shatili caucasus mountains trekking tour

The village-citadel and World Heritage Site of Shatili, Caucasus Mountains

On our trek through the Caucasus we hike from one historical village to the next, and at each we are warmly welcomed by the local people who extend a hospitality unrivaled in other mountain areas of Europe.

Photo by Leila Thompson

display information about this photo
Trekking in the Caucasus route-map

Trip Details at-a-Glance

Cost From: $4395   see pricing
Length: 13 days
Arrive: Tbilisi, Georgia
Depart: Tbilisi, Georgia
Lodging: 3 nights hotels, 3 nights mountain tents, 6 nights simple village guesthouses with shared bathrooms
Meals: All meals included
Activity: Hiking / Trekking
Trip Level: 7 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 5-8 hours a day, altitudes from 6,000-11,300 feet, pack horse support
5p explain

Highlights

  • Discover an untouched hiker’s paradise of wild and spectacular mountains
  • Enjoy traditional Georgian hospitality in village guesthouses
  • Beautiful Tbilisi, with its World Heritage churches


This trip was a real challenge, but so much fun, so filled with learning and with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.Marion W.—Mt. Kisko, NY

Choosing the Right Trip

We work hard to help you choose the right trip for you, paying attention to your individual interests, abilities, and needs. If you have questions about the level of comfort or any of the activities described in this itinerary, please contact us.
Email Area Manager

References

We are proud to have an exceptionally high rate of repeat travelers. For more information, we would be happy to put you in touch with a client who has traveled with us.

Email Area Manager

Resources

This is one of the wildest and most adventurous European journeys we’ve ever offered! Our trek into the Caucasus brings us through soaring mountain landscapes, across hillsides knee-deep in wildflowers, and into stone-built villages lost in time. We focus on the Republic of Georgia’s Khevsureti and Tusheti regions, long isolated by their rugged terrain and virtually untouched by the outside world, with ancient Christian cultures kept vibrantly alive. There is a saying here that “guests come from God,” and in the hamlets we visit, we enjoy wonderful hospitality including evenings of feasting with the locals—Georgians are always ready to break into songs, poems, and toasts to welcome guests. We invite you to be among the first trekkers to experience this incredible realm.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Days 1-3
Tbilisi / Shatili

We visit Georgia’s pretty capital for a chance to discover carpet shops, domed churches, tea houses, and the wares of Tbilisi’s famous traditional bakeries. We also visit Mtskheta, headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox faith and home to the 11th century Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and 6th century Jvari Monastery, both World Heritage Sites. In the afternoon of Day 3, we head out to the countryside for an overnight at the village-citadel of Shatili, a spectacular World Heritage Site whose 900-year-old defensive walls and mighty towers once kept invaders at bay. Our guesthouse here is in a renovated watchtower.

Days 4-9
Trekking in Khevsureti and Tusheti

Our trek begins in the Khevsureti Mountains, a green landscape inhabited by the traditional Khevsur people. With pack horse support, we hike into forests and along shepherds’ paths and visit the old tower-town of Mutso, the last village in Khevsureti before we reach the Tusheti region. Crossing Atsunta Pass (11,300') brings us into the wildflower meadows of Tusheti—a mountain world accessible by road for only three months of the year! In Tusheti’s beautiful Kvakhiki Valley, lush with wild blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, we hike along the Alazani River, with its blue-green waters and trout pools, and visit isolated villages with 11th century stone watchtowers. On three nights of our trek, we sleep in tents, and on the other four, we stay in village guesthouses, a great way to meet the incredibly hospitable people of this region. Many of the village houses here are over 400 years old, built of stacked slate and adorned with fantastic wood carvings. The last stop on our trek, the charming village of Shenako, became accessibleonly in 2006, when a foot bridge was completed over the river. Here we’ll have a festive farewell feast with our Georgian mountain guides and villagers.

Days 10-13
Kakheti Wine Country / Tbilisi

The Kakheti region is full of mysterious churches and historical sites and it’s also ancient wine country, where every village makes its own wine. We have a chance to visit some unique local wineries en route to Tbilisi. Depart on Day 13.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

What the Trip is Like

The trip is Level 5+, or Strenuous. Trip members must be experienced mountain hikers in excellent physical condition. We hike from five to eight hours a day at altitudes between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with several pass crossings. The highest pass is 11,300 feet. The hard part of the trek is that most of it is not on trails, so you need to be sure footed as we hike across grassy hummocks, scree, and boulder-strewn terrain. On the river-crossing sections, we wade through cold mountain streams that can be up to two feet deep.

We strongly urge you to “train up” for your trip. The best training for hiking is hiking, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling or other sports exercise (stair-climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill). It’s important to take time to build up muscle and endurance prior to your trip. Try to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule at least a couple of months before departure. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy and thoroughly broken-in.

Explanation of Trip Levels

 

Departures & Leaders

Jul 24-Aug 5, 2012

Tour Costs

Prices are for 2012
$4395 (9-12 members)
$4795 (5-8 members)
Single supplement: $340 (Tblisi hotel only)
more on pricing

Tour Cost Includes:

  • Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader and local guides
  • Accommodations as noted
  • All meals included
  • Camp staff, all group camping and cooking equipment

Tour Cost Does Not Include:

International airfare, internal flights, any meals not specified after each itinerary day in the Full Trip Brochure, airport departure taxes, optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff, additional hotel nights that may be necessitated by airline schedule changes or other factors, cost of medical immunizations (if any), travel insurance, and other expenses of a personal nature (alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.).

Trip Payment Schedule

At time of reservation: $500
120 days prior to departure: 20%
60 days prior to departure: Balance

Cancellation and Transfer Fee Schedule

Minimum fee: None
46-90 days prior: 25% of land cost
45 days or less: 100% of land cost

Our Trip Leaders

Here are the Trip Leaders scheduled for this journey (please note that leader assignments are subject to change).

Mike Browder

Departure Dates: July 24-August 5, 2012

Mike Browder has worked in outdoor settings all his life, from directing parks and recreation programs in Bend, Oregon, to mountain climbing in Asia and North America to coaching school ski programs. He spent much of the 1990s in Central Asia, guiding, teaching English, and learning about the ...
Click here for a full bio and list of all upcoming trips

Eka Tchvritidze

Departure Dates: July 24-August 5, 2012

Eka Tchvritidze, a native of Georgia and skilled mountaineer, has an enthusiasm for the Georgian mountains and its people that is simply infectious. She is also a very accomplished Tushetian horseback rider—in 2000 she was the first woman in Tushetian history to win the Tushetoba Horse Race! ...
Click here for a full bio and list of all upcoming trips