This Svaneti tour takes you deep into the High Caucasus to one of the most remarkable corners of Europe. On the way up you will stop at the enormous Enguri Dam, then explore Mestia, with its medieval stone towers and museum of treasures, before travelling on to Ushguli, a cluster of tower villages at the head of the valley beneath Mount Shkhara, Georgia's highest peak. It is private from start to finish, so your guide and route are yours alone.
Svaneti is for travellers who want real mountains: glaciers, alpine meadows, villages that look much as they did centuries ago, and a culture with its own language, songs and food. It is just as rewarding for a family or a couple who prefer comfortable stays and short walks as it is for keen hikers. Because the journey is long, the way it is planned matters, and that is where a private guide who knows the roads, the weather and the guesthouses makes a real difference.
Highlights of the route
Enguri Dam
Where the Enguri river leaves the mountains, the Enguri Dam rises as a great curved wall of concrete across the gorge. Completed in the Soviet era, it stands more than 270 metres high and is one of the tallest arch dams in the world, as well as a major source of Georgia's electricity. Behind it, a long turquoise reservoir winds back into the hills. It is the first real sign that you are entering Svaneti, and a good place to stretch your legs after the drive across the lowlands. Your guide will explain how it was built and why it matters to the country today. The viewpoints are open to the wind and the drop is dramatic, so keep children close.
Mestia
Mestia is the main town of Upper Svaneti and the base for most journeys in the region. Its skyline is defined by Svan towers, stone defensive tower-houses built in medieval times to protect families from raids, avalanches and long-running blood feuds. Upper Svaneti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Mestia is the best place to understand why. The Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography holds icons, manuscripts and metalwork that were brought to these remote valleys for safekeeping over the centuries. You can climb inside a tower, wander the old lanes, and try Svan dishes such as kubdari, a bread filled with spiced meat. Evenings are cool even in summer, so bring a warm layer.
Ushguli
Ushguli is a community of small villages at the very top of the Enguri valley, at around 2,100 metres, and it is often described as one of the highest permanently inhabited settlements in Europe. Stone towers cluster together against a backdrop of meadows and the snowy wall of Shkhara, and the oldest part, Chazhashi, is the heart of the Upper Svaneti UNESCO listing. Life here is still shaped by the seasons: cows wander the lanes and snow can cut the village off in winter. Your guide can walk you up to the Lamaria church on the hill above the village, or further up the valley towards the glacier if you are keen. The road from Mestia is slow and the weather changeable, so we plan this day with flexibility built in.
Make it your own
Treat this route as a framework. Svaneti is far from Tbilisi, so we normally build in overnight stays in Mestia and plan the journey to suit where you are coming from. Starting from Kutaisi shortens the drive, and you can break it with Martvili Canyon or Prometheus Cave from our Kutaisi tours, or a stop at the Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi. See all our tours from Kutaisi for ideas.
Walkers can add the hike to the Chalaadi glacier, the Koruldi lakes above Mestia or a longer day around Ushguli. If you prefer to take it easy, we will keep the walking short, choose comfortable guesthouses and leave space for long Svan dinners. In winter, the ski areas of Hatsvali and Tetnuldi are close to Mestia; our guide to Georgia in winter has more. Guides are available in English, Russian and Georgian, and we can arrange accommodation and meals or leave them to you.
Good to know
- Mountain weather changes fast. If a road or trail is not safe, your guide will reroute you to something worthwhile rather than lose the day.
- Summer and early autumn are the best time for hiking; see our month-by-month guide for detail.
- Bring layers and a waterproof. Mestia and Ushguli are much cooler than the lowlands, especially at night.
- Cash in lari is useful; cards are accepted in parts of Mestia but much less so in Ushguli.
- Wear sturdy shoes. Village lanes are rough and often muddy.
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates, group size and where you are starting from, and we will plan your Svaneti trip and send you a quote.
