Winter holidays at Mestia resorts, description of bases, slopes, attractions. Ski resort Khatsvali

Mestia is the administrative center of the Svaneti region in Georgia. This is a good place for mountain lovers; the country’s highest mountain, Shara, 5201 m, is located here. Local ski resorts in Mestia offer different programs - from ski slalom to snowboarding. Large tourist centers are Tetnuldi and Hatsvali. Tourists and travelers from Russia and Europe like to relax here.

About the region

Svaneti is an alpine territory in the Central Caucasus, located in the southern part. This region covers the highest mountainous regions of the Caucasus range. This is the highest inhabited area in all of Europe. According to UNESCO, the famous village of Ushguli near Mestia is the highest village on the continent, located at an altitude of 2200 m above sea level.

Not so long ago, every winter in Svaneti made it completely isolated from the rest of the world. Impassable roads covered with snow drifts and weather conditions forced them to live on supplies accumulated in the summer. The situation began to change in 2010, when the Mestia ski resorts began to be built, the first being Hatsvali.

Stages of tourism development in the region:

In 2010, a small airport opened near Mestia. It is located in the northern part of the city, on the Mestichala River.
A new road has been built leading from the center of Mestia to the ski resorts.
The winter recreation center is located in upper Svaneti, at an altitude of 1500 m. The Khatsvali hotel operates here, where you can order national cuisine. A ski equipment rental service is located nearby.

The climate here is humid, winters are cold and summers are short. The average January temperature is 6.5 degrees below zero. Hatsvala offers off-piste skiing, which is especially appreciated by experienced skiers. Running down untreated slopes outside the boundaries is strictly prohibited in most other European resorts.

Recreation center Tetnuldi

This ski resort was opened in Mestia in 2016. Tetnuldi is located 15 km from the administrative center of Svaneti. The advantage is that the slopes are in the shade, which does not affect the quality of the snow cover. You can ski and snowboard off-piste. T-bar and saddle lifts are in operation.

Description of the Tetnuldi recreation center:

the resort is located at an altitude of up to 2350 m;
height difference – 450 m;
there are slopes for beginners, blue and red;
There is a forest growing in the freeride zone, you need to ride carefully.

The cost of the lift is 300 rubles. per day. There are three lifts in operation, and it is planned to open 6 more. The number of slopes will be increased to 25, the freeride route is 9 km. This is the most developing ski resort in Mestia, whose goal is to compete with Gudauri.

There is a hotel for accommodation; in winter, rooms must be booked in advance. For beginners they offer instructor services. A 300 m long training track is suitable for children. The recreation center has an emergency medical service.

Its attraction is the highest mountain Shkhara. The Khatsvali recreation center is located 8 km from the administrative center of Mestia. It is not as developed as Tetnuldi, but prices are lower here. The resort is suitable for experienced skiers and freeride enthusiasts. At the lower lift station, located at an altitude of 1860 m, there is a rental of skis, snowboards and equipment.

The route starts from the central observation deck. Then you need to proceed to the suspension bridge. There is a small cafe here where you can drink coffee and have breakfast. The next point on the route is a hike through the winter forest. Destination: Chalaadi Glacier.

It has a specific shape, which is often found in the Alps. For climbing, choose the southern or northern slope. Difficulty level – 4A-6A. The height of the peak is 4690 m. Beginners are offered routes from the Mestia ski resort, the village of Becho. This will be the southern slope, the most gentle.

The length of the route is 10 km; the average climbing time is 8 hours. Along the route you can make stops for rest and photo sessions. The journey takes place next to waterfalls and natural mineral springs. But you need to take drinking water with you. This excursion is not recommended for people with health problems - heart failure, respiratory diseases.

Conclusions about the resort

Holidays at the ski resorts of Mestia are suitable for amateur and professional skiers. For this purpose, a recreation center is created, descents of varying complexity are made. It is planned to build additional ski lifts, hotels, inns and guest houses at recreation centers.

Mestia is a convenient place in Georgia for freeriding. The routes pass through open areas and wooded areas. They are located near the regular slopes, next to the ski lifts.

