Transcaucasian Trail: Tusheti Explorer
Transcaucasian Trail: Tusheti Explorer
Transcaucasian Trail: Tusheti Explorer
8 Days Starting in Tbilisi and ending in Tbilisi, Georgia
Visiting: Tbilisi, Shenako, Diklo, guesthaus chigho, Dartlo, Chesho, Parsma, Girevi, Nakaicho Pass, Verkhovani, Mirgvela, Omalo
Tour operator:
Tour code:
87
Guide Type:
Self Guided
Group size:
1 - 8
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
The Transcaucasian Trail is becoming a world-class, long-distance hiking trail, following the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains and connecting several national parks in the region. The walks are first-class and the views are always spectacular in Tusheti, where the landscape is dominated by snow-capped mountains and wide valleys dotted with ancient villages and medieval defensive towers
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Tbilisi – Shenako
Location: Tbilisi, Shenako
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Dinner
A transfer will pick you early in the morning from your hotel in Tbilisi (not included in the package, an extra night in Tbilisi bookable as an option), and much of the day is spent driving. The picturesque route from Tbilisi to Tusheti passes through Kakheti, the wine-producing region of eastern Georgia, and up and over the stunning Abano Pass (2,826m). In the evening you arrive in the beautiful village of Shenako where you can visit the Church of the Trinity, a small traditional church from the XIX century.
Transfer time: around 8h. The road over Abano Pass is unpaved, and therefore quite bumpy.
Day 2 : Shenako – Diklo | 10Km
Location: Shenako, Diklo
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
From Shenako, you start walking to the ancient village of Diklo. From Diklo walk to Pichekhi Castles, an ancient fortress on the border with Dagestan, which has amazing views of the valleys of Tusheti. According to the legend, once Diklo was invaded by an army of 10,000 soldiers, and 16 local warriors from Diklo managed to defend the Pichekhi castle for 18 days. When the old village of Diklo finally surrendered, the inhabitants moved to a new territory which is Diklo now.
Walking for the day: 3-4h (10km, 450m elevation gain)
Day 3 : Diklo – Chigo – Dartlo | 16Km
Location: Diklo, guesthaus chigho, Dartlo
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This day is more strenuous, as you have to hike up and down a lot. The highest point is 2,450m above sea level. Pass through the remote village of Chigo. From one side, Chigo is surrounded by rocky hills and from the other by the impressive Alazani river gorge. Finally, you arrive at the beautiful village of Dartlo. Here you will find stunning examples of the local vernacular architecture – fortress-houses which are usually attached to fortified towers.
Walking for the day: 6-7h (16km, 1,000m elevation gain)
Day 4 : Dartlo – Chesho – Parsma – Girevi | 14Km
Location: Dartlo, Chesho, Parsma, Girevi
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today the route follows a timber road connecting all villages of the Pirikita Alazani gorge. In Chesho there is a guesthouse/store where you can relax, have a refreshment or buy a snack, before continuing to Parsma. The road does not go through the village itself, to see the village, you must climb up on a little hill where the village is located. After Parsma, continue to Girevi, which is the last settled village of Tusheti in the Pirikita gorge. It offers beautiful views of the Alazani valley.
Walking for the day: 4-5h (14km, 350 m elevation gain)
Day 5 : Girevi – Nakaicho Pass (2,900M) – Verkhovani | 13Km
Location: Girevi, Nakaicho Pass, Verkhovani
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We recommend starting this day early as you need to go over a 2,900m-high pass. Go back towards Parsma and cross the big bridge over the Alazani river. From there start hiking up on the hill following the trail. The pass offers amazing views on both sides. You will also see a lot of wild blueberries and raspberry bushes along the way. After the pass, you start descending into the Gometsari gorge. After a while, you reach the village of Dadikurta and then the beautiful village of Verkhovani, located on the side of the hill. Verkhovani hosts the tallest fortified tower in Tusheti (17m).
