Mestia. I felt miserable and was wondering why we were spending our vacation torturing ourselves. From Mestia to Ushguli through Tsvirmi village - Mest'ia, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti (Georgia) Alternative of the most popular Georgian trek, which is by mine opinion even better than standard hike via Zhabeshi. Good information for people looking to go hiking in that area. She actually had three sons all in their 20s, who mostly ignored us. We loaded onto the horses and were across the river in about 60 seconds. The food and wine are incredible, and the portions are large! This one climbs onto Zuruldi massif, descends to Tsvirmi village and then follows a new road leading . Think of it more like a warm up to the Mestia to Ushguli trek. Essentially it has several mini avalanches everyday. In waterproof boots, it would be totally fine, but If you are not wearing hiking boots (we werent), you have to place each step very carefully or you will soak your entire foot into water or mud. So, how much did a 4 day Mestia to Ushguli trek cost me? However, the distance from theBlack Sea side city of Batumito Mestia is shorter and takes less time. The situation changed only in the past few years and nowadays, the village boasts at least 4 guesthouses. Here comes the tricky part. Most guesthouse owners in Mestia are willing to help arrange accommodation on the Mestia Ushguli trek. A little bit before reaching cable car station the panoramic views start to appear on the right.. After the cable car is the best part with crazy views of the mountain range over Tsvirmi and the green plateau that the trail goes through. Dont forget to leave space in your backpack to carry your food! This is a mostly flat path and the trail is marked withred and white markers to Iprali. At the time, the airline was having major issues selling tickets online, but we were able to snag tickets by having our hotel (Rooms Hotel Tbilisi) buy the tickets for us at their local office. Campers at guesthouses do get access to the bathrooms, hot water showers, and common spaces. How you use this info is up to you. This one is tricky :) But if you are trekking in July or August and have no camping gear, you should - and I am saying it as a person who loathes booking more than 2-3 days ahead. About 70 families (about 200 people) live in the area, enough to support a small school. Mestia to Ushguli Key information: Mestia to Ushguli An engrossing 3-4 day walk past tower-bristling villages and across spectacular high ridges and passes. you can expect people with horses waiting at the crossing. 3 Comments. We descend to the village of Adishi, before heading up the valley towards a short river crossing. But, again, when the place gets full (20+ people), you may have to wait for a while for one of two bathrooms. Therefore, if you find any inaccuracy in my trail descriptions, pls let me know. Less then an hour later, you reach Adishi. Each period has its pros and cons. Route anzeigen; . The view was so incredible over the mountains on the way to Mestia that I forgot Im scared of small planes. The plane only seats about 16 people, as it is a small prop plane. Opened only in 2019, owners Tamara and Davit decided to bring services provided in Adishi up to the next level. Thank you for this amazingly thorough guide! I brought my tent, but loved the food and community in the guest houses so much, I opted to stay in them instead! That feast looks really yummy as well. Did you guys just took a cab to go to Natakhtari or is there any other mode of transport? A disadvantage is a bit dull start of the day Two. Most travellers heading to Mestia from Tbilisi take an overnight train to Zugdidi, followed by a marshrutka (local minibus) that arrives in Mestia around 10:30 AM. Hence, this was the only night I camped. This entire section of the Mestia to Ushguli trek boasts stunning views of theAdishi Glacier. Descending into Tsvirmi There are a few reasons to do Mestia to Ushguli through Tsvirmi 1) Increase the difficulty of the hike 2) Get the view from Mentashi hill 3) Stay in a village untouched by tourism 4) Have the trail mostly to yourself for two days Ruta From Mestia to Ushguli through Tsvirmi village de Senderismo en Mest'ia, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti (Georgia). But it got cancelled when covid hit and not yet reinstated. . They were actually playing FIFA in the corner, haha. The best one yet! Both places are a decent place for an afternoon beer or even for the spending of the night if you want to try the new, more scenic route to Ushguli - crossing Lagem (also known as Southern Karetta) pass or simply spend a night somewhere more remote. Also, if Nadias had been full, we would have continued to wander around in the rain looking for lodging. Leave it by a street heading to the southeast, after 200 meters cross the bridge and turn right. The tent is not necessary; its possible to spend nights in guesthouses. Or, they may just wish to swiftly return to Mestia. We meet in the town of Mestia, capital of Svaneti and famed for its 9th-13th century watchtowers. We would like to carry as little as possible so we would like to have a. So walk we did. For this alternative route of the Mestia to Ushguli trek, head to theHatsvali