Updated 05/07/2019

The Khatsvali ski resort is located 6 kilometers from the village of Mestia in Svaneti. The Georgian authorities call this region one of the most promising in terms of tourism. Since 2009, Mestia and the surrounding villages have been actively built up, and the mountain slopes are receiving trails and ski lifts. Hatsvali and Tetnuldi are two new resorts in the area. Both are easily accessible directly from Mestia.

Hatsvali is the first of two ski resorts built in the area, quiet, intimate and without any special pretensions to pomp. It is not being completed as actively as it is being developed now. That's why there are few tourists here. If you have some free time in Svaneti, then check out the Hatsvali resort - there is something to do both in winter and summer. The village of Mestia is also very original and interesting.

History of the ski resort

The Georgian government began developing Svaneti in 2009. New museums, hotels, guest houses were built here, and advertising campaigns were held to popularize the region. In 2010, a small airport was opened in Mestia, with flights from Tbilisi flying to it several times a week. The mountains that this part of Georgia is rich in have become the main trump card, so two resorts were opened in the area.

The ski resort in Hatsvali began operating in 2011. The resort is still called new, and compared to or it really is. But not far away in 2013, an even more modern complex was opened - Tetnuldi. Now tourists can come and settle in Mestia, and from there go to any mountain slope they like. Khatsvali is closer than Tetnuldi and is still closer, but not for long.

Since 2011, several new lifts and trails have been opened here, the pace of development is much slower than on Tetnuldi. However, for the convenience of tourists, in December 2017, a direct cable car was opened from Mestia to Hatsvali (Georgia). If earlier you had to walk 6 kilometers to the resort or find a car, now you can easily climb the cable car in 10 minutes.

Hatsvali in our time

Many people love Hatsvali precisely for its small size - even in the high season there are no queues or crowds on the highways. There are four equipped slopes: the longest route is blue - 2600 meters, red for experienced skiers - 1800 meters, a section of 700 meters for beginners and a separate route for athletes of 800 meters. The slopes are served by a number of lifts:

The main cable car with cabins with 4 chairs each is 1400 meters long.
A rope tow on the 600 meter long beginner's track.
A rope tow on a track for athletes 800 meters long.
Cable car from Mestia.

All resort lifts operate from 10:00 to 16:00, in March-April - until 18:00, but it is better to check the operating hours on site, as changes may be made.

The Khatsvali ski complex begins at an altitude of 1865 meters - the lower station of the main cable car is located there. The top station is located on Mount Zuruldi, where the height is 2347 meters. To the right of the upper station, the main routes depart, making a loop on the mountainside. On the left there is a freeride slope that leads to the upper training rope station.

By the way, about freeride, it is quite interesting here. In addition to the usual skiing on powder along equipped slopes, it is worth taking a ride away from the pistes - through the forest. I note that there are a large number of fallen trees in the forest, so you need to be extremely careful. At the resort, be sure to find a guide who will organize a backcountry trip to one of the neighboring mountains: Ushba, Tenuldi, Shkhara.

The resort has instructors and equipment rentals. The first point is located downstairs, near the lift station - it is state-owned, there are a lot of skis and snowboards from 2011-2012, all of high quality. The second rental is upstairs, private, and also with an excellent selection. The prices are the same in both.

Après ski and accommodation in Hatsvali

The après-ski and infrastructure in general in the Khatsvali resort (Georgia) does not shine. Below is the Khatsvali Hotel - a wooden cottage for 16 people; there is no other accommodation here. The accommodation location is located next to the ski lift. Almost all tourists stay in guest houses in Mestia. Here are some of them.

Guest House Gorgo - "Amazing" rating. Guesthouse guests especially note its location. Some of the accommodation's rooms have mountain views.

Guest House Kaldani - “Excellent” rating. This guest house offers ski-to-door access and rooms with mountain views and internal garden views. There is a ski school and ski equipment rental on site, free private parking, and pets are allowed.

Manoni's Guesthouse - rated "Very Good". The guesthouse offers its guests a garden, a terrace, a shared kitchen, a shared lounge and luggage storage. It has its own parking, and guests especially note the delicious breakfast.

Dodo Japaridze Guesthouse - “Amazing” rating. Dodo Japaridze Guest House has its own parking and bar. Here you can purchase ski passes or rent bicycles. The guesthouse is located in the center of Mestia.

