The 60km hiking trail from Mestia to Ushguli is one of the most popular multi-day walking holidays in Georgia. Best hiked in the summer months of July and August, the Mestia-Ushguli hike takes three to four days to complete. The hike is moderately difficult, with lots of climbs & descents with high elevations (max. 2740 metres).

The trek offers superb views and goes through several traditional villages in Georgia’s northwestern Svaneti region, with excellent home stays – so no tent required.

Facilities on this trek are as good as it gets for a remote mountainous region. Most of the lodges even have free wi-fi. In Mestia, you can also find apartments to rent. Hosts at home stays serve breakfast, dinner, and can even prepare lunchboxes for the road.

The only downside is that the treks popularity brings plenty of crowds, especially during peak season. For this reason I prefer this alternative route.

The first and last days of the trek are straightforward, but there are significant climbs and high elevations in between. The hiking trail is well marked and starts from Mestia's main square passing through forests, meadows, fields of rhododendrons, and villages adorned with typical Svanetian houses and defence towers. On your way, you have fantastic views of Mount Ushba (one of the Caucasus’ most notable peaks at an elevation of 4,710m) and the Svaneti Valley, full of wild orchids and views of imposing Mount Tetnuldi and the Adishi Glacier.

On the third day of the hike near Iprali village, you need to cross the Adishi river. In high season, locals offer horses to help travellers across the river. At other times, ask in the village about the water level and hire a horse if necessary. If you don't want to pay (or are scared of horses), walk around 50m upstream where the river branches out into several streams where you cross it on your own. The water is freezing, so wear hiking sandals and use sticks.

The last day of the hike takes you to one of the highest settlements in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the village of Ushguli, found right below Mount Shkhara. Most hikers in Georgia follow the main road to Ushguli, which can get dusty from car traffic and can be a disappointing end to a rural hike. However, there's an alternative route that goes through the villages forming the Ushguli community. Once in Ushguli, stay overnight and visit the 12th-century Lamaria Church, once a devoted to a pagan Svan god of fertility. If you’re still after some trekking, you can walk to the imposing Shkara glacier (five hours) enjoying breathtaking views of the snow-covered mountains.

How to get to Mestia

Direct marshrutkas from Tbilisi to Mestia depart from Samgori (Navtlughi) Bus Station at 7 am. However, because the journey is long and tiring, I prefer to break up the trip by taking a Tbilisi-Zugdidi train in the morning, spending a night in Zugdidi (to see the sights), and then taking a morning van to Mestia.

If you take a train, you can also go directly to Mestia from the train station by van, departing at around 3 pm. The night Tbilisi-Zugdidi train has been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Omnibus runs an overnight Tbilisi-Zugdidi bus, departing Ortachala Bus Station at midnight and arriving in Zugdidi at around 6 am. Alternatively, VanillaSky operates flights from Natakhtari Airport near Tbilisi, but flights fill up quickly and are often cancelled.

Additionally, you can get to Mestia from Kutaisi. The direct marshrutkas leave from the Kutaisi bus station behind McDonald's.