Upper Svaneti, Georgia
A guide to 140km (7-9 days) of hiking on the Transcaucasian Trail
This guide will help you plan a multi-day, self-supported thru-hike on a 140km stage of the Transcaucasian Trail, passing through the mountain passes, alpine meadows, and villages of Upper Svaneti in Northwest Georgia. Here you’ll find practical information and trail notes, plus links to interactive maps and downloadable GPS data to help navigate the route.
This dramatic section of the TCT leads hikers over five major mountain passes, through deep forested valleys, across rushing rivers, and through high alpine meadows overlooking the jagged peaks and glaciers of the Greater Caucasus.
The trail takes hikers from Chuberi, a cluster of villages in the Nenskra Valley, to Ushguli, the highest village in Svaneti and one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe. The largest village (and the one most visible on the map) in Chuberi is Kvemo (Lower) Marghi.
Hikers will travel through numerous mountain villages, where they will be able to lodge in guesthouses, stock up on food supplies, and converse with locals. This section of the TCT includes the popular Mestia – Ushguli hiking route, where hikers will find a big increase in hiker traffic compared to other trails in the region.
Self-sufficient hikers will find plentiful wild-camping opportunities to suit their preferred hiking styles and schedules, and mountain streams and village wells provide decent water sources. Several guesthouses offer food for sale to hikers to either eat on the premises or take with them on the trail – a wonderful way to ensure you have your fill of khatchapuri with you on your journey!
At the halfway point of this section, you will arrive in Mestia, the town often called the gateway to Svaneti. This town boasts a large number of restaurants, guesthouses, local trails, and the area’s only airport with daily flights to/from Tbilisi.
The majority of this route is marked with red-and-white and/or yellow-and-white blazes (check the individual trail note sections for each section’s blazes) and yellow directional signs.
Important Disclaimer
The TCTA strives to provide accurate, current information as to trail conditions and the trail route. However, actual trail conditions may be different, and such information may not be accurate or complete. Trail users are urged to consider all the information available from other sources and to heed local advice when available. Trail users are ultimately responsible for all decisions as to the trail routes, trail conditions, weather, and safety.
In addition to the hazards posed by steep terrain and mountain weather, hikers should be prepared for difficult route-finding and challenging trail conditions, the possibility of washed-out bridges and dangerous river crossings in high water, aggressive dogs guarding sheep and cattle, giant hogweed, and frequent summer thunderstorms with extremely intensive periods of lightning. Access to emergency medical care and search and rescue is not always available.
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Route Resources
Interactive Map
To download the GPX tracks and waypoints from CalTopo, click “Export” in the top left corner. Then select the relevant sections and export in GPX or KML format.
Partners & Sponsors
This section of the Transcaucasian Trail was first developed between 2016–2017 with the support and hard work of volunteers from around the world.
The trail has been maintained by the Transcaucasian Trail NGO of Georgia with the support of the Transcaucasian Trail Association, the U.S. Embassy Democracy Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, and dozens of volunteers.
To become a TCTA member and support more trail development projects like this one, join here.