Hotel Chubu – rating “Very good”. All hotel rooms are decorated in a classic style, have a private bathroom and a balcony. You can choose to stay with breakfast included or with breakfast and dinner included. Guests especially note the hospitality of the hosts and the friendliness of the staff.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room, and a variety of drinks is available at the bar.

Entertainment and food are no more varied. The hotel has a restaurant, and near the upper station there is a cafe “Zuruldi”. The prices are resort prices, but I highly recommend sitting in the cafe upstairs at least once – the glass walls offer an excellent panorama. For other entertainment, it is better to go down to Mestia.

The skiing season at the resort lasts from early December to mid-April. In the summer, the main cable car operates in Khatsvali (Georgia) - on it you can climb the mountain, take a walk there and go down to Mestia or start trekking to other attractions.

What to see in Khatsvali and the surrounding area

The main attractions of the resort, in addition to its slopes and pistes, are located 6 kilometers below - in the village of Mestia. Yes, skiers just need to ski in Khatsvali, try freeride or backcountry, hikes to neighboring peaks, winter and summer trekking. But if this is not enough for you, then I advise you to take a walk around Mestia.

The most important thing to see is the Svan towers, the symbol of the region. In the village you will immediately see them; these are high – up to 30 meters – buildings with narrow loopholes and strong walls. The influential families of Svaneti began building the first towers back in the 8th century to show their power or protect their native land.

Nowadays, almost all Svan towers are private property. But in Mestia you can definitely get into one of them, located in the Larisa guest house. The owners bought the tower and turned it into a museum. Now anyone can climb to the very top and explore the tower from the inside.

Sights of Mestia and surrounding areas

In addition to the towers, there are a number of interesting sights in Mestia and the surrounding area:

Museum of Svaneti. The complex received a large new building as part of the development of the region. Now there are 6 halls dedicated to the history and modernity of Svaneti. There are also cafes and souvenir shops inside. The museum is open from 11:00 to 16:00 and is closed on Mondays.
Museum of Mikhail Khergiani. Dedicated to one of the symbols of Soviet and Georgian mountaineering. Mikhail Khergiani, quite likely, skied as a child on the slopes where the Khatsvali ski resort now stands. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Glaciers in the surrounding area. There are many picturesque glaciers on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains in this area. I advise you to take time and visit the Chalaadi glacier, which is reached by a flat dirt road at almost the same height. The one way journey takes 5 hours on foot, but you can take a car.
Lakes Koruldi. Another destination for a walk, especially interesting in summer. From Mestia there is a tourist route through a mountain range, which eventually leads to a beautiful lake. Along the way, stop at a large cross; next to it there is an observation deck. Travel time one way is 6 hours on foot.

As I mentioned, Georgian Hatsvali is open all year round. So you can come here in the summer, take a ride on the cable car, and explore the surrounding area from the heights of Mount Zuruldi. And of course, you can always go from Mestia towards Tetnuldi; this resort is also open all year round, and the views from the peaks offer no less picturesque.

About the gurney, actually. Thank you to Svaneti for existing. After all, we were planning to go to Gudauri, but the sad, snowless and thus frightening winter forced us to make a knight’s move. And in the literal sense: the path from Kutaisi to Svaneti really resembles this very move in form. Thanks also to Rezo Zukakishvili, the owner of the hotel in Gudauri, who does not take advance payment from guests, trusts each of them on their word of honor... and was probably upset when he learned about our refusal. Thanks to him, we did not lose our prepaid money, like many others in Gudauri this winter. Well, Upper Svaneti has confirmed its reputation as the snowiest region in the Caucasus. While people were smoking in other places, we were riding. There was snow there. I made a map here, like this:

Two and a half tracks, plus a tow rope for studying and all kinds of freeride.

The Khatsvali resort is completely new - it opened three years ago, and has not yet been promoted, so we were lucky. President Saakashvili then came to the regional center of Mestia, solemnly skied to Hatsvali(skaters will appreciate the humor of the moment when he got up from the lift chair) and held a meeting on the development of local tourism.

The weather there can be different. As it should be in the mountains, it changes ten times a day. When we first reached the summit, it was shrouded in cloud. Visibility is minimal. An unusual descent for me in pitch fog along an unfamiliar route is, I will report, something special. But also great practice.

