The Independent on Svaneti: How to hike through most remote region in Georgia

Svaneti, Georgia’s remote highland has always been quite an attractive place for the tourists and foreign visitors of the country due to its unique wild nature, historic architecture and breathtaking landscapes. 

This time, Svaneti was spotlighted by the leading British newspaper The Independent. The online newspaper has recently published quite an lengthy article about Georgia’s historic region. Author of the story is journalist Nick Redmayne, who spent three days in Svaneti and was captivated by its unique beauty. 

Unlike other tourists, Nick was not interested only in Mestia, the magical capital of Svaneti Region, but he wanted to visit Ushguli, one of the highest villages in Europe, which is sometimes called “The village in the clouds”. 

The author of the article stresses the fact that Ushguli is one of the highest populated areas throughout the Europe (located at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) near the foot of Shkhara, one of the highest summits of the Greater Caucasus mountains).

Georgians themselves rarely visit this remote region due to its harsh climatic conditions (generally, winter lasts 6 months in Svaneti), its location is high in the mountains (the region is quite difficult to reach, especially in winter) and strong, sometimes peculiar character of the locals. It is also worth mentioning that Svan people still maintain their harsh traditions and habits. 

But Georgia is changing quickly, and so is Svaneti. Nick Redmayne notes that the main road to Mestia has been upgraded and the town even has a flight to Tbilisi, cutting out an eight hour drive. The new accessibility caused a “tourism renaissance”.

Georgian guides, introduced magnificent Svaneti Region to the foreign journalist. The author expresses his unforgettable and exotic journey quite artistically and tries to describe the whole beauty of Svaneti: “A carpet of wild orchids stretch out ahead, with thousands of purple stems standing proud. Butterflies flicker between the flowers and sweetly melodious birds chatter.”

Svaneti is located in the northwestern part of the country. It is one of the most remote and thrilling regions of Georgia. Situated on the southern slopes of the central Caucasus Mountains and surrounded by 3,000–5,000 meter peaks, Svaneti is the highest inhabited area not only in in the Caucasus but Europe as well. Four of the 10 highest peaks of the Caucasus are located in the region.

Svaneti is known for its architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. The area is also famous for its alpine flowers and unique plant species. This historic part of the country boasts a number of towers, built between 9th-12th centuries.