Jeep tour in Khevsureti - Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

Shatili & Mutso, Khevsureti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia

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Duration

Multi Day

Tour Type

Daily Tour

Group Size

Unlimited

Languages

English

Overview

Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

Tour name: Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

Route: Tbilisi – Jhinvali – Korsha – Datvijvari Pass – Lebaiskari – Kistani – Shatili – Anatori – Mutso – Shatili – Tbilisi
Tour type: Adventure Tourism, Jeep Tour
Transportation Mode: 4X4 Jeep Mitsubishi Delica or Toyota 4Runner
Meal: Half Board
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Tour Duration: 1 night / 2 days
Distance: One way 160 km
Meeting Point: Agreed location

DAY 1: Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

08:00 Departure from Tbilisi to Khevsureti

11:00 At Korsha, 2km past the village of Barisakho, there’s a small but interesting museum of Khevsur life, with armour, weapons, traditional clothing and photos and well worth a stop

13:00 Lunch at one of the most beautiful Datvis Jvari Pass (2677 m)

15:00 Kistani and Lebaiskari abandoned villages with its towers

17:00 Arrival to Shatili and visit its famous fortress – the main sight in Khevsureti

20:00 Dinner and overnight at guest house in Shatili

DAY 2: Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

09:00 After breakfast we’ll visit Anatori Burial Vaults which is one of the most mystical places of Khevsureti

12:00 The ruined fortress village of Mutso is straight out of a fantasy movie. Located on rocky hill at 1880 m above sea level. Easy trek to fortress.

14:00 drive back to Shatili. After lunch departure to Tbilisi

20:00 Arrival in Tbilisi

End of Jeep tour in Khevsureti – Weekend breaks in Shatili & Mutso Villages

Khevsureti

Sheltered by the massive peaks of the greater Caucasus, hidden away from the outside world, there is the extraordinary land of the Khevsurs – Khevsureti. Nowhere else in Europe there is a place that feels so mysterious, unique and magical, a place where ancient pagan traditions survive, and medieval fortress villages guard the secrets of the valleys. Right up until the 1930’s, people here wore chainmail amour and carried swords and shields. The Soviet Union attempted to destroy this ancient way of life, but rituals, songs and crafts are still preserved by the people of this proud, independent land. The main sight in the region is Shatili. This fortress village, next to the Chechen border, has withstood the ravages of time, as well as multiple invasions and sieges. Each four or five story houses are connected by rooftop walkways that can be taken up if the enemy penetrates the village. One of these towers has been converted into an extraordinary hotel for visitors. The ruined fortress village of Mutso is straight out of a fantasy movie. Poised like a bird of prey on a rocky outcrop at 1,880m above sea level, it has thirty towers and dozens of intact death houses where plague victims would crawl in to die.

Inter Georgia Travel

Tours in Georgia

Car Rentals

Highlights

Korsha museum
Datvijvari pass
Lebaiskari tower
Kistani Fortress
Shatili
Village Mutso
Anatori Burial Vaults

Itinerary

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Shatili is one of the most brilliant masterpieces of Georgian architecture. This village is scattered on the slopes of a rocky hill and served both as a residence and a fortress. For many centuries it served to defend northern passes in the Caucasus leading to Georgia (now restored). The village is lined with closely built tower-houses, which make a solid and inaccessible fortress wall surrounding the whole village. Shatili is linked with the outer world only by a narrow road leading to Arghuni gorge. The architectures based on terraces of flat-roofed houses and towers, with narrow stone stairs leading to the top between the buildings. The Bridges were used to traverse the village without having to go outside when the enemy invaded.

Mutso is an ancient small village located in magnificent Khevsureti Region. It is home to approximately 30 medieval fortified dwelling units arranged on vertical terraces above the Mutso-Ardoti gorge. Neighboring Tusheti region. The village was almost completely abandoned about a century ago, yet the old dwellings and strongholds have been maintained till today. The beautiful and lonely tower visible among the harsh rocky mountains is one of the remains of once inhabited place.
According to the legend the village was established by five brothers. The legend also states that treasury guarded by Mutso’s inhabitants over the centuries is still kept in the high mountains around Mutso waiting for the chosen one to come. At present Mutso serves as a touristic site that leaves its visitors speechless.

Anatori is one of the most mystical places of Khevsureti. This ancient Georgian village is located 3 kilometers away from Shatili, at the confluence of two rivers – Arguni and Mutsos’tskali. This village is quite an interesting and mysterious place from many points of view.

Unfortunately, Anatori was depopulated in 18th century as all the locals perished in the short period of time. As the legend says, the plague (Black Death) was spread in this place during those times. The locals called it ‘Zhami’. The whole village was infected and people were dying one after another. People were even building special vaults (graves) in advance in order not to infect other inhabitants of the village. These vaults were located far away from the village, so when people felt that they were infected and the death was near, they went there by their own will and stayed in the burial vaults until they were dead. Inside the Vaults there were special shelves made from stone, sick people were lying there and waiting for their death with dignity!

This real story is a perfect demonstration of commitment to one’s community and courage. Only big hearted human can commit such thing, in order not to harm his/her family, neighbors and loved ones. It was some kind of self-arranged funeral. It’s impossible not to feel deep respect for these people while listening to Anatori’s tragic story.

Included/Excluded

Transportation service
English / Russian speaking guide
Overnight in the guesthouse 1 night
Half board meal
Museum tickets
Bottle of Mineral water

Additional Services
Insurance
Alcoholic beverages
Air Tickets

Durations

Multi day

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Tour's Location

Shatili & Mutso, Khevsureti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Georgia

FAQs

• Tbilisi - Shatili 150 km • Shatili - Mutso 15 km • TOTAL DISTANCE (one way) - 165 km •

• The ideal seasons in most of the country are from mid-May to early July, and early September to mid-October, when it’s generally warm and sunny • July and August can be uncomfortably humid in the lowlands, with temperatures reaching 40°C. But this is an excellent time to be in the mountains, and it’s high season on the Black Sea • Best months for hiking in the Great Caucasus are June to September • Early autumn brings the festive wine harvest in Kakheti, from about 20 September to 20 October • Ski Season in Georgia Starts from second half of December and lasts till end of March •

• Comfortable clothes • Water resistant winter jacket • Shades • Water flask •

There is no general dress-code or any other clothing limitations in Georgia, except Churches and Monasteries. Women have to cover their head and shoulders with scarf. Men are required to cover their legs. Shorts are not allowed.

There are a number of vegetarian friendly dishes in traditional Georgian cuisine. Among the most popular dishes are Khachapuri, Khinkali (Georgian dumplings; make sure you order them with either cheese, mushrooms or vegetables), Lobio or Lobiani (bean stew served in a clay jar), baked mushrooms with Sulguni cheese (traditionally served in a clay pot).

from $125,00

Date

15/10/2024

Adults

Age 18+

Children

Age 6-17

Infant

Age 0-5

ADVENTURE

CITY TOURS

GUARANTEED