Bottom lift station, clouds. These are the ones we look at here with our heads up. In the mountains they are below us. The resort is located in the mountains above Mestia; to get to it we had to drive 18 kilometers from our village, first through Mestia, then along a serpentine road up the mountain. This is a drawback. The daily transfers back and forth are somewhat exhausting. There are 2-3 companies in a minibus, drop some there, others there, stop others (us) at two different stores: one has wine, the other has cognac, and someone suddenly wants to run to a spring with narzan, then the Svan driver meets on the road and drops off his Svan relative, stops two or three times near other acquaintances, talks with them, and by the time you get home, it’s as if you’ve lived for half a day.

You can see from the cars in the parking lot how many people came to the hill. The resort is completely empty. On average - 4-6 companies of 3-7 people, plus crazy kids from the local ski school. Squealing Svan ski children fly past you so that you can’t see them. And people are sitting in a cafe. So the tracks are empty.

Lift characteristics:

And the cost of ski passes for Hatsvali (March 2014). Ours is eight days, the lari rate is 21 rubles. 333 rubles per day is cheaper than in Gudauri, which means it is the cheapest ski lift in Europe. The guys who were with us said that they smiled at the cashier, and he sold them season tickets at a child’s price. I'm not averse to saving money, but that never even crossed my mind. What are these tricks for? And so pennies.

Let's go just once:
Christmas trees are great. In them are squirrels, black ones, running through the trees and jumping across the alley of the ski lift about their business. Mountains with fir trees are the most soulful.

This clearing can be called another freeride track, with jumps and other surprises. People enjoy driving along it. Well, or they scrape it off, depending on how. One of us went to this route with a video camera on his head. Now it doesn’t allow me to post the result)

There is that sunlit clearing - there are two rope tows and training trails of 300 and 500 meters. You can use the same ski pass as the big lift. If there were two hills like this in our city or in neighboring Kharkov, we would be happy, we would ride until we were blue in the face. And on Khatsvali they didn’t even show their nose there, except for the case when they went to the rope tow man for chacha, but that’s a different story. That dot over there in the middle of the slope is me.

The lower cafe and the only hotel located directly on the hill, "Hatsvali". There was no water in it, so no one lived. The cafe next to her, however, was open, and they even offered something to eat, but I don’t know how you can eat there if there is no water, so we took beer. It's cheaper at the bottom than at the top. The order of prices is as follows: beer in the city is 1.5, at the bottom station 3, at the top 5 GEL. People stand on the veranda with chairs and tables:

Let's go up and slide down again:
Two snowcats crawl along the hill.

Snow conditions are normal for weather within plus or minus zero. It freezes at night, in the morning the tracks are made hard and uncomfortable for boards, but after an hour and a half they are broken down to excellent condition. By lunchtime the sun gets hot and the snow turns into a wet, heavy mess and piles up in heaps. A unique time is beginning when incompetent boarders do not interfere, but help skiers by leveling these heaps. Well, towards the end of the day, around 16.30 (the lift is open from 10 to 18), it becomes cooler again, the snow freezes and for the second time in a day, truly fun skiing begins.

The scale of the mountains is awe-inspiring. The flying helicopter below is a dot, you can barely see it (it’s not in the picture).

Traditional photo pampering.

I was driving first, couldn’t stand it, stopped the guys: it was necessary, they say, to be imprinted. Because Ushba.

Here are the peaks of Ushba. "If a friend suddenly appeared."

When the clouds come, this is what is done:

Well, when they leave, it’s like this again:

It was on the terrace of the upper cafe of Zuruldi. The mountain where we ski is also Zuruldi. This means that Khatsvali is a proper name. Ksenia, if you’re here, don’t you know what the word “Hatsvali” means?

It's great to have panoramic windows.

Inside. Order or take food with you - it doesn’t matter.

A little from the menu. It is extensive, Georgian-European, but not all dishes are available. One hundred percent is kubdari - a closed flatbread with meat. Sergei, immune to Georgian, could not remember it. Let's, he says, order this... Gudauri!

Arithmetic in Svanese... or a strange 18 percent tip.

