Svaneti
Svaneti is the north-western part of Georgia, unspoiled by civilization and preserved its pristine beauty. It is one of the most remote and difficult to access places in the country. Svaneti is known for its picturesque mountain peaks, freedom-loving mountaineers – Svans, special mentality due to isolation. Svan towers are the symbol of this region. Such mini-fortresses of 4-5 floors were erected near each house. In case of danger the family climbed inside and defended themselves from enemies. Watchful “guards” made of cobblestones still guard Svaneti. Not without reason this corner of Georgia was nicknamed the land of a thousand towers.
Video: Svaneti
Contents- Highlights
- History of Svanetia
- Upper and Lower Svanetia
- Where to visit Svanetia
- Symbol of the mountainous region: Svan towers
- Svaneti sights
- What to do in Svaneti
- Svan souvenirs
Svanetian cuisine - Time to travel to Svaneti
- Hotels in Svaneti
- How to get there
Highlights
Svanetia existed already in the 1st century AD and occupied a large territory. The Romans considered the Svans a powerful and warlike people. Isolation from other peoples and the influence of Georgian culture affected the development of the settlement, giving them a heightened sense of independence. This also formed the character of the mountaineers – proud and brave.
.The Svans built churches and created icons, were engaged in crafts. There were wood carvers and blacksmiths among the locals. Over the centuries, the Svans were rarely shown to the world – only in summer. Winter snowfalls covered the passes, making Svanetia an impregnable place. Even conquerors did not seek to come here, and they never set foot east of Mestia. But the locals secured their land by creating fortress houses – towers. Even in case of encroachment of foreigners, they quickly took a defensive position and repelled the attack.
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For several millennia Svanetia knew no conquests, wars, serfdom. Even the nobility was conventional. In the 19th century, individual communities recognized the power of the Russian Empire, which had already established itself in the Caucasus. But there were no representatives of the Russian administration here for a long period of time. At the beginning of the 20th century, Svanetia came out from under the authority of the Russian tsar.
.Upper and Lower Svaneti
Svaneti occupies only 4.5% of the country’s territory and is one of the most mountainous regions. Nearby is Abkhazia and the border with Russia. The settlement consists of Upper and Lower Svaneti. The regions are separated by the Greater Caucasus Range (on the north side) and the Svaneti Range (on the south side).
The upper part of the settlement is called Zemo-Svaneti by Georgians – it is protected by UNESCO. It is the territory of a high mountain valley near the Inguri River. Beautiful landscapes, ancient towers, stone temples – all this is Upper Svaneti. You can get here through passes or through the gorge of the Inguri River. Locals joke: “A beautiful road is the one from which a traveler may not fall down”. But guests who close their eyes for fear of heights are laughed at – the locals have perfected the art of overcoming winding roads.
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Upper Svanetia is not only sheltered by mountains from the world: villages located nearby are connected only by mountain passes. But for nine months there is no communication between many settlements because of snow. Only with the advent of aviation there was at least a small possibility to communicate with neighbors. The center of Upper Svaneti is Mestia, an urban-type settlement. It is home to 2.5 thousand inhabitants.
.Lower Svaneti is as beautiful as Upper Svaneti and occupies a valley near the Tskhenistskali River. This region is more fertile, pears and apples grow here. Houses are well maintained and surrounded by strong fences. There are no usual towers that Upper Svaneti is famous for. But stalls on the streets, television with hundreds of channels, shuttle buses remind of civilization. The central settlement of Lower Svanetia is Lentehi village with a population of 1800 people.
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Where to visit in Svaneti
The tourist center of Svaneti is Mestia. The town is small, but adapted for tourist vacation. The village, surrounded by mountains, receives the bulk of the guests. It is from Mestia that most of the mountain hiking routes start. There are hotels and guest houses, stores and cafes in Mestia. Even ATMs are available.
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Mestia is not the only place to visit. The community includes the villages of Lagami, Lehtagi, Lanchvali, and Seti. In the village it is worth visiting the stone churches of IX-XIII centuries, millennial towers, ethnomuseum, museum of Khergiani. Snow-covered mountain peaks above the roofs of houses add color to the acquaintance with the village.
.There is a ski resort Khatsvali near Mestia. It was opened only recently, but the place has already managed to gain popularity. The season is long – from December to April. The tracks are different, but the longest one reaches 2.5 km. Tourists are attracted by the night track, which is illuminated with lights. In the ski center there are cafes and restaurants, several skating rinks.
