I took my footwear off and wore my rubber sandals which protected my feet from the rocks. The water was running fast and strong but was only knee high at the deepest and I was able to cross without incident.

Next came across three Spanish guys who also crossed comfortably. Together we held out a long branch from the far side which spanned half of the river which helped others with less confidence to get across. They only had to take a few steps before they could grab the end of the branch to help them over.

Tips for crossing the Adishi river

• Watch others cross first and only cross if you are confident
• If the water lever is knee high or below it is safe to cross
• Roll up your shorts as you will be splashed to waist high
• Use a driftwood branch to help others across
• Put your electronics in a dry bag just in case

The only way is up

After the river crossing it is a long 2.3 km uphill hike on a very muddy trail to the Chkhunderi pass, the highest point of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. On the way we reached a wonderful viewpoint back down towards the Adishi glacier below us. This is marked on maps.me as a splendid viewpoint. It certainly is!

The weather was kind to us and the views from the pass were incredible in all directions. It is a great place for a mid-day picnic so we wandered further up the ridge line to a quiet spot away from the many trekkers and sat down to eat and enjoy the scenery.

From here it is a 9.5 km downhill hike, dropping down to the Khaldechala river and following it past Khalde village to Iprari below.

Going off road

Most trekkers stay in Iprari but we could not find any rooms on booking.com in advance so booked a place 1.5 km further on in the quiet hamlet of Khe . We realised this was not really necesary as there seemed to be rooms to be found on arrival in Iprari, even at this peak trekking period in July.

Instead of taking the easy road to Khe we chose the off road option, following a simple track which soon disappeared on us. Soon we were walking muddy tracks, crossing another flowing stream and then finally wading through head high vegetation with nasty nettles that stung our legs. It took one hour to walk the final two km’s km’s so we finally arrived, tired out after 7 long hours on the trail.

We stayed at Raul Darbaz’s guesthouse which was comfortable and very welcoming although the dinner portions were a bit small for someone who had just walked 19 km’s. Raul’s home made wine hit the spot though and he did set up a disco ball on his balcony for our pleasure as we sat talking in the evening!

We stayed at – Raul Lushnu Darbaz guesthouse . Booked in advance on Booking.com. Cost – Bed 20 Lari Dinner 20 Lari Breakfast 15 Lari = Total 55 Lari

Like to hike? Check out the Ala-Kol lake trek – Kyrgyzstan

Day 4 – Iprari to Ushguli – 4 hours

The final day of the hike is the easiest. Only 12 km’s which takes a reasonable 4 hours of walking. The weather finally broke on us and we set out in the rain. After following the main road a while we climbed up onto a path above which follows the ridge above with great views across the valley below. Low cloud among the hills gave it a mystical air.

We eventually dropped back down to the road and then crossed the river below to follow the trail into Ushguli. This is an amazingly dramatic entrance into the village.

The stone houses and medieval towers blend into the surrounding hills. The village is a collection of 4 small hamlets which climb the hill following the Enguri river. What an amazing sight Ushguli is!

We stayed at – Lika guesthouse (next to Chvabiani guesthouse) Not booked in advance. Cost – Bed 20 Lari Dinner and Breakfast 20 Lari = Total 40 Lari

Like to hike? Check out the Lenin Peak trek – Kyrgyzstan

Stay in Ushguli

It is exhilerating to arrive in in this wonderful location at the end of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. The biggest mistake people make is jumping straight onto a marshrutka back to Mestia immediately. This village deserves at least an overnight stay to explore it and its surroundings properly.

We stayed in the Lika guesthouse, next to Chvabiani guesthouse. Here we had a comfortable bed, a great garden view of the mountains and watchtowers and a sumptuous dinner and breakfast served to us by the friendly owners.

Explore Ushguli

The rest of day 4 was spent soaking up the atmosphere of the fascinating and incredibly photogenic village. It was well worth walking up to the watchtower overlooking Ushguli for the all round scenery. Another great spot is the hill where the church stands to the north of the village. From here there is a great view up the Enguri valley to the glacier above.

Hiking to the Shkara glacier viewpoint

A great add-on to the Mestia to Ushguli trek is the hike up the valley to the Shkara glacier viewpoint and back. It is 8 km’s long and fairly flat so is pretty easy. It was overcast and raining the odd shower when we decided to do it in the morning so we moved fast. We managed to hike up in 2 hours and back in 1.5 hours.

Watch the Youtube video

Transport back to Mestia

Unfortunately, there is a taxi mafia that controls the transport prices between Ushguli and Mestia.  The taxis and marshrutkas gather at the bridge on the entrance into the village and charge tourists a set fee of 40 Lari for a one way trip back to Mestia which is extortionately high.

Guesthouse owners will quote the same price of 40 Lari per person, whether it be for a car or a marshrutka seat, for fear of reprisals from the mafia for undercutting.

The way around this is to ignore the aggressive demands at the bridge and continue to walk down the road out of town.  As soon as you are out of sight of the bridge a vehicle will approach you and the driver will negotiate a reasonable fare.  We paid 25 Lari each for a minibus for 3 people.  The driver was happy with this price and apologised for the mafia situation at the bridge. 

The drive back is spectacular along the deep Enguri river gorge.  Sit on the left for the best views.

Mestia to Ushguli trek tips

• Carry a small day bag with as little as possible for comfort.  A change of trekking clothes and something dry and warm for the evening.  In July the weather was hot during the day and mild in the evening.
• It can rain often in the mountains, so a raincoat is a good call and maybe a backpack cover.
• A dry bag is a great idea to protect your electronics if you do the river crossing on foot.
• Buy a few snacks in advance to take along for the trek.  Most guesthouses feed you well and it is possible to take your breakfast leftovers for lunch.
• There are also drinks and snacks available en route in small home style cafes.
• Take enough cash in Lari with you.  60 Lari per day minimum.  I took 400 Lari for 5 days which was more than enough.
• Try and give yourself 5 days .  It is worth staying in Ushguli for a night as the village and surrounding area is beautiful.
• Do not rely on WIFI . Only on one night in Idishi did we have working WIFI.
• For an excellent, detailed route description, refer to the Caucasustrekking.com blog.
• Take your time and enjoy the Scenery!

Please leave a comment

We hope you enjoyed this account of the Mestia to Ushguli trek.  It was a highlight of 3 months of slow travel around the Caucasus for me.  Please feel to drop us a comment in the box below and if you have any updates, let us know so we can keep the information fresh for others.

Happy travels!!

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8 thoughts on “ mestia to ushguli trek ”.

Look absolutely gorgeous!!!

Not sure whether mid-October is suitable for a trek in the area. What would you suggest for a shorter or day trek to see the towers and villages? I am travelling solo but guess I can team up with someone from hostels for a short trek.

How common is ATMs in Georgia and Armenia? I am wary of taking too much cash on me as I will be on the road for 3 months.

Mid October is definitely out of trekking season. It would be very cold and some places would be hard to to get to. Saying that, you could do short day hikes around Mestia and Ushguli. You can arrange transport in Mestia to Ushguli for a day trip – friends paid 35 GEL each for the return trip, and had 4.5 hours in Ushguli.

ATMs are plentiful, even in small towns in Georgia and Armenia. Tip – Use TBC bank in Georgia as there are no access charges! 😁

Thanks a lot for this page! Very helpful! Going there in one week, and your article is a gold mine 🙂 I can’t find your guest house in Adishi on internet ? Where did you find it ? Because people look to complain a lot about other guest houses. Thanks again.

Hi Stephen. We couldn’t find much online for Adishi either so we just turned up and asked around in the village. Glad we found that place because the food was amazing and they were lovely people. Many of the places in these villages aren’t on booking. It was the only place we stopped at that we got ok WiFi too! If you have the maps.me app it is marked on there as family hostel. I could send you a screenshot of the map location if you like. Happy trekking!!

I’ll check it out on maps.me. Cause people looked to be very disappointed with the accommodation found on booking.com. Thanks again for your blog and your quick reply. Cheers.

You are most welcome Stephen. It’s marked on maps.me but the tiny path down to it isn’t. When you arrive at the village there is a small wooden cafe/hut on the right and a junction in the trail. Go right, down the slope and family guesthouse is on the right. Enjoy!! 😀

Cool! Thanks. I noticed that the prices doubled since you’ve been! The Vodo it is now 30 lari for the bed instead of 15. 😂

Hi Stephen. I just checked on booking.com. The price is 30 Lari for a double room for either 1 or 2 people. I was trekking with a friend so it cost us 15 each. If you are travelling alone sometimes you have to pay that premium unfortunately. If places are not too busy sometimes you can negotiate it cheaper for a single person on arrival but it all depends on demand at the time i suppose. It is quite easy to find a trekking buddy when you arrive in Mestia as most people are heading out on the trail. I found mine whilst staying at Svanland hostel in Mestia.

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The Partying Traveler

Survival of the littest.

Complete Guide to Hiking from Mestia to Ushguli in the Offseason | Georgia

Without a doubt, the best thing I did in Georgia was the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli. It was an immersive experience in the natural beauty of the Svaneti region. Taking on the trek in the offseason made for an exciting challenge with unforgettable views all throughout. The trek is hugely popular in the summers, but as the leaves begin to change and the snow begins to fall, the number of hikers begin to dwindle. Hiking from Mestia to Ushguli in the offseason will reward you with autumn colors, snow-capped peaks, and wide open natural spaces without any crowds. It will also challenge you with inclement weather, difficult terrain, and a limited selection of guesthouses and other tourist offerings in the villages.

I absolutely loved this hike, but will admit that there were a few things I had prepared more for. Here’s everything you need to know about hiking from Mestia to Ushguli in the offseason.

And hey, if this post helps you out, show some love and support for the blog and help keep my adventures going by  buying me a beer ! My adventures are entirely self-funded, so any show of support is greatly appreciated. It allows me to keep providing free travel guides and creating travel content to help you all travel the world.

This post contains affiliate links. That means that I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of these links .

Table of Contents

• How To Get To Mestia

Where To Stay in Mestia

• What To Bring on the 4-Day Trek
• Is There Cell Service Along The Way?
• Day-by-Day Breakdown of the Hike

How To Get to Mestia

The quickest and easiest way to get to Mestia is by taking a flight from Tbilisi. Flights are pretty affordable, but since it’s a small plane, they have very limited luggage allowance. You might have to leave your bags in Tbilisi and come back for it after the trek. The airline is called Vanilla Sky and their booking website can be quite glitchy, but if you want to avoid a lengthy overland journey, they’re probably your best bet.

What I’d recommend is to take the train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi and then take a marshrutka from Zugdidi to Mestia. It was a long travel day to knock out in one go, but it was worth it to get to the mountains as soon as we could. It was already deep into October. Every day mattered and we were glad to have finished the journey in one day. You’ll see why later.

The train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi leaves at 8:45 in the morning and takes about 6 hours. The journey flew by as the train has WiFi as long as there is cell service. We paid a little extra for wider seats, spending about $12 USD for the journey. As soon as you get off the train at Zugdidi, the marshrutka drivers will come to you. It cost us 30 lari each, about $11 USD for the three hour journey to Mestia. It was a beautiful drive, although you’ll find that bus drivers in Georgia love to go fast.

The marshrutkas drop you off at the small “bus station”. From there, most of the guesthouses are within walking distance.

Oh, and before you go, make sure you have good travel insurance handy while you’re off adventuring across the world. I use  SafetyWing  to keep me covered throughout my travels for as low as $56 a month, and their coverage includes Georgia among the 190+ countries that they cover. It’s handy to have travel insurance in Georgia, especially if you plan on hiking in remote areas, high altitudes, and taking to those crazy winding roads with even crazier drivers.

We opted to stay a little out of the main center, not realizing how steep of a climb it was to get there. The view was worth the hike, though. I could have easily stayed there for a few extra days just relaxing and taking in the view. The guesthouse was called Keti Margiani and cost 70 lari per room. You can pay an additional 20 lari for breakfast per person, which was worth it since it was huge and she let us take the leftovers in a bag to snack on the rest of the day.

Mestia is a small town, so location isn’t too big of a factor when picking a place to stay. Most places will be within a 10-minute walk of the main street where the supermarkets, ATMs, and cafes are. Be sure to stop by Erti Kava for a cup of coffee while you’re here.

If you opted to bring your luggage from Tbilisi or elsewhere, never fear. Most guesthouses will let you leave your luggage behind for a small fee. We payed 5 lari total to store our three big bags for the duration of the hike. If you plan on staying in Mestia on the way back, you might be able to bypass this fee by booking that night in advance. If not, 5 lari is a small price to pay to not have to carry all of your things on this epic journey.

What To Bring on the 4-Day Hike From Mestia to Ushguli

So, what to bring in your pack? Surprisingly, you won’t need that much. Although the trek is four days long, just pack what you’d normally bring in a day pack, plus a few changes of clothes. The guesthouses all have electricity, food, and showers, so we actually ended up over-preparing for the hike. You can charge your phone at guesthouses, so bringing all my battery packs was a bit excessive. Most of the guesthouses along the way have heating so we weren’t as cold as we thought we’d be at night.

Good hiking equipment is essential, though. Hiking poles will help tremendously, especially if you have to deal with snow and ice on your journey. Those downhill bits were treacherous without them. Bring a raincoat and a rain cover for your pack unless you want to be miserable. Sunscreen is also a must. We didn’t run into any mosquitoes, so I wouldn’t say bug spray is necessary this late into the year.

As for clothing, just bring some layers. Thermal base-layers, a fleece, a windbreaker, and a waterproof outer shell should be good. Gloves and a hat will definitely come in handy since it can get freezing cold in the offseason. Bring a few pairs of dry socks to change into. Staying at guesthouses with heating, we’d often be able to dry our socks over the radiator, which was nice. I’d also recommend having waterproof boots and maybe some leg warmers to add an extra layer of warmth and waterproof protection.

Snacks and water are nice to have along the way, but you don’t need to pack food for the entire journey. Some guesthouses will send you off with a small packed lunch. The breakfasts included in the nightly rate are often more food than one could ever eat, so one can pack it up and take it for the road as well. There are some shops and small markets in the villages, but in the offseason, they are poorly stocked and often only open up when someone comes knocking. We drank the tap water and were just fine, so water isn’t an issue either.

Other miscellaneous things would just include a few activities to keep you busy. I brought a book, and some hikers we met along the way brought some playing cards.

Is There Cell Service and Wi-Fi Along The Way From Mestia to Ushguli?

There is cell service almost all throughout the hike, but having an offline map is always handy. Maps.Me and AllTrails are useful if you want to have a live view of where you are on the trail. If you don’t have a physical SIM card, I’d recommend Airalo to get an eSIM if your phone is eSIM compatible. I paid $9.50 for 3 gigabytes and I had service almost all throughout the hike. You can use my code ELIJAH933 to get $3 off your first eSIM with Airalo. In some remote parts, like the villages of Adishi and Iprali, I didn’t have much cell signal, but the guesthouses usually have Wifi.

Now, let’s get to the good part.

The 4-Day Hike from Mestia to Ushguli: Day by Day Breakdown

Day 1: mestia to zhabeshi.

• Distance: 17 kilometers / 10.5 miles
• Duration: 5-7 hours
• Elevation Gain: ~ 750 meters / ~ 2500 feet

This is where the fun begins. From the main square, walk towards the cinema where they screen the Georgian movie Dede , which was filmed in Ushguli. Be sure to watch that, either in Mestia or in Ushguli. Cross the bridge past the movie theater and you’ll see a map and the yellow signs that will guide you all the way to Ushguli.

Follow the sign, turning left and continuing up and out of Mestia. The paved road will soon turn into dirt track and grassy meadow, but is well-marked throughout. Keep an eye out for the trail markers, the red-and-white flags, or yellow-and-white flags painted on rocks and trees. The yellow sign posts are few and far between, but always a relieving sign to know that you’re on the right path.

You’ll eventually veer to the right off the relatively flat path so far, beginning a steep climb through the forest. It only takes about ten minutes, but it’ll knock the wind out of you. Once you’ve conquered that incline, turn right until you see a wide, grassy field, a perfect spot for a lunch break or to rest your legs.

Don’t go through the meadow, continue following the main path that you’ve been on so far. The worst inclines of the day are done. You’ll seen reach the highest point of today’s hike, another meadow with a small lake with a perfect reflective view of Mount Ushba. I’d say this is the best view of the day, as you stand tall above the numerous villages in the valley below. Towards the end of the valley is your end goal, Zhabeshi.

Continue down the path and into the villages. The rest of the way is mostly dirt road through the villages but with amazing views all throughout. In the offseason, there won’t be too many things open to keep you busy. In the summer, there will often be beer gardens or cafes in the small villages that you can stop at for a quick break. Some of these smaller villages might also have guesthouses of their own, but in the offseason, your best bet at finding an open guesthouse will be at Zhabeshi or Tsaldashi.

After following the dirt road for a few kilometers, you’ll have to cross over the bridge onto the paved road. You’re almost there. Continue along this road until you reach Zhabeshi, or until you see a guesthouse to your liking.

