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General Info
General Info
Svaneti is probably the most beautiful region of Georgia and the essence of what the country can offer to foreign tourists. All those stunning photos of historical stone villages, lush green valleys, and snow-covered mountains.... most of them were made here.
For the past few years, there have been lots of changes in Svaneti. Nowadays u have several options on how to get there. U can fly to Mestia Airport if u don't want 10 hours of driving( however if it's your first time in Svaneti, we recommend going by car and exploring all the area on the road, as it offers to cross through amazing cities, and attractions. Another reason for going there by land is that u don't have to come back on the same road, As the new road from Ushguli to Lower Mestia is finished, u will have completely new possibilities of exploring even more beauty and not doing the same road twice. But the Lentekhi - Ushguli road is open only in the Summer season (June-oct) due to heavy snow on Zagaro pass for the rest of the time.
Zemo Svaneti is in Mestia Municipality, a high-mountain region and hotspot of tourism and alpinism, with alpine nature, clear lakes, the Enguri River and its rapid tributaries, and divine waterfalls.
The noble peaks of the Caucasus Mountains stand tall in Zemo Svaneti, such as Shkhara (5,203 m), Jangha (5,078 m), Gistola (4,860 m), Tetnuldi (4,852 m), Tsurungala (4,222 m), Ailama (4,547 m), Mazeri (4,012 m), Chatini (4,412 m), and Ushba (4,700 m).
An unforgettable winter awaits you at Mestia, Hatsvali, and Tetnuldi ski resorts. In the short summers, this place is magical, and you could not hope for a better place for hiking and other adventures.
When to visit Svaneti
Svaneti can be visited all year round but the majority of tourists come during summer (for hiking, walking, horse riding, jeep tours, and all kinds of activities ) and during winter (for skiing). Here is a brief overview of the individual periods:
Skiing season (December - mid-April)
The skiing season in Svaneti starts in the second half of December and ends in the first half of April. In the vicinity of Mestia, there are two skiing resorts (Hatsvali and Tetnuldi) that offer trails or varying levels of difficulty. Sometimes Tetnuldi ski resort is open till the very end of April and even May depending on the weather. Apart from skiing and snowshoeing, there is not much to do, but Svaneti is still a great place to chill - the old villages look magnificent when covered with snow.
Spring season (April - May)
There is not much to do in Svaneti. It is already too late for skiing but too early for some serious trekking - there is still a thick blanket of wet, heavy snow at the mountain passes. If you plan to hike, you will be limited only to the easier strolls. Yet, this is actually a decent period if you plan to come only for the sightseeing since there will be only a fraction of tourists compared to the summer and late April and it may provide splendid spring greenery.
Early summer (late May - June)
During this period, the first more difficult hiking trails opened (such as the famous Mestia - Ushguli). Hikers can enjoy striking contrast between vividly green valleys and snowed mountains, blooming rhododendrons, and many other flowers. However, it has a price - this period has more rainy days.
High season (July - August)
The busiest time in Svaneti (especially during August). Mestia - Ushguli trail is crowded and it´s recommended to book your place at the guesthouses, yet u will meet a few people at the other well-known trails such as crossings of Guli and Baki pass. The weather is mostly nice (even though also a rainy period can occur) and the days are hot.
Autumn season (September - mid-October)
One of the best periods for trekking in Svaneti. The crowds have mostly left, but the days are still mostly pleasant and dry. At the end of September, trees get their characteristic autumn foliage and keep it till the first serious snows block the trekking trails in the second half of October. However October is very very beautiful with its different colors, u can see green, yellow, red and white altogether and it is amazing to see.
Late autumn (late October - November)
Low season in Svaneti. Days are short and cold and there is overall not much to do. Autumn colors are gone and the place looks a bit depressing. Still, there are nice beautiful colors on some mountains, despite a low season period Svaneti is still beautiful anytime. Good period for people who like to visit famous places without the crowds.
Explore the Beautiful Town of Mestia
Mestia is going to be your home base as you explore Svaneti and even though, the true beauty of the region is in its incredible surroundings, there are many awesome things to do in the city:
Svan Towers - these towers also called Svan towers are unique for the region and were primarily built between the 9th and 12th centuries, with the main purpose of defense. U can easily spend several hours exploring these unique structures, and here are some of the favorites: Sergo Khergiani Tower - where u can get inside and climb on the roof for a breathtaking Mestia view. If you want to get a glimpse of the traditional life of the Svans, you should visit the Margiani's House Museum. This family-run museum offers insights into the history of the Margiani family, a powerful local family who once owned over 8 Svan Towers across Mestia. Unfortunately, only 4 of them are still left standing. Another museum you should check out while you are in Mestia is Mikheil Khergiani Historic House Museum, a house museum dedicated to Mikhail Khergiani, a Georgian climber who earned the nickname "Tiger of the Cliffs" for his ability to rapidly attack difficult climbing routes.
Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography - If you want to learn more about the Svans and their unique culture, one of the best places to dive deep is the Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography. This extensive museum in Mestia is dedicated to preserving Svan culture and their traditional ways of life, holding more than 4,000 pieces of artifacts found in Svaneti and not only in Svaneti. The Museum represents the whole history of Georgia, Back in the day, Georgia was always fighting for its freedom with different nations and empires, thus Svaneti was often used as an escape and hiding place from conquerors as it was hard to reach due to its mountainous location. Georgia's most unique historical, cultural, and religious treasures were under the protection of the Svan people, which is now represented in the museum.
View on Mestia from Svaneti Museum BEST DAY HIKES AROUND MESTIA
As mentioned above Mestia is the best spot to stay and do day hikes, walks, and adventures from there. If you are the kind of a tourist who would like to explore Svaneti in more depth beyond the usual the list below is right for you - it contains the best day hikes you can do in Svaneti while using Mestia as a base.
1. From Mestia to Mazeri by Guli pass
2. Hike to the Chkhuti ridge
3. Stroll on the Zuruldi ridge
4. Hike from Mestia to Tsvirmi
5. Hike to the Mkheri church
6. Hike to the Chalaadi glacier
7. Hike to Koruldi lakes
8. Hike from Mestia to Zhabeshi
9. Hike in the Enguri Valley
10. Hike to the Cross
11. Hike from Lenjeri to Gul mountain
Ushguli
Another top destination to visit! If u have been to upper Svaneti and not to Ushguli, that means u haven't been to Svaneti at all and it has several reasons:
UNESCO Heritage - Ushguli is part of a larger project by UNESCO in the Caucasian summits. It is a part of a Museum Reserve dating back to 1971. The boundaries of the protected landscape have changed, and it currently goes within a 1km radius around the Ushguli. Ushguli is a community comprising 4 villages: Jibiani, Chvibiani, Murkmeli, and Chajashi (the community center). The two villages of Ushguli and CHazhashi have managed to preserve more than 200 tower houses from the medieval period, and have formed a community in the towers situated on the mountain slopes. The natural environment surrounding the two villages is breathtaking, but the highlight is the abundance of towers in the region.
Nowadays, most people visit Ushguli on a day trip from Mestia, And yet they miss a lot since the village is most beautiful in the mornings and evenings when crowds leave. If you have time, Ushguli deserves more than just a few hours. There is an ethnographic museum, a monastery, and, of course, numerous hiking trails.
Sunset at Shkara mountain (highest in mount summit in Georgia 5,203 m (17,070 ft)) from Ushguli Village. Hike to Shkhara glacier Hike to Tamar's castle
Mestia - Ushguli Multi-day trek
Besides day treks, there is the most popular multi-day trek that starts from Mestia and ends in Ushguli, which is popular for a reason. It is not too long and takes only three to four days to finish. Being neither easy nor hard poses a challenge, but you don't have to be a hardcore trekker to finish it. It´s also easy to arrange, offers excellent views, and passes through several traditional Svaneti villages (with guesthouses - so you don´t need a tent).
WHERE TO EAT
In Svaneti, there are basically two kinds of places where you can get a warm meal - restaurants and guesthouses. Restaurants can be found in Mestia, Ushguli, and along the Zugdidi-Mestia road. For the past few years,the food industry developed very fast in Mestia, there were only limited options where u could go to eat, now there are many different options offering traditional as well as international dishes with live music. Listed below are some we recommend.
Lushnu Qor - is a pleasant, popular beer garden in the eastern part of the city. It is a great place to grab a few beers and something to eat in the evening. Professional service and a portion of rather good food.
Vichnashi - a rather small restaurant situated right by the central ticket office. But if you secure a spot, all is great - the food is tasty and portions are large.
Sunset Terrace Tower - a rather new restaurant, opened only in 2024 in the city center. quite modern with delicious traditional food as well as international cuisine combining restaurant and terrace cafe on the second floor.
Panorama - beautiful views as the name might suggest. were local youth groups come to perform traditional Georgian dancing - really impressive. Strongly recommend the Chicken cooked in Tkemali.
Erti Kava - pricey, but the only game in town if you want a good cappuccino/flat white/all that stuff. They also usually have the little ready-made filter coffee packets for camping. During summer they serve fancy breakfasts.
