Svaneti: Mestia, Ushguli and What to See

Svaneti is a high mountain region in north-western Georgia, at the foot of the Greater Caucasus. Peaks over five thousand metres, some of the largest glaciers of the Greater Caucasus, alpine meadows and medieval Svan towers standing in almost every yard. The capital of the region is Mestia, and the most famous village is Ushguli. Svaneti is called the “land of a thousand towers”, and for once the name is no exaggeration.

Svaneti in short:

• Where it is: Svaneti is divided into Upper and Lower: Upper Svaneti is Mestia and around, Lower Svaneti is the Lentekhi area.
• How to get there: by plane from Natakhtari (near Tbilisi) in an hour, or by road via Zugdidi: 8–10 hours from Tbilisi, about 6 from Batumi and Kutaisi.
• How many days: at least 3–4 days on the spot, plus the road.
• What to see: Mestia and its museums, Ushguli, the Hatsvali – Zuruldi cable car, the Chalaadi and Shkhara glaciers, the Koruldi lakes, Mazeri under Ushba.
• When to go: for hiking – from June to early October, for skiing – from late December.

How to Get to Svaneti

All roads lead to Mestia – from here you travel around the region. There are three options: plane, car and minibus.

Flying to Mestia

Many people underestimate this option, and they shouldn’t. Mestia has its own Queen Tamar Airport, and a small Vanilla Sky plane flies there from Natakhtari airport near Tbilisi. A ticket costs from 90 GEL, and the flight takes less than an hour instead of a whole day on the road. The plane is tiny, just 17 seats, and flies low over the mountains, so the views from the window are simply stunning. And the main thing – you don’t get carsick on the hairpin bends. There are also flights from Kutaisi.

There are downsides too: few seats, so for summer it’s better to book a few weeks ahead, and in bad weather flights are cancelled and the money is refunded. Baggage is limited to about 15 kg per person.

Here’s what I would do: fly one way, and drive back with a driver, stopping on the way, for example at the Enguri hydroelectric dam. That way you see the mountains from above and the road as well.

By Car or With a Driver

The road goes via Zugdidi. From Tbilisi to Mestia it’s about 465 km and 8–10 hours, from Batumi about 260 km and roughly 6 hours, from Kutaisi about 220 km and also about 6 hours. The last 130-odd kilometres from Zugdidi are a mountain serpentine with one lane in each direction, and it really wears you out, so it’s better to drive this stretch in daylight.

If you’re coming from Tbilisi, it’s better to split the trip into two days with a night in Kutaisi. And keep in mind that every stop eats up time: fuel, a snack, coffee, photos – and suddenly 6 hours turn into 8. So it’s worth stopping only on the most interesting stretch – after Zugdidi. Here you’ll find the Enguri hydroelectric dam and the Enguri reservoir: turquoise water among green mountains, a really beautiful place for a stop.

If you don’t want to drive the serpentines yourself, take a car with a driver: he knows the road, will stop wherever you ask and will wait. For trips around Svaneti – to Mazeri, Hatsvali and even Ushguli – a regular car is enough in summer, but for mountain dirt roads and Tetnuldi you need a 4×4. You can rent a car in advance.

In summer you can do a loop: drive to Mestia via Zugdidi and come back down via Ushguli, the Zagari Pass and Lentekhi. The pass road is open only in the warm season, and rental companies require a separate permission for it – check when booking.

Minibus and Train

The cheapest option. Minibuses from Tbilisi to Mestia leave in the morning, a ticket is about 60 GEL, the trip takes 8–10 hours. You can also get to Zugdidi by the morning train from Tbilisi (from 16 GEL in second class) and change to a minibus to Mestia – that’s up to 40 GEL more and 3–4 hours.

From Batumi, direct minibuses run only in summer if enough passengers gather – up to 60 GEL and about 6 hours. The rest of the year people change in Zugdidi. Honestly, a minibus on the serpentine is not for everyone. Minibuses don’t run to Svaneti at night.