But in the upper cafe there is a free and very decent toilet with water and everything you need. Why there is no water below, but there is water above, I don’t know. But the main thing is that there is wonderful music playing in the cafes, and in the establishments of Mestia too. Georgians know a lot about it, I remember it from Gudauri. It was hard to expect The Doors and the Rolling Stones in the high-mountainous Svan villages, but when Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart” sounded, I almost fell off the terrace. Let's ride one more time.
The dog Mali is hanging out in the cafe (emphasis on the first syllable). Great dog! Big, fluffy, kind, loves to lie in the snow and eat kubdari. Sometimes he has fun chasing skiers, causing them to gain additional acceleration. She goes about her business on the lift up and down - for this purpose the lift is stopped, she settles down in the chair, the lift is turned on again. Once on that lift, a ski instructor fell asleep all morning. His comrades woke him up with shouts, when that didn’t help, they used snowballs, and when that didn’t help, they braked the lift again. And we were wondering why the lift was stopping. Either the dog rides it, or the instructor. In general, the atmosphere at Hatsvali is nice and family-like.

Descent after descent.
The wife, while studying, decided to increase the number of descents along the main highway every day. From two times I reached eleven.
When I was tired, I left my skis downstairs with the lift operator, went upstairs, rested in a cafe and went downstairs on a chair. It's always fun at the cafe:

This forest on the right is also a cable forest.

There are “pipes” in it - narrow rolled paths. At first they were tough, with all sorts of branches and cones, but when fresh snow was added... I was delighted!

Perhaps the Hatsvali resort, with its 5 kilometers of current slopes, is not the largest in the world. But he made us fully feel winter - in winter. For only about 25 thousand rubles (with frills).

You can write a lot about Georgia for a long time. This text is about three Georgian skating places: Gudauri, Mestia, Gordedzi. Pros, cons, logistics, prices, conclusions. About tourist attraction, border, pass, customs and personal feelings in the following texts. Here is only what relates to skating.

I came to Georgia after the Alps, Elbrus and Cheget. I ride off the pistes, but I don’t really like walking uphill, so I’m always close to the ski lift. I can’t tell you anything about the quantity, quality, or length of the trails. About long tours with guides too.

GUDAURI

The closest, highest and most expensive resort. It's a resort. Enough housing, enough restaurants and related services. Gudauri is the most popular Georgian resort, for which there is a price tag.

Pros:
+ Long season
+ Lots of off-piste skiing
+ Low price for ski pass
+ Powder days!!!
+ Minimal avalanche danger
+ It’s very difficult to get lost and drive to the wrong place

Minuses:
- Expensive housing. Finding a house for adequate money and walking in ski boots to the ski lift is a lot of effort. No luck - you walk a kilometer along the road with cars. Or pay for ski in / ski out
- There are a lot of people on weekends and holidays, but the queues are small
- Apres ski is not available as a class on a limited budget
- The most popular place is the supermarketwith cooking when refueling

All this sad enumeration has no meaning if it SNOW. Because there is such SNOW there that your head explodes with delight. Dry, weightless down to the waist, filling the mask. It’s a pity, the slope is not enough to survive and not get buried in a snowstorm.

Apart from the swimming sensation, SNOW also means some problems if you travel by car. After all, the pass is most likely closed and you will need to ride until it opens. You can find out more information along the way at https://vlars.ru or from locals.

It is very convenient to come to Gudauri from Russia by car. The Georgian Military Road is incredibly beautiful, the distances are not significant. In 2 weeks of vacation you can make it to Elbrus/Cheget and here.

When all the powder has been rolled out, which is 2-3 days, without new snowfalls it becomes quite tough: bumps, low temperatures, mountain exposure. The snow lets up a little after lunch, but you have to traverse very far on the flat to get out of the trenches. Slalom skiing is good on the pistes. The board is more than dull. There seems to be a snowpark, but it consists of a couple of strange large flights with almost no acceleration, I have never gone there.

Since Gudauri is close to the border, you can plan a day of skiing and departure to Russia in the evening. That's what we did. We rode at the entrance to Georgia and at the exit. Savings on two expensive resort nights, minus - you can’t see the beautiful road in the dark. By the way, I don’t recommend living in neighboring villages in order to save money: this is a mountain road and the effort spent on it, on loading and unloading, is not worth the difference in money.

