Khalde village is largely abandoned. If you do decide to cross on your own, go a little downstream and it gets a little gentler. Minibuses leave Mestia Square at 8am. This includes a detailed outline of the route, trekking distances and times, camping and accommodation options, packing lists, transport info, and more. We greatly appreciate your support! Negotiating a Ride From Ushguli to Mestia at the End of the Hike, How to Visit Svaneti National Park Without Hiking, The Complete Guide to Visiting Kazbegi in Georgia. A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also highly recommended. Hit Edit Bookmark to personalise the bookmark colour, ) is another offline mapping app that is very useful. We highly recommend Mushkudiani Manor, a medium sized guesthouse (5 rooms with 3 shared bathrooms) by the river with wonderful tower views. If you can, both are worth visiting and should be included in your itinerary. The actual point to cross wasnt as obvious as we were expecting (the usual telltale cluster of horses and trekkers by the crossing was absent), and there were steep embankments on the opposite side. Tenting means carrying more but it gives additional flexibility over where to stay overnight. The 10 of us kicked back with some beers and toasted to the journey behind us. Most of the guesthouses along the way have heating so we werent as cold as we thought wed be at night. Day 1 Mestia - Zhabeshi May 4, 2020 //byKristin//Leave a Comment. The main road is dusty and muddy with lots of cars scrambling by. Surprisingly, you wont need that much. You can navigate easily on the trail using the arrow that shows your GPS location. The elevation profile of the trek, starting at Mestia and finishing at Ushguli. Furthermore, trekking from Mestia to Ushguli offers insight into Georgia's unique Svaneti region. Autumn was in full blast, and with the snow-capped peaks in the distance, it made for an unforgettable view. So if you are a reasonably fast hiker you must wait or have a cold shower. On the other side of the Chkhunderi Pass, after Adishi, we did not see any more farms but lots of cold streams. In the morning head to the center of the village, where you will find tourist marker. It may be the best way to go with a group of four or more. The road is dusty and not pleasant to walk along. Few people take the upper path today, which is falling into disrepair. ROAD USHGULI | 2.9 km | + 80 m / 47 m | 45 60 mins, However, its worth keeping in mind that most popular doesnt necessarily mean the best. It was also the most rewarding, with stunning glacier views and flower-filled alpine valleys. The views of Tetnuldi and the surrounding valleys are wonderful, but after a long slog uphill on the road, it does feel a bit like the scenic stretch of high trail is over in a flash before you start descending. It seemed to be a popular with the other trekkers on the trail so we joined them for a coffee and a rest. Clouds perched on top of the peaks giving it a mystical vibe as we gazed in awe at the spectacle. It had a warm, sulfurous taste and wasnt unpleasant. We stayed at Raul Lushnu Darbaz guesthouse. The trekking season usually extends from mid-June to mid-October, with. Youll walk along a ridge for awhile and see some melting glacial run-off. There are cafes and restaurants in Mestia and a few in Ushguli, but the only place to buy meals during the hike is at guesthouses (you can eat at them even if you are camping). Very helpful! However, if you are a fast trekker or are in relatively good shape, you can do this trek in two or even three days. The road leads past a smaller village that is not Ushguli, then goes right into town. The first is Murkmeli, which is the least developed. It was a long travel day to knock out in one go, but it was worth it to get to the mountains as soon as we could. From Adishi the trail meanders along the hillside for around 5 km, with the Adishchala river flowing to your right. Covers not only classic trails but also alternative routes which are even more difficult and scenic. I cant find your guest house in Adishi on internet ? Its also possible to drive from Ushguli to Kutaisi via Zagari Pass and Lentekhi (163 km) with a 44 vehicle, assuming the road is clear of landslides. For more Adishi accommodation options check out. Most of the guesthouses you will be staying have their own penned in livestock. It was already deep into October, so every day mattered, and we were glad we just finished the journey out in one day. Its important to note that most travel insurance providers will only cover hiking up to a certain altitude as standard (often 2500 m or 3000 m). Gaia (iOS/Android) is another offline mapping app that is very useful. Its an easy walk, gently descending for around 4 km to Khalde village. If you end the trip in Ushguli, you can take a taxi back to Mestia. A, are also needed. Before heading off, be sure to stop at the Kala Cafe, off of the main road, for some of the best kubdari (basically a Georgian calzone) on the trip. A less busy road leads up through Murkmeli village, the first in the Ushguli community. Youll be taken past more than one glacier, several