Hiking & Trekking
Hiking-Trekking In Georgia
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With its mountainous landscape, Georgia is a paradise for hiking and nature lovers. Possibilities are endless here – you can hike to remote villages, explore breathtaking lakes and high peaks, or travel from one region to another on foot. Here’s our pick of the best trails around.
Stepantsminda to Gergeti Trinity Church
Stepantsminda, also called Kazbegi by many, is one of the most popular destinations close to Tbilisi. One of its main draws is the Gergeti Triniti Church situated right at the bottom of Mount Kazbegi 2,170 meters above the sea level offering breathtaking views of the village and hills around. The hike here is quite easy, as it’s just 4 km (2.5 miles) long and takes around an hour to an hour and a half. However, if you’d like something a bit extreme, you can also explore the Gergeti Glacier.
Mestia to Ushguli
Svaneti is another popular destination for hiking and camping lovers. This historical region offers many trails covering mountains, high peaks – part of them reaching 5 000 meters, lakes, green valleys, glaciers, and wild rivers.
The most famous trail is from Mestia to Ushguli, this is the remotest part of Svaneti which is also considered to be one of the highest settlements in Europe.
Chaukhi Pass
Chaukhi Pass is another popular trail among locals and visitors. It connects Kazbegi region with Khevsureti and takes around two days. The moderately difficult route takes you through the imposing Chaukhi Massif boasting with seven sharp peaks.
When you reach the other side of the pass, you will find intriguing rock formations (Roshka stones) and so called Abudelauri lakes – three beautiful alpine lakes with different colors: green, blue and white.
Abudelauri Lakes
Three colorful lakes – blue, green, and white were formed from snow, rain, and mountain ice. Located at the elevation of 2,800m .It is a tough hiking route that takes 1-2 days, but the beauty of the surrounding nature is worth every bit of it. Once leave Roshka, the last settlement on your way to the lakes, you first climb among huge rocks to get to the blue lake. Next is the green lake. Pure and transparent it reflects surrounding mountains. This is a tranquil place, which is usually selected for the sleepover on the way to the most beautiful of the lakes – the white lake. Lakes are located very close to each other. Abudelauri lakes are part of Khevsureti region – pride of every Georgian. It is around 120km far from Tbilisi and includes picturesque places like Shatili, Mutso, Barisakho, and Chaukhi.
Omalo to Khevsureti
Tusheti‘s central town Omalo is a great destination for those who want to try out their skills on a multi-day trip from one region to another. The route from Omalo to Shatili takes you through the beautiful villages of Tusheti, where you can stay in guesthouses and explore the life of the locals. And as you go along the trail towards the Khevsureti region, you’ll come across deserted villages where only the ruins of medieval defence towers remain. Khevsureti is similar to Tusheti, as they both have medieval architecture, but the constructions in Khevsureti are different.
Borjom-Kharagauli National Park
Being one of the biggest national parks of the country, Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is famous for its wildlife and pristine forests. The park offers nine very well marked trails, from which the St. Andrew’s path is the best and most popular. It offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area, and the opportunity to climb Sametskhvario mountain, the highest peak of the park.
Truso Valley
Kazbegi offers further popular hiking opportunities in Truso Valley, an almost abandoned area towards the South Ossetia border. Besides gorgeous nature, you can explore travertine rock formations from the local mineral springs, ancient towers, hot springs, and a number of deserted settlements.
