1 km from and 150 metres above the villages. The weather can be very unpredictable, change quickly, and vary greatly between the lower and higher altitudes. However, its advisable to use an offline mapping app such as Maps.me, Gaia, or OSMand to follow the route via GPS. As I mentioned earlier, I would get a taxi to Ushguli on day 3 if doing the hike again. Sign in Sign up for FREE Prices and download plans I cant find your guest house in Adishi on internet ? , making a crossing on foot usually more manageable. Cheers. The elevation gain and loss figures for each hiking section are estimates based on our recorded track and mapping apps. Youll see a sign marking the trail. It ended up scaring me instead. The upper villages of the Ushguli community. Wake up the last morning in time to catch a marshrutka to Tbilisi. Minibuses leave Mestia Square at 8am. If you want to shorten this day you can stop at Khalde Guesthouse which is 1.5 hours before you get to Lalkhori. When it rains, youll see waterfalls trickle down the mountainsides. If there is sufficient demand there is a minibus leaving in the afternoon to meet the night train from Zugdidi to Tbilisi. Feeling warm and cozy after a few beers, we rested our heads for the night. If you use any of these, I would recommend using either a steriPEN or water purification tablets. Also consider trekking from Ushghuli to Mestia to see fewer hikers. If doing it again I would set aside 3 days for the hike and spend the 4th in Ushguli, taking a taxi from Lalkhori to Ushguli at the end of day 3 (see day by day itinerary below). Clouds perched on top of the peaks giving it a mystical vibe as we gazed in awe at the spectacle. No wonder Georgia is sometimes called the Switzerland of Eastern Europe! I highly recommend it for all travelers who make it to the Svaneti region. If in doubt about crossing the Adishchala, go with the safest option and hire a horse. Youll head off the dirt road through that very steep brutal trail through the forest I mentioned earlier. When you get to the Ushguli sign take the path down to the right walking through the four villages. Doing this hike in the offseason had its perks, but the endless wetness was not one of them. Go early to secure a seat. I would highly recommend September for doing this hike, as well as travelling in Georgia in general. Bring a few pairs of dry socks to change into. The Ushguli villages contain old Svan towers and buildings that are part of the UNESCO Heritage site of Upper Svaneti. 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. Elevation Gain: ~ 860 meters / ~ 2800 feet. This helps offset the cost of running this blog and keeps us travelling so that we can continue to produce great content for you. Villages are full of dirt, dust, and animal dander, so be sure to bring the appropriate allergy medications if you think youll need them. Join. Drucken/PDF-Karte. If youre keen to take the more scenic high route to Adishi, you can skip the 330 metre climb on gravel road by taking the lowest line of the Tetnuldi Cable Car. and the start of the high route to Adishi. We followed the dirt path towards Iprali. During the offseason, all the cafes, markets, and other things will be closed. You can try to get back to Tbilisi immediately after trekking, but that will be a long, uncomfortable day and probably not desired if you just did two days of trekking. Today was meant to be a 4-hour hiking day, but by the time we were done, it had taken us close to seven hours. This gives you time to explore both the villages and Lamaria, the 12th Century church. By walking in this direction, there will be 30 minutes to an hour every day when you meet everyone walking in the opposite direction. The price for lunch and dinner was 50 GEL per person in 2019. We knew 4 days of exposure could be bad news for us so erred on the side of caution and bought enough to keep us covered. 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 drank the tap water and were just fine, so water isnt an issue either. Continue down the path and into the villages. It was 70 lari a night including breakfast and dinner, which was an excellent value. Like Gaia, we recommend checking out the, written and video tutorials on the OsmAnd website, to learn how to fully use the app. 3 days is in fact enough to do the best parts. There is a guesthouse in, For an extended trek through Svaneti, start your hike further west in Chuberi. You dont need any special kind of hiking boot. If you want to see mountains but are not up to the time commitment of getting to the far flung Svaneti region, you can explore the Tusheti region (about 5 hours from Tbilisi in a 4WD vehicle) for similar views of farm villages and defense towers. Follow the sign, turning right onto the trail that gives you panoramic views of the mountainous landscapes. Comparing the two, I think the walk from Adishi is nicer as it is onRead more . Continue on the trail and leave the town behind you. The view just before the village, with Tetnuldi rising in the background, is one of our favourite village scenes on the trek. Booked in advance on booking.com. