Меню
The excitement of riding in Svaneti in just one word is “authentic”. You ride the trails the locals ride when they tend to the cattle or go hunting, the horses are the same ones that work in the households and even the gear is what the owner uses when he is off hunting or after his herd. How much closer to the real thing can you get? Local horses are very different from the large and elegant animals you see in races. They are short, reliable, with great stamina and very intelligent. They are extremely good at navigating all the tricky places on the trails, you only have to hold on and enjoy the scenery.
You don’t need to be an experienced rider to do these tours. Actually, it’s a good opportunity to try riding! In the mountains the trails are not suited for gallop, so the tours are mostly walking-pace ones. In places you may have to dismount and lead the horse (especially downhill on slippery bits), but generally local horses know how to choose the best route.
7 nights / 6 riding days
Starting location: Mestia
Finishing location: Ushguli in Svaneti and on to Kutaisi city
4 nights in Mestia, 2 nights in Becho, 1 night in Ushguli
Time in saddle per day: 2 hours — whole day
Max altitude: 2400 m
Town of Mestia, Svan towers, Mestia treasury
Zuruldi ski lift and viewpoint
Mt. Ushba all around
Becho waterfalls
Alpine lakes and Archangel’s churches of the Dolra valley
Chalai waterfalls and pastures of Mkheri
Mt. Elbrus
Svaneti’s oldest churches and the frescoes of Tevdore
UNESCO site Ushguli
Mt. Shkhara and its glacier
Overnights, meals, transfers and guiding. We’ve tried to make your tour comfortable and flexible at the same time
If you prefer to go on different dates or with just your family/friends, you can book the itinerary individually. Contact us for details:
Day 1. Acclimatization. Becho waterfalls.
After breakfast we set off to the valley of Dolra, Becho community. Located right under Mount Ushba, it is a beautiful wide valley with lots of trails and sites. We will start with a shorter trail to help you get used to the horses, the mountain air and the altitude. The horses will take you to the foot of Shdugvra waterfalls, the place where you best feel the energy of the biggest waterfall system in Georgia. Overnight in Becho.
Day 2. Baki pass, alpine lake and Archangel’s church
Meziri is an alpine meadow over Becho with a lake, a 10th century church devoted to the Archangel Michael and a spectacular sideways view of Ushba and the Svaneti Range. We will ride on to Baki pass, to peep over into the neighbouring valley where Etseri community is located. From the pass you can also see yesterday’s waterfalls and the church of Mkheri, where we will be heading on one of our next rides. Return to Becho, overnight in Becho.
Day 3. Ushba
One of the loveliest panoramic horse-riding trails in Svaneti. This trail allows you to get as close to Ushba as possible without actually climbing. The path starts at river Guli, then dives into a pretty mixed forest and starts ascending to a small forest lake and some shepherds’ huts, higher and higher until you find yourself in the alpine pastures right underneath the rocks of Ushba. You can go even further up along the ridge to find several more tiny alpine lakes, greet “Grandma and Grandpa” – the rocky figures on Ushba’s southern “shoulder”. After the ride we will be transferring back to Mestia for the next 2 days. Overnight in Mestia.
Day 4. Chalai waterfalls and pastures of Mkheri
Archangel’s church of Mkheri is a tiny stone building located at 2500 m above sea level in an alpine meadow overlooking the community of Latali – and half of Svaneti. The panorama is wonderful, but the climb up is not an easy one. The horseback version makes it faster and more fun. The church is perched on the edge of the cliff overlooking a magnificent waterfall system in the distance, the Chalai falls. The pastures around are some of the richest in the area, with an abundance of flowers and butterflies. Return to Mestia. Overnight in Mestia.
Day 5. Green ridges and Mount Elbrus
A tour with fantastic scenery and one of the very few which allows you to see Mount Elbrus in good weather. This is not a regular tourist trail, so you will not be seeing many other people on your way. The first part of the trail goes through the settlements of Latali, over Bali range and up into the higher pastures belonging to Latali community right under Ushba. In summer the meadows are full of flowers, the tiny shepherds’ huts contrast with the skies and layers of ridges. A feeling of absolute freedom and truly Narnian landscapes. Return to Mestia.
Day 6. Short hike, culture heritage and transfer to Ushguli
The skilift to Zuruldi viewpoint is not to be missed, so we will take a pause in riding and stretch our legs a little with a light hike along the range to admire Ushba from the best angle. On our way back we will drop into Mestia museum, one of the best local ethnographic museums you have ever seen. In the afternoon we will set off by car for our last location, UNESCO site Ushguli, stopping to see 2 of the oldest churches in Svaneti on the way. Overnight in Ushguli.
Day 7. Shkhara and its glacier
This is our last day in Svaneti, but we will do a short ride to Shkhara glacier in the morning and a tour of Ushguli itself. In the afternoon we will drive off and over Zagaro pass along a mountain road of amazing beauty, passing Soviet alpinist training camps Zeskho and Ailama on our way, and descending into Lower Svaneti with its milder climate and lower mountain ranges. The finishing point for today is your hotel in Kutaisi city.
Local certified English-speaking guides with the best tourist reviews. The focus is on safety and guest-care.