We stayed at Guesthouse Dodo or Guesthouse Tanana. It is the same guesthouse, but you’ll see both names used on booking sites and Google Maps. In the offseason, there was nothing to signify that it was open, but we just walked into the yard until someone saw us. The old lady that runs the place is a sweetheart. It’ll make you feel like you’re at your grandma’s house, especially with how they feed you. She even sent us off with a bagged lunch and some fresh pears the next day, which was good, because we needed every bit of energy we could shove into our bodies.

Day 2: Zhabeshi to Adishi

• Distance: 11 kilometers / 7 miles
• Duration: 4-6 hours
• Elevation Gain: ~ 900 meters / ~ 3000 feet

Today can be misleading. It’s only 10.8 kilometers according to the yellow signpost, but it is a doozy. There is a lot of incline, and in the offseason, the terrain can be tricky. This was the day I struggled with the most, and if it weren’t for the existing footsteps in the snow to guide us, we could have easily gotten lost.

Starting from Zhabeshi, head back towards where you came from the day before until you run into the yellow signposts. Follow them along a dirt (or mud) road passing through some fenced farms. It won’t take long before you get out of the village and begin your ascent. You’ll get beautiful views of the valley below before eventually delving deeper into the forest.

In the offseason, the dirt trail can be muddy, snowy, and icy. It was all three, and ended up being quite miserable. It was a cold, wet slosh to the top, but you’ll eventually find yourself at a ski village. If you see chairlifts, you’re on the right track. During the offseason, all the cafes, markets, and other things will be closed. It was pretty desolate aside from a small puppy that followed us for the next segment of the journey.

Up until this point, we did not see any other hikers. We followed the path along the ski lift, running into yellow signs every 10-15 minutes or so. Eventually, it veers away from the ski lifts. Follow the sign, turning right onto the trail that gives you panoramic views of the mountainous landscapes. The good thing about doing this in the offseason is that there’s much higher chance of seeing these beautiful mountains and forests blanketed in snow.

We ran into a couple of other hikers, two fellow Filipinas and their local Georgian guide. The local Georgian guide, Merab, would help us out quite a bit over the next few hours. The trail was snowy and muddy, and involved a few river crossings. If you have hiking poles and good boots, you should be fine. I had neither, and had to focus on every step. Today was meant to be a 4-hour hiking day, but by the time we were done, it had taken us close to seven hours. The hike continues through the forest until it opens up into a big meadow. You’re on the home stretch. Adishi will wait until the very last minute before popping into view, so don’t worry. Even if you don’t see your final destination, you’re not far at all.

Once the village pops into view, enjoy your victory lap down into the village. In the offseason, there weren’t very many guesthouses open, but some do open by demand. We were the only guests at ours, the one immediately to the left as you pull into the village. It had the name Tarzan on it, but I can’t remember its actual name and I don’t think I saw it online anywhere.

It was 70 lari a night including breakfast and dinner, which was an excellent value. The rooms were warm and cozy, and the views from the little balcony made the tough hike worth it. I grabbed a few beers from the only market that was open and enjoyed my much-deserved Natakhtaris.

Day 3: Adishi to Iprali

• Distance: 20 kilometers / 12.5 miles
• Duration: 6-8 hours
• Elevation Gain: ~ 860 meters / ~ 2800 feet

Whew. Today was a day. We had our first gloomy day of the trek, and it only got worse from there. Knowing that it was going to be a long day, close to 20 kilometers, we burst out of the gates and made incredible time to the river crossing. The terrain is probably drier and better in the summer, but for us, it was quite a lot of mud. I took an early stumble into a small stream about 20 minutes in and had wet boots for the rest of the day, which was not ideal considering that the worst was yet to come.

We got to the river crossing where we paid 25 lari each to have a horse take us across. It took about 3 seconds, as it was winter and the river was very narrow by now. However, the current strong and would have been tricky to cross. Homie made about $40 for a minute’s work, but hey, what can ya do? The village of Adishi is very remote and I can only imagine how brutal the winters must be there. Anything you can give to the locals, please do.

We continued along the trail into the woods, taking a short break at a small viewpoint overlooking Adishi Glacier and the monstrous mountains flanking it. As I was wrapping my socks in plastic bags, it began to flurry before evolving into a full-on snowstorm. We hastily packed our things and continued up the mountain, following the existing footsteps, the only thing saving us from having to trudge our way through knee-deep snow at points. The way up involved scaling steep and icy trails where a stream would normally be in the summer. It was steep and the snowstorm prevented us from seeing any semblance of a view.

It actually made the steep and snowy journey go by quicker, since we weren’t stopping for pictures or breaks. We reached the highest point of the day, the Chkhunderi Pass, without even realizing it. The snowstorm was still in full blast at this point, so we hastily worked our way down the mountain. Well, as hastily as I could while walking on what was basically a slip-and-slide. Doing this hike in the offseason had its perks, but the endless wetness was not one of them.

Even as the snowstorm began to subside, the sky remained overcast and the mountaintops were covered in clouds. We followed the dirt path towards Iprali. The next few kilometers were mostly flat and easy-going, aside from the occasional rock-hopping over long stretches of mud and streams. The sun came out and the landscapes began to transform. We passed through frozen waterfalls and an endless forest of fiery golds, yellows, oranges, and reds. Autumn was in full blast, and with the snow-capped peaks in the distance, it made for an unforgettable view.

Our pace slackened as we took more breaks for pictures and began to enjoy ourselves for the first time all day. We passed through an abandoned village, one that had a guesthouse that had closed for the season. The trail continues along a dirt road all the way to Iprali, where we decided to stay at the first guesthouse we encountered.

It was called Family Guesthouse Ucha, and while a bit pricier, it was really nice. The lack of heating in the rooms was a bit of a problem, but we spent most of our time in the common area, the dining room, and eventually, in the family’s house where they put on a show for us with music and singing. Feeling warm and cozy after a few beers, we rested our heads for the night. We paid 80 lari per person, including dinner and breakfast.

Day 4: Iprali to Ushguli

• Distance: 12 kilometers / 7.5 miles
• Duration: 3-4 hours
• Elevation Gain: ~ 650 meters / ~ 2100 feet

So, you have a few options on this day. This is the home stretch, and the hike takes about 4 hours with a distance of around 12 kilometers. However, many people will agree that the hike is the most underwhelming of the four days, and it’s possible to catch a taxi or hitch a ride to Ushguli.

We hiked down from Iprali, reaching the main road to Ushguli and having endured quite a bit during our last few days, we opted to go by car. The hikers from before, the two Filipinas and their guide, Merab, gave us a ride to Ushguli and we repaid them in beer. Otherwise, the trip costs around 50 lari per person but maybe you can haggle. The road was under construction, so it can be slow and bumpy, but resting our legs was much needed.

We arrived in Ushguli, dropped our things off at Guesthouse Angelina, and then ambitiously decided to go on a hike around the area. It took us about 5 minutes before we found a bar with a nice terrace and decided to spend our day there instead. As the day wore on, all the hikers we ran into, which weren’t many, ended up at the same cafe. The 10 of us kicked back with some beers and toasted to the journey behind us.

A few things to do in Ushguli are walk through the old town of Khadashi, where you can stop for food and coffee at Old House. Visit the church on a hill with a beautiful view of Shkhara. If you’re feeling ambitious, hike all the way to Shkhara Glacier . The journey to the glacier at the foot of Georgia’s tallest mountain takes about 6 hours round trip. Be sure to watch the movie Dede that was filmed in Ushguli, and have a drink at the dungeon-y bar above the theater.

When you want to go back to Mestia, you can hire a private car or take a marshrutka back. The last marshrutka leaves at 3 PM, so keep that in mind. Since we were a group of 3, we took a private taxi for the same price, 50 lari. It seems quite steep considering it’s only a 90-minute ride, but hey, unless you want to hike the 4-days back, that’s really your only option. You’ll get dropped back off in Mestia where you can kick back and relax for a couple of days or continuing working your way through the rest of Georgia’s incredible wonders.

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More on Georgia

• The Backpacker’s Crash Course Guide to Traveling Georgia
• Guide to Visiting the Abandoned Resort Town of Tskaltubo

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2 thoughts on “ complete guide to hiking from mestia to ushguli in the offseason | georgia ”.

Hey Eli, so glad to have come across this post. We have been living and travelling around Georgia for three and a half months now taking in leisurely stays in Batumi, Tskaltubo, Kutaisi and Tbilisi. Not sure how much longer we’ll be here, but this hike has certainly given us pause for thought. You have some fantastic photography here, with such rich colours and layered textures. We’ll keep this one in our back pockets, cheers.

wow the pictures are beautiful, which date exactly did you do the hike? I was there beginning of Nov few years back and the color wasn’t that beautiful

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13 Essential Tips For The Mestia To Ushguli Trek

12 February 2019.

Sprawling glaciers, rugged peaks, sweeping valleys, alpine meadows, warm Georgian hospitality, wildflowers, rivers and epic views, oh, and a historic trail of ancient crumbling towers make the 4-day Mestia to Ushguli trek one of Georgia’s best adventures.

These are my top tips for anyone planning to do the hike.

Looking for specifics on the trekking route instead? Check this post !

* This post includes affiliate links and any purchases made through these links will earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. *

1  |  Bring all the money you’ll need plus extra

Outside of Mestia, you’ll won’t find any ATMs along the route so it’s best to bring all the cash you’ll need, plus a bit extra just in case.

As a bare minimum, the Mestia to Ushguli trek will cost around 250 GEL (€82) per person to cover 4 nights of accommodation and meals (minus lunch), and transport between Ushguli and Mestia.

Any drinks, snacks, other meals, activities or extra nights you have along the way will be extra.

I’d suggest bringing at least 400 to 500 GEL per person for the 4-day trip in case your plans change unexpectedly – say the weather turns and you need to stay an extra night somewhere, there’s an incident and you need to take taxi out, or you fall so in love with Ushguli you want to extend your trip.

Prices during my visit in 2018 were also 10 to 15 GEL higher than those listed in my 2016 Lonely Planet so it’s worth anticipating that they’ll increase soon. If you visit and they’ve changed, it would be awesome if you could let me know in the comments below so I can keep this post updated!

2  |  Pack Light

Along the trail, I saw more than a few poor sods lugging their enormous backpacks around. Though the 4-day trek is not a particularly strenuous one, you’ll be cursing yourself for having to carry any more than necessary up all those hills – and each day will have a more challenging one to throw at you.

Best is to leave your big backpack at your guesthouse in Mestia and take a day pack with just the bare essentials for the trek. I stayed at Manoni Guesthouse  where I was able to leave my gear for free. Admittedly, the luggage is just stored in a separate room so not strictly as secure as you might hope, but you can usually give any valuables to the host for safe keeping.

DON’T MISS:   A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE EPIC MESTIA TO USHGULI TREK

3  |  bring proper gear.

Between the frequent bouts of wild weather, muddy trails and steep, slippery descents, this is definitely a trek to come well equipped for. Now, that’s not to say your clothing needs to be decked out with all the bells and whistles, but at least enough to keep you mostly warm and dry for the duration of the trek.

Day Pack + Waterproof Cover   |  It’s nothing fancy and perhaps a little bigger than is strictly necessary for this hike, but I’ve been using this backpack for both carry-on luggage and as a daypack for the past year and think it’s a great all-around option. It’s comfortable for hiking, has plenty of pockets and, most importantly in this case, has a waterproof cover.

Hiking Boots + Socks  |   With so many hills and a high chance of wet weather, decent, worn-in hiking boots are essential to keep your feet dry and blister free. I love my Scarpa boots which are lightweight and water-resistant, along with a pair of thick, merino wool socks .

Hiking Clothes  |   I probably say this every time I get carried away talking about gear, but layers are key! In early autumn, evenings and mornings were chilly so I began most days wearing four odd layers, but by the time the sun peaked over the mountain tops, I was able to strip this down to just one.

As well as a t-shirt for the warmer weather, a thermal base layer , fleece or puffer jacket and a proper weatherproof jacket are all a good idea. For the bottoms, I just stuck with full-length leggings which were perfect for the temperature and easy to roll up when it came time to cross the river.

Non-hiking Clothes  |   When you arrive in the afternoon, there’s nothing better than being able to strip off your sweaty and most likely muddy attire, jump in a hot shower and then cosy up in something dry, clean and warm. Try to keep up it simple and lightweight. For me, this was a loose pair of pants (that’s trousers for the Brits), a fresh t-shirt and clean socks, as well as a pair of flip flops for when I couldn’t be bothered putting my boots back on.

Suncream  |   Slather it on every morning before you leave or expect to get sunburnt, even when there’s cloud cover.

First Aid Kit  |  In the spirit of not taking the kitchen sink, I tried to keep my first aid stash fairly basic. These are a few of the things I never go hiking without: band-aids , paracetamol, ibuprofen, water purification tablets, a small bandage,  tiger balm and  rehydration tablets (incidentally, the most used item in my first-aid kit).

Hiking Poles  |   Now, it’s not often I find myself lusting after someone else’s hiking poles, but there were a number of instances along the Mestia to Ushguli trek where I caught myself thinking, ‘yeah, those would have been a good idea.’  There are a number of really steep descents, some that forced me to crouch down and waddle through the grass to keep from sliding over, and then there are just the wildly muddy sections where a third and fourth point of contact just makes life a whole lot easier. Perhaps for my next trip I’ll become a hiking pole convert, but until then, these ones come highly recommended.

For my other favourite hiking gear, check out this post for my top hiking essentials .

4  |  There are a few alternate routes for the trek

If you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge, or just to make the most of your time in the area, there are a few alternatives to the standard Mestia Ushguli route.

On day one, there’s the option to hike south-west of Mestia (or take the cable car) and follow the ridge towards Tsvirmi, a route that reportedly offers better views than the standard route.

On day two there’s the possibility to take the upper route which I highly recommend (see why in this post ), as well as tracing the way through the forest for the final leg to Ushguli rather than follow the muddy road.

5  |  There is wifi (but don’t rely on it)

This was one of those trips where I told my family I’d be off-grid in the mountains for a few days and there was absolutely no chance I’d be reachable way out there.

Low and behold, there was wifi virtually everywhere I stayed in the mountains, granted it wasn’t the fastest. That said, since you are way out in the wilderness, it’s also the perfect place to take a digital detox as well.

READ NEXT:   10 FANTASTIC THINGS TO DO IN GEORGIA

6  |  keep an eye on the weather.

Most of the hike I was lucky enough to have beautiful blue skies, but I also experienced a violent hail storm, torrents of rain, wild winds and thick, disorientating fog. The weather can change at the drop of a hat and you really don’t want to be stuck unawares at the top of a pass when it decides to do so.

Be sure to keep an eye on the weather from day-to-day and if a storm is rolling in, it might be better to spend an extra night where you are rather than push on.

Also, bear in mind that heavy rainfall can seriously affect the water levels and strength of the Adishchala River if you’re planning to cross on foot.

7  |  Don’t Forget The Map

Although the route is clearly marked and well-trodden, taking a map with you just makes good sense, especially if you’re hoping to take any of the alternate routes.

The entire trail is marked on Maps.Me including all the deviations, such as the path to Tsvirmi on day 1, the upper trail on day 2, the Chkhunderi Pass lookout on day 3, and the forest trail on the way to Ushguli.

For some extra peace of mind, you can also download the gps files of the route to your smartphone which clearly marks the trail in red. Routes are available from Caucasus Trekking which is an excellent resource for hiking in Svaneti.

READ NEXT:   15 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL TIPS FOR VISITING GEORGIA

8  |  spend the night in ushguli.

Arriving to Ushguli beneath dark, moody skies was like stumbling into a wonderfully eery and oh so muddy village stuck in time. The prize at the end of a grand adventure. But, it’s not just a finish line. It’s a place to get lost between the tight cluster of ancient towers that make this tiny village so special, to drink in the wild beauty of the mountains wrapped in tendrils of mist and to reminisce about the hike you’ve just completed.

So then to see the vast number of trekkers roll into town, muddy and exhausted, only to snap a picture or two of the village and hot foot it back to Mestia was completely baffling.

For me, Ushguli and the countryside that surrounds it was one of the most memorable places in all of Georgia and to miss out on that just seems like a damn shame.

Admittedly, up close the growing development in the area does detract slightly from the air of mystique that is so tangible from afar. Between the beautiful stone towers and homes, haphazard expansions cobbled together from exposed metal and bright colours don’t exactly blend in. Still, it’s a fascinating place to explore and certainly deserves more than just a cursory glance.

9  |  Should You Book Your Accommodation In Advance?

Annoyingly, the answer is maybe…

While the recent boom in development mean places like Zhabeshi and Ushguli have dozens of options available, the choice is fairly limited in both Adishi and Iprali. Even though I was hiking out of season, many of the favourite guesthouses in Zhabeshi were already fully booked, while both guesthouses in Adishi and Iprali were packed. I can only assume that as this hike attracts more travellers, these numbers will continue to grow.

If you’re visiting in summer, it’s probably a good idea to book ahead. If they’re not listed online, your guesthouse will usually be able to call ahead to make a reservation on your behalf. Otherwise, expect that you might not get your first choice of accommodation.

If you’re not booking ahead, it’s a good idea to at least arrive in the villages early so you can have the first pick of what’s left. Or, you can browse some of the accommodation options here .

10  |  June to September is trekking season

By late spring, the thick blanket of snow has melted away unveiling landscapes washed in vibrant greens and speckled with wildflowers. As the season nears its close, early autumn brings cool evenings and fiery colours to the forests. Really, it’s a feast for the eyes at any time of year.

