Ushguli (Svaneti)

Places of Interest - Georgia

Ushguli-river-Svaneti-Caucasus-watchtowers-Georgia

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introduction

Svaneti is a historic province in north-western Georgia located in a part of the mountainous Greater Caucasus. The capital is Mestia. The area is inhabited by the Svaneten, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians. The region is totally surrounded by high mountains and so remote that it has never been occupied by any foreign power; even under Russian rule it had some form of independence.

It is a landscape with high snowy peaks of over 4000 meters, alpine meadows and beautiful small traditional villages. The symbol of Svaneti are the stone watchtowers that you see everywhere in the landscape. These towers were shelter places in case of an invasion or other calamity. Upper Svanetia with the village Ushguli was, as a highlight of the region, declared World Heritage by Unesco in 1996.

Highlights

Mestia:

Mestia is the capital of the Svaneti region and lies at an altitude of 1400 meters. It consists of about nine neighborhoods and is a mix of old Soviet buildings, authentic watchtowers, poor houses and ruins and an ever-growing number of new (but often still empty) wooden buildings that will serve as tourist services such as hotels, restaurants and stores.

You can make some beautiful walks around Mestia; one is a hike up to the big cross on the hill where you have a good view of the valley and the surrounding mountains. In addition, you can make an easier day trip to the Chalati glacier - this gravel path runs mostly parallel to the Rioni river and ends at the beginning of the glacier. A literal highlight of the surrounding mountains are the double snow-covered peaks of the "Ushba" mountain, at an altitude of 4,710 meters.

Ushguli:

Perhaps the biggest attraction of Svaneti region is the conglomerate of four villages that are collectively referred to as Ushguli. In the Enguri valley, this UNESCO-protected area at 2100 meters is known as the highest permanently inhabited village in Europe.

After a 3-hour bumpy ride from Mestia, you can take a walk through the narrow streets and alleys laid with pebbles, rocks and stones, supplemented by thick cow (shit) pies. A mix of ruins, old wooden houses, beautiful watchtowers, a number of guest houses, cafes and an "ethnographic museum" gives this village a feeling as if you are stepping back a hundred years back in time.

The disadvantage is the number of cows roaming the streets, the cows and horses' trunks and the number of black-tailed flies that attracts them. The view over this treeless area with the third highest mountain in the Caucasus (mountain "Shkhara") and the highest of the country is unique and breathtaking and shouldn’t be missed.

Ushguli-Mestia-river-Svaneti-Caucasus-watchtowers-Georgia

tips & advice (2014)

There is no bus or train station in Mestia. All marshrutka's (actually the only means of transport besides jeeps) leave around the park (square).

Mestia - Ushguli: the information center told me you should join up on the assembly point on the square between 08:00 and 09:00 - we had a hard time finding more people for a jeep to go together to Ushguli. There can be up to 7 people in the jeep and the driver asks for driving to Ushguli (3 hours), a number of stops, waiting and driving back (3 hours) 200 Gel. In total about 10 to 11 hours. Maybe you'd better arrange a taxi (if you have enough people) for an amount of 150 Gel. On the other hand, the jeep was with AIRCO is very luxurious and nice

Mestia - Kutaisi: at 7 o'clock in the morning there is a minibus from the main street – local people will take you there and/or show you. Western tourists pay 25 Gel and the local people (what I have seen) 20 Gel. In about 4.5 to 5 hours you arrive at Kutaisi bus station.

There is really only one really commercial bar-restaurant-café in Mestia and that is Laila. It is strategically located at the park, has a reasonable size and you can also sit outside on the terrace. Because it is probably the only one I found the staff a bit arrogant; at least they speak English.

Personally, I found the food a whole lot less (and more expensive) than I had in my guest houses and people are smoking inside. There is WIFI available. For the rest there is still a lot under construction in the town but still very little ready. There are some small cafes but nothing spectacular.

Name: Hotel 32

Address: Queen Tamara street 32

Price: 20 Gel (single)

Content:

It is still a hostel or hotel under construction - everything is for that reason brand new and everything works perfectly – only some doors are still creaking like crazy. The rooms are cool and have two very good new beds. The whole is super clean, and there is a kind of sitting area with a TV – not very cozy though.

There was no WIFI available but the owner was busy with that. The shower worked perfectly (there is only one which is a disadvantage) and the hotel is located in the main street. There is a small kitchenette available. As far as I know, the prices are going up (that should

also be the case) when it is ready.

Ushguli-Mestia-Svaneti-Caucasus-watchtowers-Georgia

Ushguli (Svaneti)

Places of Interest - Georgia

introduction

Highlights

tips & advice (2014)

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