.It is also worth a look in Ushguli, one of the highest mountain villages in Europe. Medieval culture has been preserved here, so many travelers go to the community. The settlement is nestled on the slope of the high Shkhara Mountains. The community has always been detached from the rest of Svaneti, the nearest settlement is 7 km away. But they rarely went to their neighbors, the road was difficult. Today Ushguli is connected with Mestia. There is also a road to Lentehi, but it is accessible only three months a year. Tourists get to Ushguli on foot from Mestia in two days – this is one of the most popular routes. Visitors can also get there by off-road vehicles on a gravel road. In the village, explore the ethnomuseum and enjoy the beauty of the high mountain nature.
.One goes to Ipari to see the Tower of Love and the Church of St. George, in Haishi there is the Archangel Church, in Mulahi there are 13th century icons and the Church of Christ. In Latali settlement you can see the Glacier, Laila Pass, view of Ushba Peak and St. George’s Church. The settlement unites 11 surrounding villages. Latali is called the spiritual center of Svaneti. Once there were about 60 temples in the settlement, and each one belonged to a particular family. Today only 30 of them have been preserved..
Symbol of the mountainous region: Svan towers
The pride of Svaneti is the Svan towers of the VIII-XIII centuries. They have faithfully served the Svans for centuries, protecting them from enemies. The locals could not imagine a house without a “protector” – a tower. A structure of 5-6 floors was erected near each residential building. All towers are similar: 5×5 meters, up to 25 meters high. Toward the top, the towers gradually taper. The base is provided with two-meter high masonry in case of an earthquake. The upper floors have several windows.
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Svaneti Sights
There are several museums in the villages. One of them, dedicated to the mountaineer Khergiani, is located in the settlement of Mestia. It tells about the life and aspirations of this famous man. The museum is located in the house where Khergiani lived. In one of the rooms there is an ethnographic hall with photographs, in another room personal belongings of the mountaineer are kept, and the third room serves as a hall of memory. One of the museum compartments was turned into a hall of history of the Soviet mountaineer – in it you can see the equipment of those times.
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Another private museum is dedicated to the life of the local population and is called “Svan House”. Inside, guests can see the decoration of the rooms, furniture and various items. It is possible to visit inside the Svan tower. There is also a Museum of Svan culture. The collection contains ancient coins, books, clothes and weapons..Among the ancient sights is the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior. It is located in Lagami. The church is only open during services, but at other times you can ask to open the premises for tourist viewing. This ancestral temple includes two levels: the first is almost completely buried in the ground and covered with frescoes of the XII century, the second is more modern – it was created 400 years after it was built. An ancient icon of the Savior is kept inside.
.The beauty of Svaneti, hidden from the world, deserves special attention. Wide gorges and chasms, forests, majestic mountains, alpine meadows – all this mesmerizes guests. One of the most beautiful places of the mountainous region is the Inguri River, which starts from the glaciers of the Greater Caucasus. The water body passes through the gorges of the mountains, becomes full-flowing near the village of Jvari and follows the Colchis lowland. The peculiarity of the Inguri lies in its unusual azure hue. An arch HPP is built on the river, supplying electricity to Georgia. The dam belongs to the regime objects, but tourists are allowed here.
Picturesque lakes are another reason why you should come to Svaneti. The Kvedi reservoir was created when a landslide blocked one of the mountain rivers. This created a lake famous for its clean and healing water. Kwedi can be reached by bicycle from the village of Kwais. Another famous water body is Paleostomi. The lake belongs to the Colchis reserve and is amazing for the properties of water, which is close to sea water. Traces of an ancient settlement of II century A.D. were found at the bottom of the lake. You can also visit Koruldi Lake. It is 4-5 hours drive from Mestia. The view of the surrounding mountains from this point is mesmerizing.
. The Svaneti Ridge is a natural landmark that determined the way of life of the local population. It divided the settlement into Upper and Lower parts. The Svaneti Ridge is part of the mountain system of the Greater Caucasus. It is more than 85 kilometers of picturesque terrain: meadows, coniferous forests, snowy slopes. Mount Laila, the height of which is 4,008 meters, will allow you to view the natural wealth from above.. Or maybe you want to see the sources of rivers? Then you can make a walk to the Chalaadi glacier. Hiking here is easier than to the lakes – there are no height differences. There are snow-covered peaks and coniferous forest all around. Inside the glacier lurks a small ice cave..The famous mountains Ushba and Shkhelda are also not ignored by tourists. The conquest of Ushba is a huge achievement for mountaineers. Even the name hints about the difficult terrain for climbing and translates as “coven of witches”. Mountaineers first conquered Mount Ushba in 1903. Shkhara, which rises to 5068 meters, is mostly covered with glaciers – the Inguri River starts from here. On the southern slope of the mountain is the settlement of Ushguli.