Expect plenty of rainfall early in the season which can make the river crossing a real challenge. The possibility of snowfall as October nears can also make traversing the upper passes a little tricky. July and August, when the weather is warmer and more stable, are the most popular times to visit.

GET HIKING:   A COMPLETE GUIDE TO HIKING KAZBEGI’S GERGETI TRINITY CHURCH AND GLACIER

11  |  leave no trace.

Few things are more infuriating than traipsing through a remote and remarkably beautiful wilderness only to look down and see the trash that someone else has felt compelled to leave behind – an empty plastic bottle, a torn chip packet or, perhaps worst of all, someone’s shitty toilet paper peeking out from the bushes.

Don’t be that person!

Like so many places in the world, what was once pristine backcountry will inevitably have to deal with the pressures that arise from the increasing number of visitors that pass through.

Now, this hike is by no means busy yet, even by Georgian standards it’s still considered relatively off-beat, but it’s up to all of us to do our part or conserve these environments.

Take out what you bring in, always.

12  |  Remember Your Lunch

If you set off reasonably early each morning, most days will see you arrive in the next village by early afternoon with that niggling feeling that it might just be time for lunch. As family dinners are usually only served around 7 or 8 p.m., it can feel like an awfully long wait between meals if you’re not prepared, and that hangry-ness is no joke!

I bought a fresh boat of bread from the bakery in Mestia before setting off which I nibbled on every day, along with some fruit, sweets and nuts that I cobbled together from the minimarkets in town to tide me over. For a better selection, I’d definitely recommend buying supplies in Tbilisi or Kutaisi rather than when you arrive in Svaneti.

Another option is to arrange for a packed lunch through your guesthouse for an extra fee which will be ready to take with you the following morning.

13  |  Evening Entertainment Is A Good Idea

If you’re hiking at a steady pace, you’ll find yourself with plenty of time to kill in the afternoons. Once you’ve recuperated and had the chance to potter around the village and take in the extraordinary views, it’s nice to be able to kick back with something to pass the time.

A pack of cards always goes down well, otherwise, a Kindle or well-stocked playlist of podcasts and Audible library will also do the trick.

Psst… New to Audible? It’s one of my most-used Apps!  Sign up here  for a free 30-day trial and receive two complementary audiobooks of your choice!

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Mestia to Ushguli

Mestia, Georgia

“Embark on a captivating trek from Mestia to Ushguli, through the ancient, rugged heart of the Georgian Caucasus.”

Embarking on the Mestia to Ushguli trek, you'll traverse the heart of the Georgian Caucasus, a journey that spans approximately 55 kilometers (34 miles) and ascends roughly 2700 meters (8858 feet) in elevation. This point-to-point trail is a challenging yet rewarding expedition, offering a blend of stunning landscapes, cultural heritage, and the raw beauty of nature.

Getting to the Trailhead

The adventure begins near the town of Mestia, which is accessible by car or public transport. For those opting for public transportation, marshrutkas (minibuses) regularly depart from cities like Tbilisi and Kutaisi to Mestia. If driving, Mestia is reachable via the S1 highway followed by the Zugdidi-Jvari-Mestia-Lasdili road. Parking is available in the town, and from there, the trailhead is easily located.

Navigating the Trail

As you set out from Mestia, the trail takes you through a landscape dotted with medieval towers and alpine valleys. The path is well-trodden and marked, but carrying a reliable navigation tool like HiiKER is advisable to stay on track and monitor your progress.

Cultural and Historical Significance

The region is steeped in history, with the trail itself following ancient footpaths connecting Svaneti villages. The Svan towers, dating back to the 9th century, stand as a testament to the area's rich past and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These defensive structures were built to protect local communities from invaders and avalanches.

Landmarks and Natural Beauty

Throughout the hike, you'll encounter the Chaladi Glacier, which is a detour off the main trail but worth the extra effort. The glacier's icy facade and the surrounding peaks create a mesmerizing backdrop for hikers.

As you progress, the twin peaks of Ushba loom in the distance, often shrouded in mist, adding a touch of mystique to the journey. The trail also offers views of Mount Tetnuldi, which stands at an impressive 4,858 meters (15,938 feet).

Flora and Fauna

The region is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including chamois, ibex, and the elusive Caucasian snowcock. The trail winds through pine forests and alpine meadows, where a variety of wildflowers bloom in the warmer months, adding splashes of color to the green canvas.

Final Stages and Arrival in Ushguli

The last leg of the trek ascends to the village of Ushguli, one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe, sitting at an elevation of over 2,100 meters (6,900 feet). The village is famous for its clusters of Svan towers and offers a glimpse into traditional Georgian mountain life.

Preparation and Safety

Given the trail's difficulty, it's essential to be well-prepared with appropriate gear, including sturdy hiking boots, weather-appropriate clothing, and sufficient food and water supplies. The weather can change rapidly in the mountains, so be ready for all conditions.

The Mestia to Ushguli trek is a journey that will challenge and inspire, offering a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural immersion, and the thrill of high-altitude hiking. With careful planning and respect for the trail, hikers will find this experience to be one of the most memorable in the Caucasus region.

WHAT TO SEE

WHERE TO STAY

Guest House Tavaduri

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travelsauro

Adventure travel blog. Hiking, Scuba Diving and Travels

How to hike from Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi

November 7, 2022 By Travelsauro 15 Comments

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Visit Svaneti and enjoy one of the most beautiful hikes in the country. The Mestia to Ushguli Trek  offers beautiful villages and hundreds of medieval towers, all surrounded by truly spectacular nature. Although the Caucasus mountain range is impressive along its entire length, it’s in this province where the mountain reaches its apogee. Here you’ll find huge rocky peaks, hanging glaciers, powerful rivers, and colorful valleys.

The trek runs along a series of paths that connect small mountain villages. That’s why it’s the perfect option for those who travel without camping gear. Every night you can sleep in a town, then continue up the valley, cross a mountain pass, and reach the next town. On the fourth day, you’ll walk into the beautiful village of Ushguli, putting an end to this adventure.

So far, everything sounds perfect, right? Well, not so fast. As you probably know, the hike from Mestia to Ushguli is the most popular trail in Georgia . This region has been receiving tourists for decades, and that’s starting to have an impact.

All this development must be great for the local economy, and I’m very happy for the residents. However, the visitor will encounter 2 negative aspects: 1) This is such a well-trodden path that you’ll find more hikers than cows. 2) The local people in the guest houses are so tired of tourists, they can be pretty unfriendly (even rude).

Fortunately, there is a way to complete the route by taking an alternative path , which I recommend to everyone. Instead of following the original trail from Mestia towards Zhabeshi, I took the trail that goes up towards Tsvirmi.

The alternative route boasts better landscapes than the original trail, fewer walkers, and more friendly local people. Honestly, I don’t know why this option is barely known among hikers.

At the end of the second day, the alternative route merges with the original path, continuing all the way to Ushguli. There again you’ll find a lot of hikers, but at least you had 2 days of peace.

Trekking from Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi – Details:

Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 68 km Duration: 3-4 days Highest point: 2,759 meters Total elevation gained: 4,500 meters Average day: 17 km over 4-6 hours with an elevation gain of 1,200 meters Budget: 20 euros / day, sleeping and eating in guest houses

Day 1: Mestia – Tsvirmi Day 2: Tsvirmi – Adishi Day 3: Adishi – Iprali Day 4: Iprali – Ushguli

How many days do you need to complete this route? What are some ways to shorten it?

Most people in decent shape can complete this route in 4 days . Keep in mind that the alternative route via Tsvirmi is slightly longer (and more demanding) than the original route. Don’t worry, there’s not much difference.

Most stages are about 12-18 kilometers in length, and can be completed in 4 to 6 hours, depending on the pace. The third day is the longest and most difficult one. You’ll need to walk about 18 kilometers and cross over the Chkhunderi Pass. The last stage is the shortest, at only 10 kilometers.

I did the trek in 3 days, completing 2 stages (3 and 4) in one day. To do that, I had to walk nearly 30 kilometers on the last day. It was a bit hard, but not the craziest thing to do. If you are a good hiker, you can do it.

Another way to shorten the route is to camp. There are no guest houses halfway between the villages in the itinerary. However, if you have your own tent, you can camp wherever you want, thereby shortening the trek.

For those who want to “cheat”, or who don’t want to get too tired, there is a part where you can take a cable car.

Is it safe to do independently, without guides?

Most people hike this route on their own. Signs are at many junctions and accesses, although not always. In any case, it’s a quite populated and visited area and many parts of the trail are next to a road.

However, I do recommend that you bring a GPS device or a phone with a GPS app. This is a very important way to reduce risks. Getting lost in the mountains isn’t fun at all. If you don’t want to spend money on a GPS device, I recommend that you download Maps.me and Wikiloc on your phone. With Wikiloc, you can download this trail and follow it like you could with a real GPS device.

Difficulty and danger

I’d say this route is “medium” in difficulty. Certainly, it’s not a difficult trail. However, you must be prepared to walk for 6 hours a day, crossing some rough terrain and gaining elevations of 1,200 meters.

If you choose the regular 4-day option, sleeping in the guest houses, it shouldn’t be too difficult. You’ll have time to rest each afternoon and replenish your energy. Obviously, you should have some hiking experience, but don’t worry – you don’t have to be an expert mountaineer. To be honest, I saw a few hikers who looked like they were hiking for the very first time in their lives.

On the morning of the third day, you’ll have to cross a river that could be “slightly dangerous”. There are 3 ways to cross it: wearing your boots (much easier to cross, but your boots will get wet), barefoot (you need to be more skilled, but you’ll keep your boots dry), or crossing on horseback (there should be a guy with a horse to help you cross the river, but of course you’ll have to pay for the service).

You’ll find the river about an hour after leaving Adishi. I went barefoot, and I didn’t find it too complicated to cross. Because this river is formed by the glacier melt, its volume increases throughout the day due to the action of the sun. I recommend that you complete the crossing early in the morning, when the river volume is less.

If you think the current is too strong, talk to the horse guy!

Also, you’ll need to watch out for dogs. If you see cows or horses with dogs around, get as far as you can from the livestock. If you follow this advice, you shouldn’t have any problems with dogs. I even met a very nice dog that hiked with me for half a day.

In other regions, like Tusheti , some dogs can be quite aggressive.

Is it possible to camp on this route?

Yes. If you’re bringing your own tent, you can camp for free and complete the trek at your own pace.

Camping tips in Svaneti: Choose a quiet place away from villages; avoid steep areas with possible falling rocks; look for a place with a stream nearby; bring your food from Mestia; bring a stove, don’t make a fire; when you have to go to the bathroom, make a hole in the ground and cover it later; leave no trace.

Budget for trekking from Mestia to Ushguli

Georgia is a fairly cheap country and Svaneti is no exception. You can complete this route spending 20 dollars / day + 10 dollars for some drinks + 10 dollars for the transport back to Mestia. In total, it’s 100 dollars for a 4-day hike , eating like a king, and enjoying incredible landscapes.

What kind of accommodations and services will you find?

Accommodation in the region consists mainly of small family guest houses. Most of them charge the same price: 50 laris per person , including accommodation in a private or shared room, dinner, and breakfast.

In addition, they will offer you a “lunchbox”, which usually includes a piece of bread, a boiled egg, and a piece of fruit. The price of the lunchbox is about 10-15 laris.

All towns that you visit on this route have become extremely touristy. Virtually all the houses that still stand up are now guest houses. You’ll see a huge offering. However, keep in mind that during the tourist peak season (July and August), finding a bed can be difficult. In that case, I recommend that you book your bed in advance. 

In addition to the guest houses, some towns have a few minimarkets that sell cookies, beer, and little else. If you want to bring some snacks for the trek, I recommend that you buy them in Mestia.

Note: Due to the large number of tourists who visit these small towns, many of their inhabitants can be quite unfriendly. Don’t worry, there are also nice people, just as there are anywhere.

Food and drink

Following the Georgian tradition, you’ll always have plenty of food at the table. One thing is for sure: You won’t go hungry during the trek. Despite some hosts’ lack of sympathy, they will feed you very well.

To drink, most guest houses sell wine, chacha, and beer. If you want to refill your water bottle, you’ll find many streams along the trail. However, make sure no animals are around that could have contaminated the water.

Transportation within the trek

All the towns you’ll go through are connected to the main road. If you have any problems, or if you are just tired of walking, you can look for a car that will take you back to Mestia, Ushguli, or wherever you want.

Public transport from/to the villages is virtually non-existent. In that case, you will have to hire a taxi and negotiate a price. Be careful because they can be quite overpriced. I met an Israeli guy who was asked for 200 laris for a ride from Adishi to Ushguli.

Weather: When to hike from Mestia to Ushguli

The best months to complete this trail are June to October .

In June, the landscapes are beautiful, but there is a higher chance of rain. In addition, it’s likely that the famous river crossing could be somewhat more dangerous due to the snow melt.

July and August are the best months in terms of weather, but there will be more tourists and fewer free beds.

I went in September, and I think it was a great month. There weren’t many tourists, the weather was still good, and the forests had beautiful autumn colors.

October is another good option, but keep in mind that the days get colder and shorter.

The highlights

This circuit offers really impressive landscapes. If for any reason you need to shorten the route, I recommend that you don’t miss any of the following places.

– The Mentashi viewpoint. On the first day, instead of taking the path in Heshkili that goes down to Tsvirmi, keep walking east until you reach the viewpoint. You’ll easily recognize it because a telecommunications station is on top of the hill.

– The climb to the Chkhunderi Pass. It’s one of the most beautiful sections of the hike, and it’s done on the third day. The climb to this pass, which is 2,700 meters high, offers spectacular views of the Adishi Glacier.

– The arrival in Ushguli is also really exciting. After several days of walking, you’ll look forward to reaching the final destination. In addition, Ushguli and the villages around it boast the most beautiful medieval towers in the region.

Mountain gear

Because you can stay in guest houses every night, you won’t need much gear. Take a look at the following list and make sure you have all the basics:

– Mountain boots – Convertible trekking pants – Breathable t-shirts – Raincoat – Down sweater – Mountain hat – Headlamp – Filtered bottle – Knife – First aid kit – Hygiene products – GPS device (optional)

Tips for hiking this trail

– Start in Mestia heading to Ushguli, and not the other way around. It’s more exciting to leave Ushguli for the end.

– If you travel during the summer, book the guest houses a few weeks in advance.

– Don’t forget to bring a filtered water bottle like the Lifestraw. Refill it straight from any streams without the risk of getting sick.

– You can hike solo if you want, as you’ll find other hikers on the road. However, I always recommend hiking with buddies.

– Bring a GPS device.

– On the last day, try not to arrive too late in Ushguli. Getting transport back to Mestia after 4:00 p.m. can be complicated.

– Bring all the money you need from Mestia. The guest houses do not accept credit cards. Obviously, there are no ATMs either.

– If you plan to camp, bring all your food from Mestia. The few minimarkets in the villages are very basic.

Trekking from Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi on your own:

First stage: how to get to mestia.

Vanilla Sky operates a small plane from / to Tbilisi 5 days a week. The price is quite reasonable, but the plane doesn’t fly if there are strong rains or storms, which are quite frequent in the region.

By marshrutka:

Every day, marshrutkas leave from Tbilisi (30 GEL, 9 hours), Zugdidi (20 GEL, 3 hours), Kutaisi (25 GEL, 5 hours), and Batumi (30 GEL, 6 hours, only in the summer).

There are different bus stations and schedules. Ask at your hostel; they should know the schedules.

By train + marshrutka:

One of the most popular options for traveling from Tbilisi is to take the Tbilisi-Zugdidi night train. It leaves at 9:45 p.m. and arrives in Zugdidi at 6:05 a.m. (30 GEL). Once in Zugdidi, take the next marshrutka to Mestia. By doing this, you can sleep on the train, making the trip more comfortable.

SECOND STAGE: HIKING FROM MESTIA TO USHGULI

Keep in mind that we are talking about the alternative route that goes through the town of Tsvirmi, not the traditional route via Zhabeshi. I recommend that you take this alternative route (like I did), as the landscapes are more scenic and the path is less crowded.

Day 1: Mestia to Tsvirmi

First, you need to leave Mestia and head towards Heshkili. To get to this small town, you have 2 options:

The first is to take the cable car up to the viewpoint. Keep in mind that the cable car opens only after 10:00 a.m., and only when the weather is good. If it’s cloudy, you’ll have to walk all the way up. If you take the cable car, you’ll skip about 3 hours of uphill walking.

The second option is to walk along the ugly, steep road that connects Mestia and Heshkili. If you are a purist, take the road (as I did). Otherwise, take the cable car.

From Heshkili, a path leads directly to Tsvirmi. However, I recommend that you take the trail going east, which will allow you to enjoy stunning views. Finding this diversion can be a little tricky. When you get to Heshkili, you’ll see a pretty big wooden house. Instead of following the path next to the house, take a detour to the left (following the uphill path). A little farther on, you’ll find the Mentashi telecommunications station. This place offers a totally unforgettable panorama of Mount Ushba and other peaks around.

