Duration: 4 days, 3 nights | Hiking Days: 2 | Total Hiking: ~31 km | Total Driving: ~480 km

Max Elevation: 3,050m (Unagira Mountain) | Difficulty: Moderate-Challenging | Fitness Required: Good

Flexible Option: Horse riding available instead of hiking on Days 2 and 3

Tour Highlights

• Summit Unagira Mountain (3,050m) with panoramic views across four valleys
• Hike to alpine Oreti Lake at 2,850m elevation
• Cross Abano Pass (2,867m) – one of the world’s most dramatic mountain roads
• Visit medieval fortress villages of Shenako and Diklo
• Walk to Pichekhi Castles – the historic border fortress facing Dagestan
• See flowering rhododendron meadows (mid-June to mid-July)
• Visit Alaverdi Cathedral – the 11th-century masterpiece in Kakheti
• Tour Keselo Castle complex and the ethnographic museum in Lower Omalo
• Meet Tushetian shepherds at their summer camps
• Stay in traditional guesthouses with home-cooked mountain cuisine
• Chacha and a wine tasting evening on the arrival day

Tusheti sits in the northeastern corner of Georgia, separated from the rest of the country by the Greater Caucasus ridge. The only road in – crossing Abano Pass at 2,867 meters – is impassable from October to June. This isolation has preserved something remarkable: a high-altitude world where medieval stone towers still dominate village skylines, where sheep outnumber people by hundreds to one, and where ancient trails connect valleys that feel unchanged since the Middle Ages.

The Hiking Terrain

Tusheti offers some of the finest hiking in the Caucasus. The landscape is dramatic: treeless alpine meadows above 2,000 meters, rocky ridgelines with 360-degree views, glacial lakes reflecting surrounding peaks. The trails are well-worn but rarely crowded – you might see shepherds and their flocks, but few other hikers. The air is thin and clean, the views seem endless, and the sense of remoteness is genuine.

Two Summit Experiences

This tour includes two very different hiking objectives. Unagira Mountain (3,050m) is a ridge climb offering views of both major Tushetian valleys – from the summit, you can see the tower villages of Dartlo, Kvavlo, Chesho, and Bochorna spread across the landscape below. Oreti Lake sits in a different direction, a classic glacial tarn at 2,850m surrounded by peaks and summer pastures. Together, these two hikes show you the full range of Tusheti’s high-altitude beauty.

Flexibility Built In

Not everyone wants to hike every day, and that’s fine. Both main hiking days (Days 2 and 3) can be done on horseback instead. This flexibility means couples or groups with different fitness levels can still travel together – hikers hike, riders ride, everyone meets at the same destination.

Driving: ~7 hours | Light walking: ~2 km in villages | Elevation: 280m → 2,867m → 1,900m | Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Guesthouse in Upper Omalo

We depart Tbilisi early (7:00 AM), heading northeast through the Gombori Pass into the Kakheti wine region. First stop is Alaverdi Monastery, one of Georgia’s most important religious sites and architectural masterpieces. This 11th-century cathedral – over 50 meters tall – was the tallest building in Georgia for centuries. The monastery still functions today, and monks produce wine using traditional qvevri methods.

After a picnic lunch in the countryside, the adventure truly begins: the drive over Abano Pass. Even though the journey takes around 7 hours from Tbilisi, you won’t feel the time passing. The views are extraordinary – Caucasus peaks covered with springs and glaciers, landscapes that transform from lush valleys to alpine moonscapes as you climb.

We arrive in Lower Omalo (Kvemo Omalo), the administrative center of Tusheti, around 2:00 PM. After a short rest, we drive to explore the Chagma valley’s most impressive villages. Shenako features a beautiful 19th-century church and proud local traditions. Diklo perches dramatically on a ridge near the Russian border. Here we walk to Pichekhi Castles, the fortress complex that once guarded against Dagestani raids – standing at these walls, you understand why Tushetians built their towers so tall.

We arrive at our guesthouse in Upper Omalo for dinner, accompanied by chacha (Georgian grape brandy) and wine tasting – the traditional welcome. Early rest prepares you for tomorrow’s summit hike.