Walking for the day: 6-7h (13km, 1,000m elevation gain)
Day 6 : Verkhovani – Mirgvela | 14Km
Location: Verkhovani, Mirgvela
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Gometsari gorge is calm and peaceful. From Verkhovani descend down to the river. Cross the bridge and follow the dirt road. You will pass by Begela, Dochu and Bochorma villages and finally arrive in Mirgvela, where you will stay for overnight. Your guesthouse is a medium-size wooden cottage located on the intersection of the roads Omalo – Bochorna and Omalo – Dartlo.
Walking for the day: 4.5h (14km, 500m elevation gain)
Day 7 : Mirgvela – Omalo | 14Km
Location: Mirgvela, Omalo
Accommodation Name: Overnight in a guesthouse
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Your route today will take you to Omalo, the capital of Tusheti region the biggest settlement in the area. Visit the beautiful Keselo castle in upper Omalo, which is a fortress from the XVIII century.
Walking for the day: 4-5h (14km, 400m elevation gain)
Day 8 : Omalo – Tbilisi
Location: Omalo, Tbilisi
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to Tbilisi and end of our services (an extra night in Tbilisi can be optionally booked). It is possible to stop over at Alaverdi Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Alaverdi is the tallest church in Georgia and one of the finest examples of Georgian medieval architecture, dominating the surrounding landscape of fields and vineyards.
Transfer time: about 8h
Note: It is possible to split the transfer and have one extra night in Telavi on the way to Tbilisi. The Kakheti region, of which Telavi is the capital, is the main winemaking region in Georgia. There are numerous wineries and wine tasting tours are possible on request.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Accommodation for 7 nights in Tusheti in guesthouses (private rooms available but cannot be always guaranteed; shared facilities)
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Meals
7 breakfasts 7 dinners
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Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps (electronic copy + paper map)
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Car transfer Tbilisi-Tusheti on Day 1
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Car transfer Tusheti-Tbilisi on Day 8
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Baggage transfers on all walking days
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24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
What's Not Included
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Insurance
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Airfare and connecting land transfers
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Lunches, drinks and snacks
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Overnights in Tbilisi
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Meals in Tbilisi
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Personal expenses such as snacks, drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
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Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘included’ in the program
Check out our Q&As
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Are flights included in this tour?
No they aren't
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No they aren't
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When to go?
This trip is available from early June until mid-September. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date in the season. The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Tusheti has alpine weather with long, cold and snowy winters. In June and September snowfall is also possible. And even in summer, it can become cold, especially during the night.
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
This holiday is appropriate for experienced walkers and requires a very good level of fitness (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No they aren't
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No they aren't
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
The Natural Adventure was founded by people who love hiking and cycling in wild and wonderful places. Places that we want to keep that way. Responsible tourism has, therefore, been at the heart of what we do since the get go.
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Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
In April 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 crisis, we launched the Support Local Communities Initiative. We have enabled an option when booking a tour for customers to make a donation to support our local partners. 100% of the donations go directly to our local suppliers.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
Whether you’re travelling on your own, as a couple, a group of friends, or a family, our self-guided holidays allow you the freedom to choose your own holiday companions.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Our self guided walking and cycling holidays typically include: Accommodation, Breakfasts, Luggage transfers, Detailed holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps, 24/7 phone assistance by our local representative and/or our central office
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
We are part of the 'Safe Travels' initiative.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
Yes, as long as you can reach the next location.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Accommodations in double or twin rooms (solo travellers are usually accommodated in single rooms at an extra cost; we never mix and match)
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If possible, and entirely at the discretion of the Tour Operator, a change of the dates may be possible without charging an amendment fee, provided that it is requested at least 30 days before the departure date. In some cases, we will still have to pass to you any non-refundable charges imposed by our suppliers. In all other cases, change of dates will normally be treated as a cancellation.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
All places have been carefully checked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have selected accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
The Natural Adventure was founded in the UK in 2009, by Peter Duncan, former UK Chief Scout and BBC Blue Peter presenter, and Alex Pazderski, an avid hiker and acclaimed expedition kayaker. Both natural adventurers and keen explorers of wild places and trails, remote communities and responsible tourism partners, Peter and Alex founded our company inspired by the responsible travel values t
Reviews from travellers on this tour
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
The Natural Adventure requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 42 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of the natural adventure charges.
Up to 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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