mountain peaks and valleys, and different villages. Staying at guesthouses with heating, wed often be able to dry our socks over the radiator, which was nice. They usually charge around 70 80 GEL per person for dinner, bed & breakfast. TREKKING FROM MESTIA TO USHGULI. On day 3 of our hike, trekkers were rushing along since they were worried about the forecast for heavy rain that afternoon. and are intended as a rough guide. It only comes into view at the very last moment of your hike and looks particularly impressive with a golden hour glow. Some people opt to do this trek in reverse. Firstly, there was a lot of confusion with the hosts around the price of the food and the rooms, which detracted from the enjoyment of our stay. ( updated Aug 2019) Mestia-Guli Pass-Mazeri. Whats more, with trails in good condition, the max elevation below 3000 m, and the lack of any big ascents, this trek is a great option for people with wide ranging experience and fitness levels. There are ATMs in Mestia but nowhere else in Svaneti. Trek with us from Mestia to the remote UNESCO World Heritage town of Ushguli, also known as the highest settlement in Europe. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Walk through the village and over the bridge and youll reach a hill. See the expandable box below for tips on using these apps. The road crosses a few streams and has impressive views down into a narrow gorge at one point. Personally, we always sterilise drinking water collected from streams (using a. Once the driver has enough passengers to make the trip worth the while, he will take off and go. I spent a lot of time looking into this and my google search was confirmed to be correct unfortunately there is nowhere except for your Mestia guesthouse or hotel to leave your luggage. Its also only about 30 minutes from the start of the trail, so if you do not do the whole trek, you can still see this from Mestia. Either way, the morning starts with a heart pumping climb the moment you leave your guesthouse. One person said the water was only ankle deep when he crossed and some other blog post said that its about knee-length. Hiking from Mestia to Ushguli in the offseason will reward you with autumn colors, snow-capped peaks, and wide open natural spaces without any crowds. It did not rain any of the days we were in the Svaneti region until the morning we left, where it down-poured. There is a guesthouse in, For an extended trek through Svaneti, start your hike further west in Chuberi. Luckily with introduction of tourism to the country, they have increased the drive-ability of the mountain road into Mestia, so it is not as remote as it once was. After the 3 miles, youll encounter the Adishchala River. The Svaneti region in the north of Georgia near the Russian border is set along a spectacular mountain range. I find that using clean socks makes it less likely you get blisters. They have to make a living though I suppose. You can pay an additional 20 lari for breakfast per person, which was worth it since it was huge and she let us take the leftovers in a bag to snack on the rest of the day. In my view September is the best time to go. We hope you enjoyed this account of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. Id say this is the best view of the day, as you stand tall above the numerous villages in the valley below. So negotiations begun and shortly after we started driving with a black kitten sitting next to the driver! Ruined houses and towers are all that remain besides the Khalde Guesthouse, and the brand new Qaldea Resort tucked into the hillside below. These towers were still used up until the not so distant past. It starts from Mestia and ends in Ushguli. The disadvantages are it can be a little harder to follow (this is where AllTrails comes in handy) and it takes you through farmers backyards (the farmers were out there working and looked at us but didnt seem to mind that we were passing through). Guesthouse meals generally consist of potatoes, soup, chistvari (fried corn bread stuffed with cheese), Khachapuri, cheese, salad, and bread. A great option for connecting Upper and Lower Svaneti is the 1 2 day hike from Ushguli to Chvelpi, via Latpari Pass. About 70 families, approximately 250 people live in the village, which dates back more than 2000 years. Continue for a further 2.9 km on a wide dirt road to reach Iprali, a small village that sits above the Mestia Ushguli road. Our guesthouse offered breakfast at 8am so we managed to get on the trail at 9.30. Its a bit of a scam actually. The last part of the trek is about 2 hours of going down the other side of the mountain, in long sweeping switchbacks. To get to the viewpoint where the photo below is taken, keep right and walk past the stone houses and up the hill on the other side. Whether youre crossing the Adishchala river on foot or by horse, aim to get there in the morning before glacier meltwater swells it further. The main reason to do it the right way around, i.e. The classic trek across Svaneti, with a twist. On the nature side, it has high mountains, glaciers, deep forested valleys, and wild running rivers. We took the high