Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Trekking & Exploring Georgia
Tour name: Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Trekking & Exploring Georgia
Route: Tbilisi – Zugdidi Dadiani Palace – Mestia Ethnographic Museum – Hatsvali Mount – Village Ushguli (UNESCO) – Martvili Canyons – Tbilisi
Tour type: Cultural, Adventure Tourism, Jeep Tour
Transportation Mode: 4X4 Jeep Mitsubishi Delica or Toyota 4Runner
Meal: Half Board
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Tour Duration: 3 night / 4 days
Distance: One way 540 km
Meeting Point: Agreed location
DAY 1: Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Trekking & Exploring Georgia
06:00 Departure from Tbilisi to Svaneti
13:00 Your first stop will be Dadiani Palace (Western Georgia’s royal family) in City Zugdidi
14:00 Lunch in one of the local restaurant in Zugdidi.
15:00 Drive up to Mestia which is famous for its authentic architecture and is dubbed as a “land of thousand towers”.
19:00 Arrival, Dinner and overnight at the local guesthouse.
DAY 2: Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Landmarks of Mestia
09:00 After breakfast visiting cultural landmarks of Mestia. Ethnographic museum and Margiani museum with an original Svan house “machubi”, and “koshki” tower.
13:00 Ride on a Cableway to the Hatsvali Peak. Where you can enjoy an amazing panoramic view of “Ushba” mountain. After lunch visiting Khergiani museum which is dedicated to a famous Svan Alpinist Mikheil Khergiani.
20:00 Drive back to Mestia. Dinner and overnight at the local guesthouse
DAY 3: Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Village Ushguli (UNESCO)
10:00 After the breakfast drive to Ushguli village, the highest standing settlement in Europe (2200 m). The Ushguli architectural complex is a valuable architectural and historical monument, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for its exclusiveness
13:00 Visit Lamaria Church, complex with impressive 12th century wall frescos. Enjoy picturesque view of the Mount Shkhara (5200 m)
Lunch and free time to walk around Ushguli until evening
Return to Mestia to enjoy delicious dinner made of Svan traditional dishes
DAY 4: Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Martvili Canyons and back to Tbilisi
08:00 Breakfast in the guesthouse and transfer to Martvili
13:00 Taking boat tours at Martvili Canyon you can explore the Dadianis’ Path, mountain river gorge, limestone natural bridges and waterfalls. After lunch drive back to Tbilisi
21:00 Arrival to the Tbilisi. Drop-off at your hotel
End of Best Jeep tour in Svaneti – Trekking & Exploring Georgia
Svaneti
Svaneti, one of the most ancient and historical provinces of Georgia, is located on the southern slopes of the Caucasus mountain range, on the territory running between the Enguri and Tskhenistskali Rivers. Surrounded by the gigantic, snow-capped peaks of the high Caucasus, Svaneti is one of the most remarkable and picturesque regions of Georgia, if not of the whole world.
Aside from the stunning natural beauty, the region’s real treasure are people – the Svans. With their own language, related to but distinct from Georgian, their own ancient traditions and crafts, and their immense sense of humor, Svans have always been a proudly independent people. Reflecting their pride and independence, many Svans today still live in 25 meter high medieval stone towers, of which thousands survive.
These towers, some with foundations dating back a millennium, were used to protect families in time of war, and it is said that some still house ancient treasures, brought up to Svaneti hundreds of years ago to protect them from invaders. Indeed, Svaneti’s museums boast world class collections of icons, religious manuscripts and gold and silver jewellery. Summer in Svaneti is short and mild and the winter is very strict and long.