How Many Days You Need for Svaneti

At least 3–4 full days on the spot, plus the road. There’s no point going for one day from Batumi: you’ll spend most of the time in the car. A rough plan:

• Day 1: walk around the town, museums, the cable car to Hatsvali and Zuruldi.
• Day 2: a trip to Ushguli, Lamaria church, optionally the Shkhara glacier.
• Day 3: a hike to the Koruldi lakes or the Chalaadi glacier.
• Day 4: Mazeri and the Ushba waterfalls.

Mestia – the Capital of Svaneti

Mestia (also spelled Mestiya) lies at about 1,500 metres above sea level, where the Mulkhura and Mestiachala rivers meet. To the south it is “hugged” by the Zuruldi ridge, to the east by the Banguriani massif, to the north by the Tskhakvzagari peak, and to the west you can see the snowy peaks of the Laila ridge.

The centre of town is Seti Square. They say there used to be a pagan sanctuary here where ancient gods were worshipped. Around the centre lie the old quarters – Lekhtagi, Lanchvali, Lagami – and this is where the famous Svan towers stand.

Historians still argue about why these towers were built. Defensive structures, signal towers, a symbol of family status – there are many versions, and what confuses things even more is that many towers have no loopholes. They were built in the 8th–13th centuries. Today some towers belong to the state and some to families, and in the evening some of them are beautifully lit.

What to See in Mestia

Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography. For centuries the most valuable things were brought here for safekeeping: the town was hard to reach, and it was believed that treasures would be safe here. Ancient icons, manuscripts, Colchian axes, ceramics – thousands of exhibits on two floors. A ticket costs 20 GEL. Opening hours change with the season, so it’s better to come in the first half of the day; Mestia’s museums are closed on Mondays.

Mikheil Khergiani House Museum. This is the home of the mountaineer Mikheil Khergiani – seven-time USSR rock climbing champion, who was called the “Tiger of the Rocks”. He died at 37 in Italy after falling from a wall and is buried in his native Mestia. The house museum holds his gear, personal belongings and photographs, and next to it is a Svan tower you can climb. A ticket costs 10 GEL.

Margiani House Museum. Here you can see how Svans lived centuries ago: an old house with a common hall where people and livestock lived together in winter, and its own tower. A ticket costs 10 GEL.

Another local pride is the small ancient churches. Many of them stand in the yards of private houses, and you can get inside only if you agree with the owners.

Be sure to try the local water here, rich in mountain minerals: there’s a spring right in the centre.

There’s a tourist information centre on Seti Square: they give free maps of the region and help find accommodation.

Hatsvali – Zuruldi Cable Car

A cable car runs right from town to Hatsvali, and from there a second lift takes you up Mount Zuruldi. Since 2023 there are new closed gondola cabins. A ticket for both lifts there and back is 25 GEL. In summer the cable car usually runs from mid-June. You can also drive to Hatsvali – it’s about 8 km from Mestia.

At the top there’s the Zuruldi restaurant with one of the best views in Svaneti: Ushba, Tetnuldi and the neighbouring peaks. In summer you can walk down from Zuruldi via Heshkili, where there are swings over a cliff.

Ushguli – the Most Famous Village in Svaneti

Ushguli is a community of several villages at about 2,200 m above sea level, at the foot of Shkhara – the highest mountain in Georgia (5,193 m). Ushguli is often described as the highest village in Europe where people live all year round. Medieval towers, old churches, the Chazhashi tower associated with the name of Queen Tamar – all of this is Upper Svaneti, whose monuments are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The main change of recent years is that the road from Mestia to Ushguli has been paved. It’s about 44 km, and the drive takes roughly 1–1.5 hours. In summer, in dry weather, even a regular car can get there. But around Ushguli itself you won’t drive much: the roads to the surrounding places are dirt, and without a 4×4 it’s hard. Although, if you like, you can walk – it just takes longer.

Only here can you see such ancient houses and towers made of natural slate, which over the centuries has changed colour so much that its shades are hard to describe. Above the village stands Lamaria church – one of Ushguli’s main shrines, with a view over the whole village and the mountains.

Shkhara Glacier. From Ushguli a trail runs along the Enguri River to the foot of the mountain and the glacier – about half a day on foot there and back. By 4×4 you can shorten the way along the dirt road. This is where the Enguri River begins.