After passing Mentashi, take the path down to Tsvirmi. When you arrive in Tsvirmi, you’ll see that it’s a pretty basic town, somewhat ramshackle and not very touristy. Don’t worry; there are several guest houses, so you won’t have any problem finding accommodation.

Day 2: Tsvirmi to Adishi

This is supposed to be another day with impressive views. In my case, it was quite cloudy all day, so I couldn’t really enjoy much of the landscape.

After leaving Tsvirmi and walking uphill and downhill for a few hours, you’ll reach a point where your path merges with the original one. A little farther on, you’ll see some ski lifts. There, you’ll have 2 options. You can take the upper trail or the lower trail. Both lead to Adishi. The upper option offers better views, though the trail itself is a bit ugly due to the construction work on the new ski resort. The lower trail is less demanding, but the views are not as impressive. It’s up to you.

Adishi is a beautiful town with lots of options for cheap accommodation. Basically, every house is now a guest house.

Day 3: Adishi to Iprali

This is the most scenic (and the trickiest) day of the whole trek. About an hour after leaving Adishi, heading towards the glacier, you’ll find the famous Adishi River. If the water level is low, you should be able to cross it without problems. Just keep in mind that the water is extremely cold, as it comes straight from the glacier.

If you see that the water level is too high, or if you don’t feel confident, don’t be stupid! Usually, a guy is there with a few horses to help tourists cross the river. Ask him for a horse.

Once you have crossed the river, you’ll see a path that goes into the forest. Take it and walk uphill until you reach the Chkhunderi Pass. This climb takes about an hour and a half and offers some breathtaking views.

After crossing Chkhunderi, you only have to walk down the path towards Iprali for a couple of hours.

Day 4: Iprali to Ushguli

To leave Iprali, you’ll need to walk along the dusty paved road leading to Ushguli. But watch out: After a few minutes on this dirty road, you have to take the path on your left. It’s a narrow hiking trail that goes uphill on the left side of the road. The views over the ravines and the mountains are pretty nice.

The last part, when you’re getting close to Ushguli, is really exciting. Before reaching Ushguli, you will pass through other beautiful villages adorned with dozens of truly impressive medieval towers.

When you arrive in Ushguli, you’ll see the classic postcard you have seen so many times before: the stone houses of Ushguli, the beautiful medieval towers, and the huge Shkhara Mount in the background. It’s a fascinating place.

THIRD STAGE: HOW TO LEAVE USHGULI

Traveling from Ushguli to Mestia should be easy as long as you don’t get there too late. Several marshrutkas take this route every day, but usually not after noon. There are also dozens of vans offering day trips to Ushguli, so they could take you if they have room.

Ask around and you’ll find something. The price for the Ushguli – Mestia trip is about 25-30 GEL . It’s pretty expensive compared to other rides in the country, but hey, such is life.

Other spectacular hiking routes around Mestia:

In addition to the spectacular hike from Mestia to Ushguli, I recommend that you stay in Mestia a bit longer and enjoy other cool places.

Chalaadi Glacier: To get to the glacier, you’ll need to take the road to the airport and continue towards the Mestiachala Valley. After crossing the bridge over the river, take the forest path until you reach the foot of the glacier. This hike can be completed in about 6 hours round-trip. If you don’t want to walk too much, you can take a taxi up to the bridge and then ask the taxi to wait until you come back. The price of the round trip, including waiting time, is about 60 GEL.

Koruldi Lakes: One of the most beautiful places in the entire region. It consists of a series of lakes (though they look more like pools) located in a wonderful spot, right in front of steep mountains. To get there, most tourists hire a car with driver, as a dirt road goes up to the lakes.

If you like hiking, a very steep trail will take you to the lakes in 3 or 4 hours. Calculate about 8 hours for a leisurely round trip.

Did you like Hiking the Mestia to Ushguli Trek in Svaneti, Georgia? Leave a comment!

Hi, I’m Miguel; Adventure traveler, scuba diver and hiking lover. I have been traveling the world for the last 12 years and I hope my experiences, photos and hiking routes inspire you to travel the world too.

January 21, 2019 at 1:31 am

How bad it the tourist scene on the original route? I never thought this region was crowded at all… 🙁

January 31, 2019 at 8:22 am

Hi Filipe, depends on the month. I was there on the last week of September and it was ok.. but I heard some people saying that it was really crowded in August.. Can’t say how crowded for sure.

February 18, 2019 at 3:26 am

Hi! Thanks you so much for this post, so much useful information. I’m planning to go to Georgia in April. Is this trekk doable at all, or only during summer? In general, is it advisable to go to Georgia on April or will it be too cold and impossible to go trekking? Thanks!

February 18, 2019 at 12:46 pm

Hola Javi, how are you? I’m not sure about doing this hike in April, but some parts, like the pass, must be covered in snow. I guess it’s doable if you bring the right gear, but it will be cold. Also I don’t know if the guest houses are open. I think the road is not open in April anyway, so if you manage to hike to Ushguli, then you’ll need to hike all the way back to Mestia. Please, let me know how it goes if you decide to go. Safe travels! Have a look at this post: http://www.travel-tramp.com/the-long-road-to-ushguli-georgia/

March 12, 2019 at 4:50 pm

Fantastic post Travelsauro. Planning to undertake the 4 day trek in June – only 3 months – can’t wait. Lots of great info here. Thank you.

March 13, 2019 at 5:16 am

I’m glad you liked it Jackie! Safe travels!

March 13, 2019 at 6:32 am

Hi Travelsauro! Thank you very much for a lot of interesting and useful news! I will try to take this trip only by myself around 20th May. If I survive, I will leave you a comment. 😉

Best regards, Marcin

March 13, 2019 at 2:04 pm

Hi Marcin! hahaha don’t worry! I’m sure you will survive! Please let me know how it goes! Safe travels!

July 15, 2019 at 11:37 am

Hi Travelsauro, this are informations, with this I can do something. Thank you very much. I’m still in Mestia. For me this place is to Touristik and many locals very unfriendly. Never I had this bevor in Georgie. The Mountain and the Nature is amazing. But the weather changes quickly. The Hikers have to think about. But that’s happen in the mountains.

September 21, 2019 at 10:21 am

Thanks Heinz! Enjoy the trek!

July 21, 2019 at 12:07 am

Hi, I’m planning a trip to Georgia, but am planning to do work while there. Do you remember if the hotels/hostels in the towns have internet? In general, how good is internet in the countries? Thanks!

September 21, 2019 at 10:13 am

Hi Barb! Yes, you’ll find internet everywhere in Georgia. Don’t worry about it. The speed depends on the city, but it’s fairly good.

January 16, 2020 at 7:59 am

Thank you so much for the useful information. A long the way for trekking are there some signages that we can make sure we are on the right direction? Thanks!

February 10, 2020 at 12:46 pm

Hi Sapan, there are not many signs.. but the path is not so difficult to follow. Anyway, carrying a GPS device is not a bad idea.

February 13, 2022 at 11:12 pm

Hello I am Ehsan from Iran, thank you for your useful information. I will go to the Mestia March in Oshgoli in July 2022.

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Trekking from Mestia to Ushguli: the highest village in Europe

• December 7, 2023
• Asia , Europe , Georgia , Hiking

Georgia is a hiker’s paradise and contains some of the most beautiful hikes we have ever made. Especially the area of Svaneti, located in the Caucasus, with its snow-capped peaks and beautiful valleys, is a place you won’t soon forget. One of the most famous hikes to do in Georgia is the multi-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli. Part of the Transcaucasian Trail, this hike will take you to Europe’s highest village in four days. You even have to cross a river with a horse! This hiking guide tells you everything you need to know about this adventurous hike. Where to stay, how to get there and other important information so you can be well prepared to set out in this still unknown area on the border between Europe and Asia .

Practical information about the trek

The hike from Mestia to Ushguli is in the Svaneti region of Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. This trek is part of the Transcaucasian Trail that passes through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. This trail is a whopping 3,000 km (!) long, but it is not yet possible to hike it completely. Since 2015, more and more sections of the walk have been constructed and improved, and within a few years they hope to open the entire walk. Now, though, you can already hike parts of the Transcaucasian Trail such as the multi-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli in Georgia.

Here you will find the most important information about the hike from Mestia to Ushguli:

• Total distance : 55 – 60 km
• Duration : 4 days
• Start/end : Mestia to Ushguli (vice versa is also possible)
• Altimeters : 2700m
• Highest point : 2719 m (Chkunderi Pass)
• River crossing : several, once with horse
• Accommodation : staying in guest houses

TRAVEL TIP : Keep in mind that you will barely have coverage during the hike. So be sure to download the map offline so you always know your way around. We recommend using Maps.me for this purpose.

Best time to visit

You can do the hike from Mestia to Ushguli from mid-June to mid-October, but the best travel time is from July through September . We did the hike in June and still had a lot of snow on the trail so it was not always pleasant and we also had to take an alternate route at some point. In the summer months, most of the snow has melted and you are also more likely to have good weather. It may be a little busier on the walk, but this is still not too bad.

What am I taking?

This hike takes four days during which you will stay overnight in guesthouses along the way in one of the mountain villages you will pass through. The Georgian people are tremendously hospitable, and after a long day of hiking, there is nothing like being able to slide your feet under the table and taste a home-cooked meal. Most guesthouses always provide dinner, breakfast when you stay overnight and often make a lunch that you can take with you. So for this hike, you don’t need to bring a tent or large amounts of food. If you start the hike in Mestia, you can leave your large luggage there in your guesthouse, since you will return past Mestia after the hike anyway.

What to take with you on the trek from Mestia to Ushguli:

• Clothing for four days : You’re hiking in mountain terrain so the weather is always unpredictable. Dress in thin layers that you can take on and off easily. Consider a thermal sweatshirt or zip-off pants. Also, don’t forget to bring a hat or cap and gloves, as it can be surprisingly cold at times. For in the guesthouses, it is best not to forget your toiletries and towel, nightclothes and a pair of slippers.
• Rainproof clothing : Make sure you have a good raincoat that is also windproof. You climb up to 2,800 meters during the hike, and it can be very cold at the summit. Also consider a rain cover for your backpack so everything doesn’t get wet when it rains.
• Hiking Shoes : Some tough climbs and descents await over unpaved terrain, so good walking shoes are really a must! Walking sticks are also definitely recommended.
• Sun protection : When the sun burns, it burns hard. Therefore, be sure to bring sunscreen and sunglasses.
• Adequate food and drink : As mentioned, the guest houses usually provide food, but to be on the safe side, bring only snacks for the road. You can fill up with water along the way at one of the mountain streams or at guest houses (the water in Georgia is drinkable everywhere).
• Cash : This is very important! Except in Mestia, there are no other bank ATMs. Although you can sometimes book the guesthouses in advance, you always pay cash on the spot. So be sure to bring enough cash for en route and for the drive back from Ushguli to Mestia at the end of the hike.

How to get to Mestia

Mestia is one of the largest mountain villages in the Svaneti region, located in the Caucasus Mountains. Most international flights land in the capital Tbilisi. From there you can take a direct marshrutka to Mestia. Marshrutkas are minivans that serve as public transportation in Georgia. They run between every city in the country and are a very easy way to get around, but it can get cramped at times. In Tbilisi, go to this location to take the marshrutka to Mestia, which is a 9-10 hour ride. A bus ticket costs 50 GEL (~€17).

Alternatively, in Tbilisi you can take the train to Zugdidi, which is more comfortable travel. The train leaves Tbilisi around 8:30 a.m., arrives in Zugdidi at 2 p.m., and you can get train tickets starting at 16 GEL (~€5.5). There you can then take a marshrutka to Mestia. This ride takes another 4 hours and costs 40 GEL (~€14).

Finally, you can always rent a car in Tbilisi. Be aware that Georgians have a rather aggressive driving style and the roads are not always in the best condition.

Discover the ideal 2-3 week itinerary through Georgia here!

Day 1: Mestia to Zhabeshi

Distance: 16 km ● Duration: 4 – 6 hours ● Elevation: 750 m

Today you leave Mestia behind and begin day 1 of this 4-day trek. Before starting the hike, you can use a (downloaded) map or ask your guest house where the hike starts. In Mestia, we stayed at Mestia Panorama , a cozy guesthouse right at the start of the hike and within walking distance of Mestia’s bus stop.

You leave Mestia, where the paved road turns into a dirt road. The first 6 km of the hike you climb slowly up to 1900 meters, where you will have a beautiful view of the valley of Mestia. As you continue you get better and better views of the impressive Tetnuldi Mountain, a good place to pause and picnic. Don’t be surprised if you are suddenly joined by some dogs during your lunch. During our 4-day trek, we were always accompanied by local street dogs. Rest assured, they don’t do anything at all and seem to be used to walking with people.

As you continue hiking you get a view of the valley where the mountain village of Lakhiri is located. While descending the valley, you can choose to take a higher or lower path. We chose the higher path, which meant that during this stretch we always had a nice view of the valley and the many defense towers or “Svan” towers, so characteristic of Georgia’s mountain villages. But you can also walk along the lower trail through the mountain villages where the hospitable Georgians will be happy to offer you a cup of coffee or tea! By either path, you will end up in Lakhiri anyway.

From Lakhiri you will hike another 6 km towards today’s final destination. Follow the dirt road that takes you to a car bridge over the river. Cross the bridge and walk the last part of the hike on the paved road that takes you past the various pastures with cattle. You first pass the village of Chvabiani where you can stay overnight, but we chose to hike one more kilometer to Zhabeshi . There we stayed at Guest House Gogia , a very sweet family who welcomed us with open arms. We ate an incredible dinner there with everything made fresh, even the cheese they make themselves with their own cows! We paid 120 GEL (~ €40) for the two of us for a private room including dinner, breakfast and a lunch for the road.

Day 2: Zhabeshi to Adishi

Distance: 12 km ● Duration: 5 – 6 hours ● Altimeters: 973 m

Day two of the trek from Mestia to Ushguli is the shortest in distance but includes the biggest climb…. Again, use your hiking map and follow the trails behind Zhabeshi . There you begin a tough climb with a lot of steep sections where you get an ever-improving view of the mountains beyond the valley. Count on 2-3 hours for this stretch anyway. Eventually you come out to a ski elevator and a gravel road. Follow this road until you come to a fork in the road.

Then you again have the choice of going for a high or low route. Unfortunately, when we were there, there was still too much snow and we were forced to choose the low route . This takes you through beautiful alpine meadows and stretches of forest toward Adishi. At the end of this section, you also have to cross a river. The current can be strong, so be sure to use (hiking) poles. If you choose the high route , count on having to climb an additional 250 m uphill. Still, we recommend it, as we heard this is one of the most beautiful views during the entire hike! Both trails are not always well marked, so keep that offline map handy.

With both routes, you eventually come to a dirt path that takes you to the valley where the village of Adishi is located. This village, with its many defense towers and horse pastures all around, feels like you’ve stepped back in time. Here you are truly cut off from the world and surrounded by the immense mountains of the Caucasus. Adishi feels a bit run-down and there is less choice in guest houses here. We recommend Guesthouse Caucasian or Guesthouse Makhvshi Grand House. We ourselves slept in Guesthouse Makhvshi Grand House which had a surprisingly modern room and where we again enjoyed a delicious dinner and breakfast. For one night’s stay with everything in, we spent 160 GEL (~€54) for the two of us.

Day 3: Adishi to Iprali

Distance: 18.6 km ● Duration: 6 – 8 hours ● Altimeters: 860 m

Day three is undoubtedly the highlight of the trek from Mestia to Ushguli. It is the longest day, both in terms of distance and time, but the climb is less strenuous than the day before and you get fantastic views of the mountains of the Caucasus. The first 5 km follow the Adishchala River along a clearly marked path deeper into the valley. After about an hour and a half, the trail turns right toward the river. This one you will have to cross.

Depending on the season, the river can be wider and deeper due to meltwater from the surrounding glaciers. You can cross on foot, but keep in mind that the water is freezing cold, so it is advisable to use sticks to avoid falling. The safest option is to cross the river on horseback . In the summer there are locals with horses by the river, or you can ask at your guest house the night before if they can arrange this for you. The cost is 20 GEL (~€7) per person.

Once across the river, you begin a gradual climb to Chkunderi Pass at 2655 m elevation. Along the way, you get better and better views of the impressive Adishi Glacier. Arriving on the ridge, you will enjoy an impressive 360° view of the surrounding mountains. On the ridge there is a short trail of 1.5 km out and back that takes you to the highest point of the entire hike, with another magnificent view of that same glacier

After this experience, the descent begins on the other side of the Chkunderi Pass to the Khaldeschala Valley. In the valley follow a rolling and relatively flat gravel road for 6.5 km all the way to the next mountain village of Iprali . Upon arrival, we were able to slide our feet under the table in Family House Ucha , tired but satisfied. For 90 GEL or €30 you have a night’s stay including dinner and breakfast for two people. Slightly more expensive than the other guest houses, but when we were there, this was the only one open.

Day 4: Iprali to Ushguli

Distance: 12.6 km ● Duration: 3 – 5 hours ● Altimeters: 635 m

The last day of the hike has arrived, with the final destination being the highest village in Europe! Fortunately, this is also the easiest and shortest part of this 4-day trek. From Iprali , follow the gravel road further downhill for 2.6 km until you arrive in another village. There you’ll end up on the main road connecting Mestia to Ushguli. Once you reach the car bridge, turn right before the bridge between the cottages. It can take a while to find the trail, so be sure to use your map, but this will get you back on the hike and leave the highway behind.