Cable Carin Mestia. Follow it. Great! I have read and agree to the terms & conditions, Daily Mestia Ushguli Trek Schedule & Overview, How to Return to Mestia from Ushguli Village, Total Cost of Mestia to Ushguli Trek 4 Days, Heres a detailed guide on how to get from Tbilisi to Mestia, Browse the best Mestia Guesthouses and places to sleep in Mestia, Click here to view & download my free Mestia to Ushguli Trek Map with Tsvirmi village, Browse all the Adishi Guest House options, Guest House Khalde Century House of Larisa, Browse all the Ushguli Guest House options, View & Download Ushguli Day Hike to Shkhara Glacier, 2 Day Tbilisi Itinerary with All the Highlights, Things to Do Near Majanishvili Street Tbilisi, The Best Tbilisi Itinerary Highlights in 2 Days, Georgia Itinerary: The Best 3 Week Adventure Itinerary, Must-See Pit Stops from Sighnaghi to Kazbegi, 7 Mindo Waterfalls in the Ecuador Cloud Forest How to Visit in 2022, Pumamarca Ruins | Hike the Awesome Trail from Ollantaytambo 2022 Guide, Picos de Europa National Park | Awesome 4 Day Road Trip, How To Hike the Epic Ausangate Trek Without A Guide | 6 Days, 14 Wonderful Peru Hot Springs You Have To Experience, How To Get to Chacahua Oaxaca | Enjoy One of The Best Beaches in Oaxaca, 25 Spectacular & Best Places to Visit in Oaxaca State, Salomon Sense Ride GTX Invisible Fit Trail-Running Shoes (W), Hiking Sandals for showers & river crossings, Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Tech Starter Set, Osprey Ariel Pro 65 Pack Womens (Women), REI Co-op Helio Sack 55 Sleeping Bag was not sufficient, Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Liner, Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra Sleeping Pad, Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil CompressionDry Sack, Adventure Medical Kits Smart Travel First-Aid Kit, Doubles as a tarp and adds warmth under tent, Phone with Maps.me offline downloaded! This is a scenic journey but flights do not operate in bad weather. This is insanely gorgeous! Most of the sites follow along a river or have small water flows to refill water bottles and do dishes. Very nice! If you prefer walking, leave the concrete road and continue on the dirt road in the direction of Ieli village, there is also a pointer. There are alternative hiking routes, and this Mestia to Ushguli itinerary follows a not-so standard route fromMestia to Tsvirmi village. Nino & Tarzan Guesthouse | Room Cost: 50 GEL with dinner and breakfast | Beverages and snacks are available for purchase | Hot showers | Friendly and accommodating owners | Wi-Fi and lots of plug-ins to charge devices | Book here. In this Mestia to Ushguli trek find a detailed hiking itinerary for this alternative hiking route, a free downloadable Mestia to Ushguli trek map, what to pack for this top Georgia multi-day trek, and the average expenses for trekking Mestia to Ushguli without a guide. The only disadvantages are that the final descent could be pretty hard on your knees and there are no bar on this route. Not fun. Adishi is really adorable. . Thank you for all the great tips , Thanks! It was actually super cute and about half the price (they didnt have a kitchen so no meals included), I would totally stay there again, if only I could remember the name- it is a three story building tucked in a small alley near the post office! Here, I collected (and answered) questions I get most often. This one climbs onto Zuruldi massif, descends to Tsvirmi village and then follows a new road leading to Tetnuldi ski resort, where it merges with classic trail to Ushguli. Shorenas Homestay is a popular guesthouse in Tsvirmi that offers online booking. Plan on around 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the Adishchala river crossing from Adishi. We kind of wandered around the beginning of the village for a few minutes before approaching a house that had a brightly colored umbrella outside. For those looking to take the high alpine route to Adishi, continue pass the cafe on the dirt the road up until where the first Tetnuldi ski lift ends. As a female traveler I hiked the Mestia to Ushguli trek without a guide and felt extremely comfortable. We will drive to Kutaisi via Mestia. Soon our Dutch friends arrived and informed us the hotel offered homemade wine by the plastic bottle-full, so we ordered a few bottles of mountain wine for everyone to enjoy. We want you to go too. There is a signpost showing you the way to Ushguli so you shouldn't get lost. I loved trekking Georgia and really getting off the beaten path. Enjoy! Georgia can be pretty hot in late July, and the days we were hiking, temperatures were reaching into the 80s depending on the elevation. Garan took me aside and calmed me down and after a small break, we continued the last 30 minutes to Chkunderi Pass. You would help me as well as the other hikers. So, if you want to play it safe, you can book online several long time ahead - at the end of each day section, I included a couple of places which I recommend. It really wasnt that bad and felt good to stretch the legs and get a little sweaty. From Kutaisi, there are regular marshrutkas (5 6 hours) leaving for Mestia from the central bus station. TrailRank 38. Make sure to decide if you want your meals includes. You can use