History of Svaneti
Svans inhabited the Caucasus mountains since antiquity but first were mentioned only by Greek Geographer Strabo in 7. B.C. Their lands originally belonged to the Kingdom of Colchis, known from Greek mythology as "The Land of the Golden Fleece". After the dissolution of Colchis, it became a part of a Roman province Lazica but kept a great degree of independence. In the 6th century AD, the whole province was a subject of bitter wars between Byzance and the Sasanid empire. In the 9th century, Svaneti joined the Kingdom of Abkhazia and together with it was in the 11th century incorporated into the Kingdom of Georgia. Svanetia became a duchy (saeristavo) within it, governed by a duke (eristavi). The province's Orthodox culture flourished particularly during the Georgian “golden age” under Queen Tamar (r. 1184–1213), who was respected almost as a goddess by the Svanetians. The legend has it that the duchy was annually visited by Tamar. The Svans had been known as fierce warriors for centuries. Their inflatable war banner was named Lemi (Lion) because of its shape.
The marauding Mongols never reached Svanetia and, for a time, the region became a cultural safe house. Following the final disintegration of the Kingdom of Georgia in the 1460s, fighting broke out to control the province. Part of Upper Svanetia formed an independent Principality of Svaneti under the Princes Dadeshkeliani, a branch of the Gelovani family, while Lower Svanetia, originally ruled by the Princes Gelovani, was temporarily usurped and subdued by the Mingrelian princes Dadiani. Facing serious internal conflict, Prince Tsioq’ Dadeshkeliani of Svanetia signed a treaty of protectorate with the Russian Empire on November 26, 1833. Difficult to access, the region retained significant autonomy until 1857, when Russia took advantage of the dynastic feud in Svanetia and effectively abolished the principality's autonomy. In 1875, the Russians toughened their rule by imposing additional taxes. Protests ensued, and Russia deployed troops against the province. Despite having suffered heavy losses, the Russian army units eventually crushed the rebels burning their stronghold Khalde to the ground in 1876.
In 2004 another era in the history of Svaneti. The government of Mikhail Saakashvili pledged to turn it into “Switzerland in the Caucasus”, the world´s premium tourist destination and spent millions of dollars on the infrastructure and promotion. A new airport was opened in 2010. The road connecting Mestia, with the lowlands, was rebuilt and currently, it´s being prolonged all the way to Ushguli. Two brand new ski resorts, Hatsvali and Tetnuldi sprung up in the vicinity of Mestia. And there are talks of the tunnel connecting Mestia with Lentekhi to the south.
SVAN LANGUAGE
Svan (lushnu nin) belongs to the family of three Kartvelian languages (the other being Georgian and Mingrelian). It was the first language to split from proto-Kartvelian language family some 5000 years ago and nowadays is incomprehensible to the Georgian speakers. Yes, it is often incorrectly considered to be a dialect of Georgian.
Nowadays, it has about 20,000 speakers and belongs to the endangered languages (as all other local languages in the Caucasus). The knowledge of the Svan declines, generation by generation - even though the older generation usually speaks Svan well, younger people who often work and marry Georgians have fewer opportunities to use Svan in their daily communication and fewer reasons to teach it to their children.
SVAN FESTIVALS
Svans never struggled to find a reason to celebrate. Before the Second World War, 160 festivals were annually held in Svaneti and several dozens of them survived till the present days. Some of them are celebrated in whole Svaneti, others are limited to the certain village or area. A few of the most important ones are:
Lipanali
Lipanali is a festival celebrated from 18th January till the next Monday.Afterlife and ancestors always played an important role in the Svan cultureand also this festival is devoted to them. During the festival, Svans invite their deceased ancestors to their homes and live with them for the rest of the week.
Lamproba
Lamproba is an ancient festival held in the first half of February. In fact, it is so ancient that no one knows for sure what was its original purpose. According to one theory, it was held to count the number of available warriors(because Svans lit one lamp for each grown-up man in their family). According to other sources, it was meant to meet the spring, pray for the good harvest, or remember the deceased members of the family.
During the celebration, the members of wider families meet at the cemeteries by the graves of their relatives. Here, they lit torches made of a bitch food, feast, and sing. There are also various wrestling and drinking contests taking place.
Kvirikoba
Kvirikoba is the most important Svan festival. It takes place on 28th July at the Kala village - Svans gather here to secure the Divine favor, meet their relatives, and reconnect with their roots. The Church of St. Quiricus (among Svans known also as Lagurka - "the holy place") is known not only because of its beautiful frescoes but mainly as a depository of "Shalian´s icon"- 1000 years old, richly decorated icon, named after a local folk hero who got it as a present from the Georgian king. The icon is the holiest religious artifact in Svaneti- the leaders of local clans settled the blood feuds by oaths placed upon this icon and it also served as a "lie detector" in case of serious crimes. For most of the year, the icon is locked up in the museum and only on this day exposed to the public.
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