From here you follow a forest trail for 7 km that winds through valleys and patches of forest. Occasionally you will see the lower main road on your right, interspersed with beautiful scenery among the mountains. The trail eventually joins the main road, which you follow for another 2 km towards Ushguli . Along the way, you pass other small villages that are all part of Ushguli. In Ushguli, there are numerous guesthouses where you can stay. We chose Guesthouse Riho with again a fantastic dinner and breakfast included for 90 GEL (~€30) per night for two people.

If you have the time, we recommend staying at least one night in Ushguli. After four days of hiking, it is nice to take in the atmosphere of these mountain villages. In Ushguli, you imagine yourself back in time. The streets consist only of earth and mud, and you encounter more horses and cows than people. Most of the cottages have the typical defense towers and give you an almost medieval feel. Ushguli lies in a valley, and all around you can see the snow-capped mountain peaks towering high.

Don’t count on much range for your cell phone here; this is a place to enjoy the scenery and unwind for a while. In the guest houses, meals are prepared entirely by themselves, including fresh milk that is milked the same morning. Cars don’t see many here, as everything is still done on horseback. A fun activity, then, is a day of horseback riding . At Guesthouse Riho , you and your son can go horseback riding for a half or full day. We chose the 16 km round trip to the Shkara glacier in the valley of Ushguli. Since we didn’t have to hike ourselves this time, we could definitely add this! The horses here are well cared for and graze freely in the pastures around Ushguli.

Returning to Mestia

Tours to Ushguli are organized daily from Mestia. Arriving in Ushguli after the hike, you will always see cabs and marshrutkas at the beginning of the village, returning to Mestia in the afternoon. Along with other travelers, try to agree on a price with one of the drivers. We managed to fill a van with two other couples that took us back to Mestia for 45 GEL or €15 per person. The bumpy ride from Ushguli to Mestia takes about two hours.

Once back in Mestia, you will go to your guest house where you left your large luggage, and spend one more night here. The morning after, you can take the marshrutka back to Tbilisi at 8 am. Make sure you reserve a spot on this van in advance before you start the hike, because in high season they can fill up quickly and then you have to wait an extra day.

Discover the best things to do in Tbilisi in 3 days here!

Where to stay on the road

In both Mestia and Ushguli and the other mountain villages you will find several guesthouses for your stay. Don’t expect great luxury here, often rooms in families’ homes with shared bathrooms. Still, all the guesthouses we stayed in usually had private bathrooms and were clean and comfortable. Moreover, a delicious breakfast and, if desired, dinner were always available.

If you make the hike from Mestia to Ushguli, like us you can stop by one of the guest houses on the day and ask if a room is available. If you are going in the busier months of July and August, it may be smart to book these in advance anyway so you can be sure of a spot. You can reserve them in advance, but you must always pay cash on the spot.

Here you can find again all the guesthouses on the route from Mestia to Ushguli where we stayed:

• Mestia : Mestia Panorama or Hotel Mestia Inn
• Zhabeshi : Guest House Gogia
• Adishi : Guesthouse Caucasian or Guesthouse Makhvshi Grand House
• Iprali : Family House Ucha
• Ushguli : Guesthouse Riho or Nizharadze’s Tower

TRAVEL TIP: Remember that there is an ATM only in Mestia, nowhere else! So be sure to bring enough cash on the hike to pay for the guesthouses and for your transportation back to Mestia.

Have you also taken this beautiful hike in Georgia? Let us know in the comments what you thought of it! Still have questions about Georgia or looking for more information for your next trip? Please do not hesitate to contact us contact or send an email to [email protected] m

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Trekking Mestia to Ushguli in October, in Svaneti, Georgia

Although it’s one of the most popular treks in Georgia, the trek from Mestia to Ushguli was still blissfully off the tourist radar. Trekking  in October meant chilly nights, crisp mornings, sunshine all day, and fall foliage as far as the eye could see.

I embarked on this trek together with Marty from Intrepid Road , who recently published the YouTube video of our time in Georgia!

If you have at least four free days in Georgia, don’t miss this beautiful village-to-village trek through the Svaneti region. Especially in October, consider trekking Mestia to Usghuli!

Check out Marty’s YouTube video of our hike!

Duration of the Mestia to Ushguli Trek

4-6 days in the Svaneti region, 4 of which are spent trekking. My total budget over 5 days was about $158 USD.

Day 0: Overnight train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi Day 1: Zugdidi to Mestia by minivan (20 Lari), Mestia to Zhabeshi (16 km) Day 2: Zhabeshi to Adishi (10-12 km) Day 3: Adishi to Iprari (17 km) Day 4: Iprari to Ushguli (12 km) Day 5: Ushguli to Mestia by taxi/van (25-35 Lari) Day 6: Mestia to Zugdidi, overnight train to Tbilisi

Curious about Budget, Accommodation, or a Packing List? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Trekking Mestia to Ushguli ! 

Tbilisi to zugdidi - overnight train.

There are two trains that leave every day from Tbilisi’s main train station to Zugdidi in western Georgia. One leaves first thing in the morning, and the other is an overnight train, and both last about 8 hours. We took the overnight train to Zugdidi so we wouldn’t lose a whole day in transit. In October, we were able to book the tickets on the day of our departure. 

Each cabin had two ‘beds’, so we had the compartment to ourselves. The train stopped dozens of times in sleeping villages as it crossed across all of Georgia. The ride was an opposite of a restful sleep – I got barely two hours! 

Zugdidi to Mestia – Taxi, Van, or Bus

The train arrived in Zugdidi at 6am sharp when it was still dark outside. As we walked out of the train to the main road, we passed taxis, a minivan, and a small bus in that order. The minivan was clearly marked “Mestia” with a neon blue light, and so that’s what we boarded. 

It cost each of us a standard 20 Lari ($7 USD) for three and a half hours on windy mountain roads at life-threatening speeds. We had one 20-minute restroom/snack break halfway through the trip, then were dropped off in the center of Mestia town.

Day 1: Mestia to Zhabeshi (16 km)

We arrived in Mestia around 10am. I was amazed at how much this town in the heart of rural Georgia reminded me of a Colorado ski town. The main square was covered in pine trees and benches and surrounded by massive wooden lodges and patio restaurants. 

The trail started at the outskirts of town, a 5-minute walk from where we were dropped off. After crossing a river and passing alongside a few isolated hotels, the trail shrinks from being a car road to just a dirt trail in the wilderness. We passed viewpoint after viewpoint of snow-capped mountains and forested valleys.

Right before we entered the valley where Zhabeshi village is, there was a lookout where we got a 360 degree view of all the beauty that the Caucasus has to offer. In front of us was a pure-white, conical mountain, and behind us were jagged, Dolomite-like cliffs (and behind the cliffs is Russia!). 

Dipping into this valley, we passed through many ancient-looking villages. Everything was made from crumbling stone and roughly hewn wooden beams. Old archery towers gathering dust loomed over the handful of homes. Piglets scampered around the roads with their curly tails bouncing in unison while mama pig munched lazily nearby on some fallen apples. 

The trail from Mestia to Ushguli in October took us through many scenes like this, and through villages forgotten by time itself.

The trail eventually dipped into a grassy riverbed, which we followed for a while not knowing if there was a spot where we’d be able to cross the river to the other side. Eventually we came upon a metal bridge, and we climbed up a gravel cliff to reach Tsldashi town, next to Zhabeshi. 

We arrived just when groups of school kids with their oversized backpacks were making their way home. One parent-child pair asked us if we had a guesthouse to stay in.  When we said no, we were invited by the mother to stay at hers.

The guesthouse was at the end of Zhabeshi town, and it cost us 50 Lari per person (~$15 USD) to stay, with bed, dinner, and breakfast included. We were only barely able to communicate with the owner through big smiles, hand signs, and Google translate in Russian. 

The meal she made for us of Khachapuri (cheese-filled bread), two types of eggplant and mushroom salad, tomatoes and cucumbers, fresh oven-baked bread, and a warm tomato-based noodle soup, was one of the best I’ve had in my life.

Day 2: Zhabeshi to Adishi (10-12 km)

Day 2 on our October trek from Mestia to Usghuli started with a gradual uphill over grassy slopes. Village cows, pigs, and goats were all roaming around munching on the dewy grass, their morning routine. We passed by some nice camping spots and viewpoints, then reached the top of the hill where there were a set of gondola poles.

After passing this section, the trail split into a couple different paths. One took the lowest elevation and was the most direct route to Adishi. The others gained more elevation and wrapped around the hills in the general direction of Adishi.

We took what we thought was the highest trail because there was supposed to be a lake at the top, but we couldn’t find it. We climbed to the top of one of the nearby hills, then managed to lose the trail in the tall grass. Luckily all paths lead to the same destination, and using the app maps.me ensured that we didn’t get too lost.

By late afternoon we were walking through some horse pastures and trying not to disturb the massive creatures. Then we dropped more elevation to finally reach Adishi town.

Again we stayed for 50 Lari per person ($15 USD), had dinner and breakfast, as well as free, semi-working wifi!

Day 3: Adishi to Iprari (17 km)

This was the longest day of trekking we had. It included a river crossing where the water went up over my knees (mid-shin for Marty), and going over a mountain pass. We were also had amazing mountain and glacier views, some of the highlights of the trek. 

The trail from Adishi to the river crossing was long but easy. We hardly felt the gradual incline as we walked alongside the river toward the mountains ahead. 5 kilometers went by in a breeze when the trail below our feet turned from dirt, to swampy, to rocky. The sound of the river came closer as did the view of the white glacier where the water stemmed from. 

Higher up the valley, the river had split into two, and right before it merged back into one was where we crossed. There were a few hikers ahead of us who motioned to us where to cross, because we couldn’t hear a thing over the sound of the roaring water. 

Hiking Mestia to Usghuli in mid-October is when the glacier is starting to freeze over again, so it’s possible to cross without the help of a horse (unlike the summer months). I rolled up my pants and tucked my shoes and socks into my bag in order to cross. The water was FREEZING! The current was fast but manageable for crossing, especially with the help of trekking poles to balance.

Next up was tackling the mountain pass. Especially after completing the Three Passes Trek in Nepal , this pass was relatively a breeze. There were a few steep uphill sections, but for the most part we could hold a conversation and trek at the same time.

The trail wound over muddy trails under forest cover, where we got occasional glimpses of the glacier and river below. After one last uphill curve, we were surprised to already be at the top of the mountain pass! It was a wide, dirt ridge with no markings on it. 

We followed a separate uphill trail to reach a beautiful viewpoint. Other trekkers were having a rest here, eating lunch, and taking lots of pictures. Below, we could see the trail we needed to take down – it zigzagged steeply down the other side of the valley. 

View this post on Instagram Village-to-village hiking in western Georgia truly blew me away with its amazing views!! I spent only 50 Lari per day ($20 USD) on the trail for combined food and accommodation in the villages. A post shared by Erika's Travelventures (@erikavtv) on Oct 22, 2018 at 10:37pm PDT

The trail to Iprari is a similar one to the trail from Adishi, basically flat but a slight decline towards town. The 9 km we had was easy but time consuming, with the only views being of the river and canyon next to us, and the snow-capped mountain view behind us. 

We stayed in Iprari at a guesthouse (for 50 Lari per person again) that had a great view of the forested hills behind it. The base of the hills was where we would be walking the next day, toward Ushguli. The dinner here was surprisingly meat-intensive, with mince spring rolls and fried chicken, (salad, bread, and soup for me!) after two only-vegetarian meals at the other guesthouses.

Day 4: Iprari to Ushguli (12 km)

The trail to Ushguli started immediately outside of Iprari town with a steep decline, until we reached a village situated alongside the river. There was a small shop, a cafe, and the usual wooden guesthouses, sometimes built next to a wall of hay for the animals. 

We were greeted at this intersection by a roaring bulldozer, working on widening the road and preparing it for a concrete pour. It won’t be long until Ushguli becomes easily accessible from Mestia and tourism will expand exponentially!

The construction-riddled road didn’t affect us for long. The hiking trail crossed the river after this main road, then we climbed waaaay up the side of a grassy hill. We were basically on top of the hill’s ridge again, surrounded only by trees and cows.

The hiking trail took us through dense forest cover, all yellows and oranges, with the occasional panoramic view of the surrounding valley. There are a few times we dropped altitude to cross over small feed-in rivers, never deeper than the sole of my shoe. Most of the trail was over exposed roots and within a canopy of trees.

Eventually the trail smoothed out and the forest cut away to reveal a green pasture shared by cows and horses. It was the end of the trek. We merged onto the main road and hiked another two kilometers, past stone farmers huts and more cow and horse pens, to Ushguli.

There was a wide array of accommodation here. Ushguli was by far the largest town since we left Mestia. Some accommodation looked more like hotels or mountain lodges than locally-owned guesthouses. 

We found a place for 50 Lari that had an attached bathroom, and a view from a shared balcony of the snow-capped mountains in the distance. 

Day 5: Ushguli to Mestia by Van

We walked to the center of town around 10am, after breakfast at the guesthouse. We were watched closely as we walked, by the massive street dogs. They are descendants of the Caucasian Shepherd breed that were traditionally used to fight off bears!

There was one truck from our guesthouse that was charging 35 Lari per person for a ride back to Mestia ($15 USD), and one van at the central bridge that wanted to charge us 50 Lari, then 40 Lari. We ended up taking the truck from our hostel, and were back in Mestia in an hour and a half. 

The ride backtracks on the car road that follows the entirety of what we had trekked the last four days. It was depressing in a sense to have all our hard work wiped out by an hour and a half in a vehicle. On the other hand it was cool to look back on the same trails to internalize how far we’d come on our own two feet.

We stayed in a Mestia guesthouse for 50 Lari ($15 USD) per person. This time only breakfast was included, but we had a balcony with an amazing view of the river that cuts through town and one last glimpse of snow-capped mountains in the distance. 

There are several cafes and restaurants around this growing town where you can spend your afternoon and evening relaxing and recovering from the trek.  We went to  Cafe Bar Laila  at the center square for dinner, which had decent prices and a great vibe for a fancy Georgian restaurant. 

Getting from Mestia to Tbilisi 

On the day of our overnight train back to Tbilisi, we decided to spend the morning and afternoon in Mestia instead of in Zugdidi.  We booked the last van to Zugdidi for 20 Lari ($7 USD), which was scheduled to leave at 4pm. We checked out of our guesthouse at noon then hung out at  Ertikava Cafe , which had great wifi and a bean bag sitting area in the back.

Our van ended up leaving closer to 5pm, but we still arrived at the Zugdidi train station at 8pm, two hours before our return train.

There was a gas station and convenience store one block away from the train station, which had a mini cafe and bakery section (and free bathrooms!), where we spent our time until our train was ready to depart.

The overnight train back to Tbilisi was a standard 35 Lari for a bed ($11). 

It’s a mystery to me why the trails between Mestia and Ushguli were not more crowded with trekkers. As the tourism industry in Georgia expands like the roads in Svaneti do, it will only be a matter of time until trekkers will be sharing the trails with massive tour groups. 

There were a few huge lodges being built in preparation for this, but I hope the character of the crumbling villages stays the same over time. If you want to trek in Georgia, I recommend you come sooner rather than later! 

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0 thoughts on “ trekking mestia to ushguli in october, in svaneti, georgia ”.

Wonderful stories and pictures. The fall-color one is amazing!

It was super amazing. I can’t believe I had left out Georgia on my initial list of countries to visit!

Wow. What a great experience

Wow I never knew Georgia had such picturesque trekking areas! This is definitely on my travel bucket list. Thanks so much for sharing. Love that you put so much detail into the transportation routes as well.

The Svaneti region in Georgia is really amazing! If you like trekking, or just being in the mountains, I definitely recommend it.

I’ve been thinking about visiting Georgia, but not known exactly what I was after. I will definitely save this for later, because it sounds like something I would enjoy! And yes, I can totally understand it to be pretty depressing that only 1.5 hours in a van equals 4 days of hard work trekking. Other than that, sounds like a great trip!

Georgia has a lot of offer: cities, old villages, history, beaches, wine, and of course trekking 🙂

Gorgeous pictures! I am definitely putting this in my bucket-list! <3

Wow this looks like an awesome trip! Your pictures are awesome too 🙂

Kasey Ma thestylewright.com

gosh! what a beautiful place. I only see this kind of view in movies. If only I could fly, I would like to go there tomorrow to hike. Love it!

What a fun adventure! Those snow capped mountains and colorful fall trees are breathtaking!

Wow, this is so beautiful! What an amazing trip! xo, Brittany Nicole | http://www.theblistblog.com

Hi Erika! Great blog. I stumbled upon it because we are planning a trip to Georgia in October. Which part of the month were you trekking? And, other than some cold evenings, you found the weather suitable? Thanks!