On the road between Mestia and Ushguli stands the lonely “Tower of Love” – right on a huge boulder in the Enguri River. Legend says it was built by a girl who lost her beloved: he drowned in the river, and she lived in this tower for the rest of her life. True or not, nobody knows, but the place is very beautiful.

Hikes Around Mestia

Svaneti is one of the best places in Georgia for hiking. Trails are easiest to follow with offline maps on your phone (Organic Maps, Maps.me): many trails are not shown on Google Maps.

Chalaadi Glacier. The nearest glacier, about 12 km from town. It’s easiest to drive to the end of the dirt road at the bridge over the Mestiachala, and then walk for about an hour through a relict forest. The atmosphere there is amazing: dense greenery, twilight, the noise of a fast river, waterfalls and big boulders, and ahead – the Chatyn peak and Chalaadi itself.

The “Cross” viewpoint. A trail straight up from town, about 4 hours there and back. From the top you see all of Mestia and Hatsvali.

Koruldi Lakes. The trail continues from the “Cross”: on foot it’s 7–9 hours there and back with over a kilometre of elevation gain. Start early in the morning to get back to Mestia before dark. There’s also a road for 4x4s, but honestly, it’s very broken, steep, narrow and almost always muddy. It’s better to take a car with a local driver or not go there at all. I drove up there myself, but only because an experienced driver was at the wheel. Cars don’t reach the lakes themselves: they’re left a little lower, and then it’s about 15 minutes on foot up a steep slope.

The lakes themselves are, frankly, small puddles. People go there for the views: Ushba, Tetnuldi and the neighbouring peaks are reflected in the water. So I don’t recommend going up to Koruldi in cloudy weather – you won’t see anything. And if you shoot close to the water with a wide angle, for example 0.5 on your phone, the lakes look big and very beautiful.

Mazeri and the Ushba waterfalls. The village of Mazeri at the foot of Ushba is about 40 minutes’ drive from Mestia on asphalt. There are still few tourists here, the views are incredible, and the hike to the waterfalls under Ushba is easy – about 5–6 hours, fine even with children. If you don’t feel like walking, you can rent a horse in Mazeri and Latali.

Ushba. The most famous mountain in Svaneti and perhaps in the whole Caucasus. It isn’t the highest (about 4,700 m), but it has two recognisable sharp peaks – North and South. Climbers compare it to the Matterhorn, and the routes to the summit are for professionals only.

Mestia – Ushguli trek. The classic 4-day multi-day hike: Mestia → Zhabeshi → Adishi → Iprari → Ushguli. Along the way – meadows and the Chkhutnieri pass. The Adishischala River is usually forded or crossed on a horse, which you can hire on the spot.

Latali and old churches. 9 km west of Mestia lies the Latali community. Here it’s worth visiting the Church of the Saviour in Matskhvari (12th century) with ancient frescoes, the Archangel church in the village of Tangil and St George’s church in Jgrag. Entry to the churches is free.

Mulakhi. A community 10 km from Mestia, at about 1,600 m: beautiful views of Mestia from here, and among the old, almost unrestored villages there are many half-ruined Svan towers.

Hatsvali and Tetnuldi – Ski Resorts of Svaneti

There are two ski resorts in Svaneti: Hatsvali and Tetnuldi. Hatsvali is right above Mestia, served by that same cable car. Tetnuldi is about 20 km from Mestia, with long runs and good freeride conditions. In summer the Tetnuldi lifts don’t run, but you can drive up to the viewpoint, and with a 4×4 even higher. The 2026/27 season at all Georgian ski resorts opens on 20 December.

Where to Stay in Svaneti

Almost all accommodation is in Mestia: here it’s easy to find guesthouses and hotels, and there are shops and cafés; from here it’s easiest to go on trips around. If you have a car, you can also stay in nearby villages, for example in Latali. In high season it’s better to book ahead. Below are options on Booking with high ratings and many reviews.

