Tusheti

Tusheti is the region of Georgia hardest to reach and the one that takes longest to forget. Pressed against the Russian border in the country's far northeast, the only road access climbs from the Alvani valley up to the village of Omalo, negotiating the Abano Pass at 2,926 metres above sea level. On the most exposed stretches, the track is just wide enough for a four-wheel drive and drops vertically down to the river. There are accidents every year, and that is not a rhetorical warning.

Once there, what awaits justifies the ordeal: dark stone villages with medieval defensive towers silhouetted against snow-capped peaks, meadows where curly-fleeced sheep graze, and a silence broken only by the wind and cowbells. Omalo, the main village, has several family-run guesthouses where you eat braised meat with wild herbs and sleep under wool blankets. The air smells of pine and dried dung. There is no mobile signal across most of the territory.

In winter Tusheti empties completely: the inhabitants descend to the villages of the Kakheti valley and the settlements lie under a metre and a half of snow for months. This cycle of transhumant life, repeated for centuries, is one of the traits that defines the tusheti culture at its core and the Tusheti National Park, which protects more than 83,000 hectares of this territory.

The tushetians have inhabited these mountains since before the Christian era, though their ethnic and linguistic origins remain a matter of debate. For centuries they maintained a system of self-governance based on councils of elders and built their villages in defensive positions —such as Dartlo or Chesho— to resist raids by peoples of the northern Caucasus. The twentieth century brought Soviet collectivisation and the partial abandonment of the most remote settlements. Today Tusheti has a very small permanent population that survives through summer pastoralism and, increasingly, mountain tourism.

• Omalo The usual entry point and the most accessible village in the region. It has several guesthouses, a restored watchtower and direct views of the northern peaks. It is the natural place to spend the first night and get your bearings.
• Dartlo About 3 hours on foot from Omalo, it is one of the best-preserved villages in Tusheti: stone houses wedged into the hillside, a tower commanding the valley and almost no tourists outside July and August.
• Chesho A slightly more remote village with a particularly dense tower architecture. It requires a detour from the main route, but the effort is rewarded by the solitude of the landscape.
• Abano Pass The access road itself is part of the experience. On the highest stretches, near 3,000 m, panoramas open over the entire region on clear days —and on cloudy days, over nothing at all.
• Route to Shatili The multi-day trek crossing the Atsunta Pass (3,431 m) towards the Khevsureti region is the longest and most demanding route in the area. It requires a local guide and full mountain equipment.
• Park wildlife The Caucasian tur, brown bear and wolf inhabit Tusheti National Park. Turs are seen regularly in the rocky areas above 2,500 m, especially at dawn.

Photo gallery

Access is by road from Alvani, in the Alazani valley (Kakheti): about 70 km of mountain track requiring a 4x4 vehicle and good weather. The track usually opens between June and October. From Tbilisi you need to hire a four-wheel drive or engage an experienced driver familiar with the route — going without experience on high-mountain tracks is not advisable. Seasonal charter flights operate between Tbilisi and Omalo in summer, with limited availability. There is no public transport to Omalo.

There is only one viable window: mid-June to early October. July and August are the most active months, with herders on the high meadows and guesthouses open. June may have stretches of road still slippery from late snowmelt. September is quiet with strong autumn colours, though some facilities begin to close. Arriving before June or after October requires expedition equipment and is the domain of specialists.