Hello Larkin,

I hiked Mestia to Ushguli on Oct 15-18th, plus I stayed one extra night in Mestia after Ushguli. The evenings were cold but the weather was great for trekking. It feels nice when your body is moving, but it can get chilly if you stop for long periods of time. I would definitely bring warm clothes for sleeping and for lounging at the guesthouse after you finish hiking for the day. Enjoy Georgia!

hey, thanks for taking the time to write this article! i am thinking about doing this trek at the same time as you this year. i know you said it wasnt crowded, but were there still people hanging out in the guesthouses if i wanted to meet some people at the end of the day? i will be traveling alone. thanks in advance! Katie

Hi Katie! My friend and I were the only hikers in the guesthouses we stayed at, with the exception of Ushguli where there were a few more tourists (not hikers) staying. However, there were maybe six to eight hikers that we saw each day, and it would not be difficult to ‘tag along’ with other hikers once you reach a village, so you can stay in the same guesthouse as them. You also may be able to meet people at hostels in Tbilisi, or talk with people on the van from Zugdidi to Mestia to hike with. I hope you enjoy the trek! October was an amazing time to be there.

Hi, thanks for sharing. It looks beautiful. I am currently planing the same trip, also in October 2019. What exact dates did you go? Beginning, mid or end of October? I am little afraid of getting snowed in ;-). thanks.

It was mid October, October 13-17th. There was no snow in the forecast when I went! I would check the weather before you go though.

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Winter is here! Check out the winter wonderlands at these 5 amazing winter destinations in Montana

• Travel Destinations

Mestia To Ushguli: A Journey Through Svaneti

Published: September 15, 2024

by Norina Balderas

Have you ever thought about hiking from Mestia to Ushguli ? This trek in Georgia's Svaneti region offers stunning views, ancient towers, and a peek into local life. Starting in Mestia, a town known for its stone towers, the trail winds through lush valleys and over mountain passes. Along the way, you'll pass through small villages where time seems to stand still. The journey ends in Ushguli, one of Europe's highest inhabited villages. Here, you'll find more towers, breathtaking landscapes, and a sense of accomplishment. Ready for an adventure? Let's dive into what makes this trek unforgettable.

Mestia: The Gateway to Svaneti

Mestia, a charming town in the heart of Svaneti, serves as the starting point for your adventure to Ushguli. Surrounded by towering peaks and ancient watchtowers, Mestia offers a glimpse into the region's rich history and culture.

Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography : Dive into the local culture with exhibits showcasing traditional Svanetian artifacts, manuscripts, and religious icons.

Mikheil Khergiani House Museum : Learn about the legendary Georgian alpinist Mikheil Khergiani and his daring climbs.

Hiking to Chalaadi Glacier : A moderate hike that rewards you with stunning views of the glacier and surrounding mountains.

Margiani's House Museum : Step back in time in this preserved medieval Svanetian house, complete with original furnishings and tools.

Zhabeshi: A Quaint Village Stop

Leaving Mestia, the next stop is Zhabeshi, a small village that offers a peaceful retreat and a taste of rural Svaneti life.

Traditional Svanetian Towers : Explore the iconic stone towers that have stood for centuries, offering protection and a glimpse into the past.

Local Guesthouses : Experience Svanetian hospitality by staying in a family-run guesthouse, enjoying homemade meals and local stories.

Adishi: A Hidden Gem

Adishi, a remote village accessible only by foot, is a hidden gem along the route. Its isolation has preserved its unique charm and traditions.

Adishi Glacier : A challenging hike leads you to this breathtaking glacier, offering panoramic views of the surrounding peaks.

Adishi Church : Visit this ancient church adorned with beautiful frescoes and a sense of tranquility.

Iprari: A Scenic Resting Point

Iprari, another picturesque village, provides a scenic resting point before the final push to Ushguli. Its serene environment and friendly locals make it a memorable stop.

Iprari Waterfall : A short hike takes you to this stunning waterfall, perfect for a refreshing break.

Local Cuisine : Savor traditional Svanetian dishes like kubdari (meat-filled bread) and tashmijabi (cheese and potato dish) at a local eatery.

Ushguli: Europe's Highest Village

Finally, you reach Ushguli, the highest continuously inhabited village in Europe . Its dramatic landscapes and ancient architecture make it a fitting climax to your journey.

Lamaria Church : This 12th-century church, perched on a hill, offers stunning views and a sense of history.

Queen Tamar's Tower : Climb this iconic tower for panoramic views of the village and surrounding mountains.

Shkhara Glacier : A challenging trek to the base of Georgia's highest peak, Shkhara, rewards you with awe-inspiring vistas.

Ethnographic Museum : Delve into the rich history and culture of Ushguli with exhibits on local life, traditions, and artifacts.

Embracing the Magic of Svaneti

Traveling from Mestia to Ushguli offers an unforgettable experience. The breathtaking landscapes , ancient towers , and rich culture make this journey truly special. Each village along the way has its own charm, from the stone houses of Mestia to the remote beauty of Ushguli. The Svaneti region is a treasure trove of history and natural beauty.

Hiking through the Caucasus Mountains , you'll encounter glaciers , lush valleys , and wildflowers . The hospitality of the Svan people adds warmth to the adventure. Whether you're an experienced hiker or just looking for a unique travel experience, this route has something for everyone.

Don't forget to try the local Svan cuisine and take plenty of photos. The memories you make here will last a lifetime. Svaneti is a place where nature and history come together in perfect harmony.

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Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi

The alternative of the most popular Georgian trek, by mine opinion even better than standard route.

The alternative of the most popular Georgian trek, which is by mine opinion even better than a standard hike via Zhabeshi . This one climbs onto Zuruldi massif, descends to Tsvirmi village and then follows a new road leading to Tetnuldi ski resort, where it joins the classic trail to Ushguli. The main advantage of this variant is much better scenery on the first day. A disadvantage is a bit dull start of the day Two. But overall, this is the marvelous trail and I don't understand why more people don't take it.

Duration: 4 days

The fast walker with a tent could finish this trek in three days, but it's better to split it into four days to be able to sleep in the villages.

Difficulty: Moderate

Accommodation:.

The tent is not necessary; it´s possible to spend nights in guesthouses. Also, you also don´t have to worry about food too much - they serve breakfasts and dinners and can also prepare a lunchbox. People often ask me if it's necessary to book accommodation in advance . The answer is - if you are trekking in July or August and have no camping gear, you should. The locals will probably find you some place to sleep even when they are full, but it may not be the most comfortable option. To book in advance, you can use an online portal such as booking.com - (comfortable, but covers only a few places in smaller villages) or ask your landlord in Mestia to make the booking for you, they have the necessary contacts.

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Frequently asked questions, should i book accommodation in advance, how busy is this trek, which way should i hike.

• Can I do the hike even if I don´t have hiking shoes?

When is the best season to do the trek?

This one is tricky :) But if you are trekking in July or August and have no camping gear, you should - and I am saying it as a person who loathes booking more than 2-3 days ahead. Good places along the trail tend to fill up fast, especially since many of them got registered on booking portals. And while locals are masters of improvisation and will eventually find you some place to sleep, it may not be the most comfortable option. So, if you want to play it safe, you can book online several long time ahead - at the end of each day section, I included a couple of places which I recommend. A compromise might be to ask your landlord in Mestia to make the booking for you, they have the necessary contacts and might be able to arrange you a room at some smaller places which have no online presence. And even if this fails, you can always try to leave earlier in the morning and reach your destination before crowds arrive, so you will have more places to choose from.

Looking for a place to stay in Mestia before the trek? These are my favorite guesthouses

The alternative route to Ushguli has much fewer trekkers compared to a classic route - even in 2019, only a handful depart from Mestia each day. Howver, this changes once you join the classic trail above Adishi. To provide some numbers - during the shoulder season (Jun, Sep), several dozens trekkers tend to depart each day from Mestia (or more or less, depending on the weather). This numbers greatly grow during the summer season - the busiest month is August when the number of trekkers on some days can exceed 150 people (on each day section). That a lot, but people tend to spread during the day so it's not like you are going to walk in a queue. So, to sum it up, the second half of this trek certainly not the one to choose if you are looking for a silence or solitude. But that shouldn't put you off - the number of hikers is still far, far from crowds you can encounter on some popular European trails.

People usually start from Mestia because Ushguli is a great place to finish the trek - and it's infinitely more fun to journey somewhere where you haven't been yet than drive from Mestia to Ushguli and then return on foot. Also, it's easier to cross the dangerous stream beyond Adishi which should be done in the morning, when the water level is lower. However, with the growing popularity of the trek, also the opposite direction starts making more and more sense, especially if you don't like crowded trails. If you hike in the opposite direction than most, you will meet almost all other hikers in a span of one or two hours and for the rest of the day will have the trail for yourself.

Can I hike even if I don´t have proper hiking shoes??

Quite popular question since there are many people who don´t come to Georgia for trekking but would like to do the hike. Trek can be certainly finished even in sneakers but it´s not the optimal solution since some parts of trail are slippery and muddy - even more than the "classic trail". Better bring some good walking shoes (even if you don´t plan to hike) but if it´s too late for that, this is one of treks where the lack of proper shoes doesn´t constitute an unpassable obstacle.

The season for this trek is from the beginning of June till late October. Each period has its pros and cons. In June, one can enjoy green scenery with blooming flowers, but there is a reason why everything is green and it has something to do with rain. In October, you can admire colorful autumn foliage, but days are already much shorter and colder. Also, in the second half of the month, one can expect first severe snowfalls. The best time to visit is during July and August, but that's when most people visit. Therefore, I personally prefer midle of September - weather is still nice and as a bonus, the trail is free of crowds. I would also like to address one question I get very often - people coming in May often ask me if it is "possible" to finish the trek at this period. I find it very hard to answer. Trekking in sub-optimal conditions means the higher chance of the accident and who am I to decide if this still worth to risk it or not? Especially when I have no idea who is asking. But to give at least some answer, first hikers who manage to finish Mestia - Ushguli trek usually do it between 20th and 30th May. How you use this info is up to you.

How to get to Mestia (click to expand)

From Zugdidi to Mestia: Marshrutkas to Mestia depart daily, there is at least one in late morning and one in the afternoon. Morning marshrutka departs from the bus station situated by the bridge around 10 am (or even later if not full). Afternoon marshrutka waits for passengers of train from Tbilisi, which arrives around 14:30. Therefore, they wait in front of the Zugdidi train station . There might be some odd marshrutka in-between on you might get lucky and board marshrutka stopping at Zugdidi along its route to Mestia, but that cannot be guaranteed. Either way, the price of the ride is 40 GEL and the trip takes almost 4 hours, mostly due to a rather large pause these buses tend to make around Khaishi. If you get lucky or travel in a larger group, it could make more sense to secure your spot at shared taxi that depart from the station by the bridge (and in the afternoon from train station as well). The price tends to be 300 GEL per the whole car (70 GEL pp if the taxi is full), but varies depending on the situation. Trip is faster since any break is optional, takes 3 hours or so.

From Tbilisi to Mestia: Few years ago, the best option used to be the overnight train to Zugdidi. However, it was cancelled in 2020 due to covid and there are no signs that it's going to be restored anytime soon. There is also a long-distance bus leaving at noon, but it also goes only as far as Zugdidi. Currently, I would recommend the day train. It departs from Tbilisi at 8:20 and makes it to Zugdidi at 14:21 , with marshrutkas to Svaneti waiting for its arrival.. The price of the ride starts at 16 GEL, which is less than 5 EUR. Tickets can be bought in advance at matarebeli.ge website (the official web is railway.ge , but that never worked for me). Just one important thing - tickets are released for the online sale only some 15 days in advance, but it's not explained anywhere. So don´t freak out if you can´t buy your ticket online because of the "no tickets available", "trains not found" or some similar error. Just try later :) If you fail to secure the spot on the train, you may be forced to take a direct marshrutka - two minibuses depart at 7:00 from the area in front of Main Railway Station, come at least 30 minutes earlier to catch a spot. Another one departs at 8:00 from Samgori railway station and there should be something from Didube as well. The price is 40 GEL, so it´s quite cheap, but I can´t recommend it since this uncomfortable journey takes grueling 9-10 hours - basically, it's just slower, marginally cheaper and much less comfortable alternative for the day train. If the are not travelling alone and don't mind spending some extra bucks, you might prefer a direct taxi . Those can be either arranged at bus stations or prebooked - looking at the prices of one of the most popular Georgian transport website, gotrip.ge, prices for the private transfer from Tbilisi to Mestia start at 550 GEL (180 EUR) for the group of 4. The last option you could consider is flight - there are 4 flights a week from Natakhtari airport near Tbilisi, operated by VanillaSky company . You would see Caucasus from a completely different perspective and for 90 GEL it´s quite a bargain. On the downside, they occassionally get canceled because of the weather and during the summer, you should book at least month in advance since they get booked up pretty fast. For more info, pls check this excellent post about the flight (covers also flight from Kutaisi).

From Kutaisi to Mestia: This depends on whether you want to get to Mestia from the city or from the Kutaisi airport. In the first case, your best options is the direct minibus (the price is 40 GEL) departing from the station behind McDonalds . There is a fixed departure between 9:00 and 10:00 am, but if you want to secure your spot, better get there at 8:00-8:30 since it's popular among tourists and will depart much sooner if full. According to locals, if this marshrutka gets full and leaves before 9:00 am, they will send another one. If it gets full later, they might not. There may be also others during the day if there are enough tourists, but I wouldn´t rely on that. If you miss them and there is none other direct bus available, look for a marshrutka to Zugdidi (price 10 GEL) - it's the same way and you can find there transport to Mestia more easily (especially if you notify your driver in Kutaisi that you need to continue to Mestia). If you are travelling directly from the airport , you also have some options. If you are travelling alone, there is a regular shuttle departing in the hourly intervals in the direction of main bus station (5 GEL or so) and take marshrutka from there. Or, if you are willing to spend extra money and save time, find someone to share taxi with. It's actually pretty easy - do you see any people with hiking backpacks? If yes, there is a pretty high chance they are heading to Svaneti so this is a great chance to save some money and get to know some people. If you are not alone and travel straight from the airport, you might want to book your taxi in advance. In this case, at gotrip.ge, prices of the transfer from the Kutaisi airport to Mestia start at 340 GEL, which is actually pretty solid. If you haggle with taxi drivers loitering around the airport and don't look to desperate, you might get a better price, but not by much.

From Batumi to Mestia: Apart from a taxi, there are two options. Marshrutkas depart from the main bus station . Unless you are lucky, you will have to switch the bus in Zugdidi (you may have to wait for several hours there), so this ride will take a better part of the day. The first bus should depart around 9:00 am, then there should be another one at 9:30 am. Another option is the direct transfer provided by Budget Georgia . The price is 80 GEL, which is not that expensive compared to the price of marshrutka. Just pay good attention during the booking, since the ticket has to be paid immediately.

How to leave Ushguli:

If you need to return to Mestia, your best bet used to be minivans making day trips from Mestia to Ushguli. They usually had a few empty seats on the return trip which occured around 3 pm. . However, in the past years, drivers became reluctant to bring hikers back since the Ushguli drivers try to claim all hikers that reached village on foot and other drivers don't want to have problems with locals. So don't rely on these buses too much. So what to do? You can either take a taxi from locals (costs as much as 40 GEL per person) or walk on the road towards Iprali and once the village is out out sight, try to stop some minivan with daytrippers, that should be a bit cheaper.

It's like cab mafia there, we managed to get in a bus for 20 GEL but the cab guys saw it, followed by car, stopped the bus and made us leave it. We kept walking since we didn't want to support this behavior and they even followed us half an hour by car. Later on the gave up and we manged to get another bus.

If you want to prolong your trek, you can cross into Lower Svaneti on foot via Latpari pass or Zagar pass .

Description of the route

Trail parameters, day 1: mestia - tsvirmi distance 20.km, 1484m and 1020m.

Before I start, I need to stress one thing. The description here explains the walking route. However, there is a new cablecar which will take you from the edge of Mestia right to the top of Zuruldi ridge - this way, you will skip the harder and less scenic half of the hike - ideal if you reach Mestia before noon and want to start trekking right away. I am sure that most of the hikers will take a cable car (it costs 20 GEL) and there is nothing wrong about it, this "purists" route is here only for the sake of completeness (and for the times when the cablecar is under maintenance, which happens surprisingly often during the high season). OK, and now let's get back to the purely walking route.

The trail starts at Seti Square. Leave it by a street heading to the southeast, after 200 meters cross the bridge and turn right. Cross another bridge and walk by a museum. Main road here bends to the east - follow it, pass few more houses and leave the village.

After some 300 meter, turn right onto the road leading to the new cable car. Pass the new station and enter the forest - then follow the footpath until you reach a concrete road. Turn right and follow it for half an hour, until you come to the intersection where it sharply bends to the east (towards middle Hatsvali station) and dirt road continues in the original direction (as the pointer says, towards Heshkili). Walk so far is quite boring so it´s not a bad idea to hire a taxi to take you here (should cost about 20 GEL or so).

Leave the concrete road and follow the ntinue on the dirt road in the direction of Ieli village, there is also a pointer. Soon you will come to the almost abandoned Heshkili village, which recently became popular due to Heshkili huts .

Here comes the tricky part. Near the first house in the village (the one on the photo) you need to turn left, onto the dirt track climbing uphill.

Just to make it clear - if you don't turn left at Heshkili and stay on the main road, it will descend to Inguri valley and lead you to Tsvirmi village even more comfortably. However, this route is not so scenic, so I prefer the higher trail. Still, this lower route is also the valid options, especially if the weather is not so good.