trail with its more dramatic views over the valley and the Mulkhura river below. Like Gaia, we recommend checking out the, written and video tutorials on the OsmAnd website, to learn how to fully use the app. The Transcaucasian Trail website also has a downloadable KMZ file of the route. You may need to ask your guesthouse owner to call someone to ensure you will be picked up. Turn right and follow the road around as it curves to the left, where wonderful views of pyramid-like Tetnuldi peak open up ahead of you. This first leg has some altitude gain, but most of it is gradual. bookmark between the start and end points and select add stop. The village of Adishi looking particularly dramatic in the late afternoon sun with overcast skies, Adishi village looking particularly dramatic The main villages offering guesthouse accommodation along the Mestia to Ushguli trail are Chvabiani and Zhabeshi (Day 1), Adishi (Day 2), Khalde, Iprali, and Lalkhori (Day 3), and Ushguli (Day 4). Alternatively, tap the arrow at the bottom right of the screen to rotate the map in the direction of travel (the arrow will stay in a fixed position). The stone defense towers were originally built in the 9-13th Centuries to protect the inhabitants during local feuds and gives the area a strong character. There is nowhere to stop for lunch. Day 3 from Adishi to Khalde/Iprali is the clear standout, with exceptional glacier and mountain views, plus the excitement of the river crossing. There is also a flight to and from Kutaisi on Monday and Friday. In my view this is the best way to get here. As mentioned above, its scenic and culturally interesting, but not overly challenging, making it suitable for people with wide ranging experience and fitness levels. His/Hers, Quick Drying Hiking Trousers They will happily keep your luggage while you go hiking and coming back to a nice room and shower was heaven. About 3 km further on is Iprali village, with a few more guesthouses including Betegi Guesthouse, Guesthouse Ucha (+995595557470), and Iprari Family Hotel (+995599250578). We eventually dropped back down to the road and then crossed the river below to follow the trail into Ushguli. Another option is taking a taxi to Ushguli (remember this will be about $50 each way). We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. However, its advisable to use an offline mapping app such as Maps.me, Gaia, or OSMand to follow the route via GPS. Fill up before you get on the mountain, in Zugdidi, before gas becomes hard to find. They have a great glacier hike there, but its about a 5-8 hour trip. One was closed when we visited and in the other the owner was fast asleep, snoring loudly. If youre in the right season, youll be surrounded by alpine flowers. We looked up and downriver for a while, scouting out the best place to cross, eventually settling on the spot marked on Maps.me (not the spot marked on the TCT GPX track). Its run by a very welcoming family, and Nino makes a great breakfast. Tbilisi: Minibuses leave from Samgori-Navtlugi and Vagzali bus station at 7am in the morning and takes 9 hours. The Mestia to Ushguli trek is a beautiful multi-day hike through Georgia's incredible Upper Svaneti region. Towards the end of the valley is your end goal, Zhabeshi. Search and book tickets via matarabeli.ge, tickets.railway.ge, or tkt.ge. When we had walked for 3.5 hours and we saw a road leading downwards we thought this must be the way down to the river. Today people were saying last goodbye to the Georgian volunteer Edisher Kvartsehilia. See here for details. Follow the road and the next obstacle is a great flowing rush of water over the road. The stone houses and medieval towers blend into the surrounding hills. The yellow sign posts are few and far between, but always a relieving sign to know that youre on the right path. Enjoy!! I went in mid-July. You can navigate easily or plan routes in advance by tapping your start point and selecting route from, then tapping your end point and selecting route to. Tickets are 25 GEL. A good place to ford the Adishchala river on foot, a little further upstream from where the horses usually cross, A good place to ford the Adishchala river Of course, . Check out the Lenin Peak trek Kyrgyzstan. Please see my. Sit on the left for the best views. About 3 km further on is Iprali village, with a few more guesthouses including. The Ultimate Georgia Itinerary for 1 or 2 Weeks, 7 Things to Know Before Driving in Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan. There are also few guesthouses to stay in (you need to camp) and many ferocious sheep dogs to watch out for. The Mestia-Ushguli hike takes you from Mestia (in 1 500 meters above the sea level) to a smaller mountain town of Ushguli (2 100 m) through several other villages, over mountain passes, along green valleys and across rivers and streams. It simply is an awe-inspiring and dramatic hike through some of the best scenery in the Caucasus. Hover over the region or country that you want to visit and the app will prompt you to download this map. The biggest mistake people make is jumping straight onto a marshrutka back to Mestia immediately. In