A walking tour through the beautiful Caucasus Mountains of Georgia, focusing on the vibrant and diverse flora together with prime historical sites and unique cultural traditions. In early summer the meadows are at their peak with myriad bellflowers, lilies, knapweeds and crane’s-bills.
A nine-day walking tour.
Batumi is a fascinating blend of modern architecture and lush green spaces. We will stroll along the famous Batumi Boulevard, explore the historic Old Town lined with cobblestone streets and colourful buildings. Batumi is also home to numerous contemporary landmarks and monuments, such as the Alphabet Tower, the Medea Statue and the statue of Ali Da Nino. We will also spend time in Batumi Botanical Garden, home to a vast collection of plants from around the world. Overnight in Batumi.
On the way from Batumi to Mestia, we willstop in Zugdidi to see the Dadiani Palace Museum, which houses an impressive collection of art, literature, and historical artefacts, including the famous Napoleon Bonaparte's death mask. Our journey then leads us to the remarkable Enguri Dam, from where the majestic Greater Caucasus can be seen. before us. Driving through the scenic mountains, we make several stops before reaching Mestia located in the Upper Svaneti region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an outstanding example of mountain scenery with its medieval villages and tower houses dating back to the 9th century. Overnight in Mestia.
The 17-km long hiking route from Mestia to Zhabeshi located at the base of Tetnuldi Peak, follows the Mulkhura River Valley, and passes through the villages of Lakhiri, Cholashi, Majvdieri, Chvabiani,and Tsaldashi. It takes about 6 to 7 hours to cover the distance, reaching a maximum altitude of 2000 m. The village of Zhabeshi is located at 1600 m, and the beautiful slopes of Tetnuldi (4,852 m) are clearly visible from there. Overnight in a Zhabeshi guesthouse.
The meadow flowers in many places will be mixed and varied; damp areas and flushes will have Lythrum salicaria, the pink drumsticks of Primula auriculata, marsh orchids, wispy cotton grass; Eriophorum latifolium, whilst Digitalis ciliata, the unusual thistle; Circium simplex, blue Asyneuma campanuloides and Geranium platypetalum fill in the gaps. Elsewhere we will find the stout pink flax Linum hypericifolium, with the bold pink heads of Stachys macrantha, Geranium sylvaticum, golden Inula orientalis or the upright accents of Campanula latifolia and lovely Lilium monodelphum. Indeed Lilies and the many bellflowers (Campanula) are two of the most striking features of the high summer meadows.
Less common are the unusual blakc-purple spikes Pedicularis atropurpurea, golden Vicia canescens or Rhynchocorys elephas with their peculiar ‘snouts’. Traunsteinera sphaerica is a singular orchid with dense little white heads of flowers and careful searching will find Neotinia ustulata, whilst on the rocks are rosettes of Sempervivum caucasicum and Saxifraga paniculata.
Other meadow mixes bring the pink wands of Polygonum bistorta, plentiful milkworts, Pedicularis wilhelmsiana, Pastinaca armena, the robust spurge; Euphorbia oblongifolia, the multi-hued flowers of Nonea versicolor, the brimstone globes of Arnebia pulchra (the flowers spotted with purple as they age), the textured leaves of red-veined Geranium renardii, many and varied daisies, including fine-leaved golden Anthemis marschalliana on the rocks. Displays shift and blend into one another, depending on slope and aspect, moisture and of course the season itself, but regardless there will be an abundance of colour and interesting flora.
The road from Zhabeshi ascends up to a mountain plateau at 2,400 m, passing through Tetnuldi ski resort along the way. From there, it is about 4 km to the village of Adishi, which sits 2100 m. One of the appealing features of Adishi is the fact the village is completely invisible until you reach it, a very pleasant surprise at the end of the walk. Overnight in an Adishi guesthouse.
There is no better way to discover the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains and Upper Svaneti than to spend a few days hiking through this breathtaking region. The hiking trail from Adishi to Iprari is a fantastic example with breathtaking views of the Adishi Valley Glacier as well as the peaks of Tetnuldi, Shkhara, Zhangha, and Rustaveli.With Chkhutnieri pass behind us, the path flattens out, making it fairly easy to reach Khalde village where we can rest comfortably at the end of the day. Overnight in a Khalde guesthouse
Khalde village has its own historical significance; it is known as a centre of anti- Russian uprising in 1875-1876. Nowadays, only a couple of families live here and they themselves run the local guesthouses. After several days of long hikes, this day is rather tranquil as the walk is rather short and flat. Nonetheless there are still stunning views of landscapes from the village.Overnight in an Iprari guesthouse.
We leave Iprari and set off on the 12 km trail to Ushguli. Compared to the somewhat more developed town of Mestia, Ushguli is not in an easily accessible location, which means it has preserved many of the village’s medieval characteristics, including more than 200 of the most well-preserved medieval Svan Towers dating back to the 9th century. At the end of the day we will drive on to Kutaisi, one of the oldest cities in Europe. Overnight in Kutaisi.
After breakfast, we will set off to the capital stopping to enjoy the wonderful Prometheus Cave where we can sail through its illuminated passages on boats, marvelling at stalactites, stalagmites, and the underground waterfalls. Then there is the Uplistsikhe Cave Town-Fortress, an ancient rock-hewn settlement whose history spans nearly 3000 years. Overnight in Tbilisi.
8-16 July 2024
Per person: 3250 Euros
Single supplement: 350 Euros
Included:
Not included:
Minimum number of participants 4; maximum 12.
For more information on our tours
Turkey: +90 535 4125286 | UK: +44 (0)795 854 6807