MESTIA

Mestia is a very remote mountain village, where the surrounding area has as many as 2 slopes. So remote that a helicopter minibus flies from Tbilisi for quite reasonable money. Adequate because otherwise you would have to spend almost the entire day sawing along mountain roads. Beautiful, yes, but still not always useful.

So, two slopes: Hatsvali And Tetnuldi.

Hatsvali- a fairly ordinary mountain with a slight drop. Skiers will enjoy the speed and terrain. Theoretically, there are Christmas trees with a good slope between the routes. In fact, instead of snow, there was concrete under the Christmas trees, to which the board completely refused to cling. We spent half a day trying to set speed records, but some local teenagers were faster on skis, which was a little annoying.

Tetnuldi- a new, fresh juicy mountain. It just opened, about three and a half people. FREE skating. Was. Have you ever seen a lift running for free all season long to test and attract people? So that. The diagram looks promising. I think the 16-17 season will be great if they launch the second stage. We got the bottom line at the end of the season. It was hot, little snow, very little slope. But downstairs they set up a stall with shawarma, hot dogs and drinks. The sun was pleasantly warm, the ski lift was completely empty. It was warm and pleasant.

Everything is fine? But no. You live in Mestia, in a village. Both mountains can be reached by car. Only four-wheel drive with normal ground clearance will drive to Tetnuldi. Locals drive taxis on Deliki. The second time you will feel sorry for the car and use the GAZ skibus. Yes, yes, skibus is a shift based on GAZ, slow, nauseating and extremely uncomfortable. It transports staff back and forth, and they can also take you for a ride. They say that in winter you can go to Mestia on your own, but you need to know how, it’s not at all obvious, and the river flows.

The road to Mestia is very mountainous, very serpentine, long, and somewhat rocky. But beautiful, of course, and very diverse. At some point the valley and the sea are visible. And Batumi, it seems.

And why all this inconvenience and waste of time? And then. Mestia is Svaneti, such a patriarchal region. Watchtowers, villages, cattle ranching, people... People. People are people you have never seen for a long time, or perhaps never seen.

Apres ski at its best. Of course, there are no clubs, but there are cafes, bars and places to just take a walk. There is an incredible amount of housing and at ridiculous prices. Accommodation comes with home-cooked food for more than attractive prices. Be sure to visit Koshki bar. Don't expect cool beer, just ask for food, wine or chacha. And talk to people.

Pros:
+ Cheap and varied accommodation
+ Lots of eating and drinking establishments
+ Real rugged mountains around
+ Public

Minuses:
- Far from Tbilisi
- Skating is not interesting (as of 2016)
- The season is shorter than in Gudauri

GODERDZI

This is such a strange place that I don’t understand how this can happen. There is no direct road from Tbilisi. I didn’t believe it, and we didn’t get a couple of kilometers to the Goderdzi Pass, having practiced until night with a shovel, jack and stones. Then we drank an energy drink and went there, but on a 500 km detour. This is clearly visible on the map. Interesting experience, but the ride wasn't worth it.

Goderdzi is located as far from civilization as Mestia. But if in Mestia there is a branch of this very civilization in the form of people, food and fun, then in Goderdzi there is nothing except a hotel and a ski lift. There is a canteen at the hotel, the food is poor. Opposite there is a stall-trailer with booze and canned goods. Take some Georgian with you, otherwise the prices will be too touristy.

We were extremely unlucky with the weather: cold, stormy, no visibility. The upper part of the lift was never turned on. Oh yes, there were 5 of us there. And the three of us and the servants rode. By the way, big respect to the guys from the technical staff who shared food with us and brought us to our senses after we were so beautiful at 10 pm, looking around the clay shit in search of a restaurant.

Since the mountain was hidden almost all the time by a blizzard, I won’t say anything about it. The lower part is disgustingly flat, even a skier was spitting on the track. If you drive straight under the lift, you will come across funny shepherds' barns and a couple of hills with trees. But the flatness is such that on the second day we fell into depression, visited a stall, and for the rest of the day we dispersed the depression. And in the morning, realizing that the top would never be turned on, they headed off to the sea.

