Republic of Georgia: Trekking in the High Caucasus

• Rugged road travel, intermediate to challenging day hikes
• Magnificent alpine mountain scenery and legendary local hospitality
• 3 nights hotel, 5 nights family guesthouse, 4 nights camping

Discover Little-Known Georgia’s Unique Appeal

Since the peaceful Rose Revolution in 2003, the Republic of Georgia has returned to the world map as a very safe and fascinating new country to explore. The historic and geographic divide between Europe and Asia, Georgia’s ancient culture and wild mountain landscapes are steeped in tradition, and its people exude a hospitality that will capture your heart.

The northern Caucasus Mountains are the centerpiece of this small country that has garnered far more than a typical share of scenic drama for its size. Arguably grander than the Alps, the major peaks in the range rise over 16,000 feet and stretch in a 750-mile serrated line between the Black Sea on the west and the Caspian Sea on the east.

Georgia’s mountains are a fabulous find for international trekkers seeking a novel experience. While the region has long been beloved in the homeland, it offers a fresh, little-traveled opportunity for adventure-seekers who relish discovering new places on foot. When you come to the Georgia with Explorers’ Corner, you’ll be among the first to fall in love with what will undoubtedly become a popular global trekking destination as more visitors discover its riches.

Georgia’s unusual geographic diversity, from alpine heights to river-hewn gorges and subtropical coastal lowlands, is matched by its biological diversity: according to the World Wildlife Fund, which has sponsored conservation projects here since 1990, “Not a single country in Europe possesses such a rich flora and fauna as Georgia.” In fact, the entire Caucasus Range has been identified as an international biodiversity hotspot. It is the only place in the world where we find pre-Ice Age flowers among its 300 endemic plant species, and more than 360 bird species thrive here. Among the intriguing animals in the vast forests and peaks of Georgia’s northeastern Caucasus, our destination, we find chamois, bezoar goat, wolves, bears, and the endemic but increasingly rare Caucasian tur, a mountain-dwelling goat with enormous horns.  A leopard was also spotted recently in eastern Georgia, one of only a handful of sightings in the past half-century.

A Synopsis of our Route

Our trekking adventure through the eastern Caucasus Mountains involves daily hiking that is moderate to difficult in intensity, over a variety of terrain, with many cultural and scenic discoveries along the way.

Our creative itinerary links two unique and very different mountain regions and peoples --  Khevsureti and Tusheti. We traverse from west to east and stay mostly in guesthouses in the villages en route – the best way to meet the locals, whom we fall in love with instantly.

Starting from the capital of Tbilisi, an ancient hillside spa city of filigreed balconies and cobbled streets that has been the center of governance in Georgia for 1500 years, we drive north toward the mountains initially following the historic Military Road. This major route that joins Tbilisi with Vladikavkaz, Russia, has been used by traders and invaders through the ages. The ice-clad mountains ahead draw us like a magnet, with the 16,000-foot massif of Mt. Kazbeghi presiding over the lesser peaks. According to Greek myth, Prometheus was chained to this mountain in punishment for stealing fire from the gods.

We begin our trek at Shatili, capital of the rarely visited province of Khevsureti. This historic highland village is known for its many medieval stone fortress towers. The village – a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site -- sits at the bottom of the Arghuni Gorge, some 4,600 feet deep. From here, we set out to hike through a series of impressive high-alpine landscapes, traversing the 11.000 ft. Atsunta Pass.

Traveling beyond Khevsureti, we begin our journey into the third distinct region on our itinerary – Tusheti, on Georgia’s far northeast boundary. Renowned for its hospitable traditions and gracious people, Tusheti is a sort of Caucasian ‘Shangri-La,’ accessible by road only three months out of the year due to its high and remote location. Because of its diverse flora and fauna, Tusheti National Park was established in 2003, along with the Tusheti Nature Reserve and Tusheti Protected Landscape. The national park, at more than 200,000 acres, is one of Europe’s largest, and the entire Tusheti conservation zone protects more than 300,000 acres.

Tucked up in the high valleys of these wild mountains are villages with antique stone towers, serene hilltop churches and family dwellings that have been inhabited for centuries. The people who live in these hidden hamlets are the progeny of 2,000 years of conquest and survival. This challenging heritage has molded these former mountain tribes of Khevsurs and Tushs into a hardy and proud people.

Staying with them in their homes, we are immersed in the rich traditions of their daily lives. We’ll listen to mountain poets share verse through polyphonic songs and revel in lively supras (feasts) that go on for hours. Our hosts will surely insist that we keep emptying the wild goat horns filled with their robust, homegrown wine!

This is not only a journey through a rarely seen region replete with natural wonders, but a cultural encounter as well. The people of Georgia are as memorable as its mountains, and we can’t wait to share this place with you!