Trekking in Tusheti from Omalo to Stepatsminda

Organized trekking tour in Tusheti, from Omalo to Stepantsminda, with Horses carrying our luggage and camping supplies. Guided by a local English-speaking guide, grown up in the region and a cook on your side, who will prepare tasty specialties every day for you.

This trekking tour in Tusheti is an active hiking trip – linking three different and unique mountain areas together, Tusheti, Khevsureti and Khevi, known also as Kazbegi.

Those three mountain sites and historical regions are famous for their characteristic unique examples of fortress and tower architecture. Presented by snowy peaks, deep rivers, with their old villages and castles.

Folklore and traditional hospitality of locals, especially in Tusheti and Khevsureti have always attracted visitors leaving these places with aspiration and hope of returning back someday and visit these places again.

Highlights of your trekking tour in Tusheti

√ Villages of Tusheti: Omalo and Dartlo
√ Fortified settlements of Mutso and Shatili
√ Mountain lakes in Abudelauri
√ UNESCO - Jvari and Svetitskhoveli

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival to Georgia (Tbilisi)

Arrival in Tbilisi and transfer to your hotel
Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi 3*

Day 2: Tbilisi sightseeing tour

Our organized trekking tour in Tusheti starts in capital of Georgia – Tbilisi.

We will enjoy a city that is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, located on the crossroads of history. A city neither European nor Asian but a heady blend of both East and West, where you can find Georgian Orthodox, Armenian Gregorian and Roman Catholic churches, a synagogue, a mosque and a Zoroastrian temple, all within a 5-minute walk of each other. Together with old narrow streets and antique buildings, modern glass constructions and peaceful parks

Whole tour will last about 5 hrs. but at the evening we will meet each other again to enjoy the welcome dinner and celebrate start of our Tusheti trekking tour.

Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi 3*
Catering: Breakfast - Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Tusheti

We will pick you up at your hotel and drive direction Tusheti. Through the journey, we have chance to see river “Story” with its amazing valley, as well as the highest machinery pass “Abano” (2.830 meters above the sea level) that makes us to get to historical region - Tusheti.

On the way to Tusheti we will meet the marvels of nature, such as waterfalls, avalanches, beauty of peaks of Caucasus Mountains, that is called Georgia-Russia air filtrates by the scientists. You have chance to see village Qvemo Omalo, that is popular with its modern information center of protected territories, that is equipped with all modern technology and utilities

At the end of the day, we will have delicious dinner by a local Family.

Distance to drive: 190 Km
Accommodation: Family hotel in Omalo
Catering: Breakfast - Dinner

Day 4: First trekking in Tusheti

We hike from Omalo to Dartlo. Our first hike is relatively easy and surrounded with beautiful views.  We will have only small day daypack with us, rest of the luggage will be transported by a car.

After about 5 hrs. of hiking, we arrive at Dartlo. It is mentioned in the old chronicles as one of most ancient villages in Georgia. In the village there are some wonderful stone towers, built for protection from outside enemy attacks and used as homes to live in during peaceful times. A family that owned a tower was considered a rich family.

Today and for the next 5 nights we will stay in our private tents, but we have one big kitchen Tent with us, where we cook and sit together at the evening.

↑ 500 ↓ 780 →| 11,5 km. Time to hike: 6 hrs.   
Overnight in Tents
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner

Day 5: Trekking from Dartlo to Girevi

From today on, our luggage will be transported by horses.  

After breakfast we will start hiking direction Dano, located just above Dartlo and after 2 hrs. of a pleasant hiking we will descend to Alazani River. Our hiking for the rest of the day will follow the banks of the rushing Pirikriti River.

After we pass the stone villages of Chesho and Parsma we will walk very close to the river and in few minutes, we will get to Girevi. Which is located very close to Chechenia and there is a border station, where we have to show our passports.

At the evening we will put on the tents and our cook will prepare delicious food for us.  

↑ 990 ↓ 820 →| 15,8 km. Time to hike: 7 hrs.   
Overnight in Tents
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner

Day 6: Trekking to Kvakhidi

Early morning, we will leave village Girevi and walk to the next camp side in Kvakhidi.