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[3]='ADDRESS';ftypes[3]='address';fnames[4]='PHONE';ftypes[4]='phone';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Disclaimer: The night before, during dinner, the rain was pouring down outside, and everyone was talking about the river crossing. My comments below on Tusheti is based on what other travelers told me since we did not visit this area. La ruta recorre algunos de los paisajes ms espectaculares de las montaas del Cucaso, con . Maps.Me and AllTrails are useful if you want to have a live view of where you are on the trail. Day 1 of the Mestia to Ushguli trek. Youll keep climbing to an altitude of around 2100 m before the trail becomes more undulating and finally leads back to the road. Of course, you dont have to stay in guesthouses. on foot, a little further upstream from Taking a marshrutka from Mestia to Ushguli is more straightforward. The trek itself is not that difficult and is meant to be accessible to hikers at all different levels. For 100 GEL you should get a reasonable room with a double bed. The bad weather was confined to the valley we had left behind. We took the high trail with its more dramatic views over the valley and the Mulkhura river below. The first guesthouse we stayed at (Guesthouse Gogia in Zhabeshi) had fresh and tasty meals. As you approach Ushguli you can see the cars lining the road to take you back to civilisation. The bank on the other side was too steep to climb up. Avoid jeans or any cotton materials if they get wet they are heavy, take forever to dry, and youll get cold easily. That was news to me. Guest House Gogia was the best place we stayed with friendly hosts and tasty fresh food. There are beautiful, inviting trails to explore the region. Because people look to complain a lot about other guest houses. In our experience, crossing in late September, the river was about 5 6 metres wide. I recommend doing dinner at your guest house (though I skipped breakfast due to wanting to hit the road early). Sarpi border crossing Georgia to Turkey, Our website is closing down after 2nd April 2021, How to travel the Trans Siberian on a budget, Visiting Auschwitz when all museums are closed, Watch others cross first and only cross if you are confident, If the water lever is knee high or below it is safe to cross, Roll up your shorts as you will be splashed to waist high, Use a driftwood branch to help others across, Put your electronics in a dry bag just in case. Required fields are marked *. Its a good idea to pack a pair of. We feasted yet again in the guesthouse at night. The stone houses and medieval towers blend into the surrounding hills. Despite our non-existent Russian and their non-existent English, we managed to communicate that we were going to Zhabeshi. Its also possible to get a packed lunch (often referred to as a lunch box), or indeed no meals at all (but with nowhere else to eat along the trail, it makes sense to always include the meals in your stay). Check out this 34.7-mile point-to-point trail near Mestia, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. When you open Google Maps on your phone, navigate to Saved at the bottom, then swipe along to Maps at the top. Khalde village is largely abandoned. The village is tucked away up a side valley, away from the main Mestia to Ushguli road. The only problem was that there was a deep and fast flowing river, 15 meters wide, flowing across the road. Youll see more signs marking your way. Youll seen reach the highest point of todays hike, another meadow with a small lake with a perfect reflective view of Mount Ushba. Day 3 is the most challenging day. When the river is high, from spring till late August/early September, the safest and easiest way to cross is by horse. Jun 11, 2021 - How to hike from Mestia to Ushguli - a complete, annually updated trekking guide for hikers who would like to tackle this most popular Georgian trek on their own. If you go in June it is good to have some flexibility in your itinerary in case one of the days is a washout. Youll get beautiful views of the valley below before eventually delving deeper into the forest. While Mandy took some time off relaxing in Mestia, I teamed up with Gabriel, a Swiss trekker I met in the hostel there and together we hit the trail. It was an immersive experience in the natural beauty of the Svaneti region. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Booking in advance is recommended as the best options will be full (even off season). This is the longest but prettiest day, passing glaciers and with 5,000m high mountains in the distance. We highly recommend, , a medium sized guesthouse (5 rooms with 3 shared bathrooms) by the river with wonderful tower views. The villages are littered with these incredible Svaneti stone towers that give them a magical, medieval aura. I took an early stumble into a small stream about 20 minutes in and had wet boots for the rest of the day, which was not ideal considering that the worst was yet to come. 67. r/Sakartvelo. Id also recommend having waterproof boots and maybe some leg warmers to add an extra layer of warmth and waterproof protection. When you want to go back to Mestia, you can hire a private car or take one of the marshrutkas back. There are 2 ways to get from Mestia to Ushguli by taxi or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Budget 70 80 GEL per person per night for dinner, bed, and breakfast. Unfortunately, there is a taxi mafia that controls the transport prices between Ushguli and Mestia. You can download our KML/GPX tracks to use with these apps. We managed to hike up in 2 hours and back in 1.5 hours. The taxis and marshrutkas gather at the bridge on the entrance into the village and charge tourists a set fee of 40 Lari for a one way trip back to Mestia which is extortionately high. Youll eventually veer to the right off the relatively flat path so far, beginning a steep climb through the forest. In the summer, there will often be beer gardens or cafes in the small villages that you can stop at for a quick break. Service is particularly patchy around Adishi. The guesthouse was called Keti Margiani and cost 70 lari per room. Ushguli is more straightforward. FROM MESTIA TO USHGULI . You can also import GPX tracks. 