TUSHETI AND KHEVSURETI

• MOUNTAIN TOURS

Tusheti and Khevsureti are located north-east of the main ridge of the Great Caucasus and border with Dagestan and Chechnya. Tusheti houses the unique monuments of cultural heritage, remains of ancient villages, folk crafts and everyday life items. The provinces are outstanding with their alpine meadows and well-preserved coniferous forests.

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Day 1. Arrival

Arrival at the Tbilisi International Airport.

Departure to Kakheti through the Gombori pass. In order to enjoy nature, you just need to go along this road and watch how the road, like spilled wine, winds between the mountains. Watch mountain snow-covered ridges, low-lying vegetation along a hilly road, winding streams. At the same time, behind each next turn, the view will be completely new, fundamentally different from the previous ones.

Visit to the Fortress of Ujarma –  historical fortified city and one of the most important monuments of medieval architecture in Georgia, due to its location and historical significance. St. Nino placed one of the three crosses here, symbolizing the Christianization of Georgia. Under King Vakhtang Gorgasali, a palace was built here, and his residence became the de facto capital of Kakheti. The panorama that opens from the upper part of the fortress to the Iori River, the Gombori Range and the surrounding nature is simply mesmerizing. On the territory there are buildings belonging to different eras: a temple, a cross, towers, a water collector, marani, ruins of walls and other objects.

Visiting  the monasteries Dzveli-Shuamta and Akhali Shuamta (Old Shuamta and New Shuamta). There are two monasteries in the village of Shuamta, which at one time were important religious centers of Christian Georgia. The monasteries were built in different eras and differ in the style of the structure. Dzveli or Old Shuamta consists of several temples built in the 5th-7th centuries. The very first of them is a small church in the foreground. The current nunnery – Akhali or New Shuamta was built later, in the 16th century. The monastery complex consists of the Church of the Virgin, the bell tower and outbuildings.

Visit to the medieval academy of Ikalto. Currently, the complex has a functioning church, where the relics of its founder, Zenon Ikaltoeli, are exhibited for worship. As well as in Gelati, the monastery had its own academy built in the XII century by King David IV  and was one of the cultural centers of Georgia. The famous philosopher Arsen Ikaltoeli taught there, one of whose students was the great poet Shota Rustaveli. The majestic temple has the oldest wine cellar in Georgia.

Overnigt in Telavi

An early morning departure for Tusheti. For about eight months of the year, this mountainous region is cut off from “mainland” Georgia by the snow-covered Abano Pass (2,950 m). The road is only open from June to October. The rest of the time, the route is covered with snow or destroyed by floods, as evidenced by the washed-out banks of many rivers and the constantly encountered road equipment that is on duty in the most killed places.

The road from the village of Alvani towards Omalo is one big 70-kilometer attraction. Mountain peaks, alpine meadows, gorges with turbulent rivers, and powerful waterfalls – you want to constantly click the camera. Near the Abano Pass, in the picturesque valley of the Stori River, in one small area there are 13 springs with warm mineral water. Over the years, mineral baths have been used to treat various diseases.

Several masterpieces of unknown mountain architects are presented in Omalo: towers, fortified houses with roofs atypical for the region, medieval fortifications. All this is against the backdrop of a majestic panorama of mountains, clouds over which eagles soar, the colors of Caucasian meadows and alpine forests. The village is divided into New and Old Omalo.

Visiting  Keselo -small medieval fortress, located a little higher from Omalo. Keselo towers, which number up to 13, were built during the Mongol invasions of Georgia (1230). As a result of the destruction and damage brought by the conquerors, a large number of inhabitants were forced to leave their native villages, and, as a matter of self-defense and security, moved to the towers, as a temporary shelter from the enemy.

Overnigt in Omalo

Visit to one of the most picturesque villages of Tusheti. Shenako is the second largest village in the region, as old as most other villages, but surpassing them in its cultural and mystical significance. Compared to other villages, it is more densely populated, resulting in a constant fear of enemy attacks. In the village of Shenako, buildings that bear elements of Georgian architecture have been preserved to this day. Here is one of the two churches in the whole of Tusheti – the Church of St. Gregory.

