What to do in Svaneti in Georgia - mountains, towers, glaciers

How to get to Svaneti independently, where to stay in Svaneti and what to do there, how not to lose your head over such beauty and fall in love with Georgia all over again.

Svaneti — mountainous Georgia, where remnants of life untouched by civilization still remain. They are disappearing irreversibly with each passing year — as roads appear, more and more tourists are coming here. And just thirty years ago, getting to Svaneti was quite problematic because of the poor roads.

The Svans — an ethnic group from Georgia that has always lived in isolation and far from civilization. But the people here are welcoming — the tourist boom that began in the 2010s made this region one of the most popular in Georgia. And indeed, tourists come here from all over the world — where else can you see such nature and the preserved, extraordinary culture of a remote mountainous region?

When to go to Svaneti

The season in Svaneti lasts all year round.

Winter — skiing at two ski resorts with excellent snow.
Summer — the perfect time for trekking in the mountains and trips to remote villages.
Autumn — the vivid colors of trees turning yellow on the mountain slopes and the first snow on the mountain peaks.
Spring — simply breathe in the fresh air. And it even snows here in April, making for excellent skiing.

How to get to Svaneti

Nowadays, a decent road leads to the high-altitude town of Mestia; only some sections of the concrete road are damaged, and an ordinary car can drive along it without difficulty.

You can even fly here — an airport and runway have been built in Mestia at an altitude of 1,400 metres. In good weather, you can fly from Natakhtari (an airport near Tbilisi) on a small motor aircraft. Tickets and the schedule are available on the airline’s website VanillaSky.

Flights operate during the high season — in summer and winter, as cloud cover is higher during the other seasons. Passenger numbers are also considerably lower.

Minibuses run to Svaneti from Tbilisi and Zugdidi.

From Zugdidi to Mestia. Travel time — 3 hours.
From Tbilisi to Mestia. Travel time — 8 hours.

One way to save money is to take the Tbilisi–Zugdidi train to Zugdidi, and then take a minibus to Mestia. If you plan to travel back the same way, keep in mind that you may get stuck on the road — these are mountains, after all — and miss the train. Daily train Tbilisi — Zugdidi: Departure time is 8:20; tickets can be purchased on the website of Georgian Railways in the “buy tickets online” section. Minibuses from Zugdidi to Mestia depart from the railway station.

The ideal option is to travel to Svaneti by rental car. Find a suitable car on the aggregator DiscoverCars. You can rent a car in any city and head to Svaneti. Why is this the best option? First, there is an excellent road leading to Mestia: from Tbilisi to Kutaisi, there is a motorway; from there to the Inguri Reservoir and the Dog Waterfall, a decent two-lane road. Then there is a fairly good concrete road to Mestia. Besides, if you travel by car, you can visit several interesting places along the way. I have written about them below.

Route from Tbilisi:

Keep in mind that the section of the highway between Surami and Zestafoni — a dual carriageway. The motorway with overpasses and tunnels is still under construction.

What to do in Svaneti

Oh, you could easily spend a week here—and you won’t get bored. You can hike through the surrounding mountains—Svaneti has a huge number of hiking routes. Or sample Svan cuisine, washing it down with Kakhetian or Rachan wine.

You can simply sit on one of the hills and gaze at the surrounding peaks, cows, and horses grazing. Svaneti is stunningly beautiful, and the mountains are, of course, to blame.

All the tourist action is located in Mestia – the municipal and tourist center of Svaneti. Here you’ll find the largest number of hotels and restaurants, as well as several museums. From here, it is convenient to reach Svaneti’s landmarks.

There is a charming Ethnography Museum, where the Svans have collected historical artifacts that reflect their history and distinctiveness (but also their connection) with the rest of Georgia. The roof of the museum is the best location for photographing Mestia’s Svan towers.

For those who are passionate about mountaineering or at least interested in it, I recommend visiting the Mikheil Chkhumliani House Museum) Khergiani. This legendary mountaineer from Svaneti was the first to climb Ushba. That is why he was called the “tiger of the rocks” for conquering the most dangerous peaks without safety equipment.