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). To top it off the Mestia to Ushguli trek is an relatively easy, comfortable trek over an undulating landscape, the longest day being 7 hours long. Thank you Kim for this detailed article! For me these mountain regions were the highlight of our trip to Georgia. Tbilisi: Minibuses leave from Samgori-Navtlugi and Vagzali bus station at 7am in the morning and takes 9 hours. They even have their own unwritten language. Once youve joined the low route its a short distance downhill to the, The usual trail from Chvabiani/Zhabeshi emerges from the forest around 1 km uphill from the entry cable car station. We stopped for a picnic lunch at a wonderful spot half way down in a flower filled field close to an ice cold mountain stream. During the peak trekking season (July-August), local guys hang around by the river in the morning, charging 20 GEL to carry you and your backpack across. Accidents can (and have) happened, with people being swept off their feet and carried far down river. From here its a short, steep climb through the forest to where the trail joins an old road. If you prefer not to, there are usually guesthouses available which dont have online booking, so you should be able to find a bed somewhere but you might have to hunt around a bit. Make sure you dont make the same mistake as us, download it in advance! Mestia to Ushguli. Its well worth the short side hike to the viewpoint, which is around 100 metres higher than the pass itself. If you prefer not to, there are usually guesthouses available which dont have online booking, so you should be able to find a bed somewhere but you might have to hunt around a bit. As for the trail, you start out in Mestia in the main square. CHVABIANI TO ADISHI I could send you a screenshot of the map location if you like. July September Regardless of the reviews you see online or on facebook, guesthouses in Adishi have the lowest standard. As you round the corner after an hour and a half or so, the magnificent Adishi Glacier comes into view. View thepartyingtravelers profile on Facebook, View thepartyingtravelers profile on Instagram, We're Going To Pakistan! You can also hire a horse from your guesthouse in Adishi if you are trekking outside of peak season and want to guarantee a horse for the crossing (expect this to cost more). 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. Since we were a group of 3, we were able to take a private taxi for the same price, 50 lari. The views of Mount Ushba in the distance are breathtaking. For example, as mentioned down below, I stayed in the village of Lalkhori instead of Iprali. If you have time, consider staying overnight in Ushguli. As I was wrapping my socks in plastic bags, it began to flurry before evolving into a full-on snowstorm. Adishi village feels more remote than any other on the trek, nestled in a narrow valley far from the main Mestia to Ushguli road. It will take 1-1.15 hours to get to the top with good views of the Adishi glacier as you climb. Theres not much of a trail to follow on the descent, so pay close attention to your GPS track and watch your footing the final section before joining the low route trail is the steepest and hiking poles are a good idea. The trail is pretty well marked. The road leads past a smaller village that is not Ushguli, then goes right into town. Ushguli to Mestia Your options of returning back to Mestia from Ushguli are very limited. 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 . The road connecting Iprali and Ushguli is one option, but a soul destroying one if you ask us. In the offseason, the dirt trail can be muddy, snowy, and icy. However, as the day goes on, hikers spread out and we found that we were walking on our own most of the time. Youll go through thickets of rhododendron hell, but will emerge out with maybe the best glacier view of the trip. Every extra kilo you carry will feel like a lot more at the end of the day. From the forest clearing the trail leads down to the valley and through a few small villages, winding up at Chvabiani, or a little further on at Zhabeshi. Stopping to appreciate the view of Tetnuldi before descending into the valley below, Stopping to appreciate the view of Tetnuldi Welcome to this wild, remote corner of Georgia! It explains our journey in detail and gives tips and advice on how to organise this excellent trek independently on a budget. There are a lot of guesthouses in the neighbouring villages of Chvabiani and Zhabeshi. Next came across three Spanish guys who also crossed comfortably. Hi Stephen. His/Hers A few things first: We hiked Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi , which is a slightly harder variation of the typical route but offers a little more seclusion. We rounded a corner and it stood in front of us, stone watchtowers surrounding a medieval stone hamlet with a mountain backdrop. The journey flew by as the train has WiFi as long as there is cell service. The drive back is spectacular along the deep Enguri river gorge. Some taxi drivers arrive from Mestia around 10am, dropping off travelers & hikers. And they were right. You can rent camping gear at MPlus in Tbilisi. before descending into the valley below. Tip Use TBC bank in Georgia as there are no access charges! The trail works its way down an open grassy hillside, crossing a stream about halfway where you can fill water. Tusheti is the least developed. 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