Fortress of Diklo. According to legend, 16 warriors defended the fortress for 18 days against a 10,000-strong army from the North Caucasus. The harsh climate, difficult road conditions and isolation have left the village empty during the winter season. This deserted village offers tranquility, freedom and fresh mountain beauty. In the rocky pine forests, rare animals (Niamor and Goth) live. Near Diklo there are sulfuric mineral waters.

Departure to Gometsari Valley. Tusheti is rich in gorges. The most famous among all are Gometsari and Pirikita Alazani. Both gorges still have historical ruins. The location of the villages and the way they are scattered on the mountain slopes and rocks are reminiscent of eagles’ nests.

Here is the famous village of Bochorna. A special banner has been installed, which says that Bochorna is the highest settlement in Europe. The village is very deserted, many houses are abandoned. But despite this, a shop and a cafe are open in the summer, on the terrace of which you can drink excellent coffee with an unforgettable view of the Tusheti National Park and the mountains.

The architectural gem of the Gometsari society is, without a doubt, the village of Dochu, spread out among the rocks like a huge eagle’s nest. For many centuries, the center of Gometsari was here and people lived all year round. Dochu – the most preserved of all, today is an architectural monument of Tusheti. To your surprise, here you can see three-story houses with boiler rooms.

Overnigt in omalo

Departure to Pirikiti Tusheti. The road runs along a pine forest, up to a clearing (2250 m a.s.l.), which is the intersection of trails to Dartlo, Omalo and Gometsari. This is the very place where Carcasses gathered and met in the distant past to solve social problems.

Dartlo has retained its ancient appearance to this day, one of the oldest villages in the region, a cultural heritage monument of Georgia, declared an architectural reserve. The village stands out for its unique architectural ensemble, consisting of stone houses covered with stone tiles, which are fortresses with watchtowers attached to them.

The village of Kvavlo is located a few kilometers from Dartlo on the right side of the Didkhevi River (at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level). In Kvavlo, high and narrow, 5-6-storey battle fortress-towers, 20 meters high, built of slate and mortar, have been preserved. On the floors of the loopholes there are small windows, awnings. The towers gradually narrow towards the top and end with pyramidal roofs.

Parsma is an historic and archaeological site. With defensive towers spread along the rocks overlooking the river, Parsma is one of those breathtaking sites unique to the Tusheti. The harmony of rough stones, this is the image Parsma conjures up. Today the village is almost empty, which increases the feeling of solemnity that you have when discovering the proud heart of the Pirikiti.

Girevi Fortress is located on the northern slope of the Caucasus Range. Girevi is one of the highest villages in Tusheti. It is located at 2400 meters above sea level. This place in Tusheti is known for its miraculous nature, beautiful villages and ancient towers. In the summer, several families come to Girevi, and in the winter it is empty again. The village often receives foreign tourists from Omalo who go to Khevsureti

Overnigt in Girevi

An early morning trip on horseback  to  Khevsureti. Ardoti is generally similar to Mutso and Shatili, but there are some differences. Ardoti was almost as big a village as Shatili or Mutso. There were battle towers here too. Now everyone either left or remained lying in the ground. The towers and fortress walls of Ardoti formed a continuous architectural complex. In the center of the village are the ruins of an Orthodox church of the 19th century. Below the village were mills, a pagan temple and a cemetery.

Mutso Fortress – it is severe and adamant, located at an altitude of 1880m above sea level. y. m. The towers are interconnected by powerful walls, roofs and stairs. Mutso was built in such a way that on the one hand it is a single complex – a fortress that served as protection for all its inhabitants. And at the same time, inside it, like separate cells, there are residential buildings, each of which also looks like a small fortification in a large castle, surrounded by a wall with fortress towers.