We still didn’t understand whether the road was being cleaned, but we drove in places to the limit of the crossover’s capabilities on standard tires. We recommend calling the mountain and asking how their situation is. They speak Russian, but it’s not immediately obvious on the phone =)

Perhaps, if the weather was good, we should take a guide and go for a backcountry ride. And everything would be fine. But no, no.

Pros:
+ Opportunity to get stuck on the road and test your SUV
+ Epic dam construction
+ The opportunity to wonder why people have climbed so high and live so sadly

Minuses:
- Nasty long road
- Flat at the bottom, steep at the top
- Complete absence of apres ski. We're drinking in the room.

BAKURIANI

But we didn’t go to Bakuriani. In March-April it is already too warm there. This is the oldest and quite popular resort. We decided that it would not be interesting. Maybe in vain, next time you can watch it.

CONCLUSIONS

It’s a must to go to Georgia. Riding, walking, swimming - it doesn’t matter. Necessarily. Incredible friendliness, crazy hospitality, delicious food, wonderful wine. And mountains.

With proper planning, the budget for Georgia will be comparable to our resorts. Besides Sochi, Sochi is more expensive. Food costs the same as ours, accommodation on Booking.com and Airbnb for every taste. I highly recommend driving your own car and having some time to spare. Firstly, to stop wherever you like, and secondly, so as not to be nervous if the pass is closed.

About the pass and the border in the next text about Georgia tourism. In short, everything is simpler than it seems. But better all-wheel drive or chains.

Gasoline in Georgia is more expensive, but not critical. Prices in cafes and restaurants are lower than in Russia, and the quality of products is incomparably higher.

If someone needs numbers, I don't remember them. Everyone has their own budget. I have something like 2500 rubles a day for everything. Avoiding expensive cafes and outright trashy hostel type for 8 people. This means a two-week trip costs 35,000 rubles, plus or minus booze and souvenirs. Georgia falls well into this budget.

There are no photographs from the mountain and there never will be. There are plenty of them on the web. Pictures of my feelings can be found on VKontakte and in the following text.

Mestia (Georgia) is a colorful and somewhat mysterious settlement in the mountainous region of the country. This part of Georgia is known for its amazing architectural structures and is called the “Land of a Thousand Towers”. Local residents - the Svans - have been erecting tall structures - quadrangular towers - for thousands of years; such buildings were assigned economic and defensive tasks. In addition to the towers, Svaneti attracts tourists with its picturesque landscapes, architectural sights, and ancient churches. The architecture of the settlement is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The region has long been considered the custodian of Georgian treasures, collected and exhibited as exhibits in the Museum of History and Ethnography.

general information

Mestia (Svaneti) is located in the southern part of the Greater Caucasus at a distance of 128 km from Zugdidi (in a northeast direction). The settlement is located at an altitude of 1.5 km. Local residents - Svans - are an ethnic group that is distinguished by its masculinity, special culture and centuries-old traditions.

Interesting fact! The culture and traditions of the Svans have been known for 4 thousand years.

The special flavor and identity of the Svans has been formed over many millennia. The inhabitants of the mountains led an isolated lifestyle, since in winter the passes in the mountains were covered with snow, and Svaneti was cut off from the whole world. As a result of such isolation, conquerors never came to the region.

It is important! Svaneti has retained its inaccessibility - a paved road is laid to Mestia, the capital of the region, then you need to move exclusively on a dirt road. It is better to travel through mountain villages by taxi.

In Svaneti, Georgia is represented in a concentrated form. All the distinctive features of the country are collected in a small territory - picturesque mountains, centuries-old legends, amazing lamb with tkemali sauce, the best honey in the whole world and, of course, the stern and taciturn Svans.

Interesting to know! The main enemy of Svaneti is the Litsvri. This is a custom of blood feud, which acquired special significance in the mountainous areas. According to historical data, over 5 centuries more than two hundred Georgian clans died as a result of blood feud. The famous Svan towers were built primarily to protect against attacks by local residents.

Mestia makes an indelible impression on tourists who come to Georgia. Here you can find neat houses decorated in Alpine style, a city hall building built in a modern style, an inconspicuous police building, the House of Justice, temples and monuments to justice.