Ski resorts of Svaneti

It is worth writing in detail about ski resorts after skiing at them in winter. I will just briefly mention that there are two of them in Svaneti: the town resort — Hatsvali, and the high-mountain resort — Tetnuldi.

The Hatsvali lifts start practically from Mestia and take you up to an altitude of 1,800 meters. Skiing on several easy runs laid out among forested slopes. At the same time, the lift operates even in summer — you can go up to an observation deck. We were there during quarantine, so we encountered a forced interruption in the operation of the cable car — we traveled up by car. The cable car costs 15 lari ($5) per ascent.

Tetnuldi — three lifts are located in the ski area: 2260 m–3165 m. Vertical drop: 900 m. This is high-altitude skiing, and the snow remains through May inclusive. There are slopes for freeriding and groomed runs for skiers like me))).

Ushba — the most beautiful mountain in Svaneti

Towering above Mestia is the mountain Ushba, 4,701 meters high. What can I say—she is a beauty! You can’t mistake her silhouette for any other—the mountain resembles a huge molar.

To see Ushba as close as possible, it is worth climbing to the observation deck located above Mestia not far from the high-altitude lake Koruldi. A hiking trail leads there and takes about 3–4 hours. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi SUV that will take you all the way up.

Another way to see Ushba is to climb the opposite mountain slope using the cable car of the ski resort Hatsvali. The top station of the lift offers a breathtaking view of Ushba and the Caucasus Range.

Svan towers

Svan towers — architectural structures that are nothing other than ancestral defensive towers, well preserved in the villages of Svaneti, including Mestia. They were used for prolonged defense against enemies. What enemies could there be high in the mountains? Bandits and neighbors, with whom conflicts often arose for various reasons.

Each clan had its own tower, where people could hide and defend themselves against hostile neighbors or blood enemies. Today, the towers either stand empty or serve as storage spaces for hay, corn, and provisions. The Svan towers have become a distinctive symbol of Svaneti—beautifully illuminated in the evenings.

Towers can be found in practically all the large villages of Upper Svaneti: Mestia, Latali, Zhamushi, a high-altitude village Adishi and, of course, in the legendary community of Ushguli.

Hiking route to the Chalaadi Glacier

Hike up to the glacier Chalaadi, which is located 13 km from Mestia.

To get to the starting point of the route, it is best to hire a taxi or come by rental car and leave it near the suspension bridge that leads across the Mestiachala River.

The hike to the glacier takes about three hours round trip. The trail initially leads through wooded terrain, then emerges onto the moraine floor—you’ll have to walk over rocks and along the river flowing out of the glacier. In the end, you’ll find yourself face-to-face with the glacier, whose appearance changes every year due to global warming.

Caution! Approaching too closely is extremely dangerous: rocks, some of them quite large, are constantly falling.

Mountain Swings in Svaneti

I had long dreamed of riding mountain swings—romantics will understand me, and they make for some great photos too. The feeling of flying over the mountains with snow-capped peaks glistening before your eyes is simply wow! It’s great that there are swings like these in Svaneti—we managed to ride them without having to queue.

They are located not far from the Hatsvali cable car, next to a small café with summer cabins— Heshkili huts. Here, you can enjoy a good coffee with a view of the Lechkhumi Range and ride the mountain swings for free.

Ushguli — the highest-altitude village in Georgia

Take a trip to the village of Ushguli, located 45 km from Mestia.

The only road there is an unpaved one that is constantly being cleared — mountain streams wash it out, and rocks block it. Two hours on the road in an off-road vehicle above a precipice, along crumbling cliffs, will give you a huge adrenaline rush. In winter, not every off-road vehicle will risk driving along this road, but in summer, in good weather, a passenger car may be able to make it.

If you decide to travel to Ushguli in a regular car, ask the locals about the condition of the road in advance. It is better to hire a driver with the legendary Georgian people’s car, the Mitsubishi Delica — it will definitely get you to Ushguli and other hard-to-reach places.

But it is worth it to see the highest-altitude village in Georgia (2,200 meters above sea level), where the authenticity of the past has been preserved. Svan towers still stand here, and many people still live in old houses; all around are snow-covered peaks and glaciers. The place made a great impression!

