Welcome to Svaneti, Georgia! An isolated land in the Caucasus mountains. These people have lived and fought in this area for over a thousand years. Invaders failed to conquer the area due to its ruggedness. Christianity became the state religion in Georgia in the 300s but it took 500 more years for it to reach the mountains. It is known for stone towers. Most of the towers date from 900 AD. I was there to hike and experience the fabled hospitality. Georgians consider visitors “a gift from God”.

My journey from the capital city of Tbilisi to Mestia, the main tourist village in Svaneti took 9 hours. First I caught the train to Zugdidi (6 hours) then a shared minibus or marazhuka (3 hours) into the mountains. It wasn’t the most comfortable journey but the views as we entered the mountains were gorgeous.

As I was there is late October, the hiking season was almost over and the snows were coming. The weather reports promised rain for 3 of the 5 days I was there so I decided against the popular Mestia to Ushguli 4 day trek. I didn’t want to risk having to hike if the weather was dangerous. Instead, I based myself in Mestia for two nights and Ushguli for two nights. I went on day hikes in the surrounding mountains. These day hikes weren’t easy and provided incredible views of the region.

In Mestia, I hiked up to Koruldi lakes. This took about 7 hours and involved 1500m of elevation gain and 20km. Exhausting but so rewarding. I never thought of myself as a hiker, especially not a fast hiker, but on these hikes I noticed my stamina is much better than most of the tourists. It had snowed a few days before so there was fresh snow at the lakes. A dog hiked part of the way with me and enjoyed resting in the sun.

Ushguli calls itself the highest inhabited town in Europe. I thought Albania was remote but this took it to another level. I felt as though I was living in the Middle Ages (but with electricity and sporadic internet). Small villages with stone houses, lanes made up of rocks, mud, animal waste with water trickling across. Cows, pigs, chickens, goats, and dogs wandered freely. Small gardens sat next to crumbling homes. A fortress overlooked the village. So charming yet real at the same time. Tourism has not yet whitewashed Ushguli. The sounds of chopping firewood, dogs barking, stones being laid against each other, and chickens filed the area.

I stayed in The Old Tower Guesthouse. It was part of one of the old towers. The host provided huge feasts for breakfast and dinner. There were only two guests while I was there. Myself and a man from England. The hosts sat with us during meals and shared Georgia culture. At dinner we watched videos of traditional music and dances while during breakfast we watched the morning news, in Georgian. The news was completely focused on the war in Ukraine. A few thousand Georgians are fighting over there. The Georgians I met were so anti-Russia. Russia is occupying 20% of Georgia and has been for about 30 years. Now Russians fleeing the war are causing a housing crisis and increasing rent prices. While Uzbekistan seemed neutral (or even slightly pro Russia), Georgia is proudly supporting Ukraine. They want to join the European Union so badly. EU flags and American flags hang all over. Most government buildings fly European union flags along with Georgian flags.

I hiked to the Shkhara glacier in Ushguli. This was about 7hours of hiking mostly along a glacier river. The hike terminates at the glacier which is where the river starts. The glacier was impressive. I watched it for awhile and it felt alive. Rocks tumbled down and splashed into the water. You could hear the glacier cracking. This glacier experience was so much better than in Iceland. I didn’t get the whole world-is-ending vibe just awe for nature.

Another highlight from the hike was the herd of horses. Farmers just leave their animals to roam free. I came across about 20 horses. There were a few colts. One was curious and let me get close to him. His mother was very happy to have me pet her and groom her. I can forget how much I love horses until I get to interact with them. I love the variety of personalities. Their body language is so easy to read so I can tell which horse would like attention and who would bite me.

Georgia as a country is a wonderful tourist destination but the mountains are extra special. I’ve learned that I prefer travel experiences where I get to interact with locals in an authentic setting. I like to physically do something instead of just admiring sights. I especially enjoy learning how history is affecting peoples lives today. I am so grateful that I got to experience Georgian hospitality in Svaneti. Hopefully, I will be able to return someday and explore the other mountains. მადლობა (matloba), thanks!