The historical center of Mestia is the only place in the settlement that has not been restored. Externally, it looks like this - a little bit of ancient Tallinn, mountain landscapes, cobbled streets and a dozen Svan towers.

What to watch and where to go

The most striking attraction of Mestia, residents call the museum the “Georgian Louvre”, because it houses a unique collection demonstrating the culture, customs and traditions of the Svans.

Among the exhibits are objects made of gold and silver, armor of warriors, coins, and works of art by local craftsmen. What is noteworthy is that all exhibits were donated by parishioners to local churches. The collection of ancient Georgian manuscripts, dating from the 9th to 11th centuries, is recognized as the richest.

The attraction was founded in 1936, the total number of exhibits is 4 thousand. The main exhibition is displayed on the second floor, in rooms located in a ring. On the ground floor there is only one room dedicated to ethnography.

On a note! During hot weather, there is a café inside where you can enjoy refreshing drinks.

To plunge into the world of the Svans, book a tour.

Price excursions will cost 25 lari.

If you want to explore the attraction's exhibits on your own, an adult ticket will cost 5 GEL, and a student ticket will cost 1 GEL.

Visit an attraction in Svnetia you can daily from 10-00 to 18-00 at the address: st. A. Loseliani, 7, Mestia.

Find a museum simple - it is located in the south-east direction from the central square of Mestia. Traveling from Mestia to Ushguli, you pass by a two-story building where the landmark is located.

Chalaadi Glacier

The main attraction of Mestia in Georgia is its hiking trails. One of the most popular is an excursion to the Chalaadi glacier.

The picturesque place is located near Mestia. An excursion to the glacier does not require serious physical training, so the walk will be comfortable even for families with children. The route is equipped with convenient paths.

The ascent to the glacier starts from the central square. You need to follow until the suspension bridge (in the direction of the airport). Near the suspension bridge there is a cafe where you can buy water and food for a picnic. You can leave your car here. Then you have to walk through the forest, you need to navigate by indicators.

It is important! The length of the route is 12.5 km, the hike takes about 8 hours. GPS coordinates of the Chalaadi glacier: 43.117124, 42.696214.

If you prefer comfort, take a taxi or rent a car. Transport will take you to the forest. Price trip is 40-50 GEL.

There is a huge ice cave on the glacier with a lake inside. Unfortunately, you can’t get close to the cave, as rocks are falling from above. You can stop for a picnic along the way.

It’s very cold near the glacier even in the hottest weather, don’t forget to take a jacket;
the height difference is more than 500 m;
the best time to visit is in summer and the first half of autumn;
You should not go to the glacier in the rain - the road becomes wet and dangerous;
wear comfortable, sports shoes.

Ushba is one of the most famous in Georgia and the Caucasus. Its height is 4690 m, its shape is pointed, and there are several climbing routes of varying difficulty levels. In Europe, Ushba is called the Caucasian Matterhorn because it resembles an Alpine mountain.

Ushba has two peaks:

South - it can be seen from the Becho settlement;
Northern - it can be seen from the Ugir Pass.

Interesting fact! The northern peak of the mountain was the first to be conquered - in 1888. The first ascent to the South Peak was recorded in 1903. The famous “Mirror of Ushba” - a vertical section in the northern part of the mountain - was conquered by climber Mikhail Khergiani.

There are trails of different difficulty levels for tourists - from 4A to 6A. The mountain is best seen from the territory of the Bacho settlement. You can also see the peak from the village of Lakhushti.

As a rule, the ascent begins from the village of Mazeri in the settlement of Bacho. Experienced climbers and ordinary tourists begin their ascents from here. The length of the climb is 10 km, the walk takes about 8 hours. The elevation difference is more than 1 km. The trail passes next to waterfalls and mineral springs.

On a note! You can travel on a horse, which is rented in Becho or Latali.

It is important! There is a good asphalt road to Mestia, and there are road signs everywhere. On the way you will definitely come across picturesque rock tunnels.

It is better to set off early in the morning in order to arrive in Mestia during daylight hours.

Mestia (Georgia) is a special village that differs from lowland Georgia. The inhabitants of the mountains look stern, taciturn, but hospitable and friendly. During your trip, you will experience unforgettable emotions and get to know unique Georgia.