While Mestia already has many modern buildings, Ushguli’s architecture has hardly changed. Everything looks just as it did centuries ago.

Be sure to visit the monastery Lamaria (Lamaria). According to legend, this is where the Georgian Queen Tamar was buried, although no one has found the burial site. The monastery made a very strong impression on me.

The only monk met us at the entrance, silently greeting us with a nod before going about his business. For a minute, I imagined how he lives here both in winter and summer, among the highest peaks. Georgia’s highest mountain, Shkhara, looked down on us, with glaciers descending from it. The place makes a powerful impression!

What to see on the way to Svaneti

We traveled to Svaneti from Racha — I have already written about this wonderful region of Georgia; I recommend reading it.

Racha is paradise, or what to do and see in one of the least touristy regions of Georgia

We managed to see along the way Martvili Canyon. This place is amazingly beautiful and unusual at the same time — a river of an incredibly blue color flows between the canyon’s winding, moss-covered green rocks.

The cost of visiting the canyon is 17.25 lari ($6.2) per person. In fact, the canyon can be explored for free and without crowds. To do this, you need to drive a little farther to a small power plant, beyond which you can descend to the river along a small path. A Georgian grandmother also showed us another location, letting us pass through her yard to the canyon bank.

At the entrance to the mountainous region of Svaneti, we saw the dam of the Inguri Hydroelectric Power Plant — an impressive structure.

And we stopped by one of the waterfalls located along the Zugdidi–Mestia highway.

If you wish, you can plan an overnight stay in Kutaisi. This will give you time to visit Prometheus Cave — Kumistavi. The entrance fee is 23 lari ($7), while a boat tour of the underground lake inside the cave costs an additional 17.25 lari ($6.2).

And get to the waterfall Kinchkha, which is located far from civilization—in the upper part of Okatse Canyon, in the area of the village of Zeda Kinchkha at an altitude of 1,020 meters above sea level. The waterfall is simply enormous—it is a three-tiered cascade. The second tier, 70 meters high, is the most picturesque and impressive. It is no coincidence that Kinchkha Waterfall is considered one of the highest and most powerful waterfalls in Georgia.

Where to stay in Svaneti

Mestia has many hotels, guesthouses, and hostels—for every budget. Choose according to your preference; the hospitality is wonderful everywhere, and you will be welcomed as the most important guest.

I recommend looking into the following hotels:

Hotel Ailama Mestia – a hotel in the center of Mestia. The rooms are spacious and have balconies—an excellent place to relax after a long journey from Tbilisi. There is a café/bakery by the entrance, and the building is filled with an amazing aroma all the time.
Family Hotel Kala – The location is ideal for avoiding the noise from the roads and the busier tourist areas near the center, which is only a 5–10-minute walk away. A friendly and welcoming owner who prepares lunch boxes for guests going on day hikes. Excellent breakfasts with a wide selection of dishes and unlimited tea and coffee. The balconies offer beautiful views.
Glamp Peaks Mestia – An excellent “remote” location with spectacular mountain views and a very welcoming owner. The glamping tents are very comfortable, offering warmth at night and cool air from the air conditioning during the day. The owners provide meals.

We stayed in Gera guesthouse — with the hospitable Beso and Natia. We were the only guests at the hotel—the season had just begun, and there were hardly any tourists. Natia is an excellent cook—breakfast and dinner were served every day and included in the accommodation price. The table was generous—several hot dishes were prepared for dinner. This is how we tried various dishes of Svan cuisine—meat pies kubdari, chvishtari (corn tortillas with cheese), matsoni soup — my hit after Tolik’s birthday )))

This place will be remembered for its cleanliness and comfortable beds. The house is located 3 minutes from the center, and the mountains can be seen from the balcony. I will also remember the gatherings in the backyard, at a table made of a huge stone slab — Beso grilled shashlik for us and treated us to wine of his own production.

Useful links for preparing for the trip:

Insurance – you can find an affordable option on the HotlineFinance
Hotel, hotel, and apartment bookings – Booking.com
Car rental in Georgia – DiscoverCars

Svaneti, Georgia — above the mountains, there can only be mountains

When to go to Svaneti