our opinion, its not as intuitive as Maps.me, and it has so many features that it can be a bit overwhelming at first. The first thing we did upon entering the village was find that loud bar and order beer and cold water. Everybody walks in the same direction and start at the same time (as guesthouses serve breakfast at the same time) so it can get busy, especially in the morning. One of the benefits of doing this is that you do Leg 2 of the trek (Zhabeshi to Adishi) in the morning instead of afternoon where its a little more forgiving (which only helps if you plan on doing two legs in a day). Markings are sparse and the trail is very narrow. The classic itinerary is divided in four hiking days, spending the nights in guesthouses. Low cloud among the hills gave it a mystical air. We realised this was not really necesary as there seemed to be rooms to be found on arrival in Iprari, even at this peak trekking period in July. Theres a low forest covering, so youll have some shade. on a dramatic day of light and shadow. Accidents can (and have) happened, with people being swept off their feet and carried far down river. . Dinner, bed, and breakfast is normally 70 80 GEL per person. Hi, were Lee and Mandy and we are the Frugal Travellers. Avoid jeans or any cotton materials if they get wet they are heavy, take forever to dry, and youll get cold easily. Our latest Outer Hebrides film is out, Mingulay // The day trip to this uninhabited islan, Making a beeline for the beer, barbecue, fire, and, Loch Eynort wasnt on our radar, but a tip from, Vallay // One of the best walks in Uist is to the, There are streams and mountain springs situated along the trail. If you do not see any village in half a day. Its also possible to ask your guesthouse to call ahead and book your next guesthouse for you. Some springs run dry later in the season, so be aware that those marked on mapping apps cant always be relied upon. Those downhill bits were treacherous without them. The final leg of the journey is about 7.5 miles, from Iprari to Ushguli. The route is punctuated by cracked and crumpled glaciers and the rivers that they bear, sweeping valleys and open countryside, a skyline of snow-capped peaks and . If you do this, check the source. Before the sun set I wandered the enigmatic village, photographing the many huge stone towers which were glowing in the golden hues of the late evening. Its a workout, but its worth it, and you can make it easier by customizing how quickly you finish it. From here its a short, steep climb through the forest to where the trail joins an old road. His/Hers, Trousers to wear around camp/guesthouses In Adishi at Elisabeths Guesthouse I first time felt as Tourist on its worth meaning (tourist means money no meter what you get for it), sadly. The villages in this region have a unique architectural style and are included in the UNESCO world . Its possible to book via booking.com for guesthouses in each of the villages, and if youre hiking in July or August its a good idea to book accommodation in advance. You might want to consider bringing a small hotel sized bottle of shampoo in case you dont want to use the one provided. Marshrutkas leave from Zugdidi train station regularly from early morning until early afternoon (the last leaves around 1430). Is There Anywhere to Leave My Luggage in Mestia? Youll just have to bring a lot of supplies and food to carry with you. Id use AllTrails since it is hard to explain, but go past a stone building and youll see a narrow entrance to a steep uphill climb. The guesthouses where we stayed provided towels, bedding and shower gel. That means you are lost. By continuing to browse this site, we assume you're happy with this. There are also drinks and snacks available en route in small home style cafes. As I mentioned before, you dont necessarily need to plan for how many days you need to be trekking. You can see a picture of our cabin under the section on how to get from Zugdidi to Tbilisi below. If you want to shorten this day you can stop at Khalde Guesthouse which is 1.5 hours before you get to Lalkhori. Finding some shade on the river bank we stopped to eat a picnic. Mestia makes a comfortable home-base to start your trek with many nice guest houses and hotels, restaurants, and convenience stores. This helps offset the cost of running this blog and keeps us travelling so that we can continue to produce great content for you. Here we took great delight in bathing and washing some clothes. If you see chairlifts, youre on the right track. The food was the best we had on the trek both in terms of variety of dishes as well as quantity. No need to carry a heavy backpack! I took my footwear off and wore my rubber sandals which protected my feet from the rocks. Dont expect much from the food. Looking northeast from the ridge viewpoint on a dramatic day of light and shadow, Looking northeast from the ridge viewpoint The shortest, easiest and least interesting day in my view. From there, most of the guesthouses are within walking distance. Required fields are marked *. It is the same guesthouse, but youll see both names used on booking sites and Google