Hiking: 16 km | Duration: 6-7 hours | Elevation: 1,900m → 3,050m → 1,900m (+1,150m / -1,150m) | Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Guesthouse in Upper Omalo

**Alternative:** Horse riding available (same route, 16 km)

After breakfast at 9:00 AM, we begin the main hiking day – the ascent of Unagira Mountain (3,050m). This is a full-day mountain hike with significant elevation gain, but the rewards are extraordinary.

The trail climbs steadily through alpine meadows, gaining over 1,100 meters of elevation. If you’re visiting between mid-June and mid-July, the hillsides are covered with flowering rhododendrons – masses of pink and white blooms against the green meadow grass. Near the summit, a small seasonal lake adds to the scenery (note: the lake dries up later in summer, but views remain spectacular year-round).

From the summit ridge, the panorama is breathtaking. Both the Pirikiti and Gometsari valleys spread below, with tower villages visible as clusters of stone on distant hillsides: Dartlo, Kvavlo, Chesho, Bochorna. On clear days, snow-capped peaks seem to stretch forever in every direction.

We take our time at the top, enjoying the packed lunch and photographing the views before beginning the descent. The return route offers different perspectives on the landscape, and you’ll appreciate the comfortable guesthouse beds when we return to Upper Omalo by evening.

Prefer to ride? This route can be done on horseback instead. Let us know when booking.

Hiking: 15 km | Duration: 5-6 hours | Elevation: 1,700m → 2,850m → 1,700m (+1,150m / -1,150m) | Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Guesthouse in Upper Omalo

**Alternative:** Horse riding available (23 km route from guesthouse)

After breakfast, we drive to Kumelaurta village – the starting point for today’s hike to Oreti Lake. The trail leads through high summer pastures, and you’re likely to encounter Tushetian shepherds with their flocks along the way.

The shepherds here practice transhumance – seasonal migration that has continued for millennia. In June, they drive their sheep up from the lowland winter pastures, crossing Abano Pass to reach these high meadows. Meeting them at their summer camps offers a window into a way of life that’s nearly vanished elsewhere in Europe. Expect invitations for tea, cheese, and conversation (even through translation, the warmth comes through).

Oreti Lake sits at 2,850 meters in a classic glacial setting – cold, clear water reflecting the surrounding peaks. From the ridge viewpoint, you can see all of Tusheti’s main gorges spread below. This is one of the most photographed spots in the region.

We descend to Kumelaurta, where our vehicle meets us for the short drive back to Upper Omalo. Tonight’s dinner celebrates two full days of mountain hiking – you’ve earned it.

**Prefer to ride?** Horse riding takes a different, longer route (23 km) starting directly from the guesthouse. Both options arrive at the lake.

Driving: ~7 hours | Light walking: ~1 km (Keselo) | Elevation: 2,867m → 280m | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at 9:00 AM, we make final visits before leaving Tusheti. The short walk up to Keselo Castle offers panoramic views over the Omalo valley and close-up looks at Tusheti’s most iconic towers – these are the images you see on postcards and travel guides.

In Lower Omalo, the ethnographic museum provides context for everything you’ve experienced: traditional clothing, household items, weapons, and artifacts that illustrate Tushetian life across the centuries. It’s a small but excellent collection.

Then begins the long descent: back over Abano Pass (equally dramatic going down), through the Kakheti lowlands, with a picnic lunch stop along the way. Arrival in Tbilisi is typically late afternoon – end of four memorable days in one of Europe’s last truly remote mountain regions.

Adventure in the Wild

Four days is enough to fall in love with Tusheti – and to push yourself to mountain summits that few tourists ever reach. The combination of serious hiking (or horse riding), medieval history, and authentic village hospitality creates an experience that stays with you long after your legs stop aching.

This tour is ideal for active travelers who want more than scenic drives – who want to feel the mountains under their feet, breathe the thin air at 3,000 meters, and earn those panoramic views. The flexibility to swap hiking for riding on any day means groups with mixed abilities can still share the adventure.

Ready for the wild? Contact us to check availability or discuss your fitness level.