.Ushba waterfalls can be seen during the hiking route from the settlement of Mazuri. There are several such wonders of nature here. Their height is more than 100 meters. One of the waterfalls comes down from a steep cliff and can be seen from afar. Near the cascading water, you can see the village, the valley and the Svan ridge.
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What to do in Svaneti
This mountainous region is suitable for trekking. You can plan a hike to the foot of Mount Ushba to the Guli Pass and see an ancient temple. If you want to extend the hiking trip, you should spend the night with a tent near Lake Koruldi. Another popular destination is Mazeri and Ushba waterfalls. It takes several hours to walk from the village (from the pastures to the north). You can use an off-road vehicle to get closer.
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Svan souvenirs
You can bring local salt from Svaneti as a souvenir. It is a seasoning that should have a moist consistency and a pleasant yellow-brown color. Sometimes it may have greenish flecks. Salt crystals are practically imperceptible. You can take Svan honey, a figure of a tower (made of wood or plaster), a tapestry, embroidery with gold thread as a souvenir. Local artists will offer oil paintings with images of Svan towers or paintings made of felt.
.Svan cuisine
The local specialties worth trying in Svaneti are mdachi and kubdari. The first culinary masterpiece is rather dense flatbreads made of corn flour, which are usually eaten with cheese. The mysterious word kubdari refers to pies, where chopped meat is used as a filling. Another Svan dish is shusha, mashed potatoes with cheese. And Svan salt, grated with spices and mountain herbs, can be safely taken home to add a special flavor to dishes.
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Time to travel to Svaneti
In winter months and March even the tourist center of Mestia seems to fall asleep. With the arrival of warmth everything changes: Svanetia comes alive, the roads become full of cyclists and pedestrians. In summer you can go hiking in the mountains, horseback riding. Ushguli is much colder than Mestia. Already in mid-autumn there are snowfalls and winds are rampant. A winter trip to Svaneti will suit those who want to visit a ski resort near Mestia.
.Hotels in Svaneti
There will be no difficulties with accommodation in Svaneti. The tourist center is Mestia, where there are several large hotels. But mostly visitors settle in guesthouses. Hosts themselves usually live in guesthouses. It is possible to agree not only on a night’s stay, but also on two meals a day. There is a little less choice than in Mestia, in Mazeri and Ushguli. Some guest houses are combined with Svan towers.
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How to get there
Travelers going to Svanetia most often choose Mestia as their initial destination. The asphalted road to the village was laid only recently, but with its appearance the trip to this inaccessible region became quite simple. You can get to Mestia from different cities of Georgia, the most options are from Tbilisi. Every day, at 6am, a shuttle bus runs from the capital to Mestia. The trip will take about 8 hours. You can also get to the heart of Svaneti with a transfer: from Tbilisi – to the administrative center of Zugdidi, and from there by shuttle bus – to Mestia.
From the capital of Georgia you can get to Svaneti by airplane. In winter, the airport named after Queen Tamara in Mestia accepts single-engine and small passenger airplanes with a capacity of no more than 18 people, and in summer – airplanes designed for 50 passengers. However, it is worth bearing in mind that local flights are highly dependent on the vagaries of the weather. Flights may be delayed or canceled altogether, in which case you may need a car to travel to Svaneti.
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You can also take a cab, which will take you from the Georgian capital to Mestia relatively inexpensively. You can get from Kutaisi to Svaneti by one of the shuttle buses that run every day. As for another large Georgian city, Batumi, there is no direct connection with Mestia, so you will have to take a shuttle bus to Zugdidi first, and from there change to another transportation. The road from Zugdidi to Mestia will take 3 hours, if you drive without long stops.
.If you are going to go to Svaneti by bus, minibus or private car, you should keep in mind that it is not safe to drive on the highway at night. This is due to the fact that at a certain section of the road there is always a danger of stones falling from the mountain peaks. In this place the driver almost does not follow the road, paying all attention to the mountains to be able to brake in time in case of a rockfall. It is possible to reach Mestia by any vehicle in comfortable conditions during the daytime.
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