But enough about the easier route. Follow the ascending track from Heshkili all the way to the upper station of the cable car - it's quite a steep climb as you will have to overcome 400 meters of elevation. This is the place you can easily reach from Mestia if you use the cable car.

From the cable car, head to the east. Walk between trees, cross the small meadow and you will come to a bigger dirt road. This road will take you all the way to Mentashi transmitter, which is already visible to the east. There is only one crossroad halfway to the transmitter in front of a small hill - if you take left branch, you will climb to the nameless transmitter (limited views), if you take the right one, the trail will bypass the mount. No matter which path you choose, both will merge again and you will have to climb 100 height meters to another transmitter. Mentashi hill offers breathtaking views in all directions and is a great place for a break.

Then we continue eastwards. Descent from Mentashi is a bit tricky as the terrain is very steep and the path not always visible (to put it mildly). Some people prefer to circumvent whole Mentashi hill from the right side, especially in bad weather.

You need to make it to the meadow in the northeastern direction. Once there, find a small path heading northeast. Follow it. You will cross several other pastures and belts of trees and after amazing two kilometers, you will come to a spot where the trail turns north and dives into the forest. From here its supposed to continue to Mulakhi village. Tke first section is OK, but further stages are in a poor condition so I don't recommend it. But if you have time, you can make a small side trip - after first 300 meters, there is a meadow with nice views of Mt. Ushba.

In case you want to go directly to Tsvirmi keep walking east. Follow the grassy path between trees - on your left will be a dense forest, on the slope below you a small group of trees. Once you walk pass this grove, turn right and descend some 50 meters. You will find a path, which soon turns into regular dirt road - too narrow for a car, but wide enough for a cart. This road will take you all the way to Tsvirmi.

Tsvirmi is a lovely small village, barely touched by tourism. Still, you can find there an accommodation - you will stumble upon a guesthouse soon after you enter the village.

Where to stay in Tsvirmi:

In the past, Tsvirmi was visited only by few tourists and so it managed to retain a lots of its charm. However, that also meant that the offer of accommodation was very limited. The situation changed only in the past few years and nowadays, the village boasts at least 4 guesthouses. Only one of them can be booked online but even if it´s full, there are enough alternatives.

Shorena's guesthouse - added to Booking.com only in june 2019, but looking at the photos, I am almost sure this is the place where I stayed few years ago. This very pleasant homestay lies at the northern edge of the village, right by the trail descending from the Zuruldi massif. The family running it was really lovely and the food was good and plentiful. During my visit, their beds were somewhat saggy but I heard that this was also fixed in the meantine so now can be this guesthouse strongly recommended.

Day 2: Tsvirmi - Adishi distance 17km, 1273m and 1055m

In the morning head to the center of the village, where you will find tourist marker. From here we set off in the direction of Zhabeshi. Just follow the road heading north and after two kilometers it will join the main road from Mestia to Ushguli at Ughviri pass.

Turn right and almost immediately, after fifty meters turn left onto the new road heading to Tetnuldi Ski Resort. You will need to follow it, until you reach the cable car station. If you want to tkae the upper trail to Adishi, buy a ticket, othewise, keep walking. Follow the road and skiing track uphill. Some 20 minutes later, roughly at 2500m altitude, a marked trail (Hadiish) branches off to the south-east. The path crosses open areas with nice views and wildflowers and then slowly descends into the forest. At some point, before crossing a stream, there is a small bar where you can buy some refreshments. Less then an hour later, you reach Adishi. The village is hidden below the slope and you will see it at the last possible moment.

Upper trail to Adishi: If you want to enjoy even better views and escape crowds for a while, this trail might a good alternative. Compared to the classic trail, it starts further uphill, some 200 elevation meters higher, conveniently close to the exit station of the lowest cable car line, the only one which works in summer. Because of this, I strongly recommend to use the cable car to overcome to most difficult section of this day. The price of the ticket should be some 10 GEL. This upper trail traverses the base of Tetnuldi mountain through the open grasslands. Finally, it turns souths and then comes a steep descent to Adishi. Overall, I think it is a pretty good way to prolong this, otherwise quite easy, hiking day. The only disadvantages are that the final descent could be pretty hard on your knees and there are no bar on this route.

Upper trail to Adishi, Georgia

Where to stay in Adishi (click to expand)

Adishi, the most isolated village on the trek is the notorious pain point . The village is quite small, there is only a handful of guesthouses and these mostly had no online presence so booking far in advance always posed a problem. Moreover, several of these guesthouses are at best average - the facilities are very basic, food only decent, prices quite high and the owners are often moody, sometimes very friendly and sometimes not so much (the only bright exception being Panorama guesthouse). However, considering the amount of hikers which come here only to spend a night and leave after breakfast, it's not that surprising. Here are some of the better guesthouses where stayed either me or my friends. There are also others, but I have no feedback about them - feel free to write me how you like them :)

Panorama guesthouse - Hands down the best (and most expensive) guesthouse in the village . Opened only in 2019, owners Tamara and Davit decided to bring services provided in Adishi up to the next level. Guesthouse is known for delicious food, comfortable beds and modern bathrooms with hot water. And, of course, both owners speak fluent English and do their best so their guests feel like at home. However, there is a downside. Since these owners are not locals, guesthouse is not open all year round, only during the season. And sometimes they open quite late, for example, in 2023 they opened only on 4th August. Elisabeth Kaldani's guesthouse - large, blue-painted wooden guesthouse situated at the bottom part of the village. Until recently, this was the only guesthouse in Adishi available on Booking.com so was always packed with hikers. Several of my friends stayed here and while they weren't particularly impressed, it was "good enough". Elisabeth speaks basic English and works hard to keep the place running and clean. Earlier, I heard some complaints about the food being only average but since the covid hit, the quality of cooking has greatly improved. Contact: (+995) 595 449584. Tarzan & Nino - Pleasant guesthouse ran by a friendly older couple - this is where I stayed during my Adishi visit. While the beds weren't too comfortable, the food was good - if you don't expect luxury, you should like this place. Contact: (+995) 790 870794. Gunter Avaliani guesthouse - Classic Adishi guesthouse, ran by Gunter, his wife Zaira and their daughters Nana and Jameki. The house is old and facilities very basic, but the family is really friendly, they even sang and played music for and with their guests when my friends stayed there (but that depends on the mood, don't expect it each evening). Also, the meals are excellent. Contact: (+995) 598 477180 (Nana speaks also English)

Day 3: Adishi - Iprali distance 18.8km, 860m and 1091m

Another day and another tricky part in the morning - fording of the Adishi river. During the main season, when many hikers leave Adishi to Iprali, you can expect people with horses waiting at the crossing. During the shoulder season, it is good to ask around in the village about the water level and hire a horse if necessary - several locals offer this service.

Leave the village by a path heading by the river to the east, to the foot of Adishi glacier. After one hour the path ends in a river - you will have to ford it. During the season, there are usually several locals from Adishi with horses which offer transport, However, they charge 25 GEL or even more per person which is, considering the duration of the ride, usually quite a ripoff (unless the water level is high, then it´s worth every penny). Before you pay, I recommend to walk some 50 meters upstream where the river branches a bit more and check if you can cross on your own - that doesn´t mean it´s always possible, but it´s worth checking out. The water is freezing so you won't be able to spend too much time in the river. Wear hiking sandals and use hiking sticks. But don't take any unnecessary risk and use a horse if you don't feel confident.

Behind the river, the path appears again. After 2 hours of climbing, you should make it to the Chkhunderi pass (2655m) - it offers great views of surrounding mountains and the Adishi glacier. If the weather is nice, you can leave your backpack at the pass and walk along the ridge north-east towards the glacier for even better views. From the Chkhunderi pass, the trail heads straight down into the opposite valley. Down in the valley, you will find a couple of huts which can provide shelter in case of rain. Turn right, the trail to Iprali which follows the Khaldechala river is mostly downhill and quite obvious. To Iprali, it should take another 2 hours of walking. About halfway lies Khalde village, known as a centre of anti-Russian uprising in 1875-76 (when it was, as a punishment, razed to the ground). Only a couple of families live here, running two guesthouses - older and smaller Guesthouse Khalde and newly opened, but also more expensive Qaldea Resort . Both places are a decent place for an afternoon beer or even for the spending of the night if you want to try the new, more scenic route to Ushguli - crossing Lagem (also known as Southern Karetta) pass or simply spend a night somewhere more remote.

Where to stay in Iprali (click to expand)

Iprali is the another village which, until recently, offered only a very limited accommodation - essentially, almost all hikers stayed at Ucha Margveliani guesthouse. Luckily, in the past few years were opened several new and pretty decent places which give Ucha´s run for its money.

Betegi guesthouse - a new guesthouse strategially located at the beginning of the village. The place was opened only in 2018 and it shows, it looks new and clean. The owners family is very friendly and the food superb. The only drawback are somewhat thin walls between rooms and the fact that there are only two bathrooms. Still, it is certainly one of the top guesthouses in the village, if not the best one. Robinzon guesthouse - Another pleasant, family operated guesthouse. Situated in the old, but recently renovated house, so now it has new beds, wooden facade and plastic windows. The place is clean and the owners Giorgi and Katia work hard to keep it that way, food is also very good. But, again, when the place gets full (20+ people), you may have to wait for a while for one of two bathrooms. Ucha Margveliani's guesthouse - And last but not least, Ucha´s, the largest guesthouse (or rather a hotel) in the village, able to accommodate 50 people or even more. The place has a long tradition and it shows - the staff, while not too friendly, is professional and the food, while not extraordinary, is hearty and filling. Rooms are also nice and beds comfortable. The place would not be my first choice since it kinda lacks character but saved loads of people - the owners are good at finding that one extra spot for some hapless guy who trekked without prearranged accommodation. Contact: (+995) 599 250578

Day 4: Iprali - Ushguli distance 12.3km, 930m and 603m

Nowadays, most of the people trying to get to Ushguli hire a car or walk on the main road. It's a pity because that road is quite busy and lined by electricity poles.

Luckily, there is an alternative, much more interesting route . How to find it? Leave Iprali village and cross Khaldechala river by a bridge. Right behind it branches a track to the left which is a nice shortcut to the Davberi village but as of 2021, it was blocked by a fence with barbed wire - I think that sooner or later, we can expect 2 GEL "entry fee" sign here. But until then, we need to take a longer detour and follow the main road for about 10 minutes, till you reach a small stone footbridge under imposing Davberi village (there is also a hiking pointer). Climb to the village and by a local church turn right onto the steeply climbing trail. There is a signpost showing you the way to Ushguli so you shouldn't get lost.

There are two occasions where one can get lost. After climbing up the hill and going on a bit the way splits. You need to take the path to the right which is not so steep; the other way leads up the mountain. Then after something like two kilometers you have to cross two small rivers. After the second one, the path splits in the forest and you have to take the way up. I suspect that the other way is the way down to the road.

Shortly after cresting of the first hill, there is a hardly noticeable junction. Right branch is much clearer and keeps the altitude, but deadends after 2 km. You need to turn left onto the small trail which leads uphill, it will soon improve. From now, the trail constantly hovers about the elevation of 2000m - the marking is sparse, but most of the time you can see barely visible remains of the sledge track so you shouldn't get lost.

Two kilometeres before the Ushguli village, the trail merges with the main road. However, it's quite dusty because of passing jeeps so I prefer to spend on it as little time as possible . The better way to reach the village is to turn after 500 meters right, onto a trail heading to Murkmeli , one of four communities forming Ushguli. At the entrance, there is a small fence where some enterprising locals used to collect 2 GEL for the passage, but so far in 2024, this "toll point" is not working and you can cross the fence by a small wooden ladder.

Pass the village (least affected by tourism, with many houses in derelict state), cross the bridge and follow the trail on the other bank of Enguri till you make it to Chazhashi hamlet, more or less the center of Ushguli.

You should arrive at Ushguli in time to catch shared taxis which take daytrippers back to Mestia (and manage a short walk around the village). However, if you have an extra day, it's much better to spend a night here as the best views of Shkhara are in usually in the morning (as on the photo below). You can use the extra time to climb to the tower above the village or for the walk to the Shkhara glacier .

Iprali - Ushguli "the hard way"

Where to stay in ushguli (click to expand), where to stay in ushguli:.

There is certainly no lack of choice in Ushguli - every other house got already got converted into a guesthouse, not counting those newly built. Below is a short list of places where stayed either me or my close friends and can be recommended. But, of course, there are also others, many just as good as the ones below. Just keep in mind that prices advertised on booking portals are not always consistent with what you will be charged, since almost all visitors take not just an accommodation, but also a full pension. Keep this in mind and agree upon the price of food beforehand, so you won't be surprised later.

Mshvidoba guesthouse - budget homestay located at the heart of Zhibiani community. The place is not too large so it keeps a "local feeling". The family running it is really friendly and Laila is a great cook. Hotel Nato - wonderful small guesthouse situated in the Chazhashi village, not far from the bridge. Owners Nato and Emzar are very friendly and will make sure that your room is warm even if there is cold outside. They don't speak English, but their son does. Also, food was tasty and plentiful. Guesthouse Miranda - small family guesthouse situated at the northeastern side of the village, cose to the Lamaria church. Very friendly owners, food providing, overall good value for money. Has mix of older rooms and modern ones with private bathrooms. On the downside, if you are visiting outside of the summer season, rooms can get a bit cold cos supplied electric heater is not strong enough (unless they upgraded since 2019). Guesthouse Gamarjoba - one of the oldest guesthouses in Ushguli, located at the northern end of the Zhibiani community, right by the church. The facilities are a bit dates, but the beds are comfortable, blankets warm and the guesthouse is overall clean. The meals are also pretty good. One of great assets of this guesthouse are people running it - Temraz and Lela Nijaradze are very friendly and welcoming hosts and their daughter Mariam also speaks English. In the house lives also Temraz´s quirky brother Fridon, who is a painter and turned one of the rooms into a small art gallery. Booking: [email protected] or send them a message via their fb page .

Thanks to Břetislav for his cool photo of Adishi glacier. Other photos were provided by Oriol Girona, Josef Formanek, Jozef Strezenec and me. And the last, but not least - 4 photos were provided by Jordan Atkins. More of his photos of Svaneti can be found at his web Inspired by Maps .

Mestia to Ushguli Trek and Its Alternatives – Trekking in Svaneti

Mestia to ushguli trek.

The most Popular trek in Georgia among foreigners . There are several reasons for that:

• It is a village to village route , you can stay in very authentic villages overnight, no need to camp, there are guesthouses in each village and there is no need transportation either. Adishi especially has very middle ages feel.
• There is no need for luggage transfer as well. You can leave your extra luggage in Mestia guesthouse and just walk light. In the end of the route there are shared cars from Mestia and this all makes trips affordable and enjoyable.
• Nature is very beautiful. Views to 4-5 thousand meter summits Ushba and Tetnuldi dominate the skyline the first days while the other days Shkhara summit and Benzengi wall – above 5,000 meters. The most important is Chkhutnieri glacier – this is the one of the most beautiful glaciers which you can see right from above.
• The route has possibility to improvise! To make it wilder, to make it less touristic, more interesting! This is what I am going to discuss in this article, so you dont arrive and say – the third day was great well and I visited Ushguli – tower village with Shkhara summit behind it and thats it. Just consider some changes to make this trip a lifetime experience! In Svaneti you can do some more interesting combination of hiking including some of the sections of this trek and some other hikes and treks depending number of days. I will discuss the trek itself and its alternatives here. Generally if you are looking for a trek where you can meet other tourists, which will cost least, the most convenient route with exotic villages, then Mestia-Ushguli classical version is the one.

The Best Mestia-Ushguli Trek Itinerary

I will write more days and give suggestions what you can skip so you customize your perfect trip:

• Day 1: Mestia to Tsvirmi (by cable car or taxi to Hastvali resort then hike to Tsvirmi); This route has more panoramas in comparison to Mestia to Zhabeshi which means walk through villages and dirt road, unless its bad weather. If you have car support I would stay in Zhabeshi again or skip the second day of classical trip completely and start the second day from Adishi). Level of guesthouses is lower in Tsvirmi than in Zhabeshi however, so you could totally skip first 2 days as well and drive to Adishi and hike from There.
• Day 2: possible to skip – just start the second day from Adishi if you want to do Mkheri dayhike lets say and you are limited in time:  Tsvirmi to Adishi ;
• Day 3: Adishi to Khalde via Chkhutnieri pass  (highlight of the trip – dont skip it);
• Day 4: Khalde to Ushguli via Lagem pass . Lagem or kareta passes are hard but rewarding. If it is too early or too late for this hike or you are not fit enough for this route, then you need to do the lower route, but my advise is that instead of lower route, you can completely skip it (take a car to Ushguli) in this case to have a chance for better hikes.
• Day 5: Ushguli to Gorvashi pass , then come back to Mestia, alternative can be Shkhara glacier horse ride, or jeep ride closer to glacier then short hike, if you hurry back from Ushguli to Tbilisi.
• Day 6: Ushba glacier hike or its shorter version Shdugra waterfalls horse riding in Mazeri to see Mazeri area as well.
• Day 7: Mkheri dayhike – in one day reaching the most beautiful place in Georgia, having the view towards the glacier of Lahili which is compete with Chkhutnieri view – this is something I would not miss.
• Day in Mestia is always great as well, as it has great museum, nice cafes and people, hatsvali resort, Chalaadi glacier which will occupy a few hours – 1.5km to reach the glacier leaves lots of time to explore the city. If you are not limited in money, I would advise early morning clear weather jeep ride to Koruldi lakes as well (it is well worth approximately 200gel for the jeep) and if you want harder hikes you can try hiking from the lakes to the Koruldi ridge to have a great view on Ushba! Or if you dont have money for the lakes jeep ride, then you can hike to Chkhuti ridge.