Departure for Anatori. Anatori is popular for its tombs. When an epidemic broke out in Khevsureti, Taboo was imposed on Anatori and those who fell ill were forbidden to leave it to avoid the spread of epidemics. It was also forbidden to let strangers into the village. Some of the sick went to Anatori of their own free will to avoid contact with the healthy. Even today, in some tombs, the skeletons of the victims of epidemics have been preserved on the surface.

Overnight in Shatili

Discovery of Shatili – located in the deep gorge of the Arguni River at an altitude of about 1400 meters. It is actually a unique complex of medieval watchtowers and fortified dwellings made of mountain slate, which functioned both as a residential area and as a fortress, guarding the northeastern border of Georgia. Each tower and dwelling is connected to the others by stairways or windows, which are grouped together to create a single chain of impregnable fortifications.

Kistani is a historical village in Khevsureti, which is currently abandoned and uninhabited. In its place, the ruins of the tower complex remained, and on the neighboring mountain there are two towers in a slightly better condition. The village itself is hidden in a narrow gorge and consists of houses-fortresses tightly pressed against each other with flat roofs. There was a time when Kistani was inhabited and it was inhabited by some Khevsurian family. At an unknown time, people left it, and the towers of Kistani gradually turned into ruins.

Lebaiskari – the ruins of a village in the Arguni Gorge, at an altitude of 2100 meters. Opposite the village, on the other side of Aragvi, right next to the road on the descent from the Bear Cross, there is the only completely preserved medieval signal tower, with the same name. This type of tower is found throughout the eastern Caucasus – in Khevsureti, Tusheti, Ingusheti and Dagestan. At one time it was considered one of the watchtowers on the southern borders of  Khevsureti. Both the village and the tower were inhabited until the beginning of the 20th century.

Drive towards Korsha through Datvijvari pass, 2676 meters above sea level. Tourists will cross the Main Caucasian Range along this pass. This is the highest point during this tour. From here you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Aragvi and Arguni gorges.

Overnight in Korsha

Departure for Roshka. The village is located at an altitude of 2000m, in a picturesque place in a valley of pristine natural beauty and mythical huge stones left after the course of an ancient glacier. On the horizon above the village rises the rocky massif of Chaukhi. Those who wish can take a horse ride on a real Khevsur horse.

The culmination of the tour will be a trekking trip to the colored lakes of Abudelauri – these are three high-mountain glacial lakes located on the southern slope of the Caucasus Range. The name of the lakes comes from the glacier of the same name, where the mountain river Abudelauri originates.

Abudelauri lakes are also called “colored” lakes. This name was given to them due to the color of the water: Blue, Green and White lakes. The distance between the lakes is 1.5 kilometers.

Green Lake is the shallowest of all lakes, the water in it is bright green. In fact, the water is of course ordinary. This effect creates a reflection of lush greenery on the shore.

Blue lake is considered the most beautiful, the water in it is dark blue. This lake stands out among others with thickets of rhododendrons growing around it. During the period of low water, a rocky ridge appears on the lake, which divides the lake into two parts.

White Lake is the deepest and highest lake. It is located at an altitude of 2812 m above sea level. This lake is moraine in nature, that is, it is formed by glacial formations. Therefore, the water in it is white, like milk.

Overnigt in Tbilisi

Walk around the city.

Transfer to the airport.

 

The price for one person $ (US Dollars)                             

From 70 USD 

The price depends on the number of people and varies(±)  from 70 USD  for one day.

Price Includes: Transport,  Accommodation, Services of guide. 

The cost of each excursion is discussed individually.

For more information, do not hesitate to call or write Viber/WhatsApp +995 599 25 65 19  or in mail : info@georgiavoyage.ge 

*Timetables : on request                                                                                                     

*The tour programs are based on our experience and the opinions of our completely different customers. These are semi-finished circuits, whose programs can be easily redone. Add or subtract the number of excursion days. Sort or redo the excursion day, change the sequence, the duration, prices …

Every day excursion is a stand-alone destination. It is the separate route with the calculation of the distance and the comfortable movement between the excursion points. Each tour and each itinerary is examined at the time of the request. Also, at the desire of the tourists, they can change the already booked and paid program.