At this point, if you know about Georgia, you’re 90% likely to know about Svaneti. If you've heard tales about Georgia's incredible mountains, Svaneti is the most likely hero of those tales.
And yes, it is exactly as magical as people tend to describe it: ancient stone towers reaching towards the sky, surrounded by multiple massive peaks, snow-capped even in summer. Helps that the visit here is never just about pretty scenery; it comes with a rather unique cultural experience.
The entire Upper Svaneti is one large UNESCO World Heritage site, with the incredible medieval village Ushguli, one of the highest spots in Europe inhabited year-round. Those famous stone towers that pop up on every photo as soon as you google Svaneti? You can’t really understand how impressive they are until you stand face-to-face with one of them. Visiting Svaneti will be very different from all the other places you’ve ever visited - including the rest of Georgia itself.
If experiencing some truly epic Georgia mountain hiking is on your bucket list, starting with exploring Svaneti hiking trails should be, if not first on the list, then at least pretty high up there.
Top 5 Must-Do Svaneti Hiking Trails
Svaneti is a hiker’s paradise: the overwhelming majority of the region is covered in wild nature with narrow trails cutting through, perfect for exploring on foot and night-impassable for vehicles. From fairly straightforward routes that may take only half a day to multi-day treks that’ll force even experienced hikers to seriously stretch their legs, Svaneti offers multiple options for a rawer, less crowded experience than most other European destinations that have been well trekked-through at this point.
But Svaneti has already been explored enough to have established its own iconic trails as well - maybe not the wildest in the region anymore, but beloved by the adventurers for other legitimate reasons. If you wish to do some serious Georgia trekking tours and get the first taste of the Caucasus region, here are five to start from:
1. Mestia to Ushguli Trek
If there’s a trail that can be considered a classic in Svaneti, at this point it would be the Ushguli trek. You're looking at about 55-60km of moderate to hard trekking, depending on the route chosen by your guide (ever since the trek turned into a tourist attraction, some prefer to spice up the experience by having the group take a slightly different route) .
The classic route takes four days (though experienced hikers can do it in less), kicking off in Mestia, Svaneti's main town. The first day will likely take you to a village like Zhabeshi or Chvabiani, through a relatively easy and straight section of the path, dotted with forests and meadows. Day two gets a bit tougher as you head to Adishi, but the killer views of Mt. Tetnuldi and the Adishi Glacier will certainly be worth it (do NOT miss your chance to take a photo or ten). But it’s the third day that’s considered a real highlight by many, with the Adishi River crossing (depending on a tour, this patch may include a horseback ride, which can be an adventure in itself!) and then climb over the Chkhunderi Pass (around 2,722m) before dropping down to Iprali. On the last day, you trek into Ushguli, proper. There are no big hotels along the path: you'll either camp or, most likely, stay in guesthouses with local families, a great way to experience a local way of living while in the region.
Now, as we’ve already mentioned, it's a famous trail, so the experience can feel a bit touristy. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t experience it, the hike is iconic for a reason. What you can do is slightly expand it and change the angle by crossing into Svaneti from Racha into Ushguli and then descend into Mestia. It is not, in any way, shape, or form, a trek that should be done on your own - even with the help of an expert local guide, like the ones CaucasTours works with, it’s a taxing route that takes up to two weeks. But if you’re an experienced adventurer? It’s one of the most interesting hikes to go to in all of Georgia (and you’ll have the bragging rights, too - not many people have gone on this trek! Even locals!).
2. Chalaadi Glacier Hike
If you’re only in Svaneti for a couple of days and don’t want to overtax yourself - but also don’t want to miss out on an adventure, the Chalaadi Glacier hike is a fantastic option.
As Mestia hiking trails go, it’s one of the easiest options: the round trip is only 10-12 km from the trailhead bridge near the city (you can either slightly add to your itinerary by hiking to this point or grab a taxi for a short ride)/ The trail itself isn’t all that taxing, but you do need to be careful: the rocky terrain gets wet and slippery and while the markings along the route are there, they’re quite sparse.