Our hike will take us through Chontio, the last village in the Tusheti region. Nobody lives here anymore, because the living conditions are too harsh. Only horse keepers and shepherds come here to stay in the summer for a few months.

On the way we will visit several shepherds’ houses and we might have a chance to see how they make local cheese called Guda.

↑ 870 ↓ 490 →| 15,4 km. Time to hike: 7 hrs.   
Overnight in Tents
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner

Day 7: Trekking over Atsunta Pass

Today we will have a rich breakfast to get ready to hike over a high Pass into Khevsureti, Georgia’s other beautiful mountain region. On the way to Atsunta Pass we will have to take off our boots and cross small river.

After about 6 hrs. of hiking, we will reach the highest point of our Tusheti trekking tour – Atsunta Pass (3.430m) and enjoy gorgeous views over Khevsureti region.

After about one hour of quiet steep descend, we will get to our camp side in Khevsureti.

↑ 1.250 ↓ 750 →| 11,5 km. Time to hike: 8 hrs.   
Overnight in Tents
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner

Day 8: Shatili and mountain village Roshka

Today's walk starts with a narrow path through rhododendron fields along the mountainside until we reach a wide, colourful flower meadow. Here we take several short breaks to enjoy the views of the surrounding mountains.

The sometimes-steep path leads us down to the Andaki River for another 1.5 to 2 hours.

For the last 50 minutes we walk along the rushing mountain river and after a total walk of 5 hours we reach the fortified settlement of Ardoti. The village has hardly been inhabited for over a hundred years and is one of Georgia's endangered monuments.

Here we have a chance to refresh ourselves in the river, then get into our 4x4 vehicles and drive to the fortified village of Mutso, where we stop for a photo stop. We continue to the medieval fortified village of Shatili. After a walk in Shatili we drive to Roshka and pitch our tents not far from the village.

↑ 170 ↓ 1.350 →| 11 km. Time to hike: 5 hrs.   
Overnight in Tents
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner
Distance to drive: 80 km

Day 9: Over Chaukhi Pass – 3.340 Meters

We start the day at about 6 o’clock in the morning, we will have breakfast, pack our bags and hit direction Chaukhi. After about 4 hrs. of hike, we will reach Chaukhi pass.
After small break we will start descending through astonishing Juta, one of the highest villages above sea level in Europe 2.300m.From Juta we will drive to Stepantsminda (former Kazbegi) regional center of Khevi province, which is located beneath Mount Kazbek.

Today we will stay in a very nice family hotel and celebrate successful ending of our Tusheti trekking tour.

↑ 1.100 ↓ 1.280 →| 11,1 km. Time to hike: 6 hrs.   
Accommodation: Family hotel
Catering: Breakfast – Picnic - Dinner

Day 10: Stepantsminda and surrounding

After quite hard trekking tour in Tusheti and Khevsureti we can relax and enjoy the Kazgebi region today.

We will have breakfast and then walk to Gergeti trinity church, located at 2.170meters above sea level. After our walk we will drive to Russian border and visit archangel monastery just in front of border.

↑ 350 ↓ 350 →| 7 km. Time to hike: 3 hrs.   
Accommodation: Family hotel
Catering: Breakfast - Dinner

Day 11: Back to Tbilisi

We will leave the greater Caucasus over historical military highway of Georgia.

Before we get to Tbilisi, we will visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and stunningly located Jvari Monastery, as well as Ananuri church complex and fortress perched over the Zhinvali Lake.

Distance to drive: 170 km
Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi 3*
Catering: Breakfast

Day 12: Departure

Our trekking tour in Tusheti is getting to the end. We will pick you up at your hotel and bring you to Tbilisi Airport

Catering: Breakfast

Includes:

• Transportation
• Airport transfers on the first and last days of the trip
• 4 x 4 vehicles
• Professional trekking Guide and one cook
• Horses for luggage and food
• Tents
• Meal every day during trekking

Excludes:

• Sleeping bags
• Air Tickets
• Alcohol Beverages
• Travel Insurance