Where to stay	Booking rating	Why stay here
Budget
Villa Gabliani	9.5 (47 reviews)	The only hostel in Mestia on Booking: shared showers, a garden, mountain views
Nadia Guesthouse	9.5 (500+ reviews)	A guesthouse with a bar and terrace, guests especially praise the breakfast
Mestia Panorama	9.7 (380+ reviews)	A guesthouse with a shared kitchen and terrace, some rooms have their own kitchen
Guest House Nanu	9.6 (230+ reviews)	Family rooms, a garden and a playground – convenient with kids
Mid-range
Hotel Lamish	9.6 (360+ reviews)	A small adults-only hotel, the breakfast gets a lot of praise
Hotel Posta	9.0 (100+ reviews)	Right on the central Seti Square, with a restaurant and bar
Old View	9.6 (95+ reviews)	A cosy guesthouse with a river view
Best hotels
Gistola Hotel Mestia 5*	9.8 (220+ reviews)	The best hotel in Mestia: indoor pool, sauna, restaurant, mountain views
Lahili Boutique Hotel 4*	9.3 (340+ reviews)	A boutique hotel with a restaurant and garden in the centre of Mestia
Winterfell Mestia	9.2 (280+ reviews)	Chalets with a kitchen and a terrace with mountain views – for those who want their own little house

More places to stay in Mestia are on Booking.

Svan Cuisine

The climate in the mountains is harsher than below, so grapes don’t grow here and there’s no local wine. But chacha is highly respected.

The main dish is kubdari, a Svan pie filled with finely chopped meat, onion and spices. Locals often call it Svan khachapuri – it’s basically the same pie, only with a meat filling instead of cheese.

The main spice is the famous Svan salt. Besides salt it contains garlic, coriander, dill, utskho-suneli, khmeli-suneli and Imeretian saffron, and every family has its own recipe. It’s added to meat, salads and soups, and it’s a must-buy souvenir.

Things you rarely find in other regions: chvishtari (corn flatbreads with cheese inside) and shusha – mashed potatoes with stretchy cheese, which in some villages is called mertsvi. The cheese here is local, brined.

Lobio, khinkali and shashlik are cooked here too, and café prices are about the same as in the rest of Georgia.

When to Go to Svaneti

• June – early October – the best time for hiking, trips to Ushguli, the mountains and the lakes. In July and August it’s warm and busy, so book accommodation ahead.
• Early October – golden autumn: snow already on the peaks and yellow-red slopes. But October is a lottery, it may snow.
• May – there’s still snow on the trails and dirt roads are washed out.
• Late December – April – ski season in Hatsvali and Tetnuldi.

FAQ About Svaneti

Where is Svaneti?
In north-western Georgia, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. Most tourists go to Upper Svaneti.

How many days do you need for Svaneti?
At least 3–4 days on the spot plus the road. A day trip from Batumi doesn’t work.

How do you get to Ushguli?
By car: the road from Mestia to Ushguli is paved, and in dry summer weather even a regular car can make it. For glaciers and Tetnuldi you need a 4×4.

How do you get to Svaneti without a car?
By plane to Mestia, by minibus from Tbilisi, or by train to Zugdidi and then a minibus.

When is the best time to go?
For hiking – from June to early October, for skiing – from late December.

A Little History and Legends

This amazing land stirs the soul, takes you back to childhood and makes you forget everyday worries. Majestic pristine mountains, snow-white slopes, lush forests and the restless noise of rivers – Svaneti is like a fairy tale with landscapes that amaze the imagination. Only here can you see unusually “fluffy” mountains where forests mix with flower fields, and towers that look like guardians of the harsh mountains.

Once these lands were part of Colchis, and later of the Kingdom of Egrisi. Nobody ever managed to conquer Svaneti completely: the Mongols and Persians never got here, and even Soviet power affected the local way of life less than elsewhere. That’s why many traditions and customs have survived here better than in the rest of Georgia.

Svans speak their own Svan language. It belongs to the same family as Georgian, but it’s a separate language, and Georgians don’t understand it. Svan has no written form, so Svans write in Georgian.

Svaneti is not only towers, mountains, ancient communities and ski resorts. It’s a land of inspiration and freedom that you want to come back to again and again.

Useful for a trip to the mountains:

Best Hotels in the Mountains of Georgia