Detailes
Itinerary
Date and Processes
Location
4 Days Duration
1/10 Physical level
Persons
6+ Min age
2025-02-25/2025-04-10 Date from/to

If you want to experience something authentic this is the tour for you! See baby lambs take their first steps - Meet the new borns in the winter pasture of Vashlovani National Park! Lambing season is something really special and touching that you can experience ever. From the begging of March is a time for new life and witnesses lambing in Vashlovani. This tour is a good opportunity to visit Tush shepherds in Vashlovani National Park, where our ewes and lambs are housed until spring, before they start migrating to the summer pastures to Tusheti. Our resident shepherds will guide you through the barns and lambing process, providing you with a fantastic insight into this special time of year.

 Vashlovani Protected Areas have long been used as winter pastures, which are of great importance for the population of the Eastern Georgian regions, where livestock breeding is a traditional sector of economy, particularly for the population of Tusheti. Because of their geographical position and climate, the VPAs and the adjacent Shiraki and Eldari Valleys represent a zone of semideserts with insignificant amount of precipitation (and rarely as snow) in winters. Thanks to it, the Tusheti population has used these areas as winter pastures for ages. 

In the Soviet times too, areas for winter pastures used to be allocated to the state and collective farms of the Akhmeta district, where mass livestock wintering was practiced. The origin of the nearby village Kasristskali in the middle of the twentieth century is associated with these pastures. 

Correspondingly, it is the continuation of the tradition that the livestock farmers of almost the whole Kakheti region still practice to winter their stock on said areas. A part of livestock farms (up to 45) is directly located within the Protected Areas, while another part (32 farms) is located within the adjacent 2-km zone. 

It should be mentioned that the absolute majority of the mentioned farms were built in the Soviet times; at that time collective and state farms were more actively engaged in livestock breeding and the infrastructure of farms correspondingly figured on all the branches of livestock breeding. Therefore, notwithstanding the currently developed livestock breeding sector (mainly sheep breeding], the major part of those engaged in the sector has a privatized farm/lodgings

Vashlovani Protected Areas

Vashlovani Protected Areas are located in Kakheti Region, in the extreme south-eastern part of Georgia, in its historic territory - Kizikhi, at a 50 km distance from the Dedoplistskaro regional center, and 180 km from Tbilisi
Geographically, Vashlovani Protected Areas are located between the two main rivers of Kakheti – Alazani and Iori, which represent concurrently a line of state demarcation with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The total area occupied by VPAs makes 25,114 ha, the average altitude above sea level varying within 300–600 m.

The Vashlovani Area is notable for its unique biodiversity; light forests, submontane deserts and Alazani floodplains, steppes and shrubs alternate each other within a small territory.

A great number of juniper and Caucasian hackberry (Celtis caucasica) trees also deserves mentioning, although the most unique for Vashlovani are the wild pistachio trees of rare species (Pistacia mutica) which abound here; the view of scattered, rounded pistachio tree crowns gives the impression of an apple garden; it is probably the reason why these places are called Vashlovani („apple orchard valley‟ in Georgian).

In addition to flora, there are many rare representatives of fauna in Vashlovani, which are now critically endangered. The VPAs have every means to preserve and further propagate rare animal species and birds existing in the area
Local livelihood assessment of Tush Shepherds traditionally using territory of Vashlovani Protected Areas for winter pastures

 

1
Tbilisi - Dedophlistskaro - Vashlovani
Depart for Dedoplistskaro, registration at Visitors` Centre of Vashlovani Protected Areas, lunch and departure to the sheep farm in Vashlovani National park. Overnight in a rangers station. In the evening and early in the morning we`ll participate morning farm activities such as feeding the lambs, separating ewes and lambs and herding ewes or lambs.Overnight in the same ranger station
2
The same farm
we`ll spend one day with the shepherds to watch and participate in their ordinary day occupations.
3
Ole - Lekistskali - Samukhi valley
We`ll drive through Bughamoedani to Samukhi plains with the magnificent view of Vashlovani cliffs and a great area for bird-watching. Raptors and the goitered gazelle can be sighted there. Visit another shepherds` hut, participate in the same activities. It will be possible to ride the horses for an additional price. Dinner with the shepherds. Overnight in tents near the shepherds` hut.
4
Samukhi valley - Vashlovana bungalows
After early breakfast we`ll depart for Vashlovana bungalows. You`ll have great views on Areulebi which includes five clearly distinguished vegetation types: arid, semi-arid, arid thin forest, grassland and greenwood. This territory is characterized with the fauna abundance; Overnight in Vashlovana bungalows
5
Vashlovana bungalows - Dedophlistskaro - Sighnaghi - Tbilisi
After breakfast we`ll drive to Sighnaghi-a small town in the east of Georgia situated on the mountainside in the historical region of Kakheti with the magnificent views of the Alazan valley and Greater Caucasus Range. Excursion in the town, lunch and wine tasting in Sighnaghi. Departure to Tbilisi
Package Trip Status Price PP In a Group
Confirmed Dates Min.participant Number 3p / Max.participan Number 10p 3 People Group 4-7 People Group  
Upon request Bookable      

 

What is included in tour price?

⦁ 4WD car transfer from Tbilisi to Vashlovani / from Vashlovani to Tbilisi.
⦁ During the tour full board is provided. Our menu consists of a large breakfast and traditional shepherds meals.
⦁ Tour guide: English / German / French / Spanish / Russian
⦁ Vegetarian meals are available if requested when booking.
⦁ Please bring your own sleeping bag, rainwear and water bottle with you on the tour.

 


What is not included in tour price?

⦁ Individual travel insurance is not included in the tour price. We encourage clients to obtain relevant travel insurance before visiting Georgia.
⦁ Flight to and from Georgia
⦁ Bring bags rather than hard cover suitcases
⦁ Pack light because transport space is limited.

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