But the destination is certainly worth it. The path follows the Chalaadi River through thick green pine forests and at the end opens out onto a moraine field leading straight to the massive valley glacier laying on the slope of Mt. Ushba. The ice stretches for kilometers.
3. Koruldi Lakes Hike
Another great day hike from Mestia is the trek to Koruldi Lakes. This one is even shorter than the Chalaadi Glacier hike, and takes between 6 to 8 hours, depending on how physically fit the hiker is.
The real challenge with this route isn’t the length but the height: alpine lakes sit on a plateau above Mestia at around 2,700m. To get there, you need to follow a pretty steep uphill route directly from town. It takes around 4-5 hours to ascend and 2-3 hours to descend. Visitors that are less physically adept (or have busier itineraries) often opt for a 4x4 to the lakes - the wide dirt road goes right to the lakes and you won’t need any foot travel at all (a short ride to Koruldi Lakes is included in CaucasTours Racha to Svaneti tour itinerary too)
As a payoff, you get some incredible views of Mt. Ushba’s twin peaks, Mt. Tetnuldi, and a whole sweep of the Caucasus range. If you find you’re not sufficiently tired after making a hike, you can take it a bit further and follow a newly built dirt road to a viewpoint slightly beyond the lakes. The rocky spike stands 2920m and requires shoes with solid grip for a safe climb - but the views (and photos) are worth it.
4. Kvemo Marghi to Mestia Trek
If you want to start your Svanetian adventures on a more unique note, grab a chance to trek from Kvemo Marghi to Mestia. A truly offbeat route, even locals rarely tread it. Do NOT try to make it without an expert local guide that has already navigated here. Do keep in mind that the trek lasts about a week and it was designed to challenge hikers, so you do need to have at least some hiking experience.
CaucasTours ups the itinerary ante by starting the first stretch with a ride in a Soviet 6x6 “Ural” truck. After crossing a dense forest, you’ll hike uphill about to Utviri Pass (2714m) and then descend to Nakra village for a homestay. The route is rather challenging and spans 22 km.
The following days come with several medium-difficulty hikes: 20km from Nakra to Phari via Tsaleri, then a 22km leg to Mazeri/Becho, crossing Mezeri Pass with full views of Mt. Ushba. The last leg of the adventure is the most challenging: a 14km hard trek from Becho over Guli Pass (2930m), descending via Koruldi Lakes to Mestia.
5. Mount Shkhara Base Camp (Advanced, 3-4 days)
If you’re looking for a serious challenge, but can’t spare a week or more on a hike, getting to the foot of Georgia's highest peak, Mt. Shkhara (5,201m), is a perfect alternative.
The trek is on the shorter side, and traditionally lasts 4 days, though can be made in 3, if the hiker is physically adept and experienced. The trek starts in Ushguli and heads up the Enguri River valley towards the Shkhara Glacier. It’s not as taxing and demanding as the summit attempt itself, of course, but the trek is demanding enough to qualify as an adventure and coming into the presence of Shkhara and the massive Bezingi Wall is guaranteed to take your breath away, no matter how many mountains you’ve crossed.
Go on an Adventure in Svaneti with Caucastours
Why go with CaucasTours for your Svaneti trip? We’ve got the local know-how and a real passion for showing you the best of the region. Our guides are all locals that are well-versed in the criss-cross paths that cover the region and could find a way in their sleep (or, rather more importantly in this case, in obstinate mountain weather that can change at a moment's notice).
And, when working with us, you can be sure that you’re making a positive impact on the region! Our mission is to champion sustainable, small-scale tourism that benefits local economies rather than drains resources. Also, if being eco-friendly is important to you (or just makes you feel good as an added bonus), then you’ll love to know that CaucasTours adheres to the Leave No Trace principles. We make sure to always pack in everything we pack out, leave nature as we find it, give wildlife its space, and be considerate of fellow travelers and local traditions.
CaucasTours will be happy to become your partner in Svaneti if you hear the mountains calling. Our standard itineraries are specifically designed to provide unique experiences. But if you have something specific you want to see and it’s not on our tours - just get in contact, we’ll create a custom trip tailored specifically to you.