the extra time to climb to the tower above the village or for Day 0: Overnight train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi Day 1: Zugdidi to Mestia by minivan (20 Lari), Mestia to Zhabeshi (16 km) Day 2: Zhabeshi to Adishi (10-12 km) Day 3: Adishi to Iprari . Right behind it branches a track to the left which is a nice shortcut to the Davberi village but as of 2021, it was blocked by a fence with barbed wire - I think that sooner or later, we can expect 2 GEL "entry fee" sign here. Descarrega el track GPS i segueix el recorregut de l'itinerari del sender des d'un mapa. Follow the ascending track from Heshkili all the way to the upper station of the cable car - This one climbs onto Zuruldi massif, descends to Tsvirmi village and then . Please bring other snacks to suit your taste. Soon, this simple river path runs into the tiny hamlet ofChazhashi. There are many guesthouses within each village along the Mestia to Ushguli trek. The wine just looked like I had more because of the angle. Breakfast was only offered starting at 8am which was mildly frustrating as we wanted to get hiking early. The hotel has 17 rooms, so we hurried to take nice hot showers before the other trekkers arrived. Definitely worth visiting Tsvirmi. There is also a good chance to find some companions for this enterprise here - highly recommended. Contact: (+995) 599 250578. The alternative route to Ushguli has much fewer trekkers compared to a classic route - even in 2019, only a handful depart from Mestia each day. After the Adishi river crossing, meander your way back on the trail. The owners family is very friendly and the food superb. Its best to arrive to Mestia and spend the night before immediately starting the hike to Ushguli. Hopefully you didnt stray too far. Dinner was more fun than it was delicious, since there was more than 30 guests at the hotel, we sat at huge tables and everyone chatted for a few hours. However, if youre sensitive to water, you may wish to carry water purification tablets. The food edible and nutritious but not particularly good, but I guess thats to be expected having to cook for so many hungry mouths. 1 night, breakfast & dinner at a guesthouse in Ushguli, Transfer from Ushguli to Mestia & Kutaisi, 1 night & breakfast at a guesthouse in Mestia (pre-trek). This multi day trek weaves through the remote Caucasus Mountain s and passes through traditional mountain hamlets dotted with iconic medieval Svan towers. Always hike responsibly and respect the mountains by practicing no trace philosophy, avoid hiking alone, and dont stray from the visible trail. With many guesthouse options, its possible to do the trek without a tent. The train is a more reliable option. To save weight, we will carry freeze-dried meals for our evening meals on the trail. A Weekend in The Sahara Desert, Part 1: How to Get There via Plane. Also, food was tasty and plentiful. Just follow the road heading north and after two kilometers it will join the main road from Mestia to Ushguli at Ughviri pass. I'm kind of obsessed with hiking in the mountains, soaking in hot springs, and seeking-out the most authentic travel experiences as possible! The price was the same as the night before (50 GEL / person), however the lodging wasnt so great. We kept walking since we didn't want to support this behavior and they even followed us half an hour by car. Please agree to all the terms and conditions before proceeding to the next step. In Armenia, this will be flatbread called lavash,and in Georgia we will have shoti,a boat-shaped bread. At the Chkhunderi pass it is possible to wander out along some of the ridge lines. Iprali is the another village which, until recently, offered only a very limited accommodation - essentially, almost all hikers stayed at Ucha Margveliani guesthouse. Great Alternative to the classic route. Answer 11 of 14: We are a fit active couple in our 60s looking at trekking from Mestia to Ushguli in mid June this year. Betegi guesthouse - a new guesthouse strategially located at the beginning of the village. And while locals are masters of improvisation and will eventually find you some place to sleep, it may not be the most comfortable option. From Kutaisi to Mestia: There, you will have to switch to marshrutka to get to Mestia. Tke first section is OK, but further stages are in a poor condition so I don't recommend it. If you need to return to Mestia, your best bet used to be minivans making day trips from Mestia to Ushguli. After showering and reconnecting with the internet, we headed into the main part of town to Lailas, which is a popular restaurant/bar with a huge patio. Once we were safely across, I was able to absorb the beauty of the Adishi Glacier. Its best to check in with current weather conditions and the tourist information in Mestia to see if guest houses and passes are open. The Shkhara Mountain is also the highest point in Georgia, so it makes for a great day hike. Leaving it through the gate by the new Queen Tamars statue and turn right. The trail from Mestia to Ushguli is the most popular in Georgia; we offer an alternative to the usual route which takes us along a wilder and more scenic path. That a lot, but people tend to spread during the day so it's not like you are going to walk in a queue.