Svaneti
Georgia
Georgia / Svaneti
Hailed by National Geographic as one of the world’s the best travel destinations
Hailed by National Geographic as one of the world's best travel destinations in 2021, Svaneti's rugged mountainous landscape, with its snow-capped peaks, ancient stone villages, and austere Svan towers, feels like something out of a Tolkien novel.
This remote Caucasus outpost is accessible by flight, train, or car (long and arduous). Vanilla Sky operates flights from Natakhtari (near Tbilisi) to Mestia and can be booked online, but flights are weather-dependent and frequently canceled. We recommend using a tour guide who can navigate alternatives in case of flight cancellation.
There are no fancy boutique hotels in Svaneti, but plenty of adequate lodges, huts, and guesthouses. The following tour companies and guides come highly recommended:
Caucasus Expeditions: Audrey's company is well regarded in the ex-pat community in Georgia. She runs a small boutique operation specializing in horseback riding, ski adventures, and hiking treks through the mountain regions of Svaneti and Tuscheti. Caucasus Expedition is all about local immersion, meeting the natives, and participating in their daily lives and traditions.
Georgian Tour: This tour company organizes treks in various parts of the country.
Our recommended tour guides include: Rusudan Varshalomidze or Guga Begashvili.
The Offbeat Goat Collection
Experiences in Svaneti.
the highlights.
Hike the 3-4 day well-trodden trail from Mestia to Ushguli (or the other way around), or catch a ride (with an organized car) for part of the way. Protected as the Upper Svaneti World Heritage site, Ushguli (a mountain village) is one of Europe's highest inhabited areas and a must-see pitstop when exploring the area.
Sleep in simple (but charming) guesthouses along the way and experience the local charm of Georgian life.
Explore trails off the beaten path, such as the hike up to Shdugra (4.5 miles long and takes around 3-4 hours each way). Don’t miss the stunning waterfall.
Trek from Mestia to Chaladi Glacier, a relatively short day trip (5- 6 hours).
Visit the History and Ethnography Museum and the Lamaria church for great views.
Putter around Mestia. Visit the tower museum to see icons and processional crosses and learn how people lived in these towers. Walk up from the museum and take pictures from the highest tower in the area.
Wander around Ushguli, visit the watchtowers, and see the house of the famous local Svaneti painter Fridon Nizharadze.
Take a ride up the Hatsvali ski lift for spectacular views in the summer.
Visit Tsvirmi, deemed the least touched and most enchanting of all the villages in the area.
Eat at the highest restaurant in Georgia (Mount Zuruldi) and enjoy the views of Tetnuldi and the Caucasus.