Walking in the Tusheti Region

A transfer will pick you early in the morning from your hotel in Tbilisi (not included in the package, an extra night in Tbilisi bookable as an option), and much of the day is spent driving. The picturesque route from Tbilisi to Tusheti passes through Kakheti, the wine-producing region of eastern Georgia, and up and over the stunning Abano Pass (2,826m). In the evening you arrive in the beautiful village of Shenako where you can visit the Church of the Trinity, a small traditional church from the XIX century.



Transfer time: around 8h. The road over Abano Pass is unpaved, and therefore quite bumpy.

From Shenako, you start walking to the ancient village of Diklo. From Diklo walk to Pichekhi Castles, an ancient fortress on the border with Dagestan, which has amazing views of the valleys of Tusheti. According to the legend, once Diklo was invaded by an army of 10,000 soldiers, and 16 local warriors from Diklo managed to defend the Pichekhi castle for 18 days. When the old village of Diklo finally surrendered, the inhabitants moved to a new territory which is Diklo now.



Walking for the day: 3-4h (10km, 450m elevation gain)

This day is more strenuous, as you have to hike up and down a lot. The highest point is 2,450m above sea level. Pass through the remote village of Chigo. From one side, Chigo is surrounded by rocky hills and from the other by the impressive Alazani river gorge. Finally, you arrive at the beautiful village of Dartlo. Here you will find stunning examples of the local vernacular architecture – fortress-houses which are usually attached to fortified towers.



Walking for the day: 6-7h (16km, 1,000m elevation gain)

Today the route follows a timber road connecting all villages of the Pirikita Alazani gorge. In Chesho there is a guesthouse/store where you can relax, have a refreshment or buy a snack, before continuing to Parsma. The road does not go through the village itself, to see the village, you must climb up on a little hill where the village is located. After Parsma, continue to Girevi, which is the last settled village of Tusheti in the Pirikita gorge. It offers beautiful views of the Alazani valley.



Walking for the day: 4-5h (14km, 350 m elevation gain)

We recommend starting this day early as you need to go over a 2,900m-high pass. Go back towards Parsma and cross the big bridge over the Alazani river. From there start hiking up on the hill following the trail. The pass offers amazing views on both sides. You will also see a lot of wild blueberries and raspberry bushes along the way. After the pass, you start descending into the Gometsari gorge. After a while, you reach the village of Dadikurta and then the beautiful village of Verkhovani, located on the side of the hill. Verkhovani hosts the tallest fortified tower in Tusheti (17m).



Walking for the day: 6-7h (13km, 1,000m elevation gain)

Gometsari gorge is calm and peaceful. From Verkhovani descend down to the river. Cross the bridge and follow the dirt road. You will pass by Begela, Dochu and Bochorma villages and finally arrive in Mirgvela, where you will stay for overnight. Your guesthouse is a medium-size wooden cottage located on the intersection of the roads Omalo – Bochorna and Omalo – Dartlo.



Walking for the day: 4.5h (14km, 500m elevation gain)

Your route today will take you to Omalo, the capital of Tusheti region the biggest settlement in the area. Visit the beautiful Keselo castle in upper Omalo, which is a fortress from the XVIII century.



Walking for the day: 4-5h (14km, 400m elevation gain)

Transfer to Tbilisi and end of our services (an extra night in Tbilisi can be optionally booked). It is possible to stop over at Alaverdi Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Alaverdi is the tallest church in Georgia and one of the finest examples of Georgian medieval architecture, dominating the surrounding landscape of fields and vineyards.



Transfer time: about 8h

Note: It is possible to split the transfer and have one extra night in Telavi on the way to Tbilisi. The Kakheti region, of which Telavi is the capital, is the main winemaking region in Georgia. There are numerous wineries and wine tasting tours are possible on request.