Maps. We had hoped to spend the last night in Ushguli, travelling directly to Kutaisi the next day, but there are two reasons why this is inconvenient: Yes you can. (preferably with zip-off shorts) A driver or someone will point you to another one, or guide you to go to another location and then board a marshrutka from there. There is a guesthouse in Mele (+995599246499). Adishchala river on Day 3. Hi Stephen. They depart in the morning from the main square in Mestia and cost 20 GEL per person. In addition, the water levels are usually lower which makes it easier to cross on foot. *, Hiking Season You can continue on the road but its more pleasant to cross the bridge over the Enguri river, just beyond the houses. The next two to four days should be devoted to the trek, spending the final night in Ushguli. From here there are two different routes to Adishi the higher and the lower path. Lalkhori village is about 1.6 km further down the road and has three guesthouses, There are many accommodation options in Ushguli, mainly spread across the middle and upper parts of the community. Continue along this road until you reach Zhabeshi, or until you see a guesthouse to your liking. If its still early in the day and you finished your designated leg of the trek, you could go forward and try the next leg if you feel you have enough stamina. Wed let time pass us by and had a late lunch as we had gotten carried away with our fine journey. Be sure to watch that, either in Mestia or in Ushguli. Booking in advance is recommended as the best options will be full (even off season). This app is very easy to use. Depending on your schedule and/or choice of accommodation, you can carry on up the rocky dirt streets through Chvibiani and Zhibiani, the middle and top villages of Ushguli. Youll be walking on a dirt path behind some hotels and wooden chalets. Required fields are marked *. After an hour or more of this, youll reach the top. We rounded a corner and it stood in front of us, stone watchtowers surrounding a medieval stone hamlet with a mountain backdrop. Weve also given approximate timings and distances for each day and section, as well as approximate figures for elevation gain and loss. On the way we reached a wonderful viewpoint back down towards the Adishi glacier below us. Happy trekking!! Length 34.7 miElevation gain 9,875 ftRoute type Point to point Not to be perturbed, we began walking after a leisurely start at 10.30 am from Mestia. There were several people hiking in trainers when we were there, but part of the trail is muddy so the extra grip from on our shoes was very much welcome. The upper villages of the Ushguli community. Some places offer rooms with private bathrooms but most have shared facilities. When you open Google Maps on your phone, navigate to Saved at the bottom, then swipe along to Maps at the top. Some taxi drivers arrive from Mestia around 10am, dropping off travelers & hikers. Other places that come recommended include XII Century, Nizharadzes Tower, Guesthouse Qaldea, and Caucasus Guesthouse. Our feet were pretty wet too as we had spent so much time hopping across running water and muddy puddles. Eventually the hill becomes steeper and youll be trekking a series of switchbacks. From Mestia to Zugdidi, marshrutkas depart from the main square at 8am, 12pm, and 2pm. I actually did the hike in trekking sandals (complete with socks to make my look extra special). Advertisements There was also plenty of homemade chacha, the Georgian spirit, for the ride. The first is a very steep climb, basically like climbing big steps. But in summary our main issues were (i) there was a lot of confusion over pricing and (ii) electricity is only turned on in the late afternoon. After carefully assessing it we decided to backtrack and try to cross further up. ). This is because Ushguli taxi drivers purportedly prevent tourists from using the marshrutkas in an effort to force them all to pay for taxis, and the marshrutka drivers dont want trouble with the Ushguli locals. In fact, every day you will enter a new valley and the weather might change. I did not, but it could help significantly with some of the hills and make the trek a little easier. The second difficult element is crossing a mostly dry and rocky river bed. From the cafe it was a gentle downhill descent for 5.5 km to Adishi. After a well-needed nights sleep, we were off on day two of our trek. This trail is great for backpacking, camping, and hiking. After the river crossing it is a long 2.3 km uphill hike on a very muddy trail to the Chkhunderi pass, the highest point of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. For more options in the area, check out, Adishi feels more remote than any other overnight stop on the hike. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Ushguli is the highest inhabited settlement in Europe at 2,100m. Its an 8-hour car ride from Tbilisi and 5.5 hours from Batumi. through the valley below the trail. Rauls home made wine hit the spot though and he did set up a disco ball on his balcony for our pleasure as we sat talking in the evening!
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