hiking
Trek through the legendary Svaneti highlands past ancient towers and glacial peaks
Private Tour
Your group, your dates, your pace. Any size — couples, families, colleagues.
From
650 GEL/person
Scheduled Departure
Fixed-date group departures. Solo travellers and pairs especially welcome.
Next · 6 this season
5 Jul 2025
The Experience
Svaneti is one of Georgia's most remote and spectacular highland regions — a landscape of centuries-old stone towers, glacial rivers, and peaks that dwarf anything in the Alps. This multi-day traverse takes you from the UNESCO-listed town of Mestia across high ridges and alpine valleys to the extraordinary village cluster of Ushguli, finishing beneath the glaciated face of Shkhara. The 6-day classic crosses the Chkhunderi Pass at 2,741 m; the 5-day express offers the same villages and views on a more accessible route. Both finish at one of the most dramatically beautiful settlements on earth.
You're Ready If
Comfortable hiking 6–8 hours per day on mountain terrain with a daypack. Prior hiking experience recommended. The Chkhunderi Pass day (6-day classic) involves 1,200+ m of climbing and is the hardest single day.
Minimum age: 14 years
Highlights
Day by Day
Day 1
Transfer from Tbilisi to Mestia by minivan (approx. 5–6 hours, with a stop at the Enguri reservoir viewpoint). Arrive early afternoon. Orientation walk through Mestia's medieval tower district and a visit to the Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography. Group dinner and route briefing at the guesthouse.
Day 2
The trek begins in earnest. Leave Mestia heading northeast up the Mulkhura River valley on a well-defined trail through pine forest and alpine meadow. The route offers unobstructed views of the Ushba massif — its twin summits are arguably the most dramatic peak profile in the entire Caucasus. Arrive in the small village of Zhabeshi for overnight in a family guesthouse.
Day 3
A sustained valley walk following the Nakra River on a lower trail that bypasses the ridge crossing to Adishi. The route passes through several small villages and moves through dense birch and pine forest, offering a genuine sense of the inhabited valley landscape. A more accessible day with steady, varied terrain underfoot. Overnight in Iprari.
Day 4
The final trekking stage. The trail follows the upper Inguri river valley through increasingly open terrain as the cluster of towers that mark Ushguli appear on the horizon. Reach Ushguli — one of the highest permanently inhabited villages in Europe at approximately 2,200 m — and check in for the night. Evening walk through the four-village cluster and its extraordinary concentration of medieval defensive towers.
Day 5
A free morning to explore Ushguli at leisure: the Lamaria church, the view up to the Shkhara glacier face — one of the largest in the Caucasus — and the profound quiet of one of Georgia's most remote corners. 4WD or minivan transfer back to Tbilisi departs at midday, arriving by evening.
Elevation Profile
54 km · max 2,741 m
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Questions
You should be comfortable hiking 6–8 hours per day on uneven mountain terrain with a daypack. The 5-day express is accessible to confident beginners with good fitness. The 6-day classic is more demanding — the Chkhunderi Pass day involves over 1,200 m of climbing and is a full 7–8 hour day. No technical climbing skills are required for either variant.
Both traverse from Mestia to Ushguli and visit the same core villages. The 6-day classic follows the full traditional route via Adishi and crosses the Chkhunderi Pass (2,741 m) — the most dramatic section of the traverse. The 5-day express uses a lower valley trail to Iprari, which is less demanding but equally beautiful. We recommend the 6-day for experienced hikers.
Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support, waterproof jacket and over-trousers, warm mid-layer (temperatures drop sharply at altitude), sun protection, trekking poles (strongly recommended), and a daypack. A full kit list is sent on booking confirmation. Porter service for your main luggage is available as an add-on.
Svan family guesthouses are simple but warm and genuinely hospitable. Expect a private or shared room with clean bedding, home-cooked dinners, and breakfast. Hot water is available in most. This is not hotel trekking — the accommodation is part of the experience.
Yes. Private groups can book any departure exclusively or request custom dates and route adjustments. The route and pace can be adapted to suit your group's fitness and interests — contact us to discuss.
Full refund up to 14 days before departure. 50% refund between 7–14 days. No refund within 7 days of departure. In the event of severe weather or trail conditions making the route unsafe, we reschedule at no penalty.
From
650 GEL/person