Beshumi to Ushguli: Four days in paradise

Georgian Photographer Giorgi Shermazanashvili made a trip from Beshumi to Ushguli. His pictures capture the great beauty of Georgia's west. From the coastal town Batumi it takes around 4-5 hours to get to Beshumi. Travellers should know that the way is uneven and very tiring. The resort is situated 2000 meters above sea level, and 30 km from the town of Khulo.

“A rope where passengers breathe in a row”, that is how photographer Giorgi Shermazanashvili puts it. This ropeway connects Khulo and Tago. It.is the second largest in Europe that has no support structure. The length of the ropeway is 1719 metres, and its height 280 metres.

According to the locals, the village would be abandoned if it were not for the ropeway. It is not only used by people but also to move domestic animals. Quite some tourists are afraid of using it, but the man in charge reassures everybody, that the ropeway is safe and works fine.

This region has its own version of the Georgian cheese bread: Adjaruli Khachapuri. The dish originated in the seaside region of Georgia, Adjara. This kind of khachapuri has a boat-like shape and is served with a fresh egg in the middle of cheese along with a generous chunk of butter on the top.

The region offers a lot of spectacular views. Like here, the sea seen from Gomisimti.

Water is key as well in the Tsalenjikha Municipality, farther north. The Svaneti region of Georgia lies in the north-west.

Here you find as well the Koruldi Lakes, one of the most magical places in Georgia. The lakes are situated in Upper Svaneti at an altitude of 2850 meters above sea level , 10km away from Mestia, the main regional center of Zemo (Upper) Svaneti.

The Caucasus Mountain region of Svaneti is home to high mountain peaks, villages dotted with thousand-year-old defensive towers and a passionate indigenous people known as the Svans.

Ushguli as well is one of Europe’s highest continually inhabited settlements, and a Unesco World Heritage site, nature took his breath away.