You could see some guaranteed group tours on this link that may fit your dates which may include some of my favorite options.

Practical Information:

• Classical 4-5 days trek starts from mestia, where you can get by arranged car, cheap flight to mestia (vanilla sky) or train to zugdidi + bus/taxis to mestia which waits for train (there is no need to reserve taxi from zugdidi in advance).
• You can reserve the first night in mestia, other nights will be reserved by mestia guesthouse or your guide if you will get one. All the guesthouses on the route offer 2 times food + lunchbox for 60-80 gel per person including 3 times food depending on guesthouse’s quality and location, but some nights especially in high season some of the guesthouses might be crowded by tourists and there is always chance that you get in the guesthouses which are kind of network of relative’s guesthouses.
• You will need to pay for river crossing in adishi by horse (which is 50 gel for shared group or 20-30 gel per person).
• Quality of lunch boxes are often low and lacks variety, so if you have an arranged car to carry luggage between villages, just buy some snacks in mestia or other city.
• Flights to mestia are not reliable. It is hard to buy ticket and it gets canceled once there is a bad weather which is not very uncommon in the mountains so train to zugdidi then taxi is the best option.  Here is the LINK for flight tickets. Here is a website for train tickets. Train tickets can be reserved easily HERE , once they publish tickets it does not get sold fast, while plane tickets get sold instantly.

Adishi river crossing by Jiayin

The other cost you will have is to take shared taxi from Ushguli which costs 40 gel per person (but 200 gel for the car), so if you see you are traveling with some extra seats ask driver to take extra passengers in Ushguli. So overall,  as you do not need transportation from and to start of hikes, then its surely the most convenient and cheapest trek possible.

You do not need to carry your luggage as you sleep in guesthouses and not in tents, and you can leave some of your luggage in Mestia guesthouse where you will return to sleep for the last night before departing to Tbilisi/Kutaisi. Regarding guide, of course, its not must, but with guide, its more convenient, of course if guide speaks enough language to explain about summits and glaciers, elevations ups and downs, some culture and history of villages, also help you with guesthouses booking and finding, arranging car etc.

Adishi village

More About Some of the Sections of the Classical Trek of Mestia-Ushguli

The first day of the hike is Mestia-Zhabeshi. 16km route is just 700m up, 1 pass crossing still + some flat road between beautiful villages, so its an easy start of trek to get used to elevations, hiking. But there is also an option to skip it, and devote 1 more day to some more impressive hikes (or hike to the panorama ridge and descend to Zhamushi village – expert level ). 50 gel is tariff for taxi to get to Zhabeshi and start hiking from there.

The second day which can be the first if you start from Zhabeshi, has more elevation gains. The distance is 10.6km, 909m up and 527m down.  But the route passes through Tetnuldi resort so some car road need to be crossed. Personally I would start from Hatsvali to Tsvirmi, then take a car to tetnuldi resort the same day and descend to Adishi so you could do the most impressive first day descend to Adishi in the end, this descend is quite impressive.

Third day (for the the second one) of hike is the most impressive. Leaving beautiful, exotic village Adishi from the middle ages, beautiful river gorge, crossing river, ascending Chkhutnieri pass, where 360 degrees panorama waits for you and you see most beautiful glacier from above.

Then you descend in hero village Khalde. In the 19th century village alone decided to resist against Russian empire. Then it was prohibited to settle there. Distance is 16km (860 m up and 900m down) if you sleep in Khalde or car waits for you in Khalde to take you to Ushguli for overnight.  As I said above classical Iprali to Ushguli is a waste of time when you have so many nice hikes in Svaneti, so do Lagem pass which is distance 14.5km, 1070m up and 1118m down.

More Impressive Alternatives of Mestia to Ushguli Trek

If you want to go wild and do camping, you can always do Tobavarchkhili lakes trek or other route of alpine lakes, or hiking/non-professional alpinist route towards summit Lahili . It has enjoyment version of 3-day camping, or hard route of summit climbing also in 3 days. All these need camping and carrying luggage/horse. And in case of more time, other dayhikes or sections of guesthouse-to guesthouse trek can be added.

If you do not want to carry luggage and still do something very impressive, you can take into account that there are some really impressive hikes with possibility to sleep in guesthouses:

• Guli pass (Mazeri to Mestia) and Ushba glacier (including Shdugra waterfalls hikes= 2 days; Starting from Meziri (Baki Pass) = 3 days to Mestia. You could even start before like Transcaucasus trial does, but i recommend it less. Etseri to Mazeri, Mazeri to Ushba glacier and Mazeri to Mestia is great enough and if you add Mkheri dayhike in Latali it can be a perfect trip.
• Mkheri dayhike which is very impressive hike and very recommended.
• Koruldi Lakes hike (or take car to the lakes and hike to the ridge for those who want to conquer heights).
• Latpari Pass hike (from Ushguli to lower Svaneti) or from Ushguli to Kala community via Latpari pass in upper Svaneti. In this case you hike on the ridge. Or just hike to Gorvashi pass from Ushguli and back.

Generally its up to tourist to decide what he is going to do in Svaneti, there are easy routes for family (even easiest) such as Chalaadi glacier, Shdugra waterfalls (fully or partly only flat elevation), also walk from Tetnuldi resort for the view to Tetnuldi summit or descend to Adishi from there, Hike from Hatsvali to Tsvirmi village etc. Also there are moderate routes abovementioned, and harder routes which involve some climbing as well, Tetnuldi and Lahili are usually reachable summits.

Remember that those altered routes are associated with some little more costs. Meanwhile Mestia-Ushguli route is still recommended alternative , with possibility to change first day only with some dayhike or change last day with Shkhara glacier or Gorvashi pass hikes (or adding Shkhara glacier as 5th day), but whatever you decide please  remember that without hiking Mkheri in the appropriate weather, Koruldi or Guli pass, Chkhutnieri or Latpari passes, please dont downgrade beauty of Svaneti or exclude it from the list of the best areas of the world for hiking and glaciers.

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Georgian Tour

Georgian Tour Adviser (Davit Berishvili) - I have travelled to all of the places posted here and I am happy to share my experience. However, this is for informational purposes only - to help you plan your trip in Georgia. You are welcome to share, comment, correct me or suggest your ideas. Besides, you could also contact me through contact form/fb/email if you want an arranged tour. Please like our fb page to get updates. Hope you will come back soon. Book Tour

Around Mestia – Koruldi Lakes & short walk to Chalaadi glacier

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Mestia to Ushguli was one of the best treks I ever made. Also very easy routes to relax and enjoi.

Hi Davit, We’re planning to make Mestia-Ushguli trek, and want to add Mazeri-Mestia. Can Mazeri -Mestia trek be done in one day? Do we need to take a night in Mazeri, or is it common practice to find someone to bring us from Mestia to Mezeri early morning ? Thanks, Alex

U can drive to Mazeri and do hike in 1 day but its 9 hr approximately, In the worst case u need to order car via someone from Mestia 2 hr before u reach mestia (koruldi jeep road) for 100-120 gel

Thank you for this – it’s very helpful!

I’m wondering – are the routes well sign posted and easy to follow on our own, or do we need a GPS?

Hi Eric, standard version of Mestia-Ushguli is easy to follow and is touristic in high season. Some other areas are also marked – like Ushba glacier, sometimes like gorvashi pass, mkheri, Lahili glacier gps or guide is preffered.

Excellent information. I wonder if Mestia – Ushguli trek is possible to make in late May-early June??

Since Last week of May Mestia-Ushguli trek is usually possible. However, pass between Adishi and Iprali may be closed. So staying in Adishi u will need to take a car to iprali and hike from the village up to the pass (glacier) and return back). This increases costs a bit. Anyway, when the route is possible to do and when certain pass is open (pass may not be open because of snowfalls) depends on winter.

Hello, This question may appear silly, but it seems dogs have a tendency to attack me… I am planning to visit Svaneti and other Georgian regions; how much of a danger are loose dogs there for visitors and trekkers? What’s the best way to avoid them and still explore thoroughly all the interesting villages and nature? Thanks.

Hello, Tusheti is more ,,dangerous” in this respect than Svaneti as there are many shepherd dogs there. If u are coming alone, then I would advise you to carry hiking stick all the time, as our dogs are afraid and improve your shouting skills. The best defense is attack.

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Svanetie trek - crossing from Mestia to Ushguli in the Caucasus

Description of the hike, water availability, mountain range, region / state.

Kavkaz / Georgia

01. 08. - 05. 08. 2019

max. 3138 m n.m.

min. 1393 m n.m.

Tourist map of Svanetia in the Caucasus

Elevation profile of the route, useful information.

• Suitable for children - YES (school age)
• Suitable for dogs - YES
• Overcrowding - medium

Tips for hikes in the mountain range Kavkaz

Trip to the Holy Trinity Church in Gergeti, Caucasus

Trek in Truso valley in Georgia

A short trek over the town of Stepantsminda in Georgia

All hikes in mountain Kavkaz

Crossing hike from Mestia to Ushguli (Svanetia crossing)

Starting point.

In the morning we leave Mestia, where we were staying. The road is easy to find and well marked . It alternates between woods and meadows, so it passes pleasantly. Soon we are in a saddle above the village of Zardlaši, where there is a beautiful view and a camping site. There are quite a few tourists here too. But they only come with us as far as the village of Zardlaši and the road is empty.

We pass through smaller villages - in each of them you could buy something good if they were not closed. In the village of Cholaši there is a big spring in the village square where it is good to get water. The Mulchura River is crossed by a bridge just after Cholaši and at the village of Chvabiani (we're just here for lunch) we turn up the slope to the winter resort.

Continue straight up a short distance to the left of the stream, which, although very poorly accessed, has clear water and a lovely place to sleep. Further on, t he path is easy to follow but steep and poorly marked . In addition, there are often confusing turns off the trail, so one has to keep a constant eye on one's bearings. We sleep just below the slope on a grassy patch by the trail. There is a small stream here.

First day's dates: 18 km; 1,250 m up, 400 m down.  

We will walk the rest of the trail to the lower cable car station. It doesn't leave until around 10am, so we walk up the path next to the ski slope . At the turn-off to Adis about halfway up the cable car, you can choose your route:

The more difficult (but prospectively more interesting) trail climbs a few hundred more vertical metres up the slope and then continues along the traverse of the mountain meadows. The easier trail cuts straight off here and partly plunges into a nice forest.

Both trails are well marked, passable and meet just before the village of Adisi, where we arrive just in time for lunch. There are several guesthouses, a small market and a couple of taverns. Although the village is small and partly depopulated, it has its own special charm. We continue on more or less following the contour of the Adishala river valley.

The road ends at the ford of the river itself. This can only be forded in the morning when the flow of the glacial river is at its weakest. During the day it is also possible to be ferried across the river on horseback for a fee, but in the afternoon the current is too strong even for that. Fortunately, there is a very nice place to sleep just at the ford (in a small draw), which we will take advantage of.

Dates of the second day: 13 km; 500 m up, 500 m down.  

We'll cross the river early in the morning. It's icy as hell , fast, but the water's not even knee-deep. We have breakfast on the other bank and continue to the Chchunderi saddle ( 2720 m above sea level).

We leave our luggage in the saddle and lightly climb the peak of Chchunderi (3 036 m above sea level), from where we have a wonderful view of the Tetnuldi massif (4 858 m above sea level), the Adishi glacier and the surrounding meadows.

We descend to the saddle by the same route, have lunch and again descend steeply towards the Chaldeshala River. There is a large number of people on the road and a large spring a little above the river (otherwise there was no water during the day). But down by the river the crowds break off and descend to the village of Chalde, which is also the official crossing route.

We want to use the unmarked trail over the Lagem saddle (3,000m) to the Enguri river valley and enjoy the mountains a bit more. Fortunately, the trail has been freshly cut - otherwise it would be impossible to find it, as practically no one walks on it.

The trail is also very steep and in wet weather the Lagem saddle would be impassable . However, the trail has already appeared on the current paper map (2020), so it can be assumed that it has already been marked and is being maintained. In any case, we will continue on it.

With difficulty (the path gets completely lost for a bit) we find an old bridge over the Chladeshala River and use it. Otherwise it would not be possible, because the river is very strong and crossing it would be practically impossible.

From the river we continue up the already cut trail and just beyond the forest border there is a sleeping area. It is very nice here and there is even a stream with water a short distance away. It is very difficult to descend to it - the best way is to continue about a kilometer further along the hiking trail and it will take you to it.

Date of the third day: 10 km; 900 m up, 750 m down.  

In the morning, continue along the cut trail to the ford of the aforementioned creek , after which you will come upon a sharp grassy ridge. Here begins a long climb straight up to the Lagem saddle. There is no problem with orientation.

However, the trail wades through rhododendrons and is quite steep. About halfway up the slope the rhododendrons turn into grass and the profile rises even more, so that even in dry conditions we have a lot of trouble climbing the saddle. No water anywhere .

We have lunch in the saddle and head north to the unnamed peak (3,142m), whose ridge we walk along to above the Chalde glacier. Very nice views. We return to the saddle and head down into the other valley. The way down is not as steep as the way up , but for the most part it disappears completely.

At the beginning the whole slope traverses southwards. About halfway up, two chutes must be crossed. There is a little bit of divination in the process, but it is worth continuing to traverse intuitively (not dodging down the trough) and the trail will reappear. The rhododendrons turn into a dense and very pretty meadow.

It's straight down, and even if the trail gets lost here and there, just keep going. You will come above a larger stream, which the path slowly traverses down to. From the stream, the orientation is no longer problematic and it just descends to the Inguri River. There is plenty of water everywhere on this slope. The road is even heavily waterlogged in places.

We climb down in the valley and come across a very nice meadow by the river where we pitch our tents. The Inguri River flows out of a glacier on the slopes of Mount Shkhar (5,201 m .a.s.l.), which is the highest mountain in Georgia. This makes the valley busy.

A jeep with Japanese tourists occasionally passes along the way (they all took pictures of us as wild animals), cattle graze and packs of stray dogs run around. Two of them even liked us so much that they spent a rainy night with us in our tents. In the evening, however, there is not a foot anywhere and it is quiet. There are also very nice places to sleep in the meadows above the village of Ushguli 3 kilometres away.

Dates of the fourth day: 15 km; 800 m up, 1050 m down.  

In the morning we will just walk along the road in front of Ushguli. We're guarded by our favourite pair of stray dogs. We leave the valley at a nice monastery (which we quickly see) and an even nicer pub (which we sink into for a few hours). From the terrace there is a wonderful view of the whole Šchara massif.

Some of us rented horses and took a ride all the way down the valley to the glacier. In the afternoon we just descend into the town of Ushguli , find a shuttle almost immediately and take a rather adrenaline-filled ride back to Mestia. The fare is very inflated on this popular tourist road - count on 30 to 50 Lari per person.

Day 5 dates: 4 km; 50 m up, 150 m down.  

There's plenty of water all the time. Every day we ended up in a little valley where there was always a stream with water, so you don't have to overdo it with water supplies for the trip . We didn't filter the water, but it wasn't exactly crystal clear either.  

Sleeping options

We slept under a tent and it was never a problem to find a flat grassy patch. In the villages along the way (Svabiani, Adisi, ...) it is possible to find a guesthouse and for money sleep under a roof. But the villages are few along the way and the route is long. In Mestia and Ushguli, however, it is not a problem to find accommodation both in a guesthouse and under a tent.  

Along the way (as in the rest of Georgia), the invasive plant Bolshevik magnificent is often found. This is dangerous in contact with the skin (for example, if someone falls into it) and it's a good idea to know first aid for this.

The 4th day of the crossing in particular is potentially dangerous due to steep slopes and poor signage. Otherwise the route is relatively safe . There are a large number of stray dogs in the Inguri River valley (between Ushguli and Mount Shkara). However, none of them attacked us, they just fight with each other.  

We had our own food for the whole 5 days. We were able to eat and do a little shopping on the 2nd day in the village of Adishi, but due to its size and remoteness I wouldn't rely on it too much. However, it is of course possible to do some major shopping in Mestia.

Attractions

Although this corner of the Caucasus is very famous, popular and beautiful, it is not protected by any nature park . Fortunately, it is not yet unspoilt and only the town of Mestia is growing unstoppably.

The biggest attraction on the route is definitely the village of Ushguli, part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is said to be the highest village in Europe (2,200m above sea level) - it depends on the interpretation of the border between Europe and Asia.

The entire crossing passes through the historic territory of Svaneti , which is known in particular for its typical defensive towers, which are also said to have served as a shelter for those involved in the blood feud. These towers can be visited - most of them are still inhabited by people. Svanetia also has quite an interesting and rich history, which I recommend studying before your trip.  

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