Svaneti Hiking Trail MESTIA - MAZERI

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROUTE

The route connects the borough of Mestia with villages of Becho community located in the Dolra River basin. The Ushba-Mazeri massif, one of the most inaccessible and austere mountain massifs of the Caucasus, is continuously visible along the route. This is one of the routes that take you as close as you can get to Mt. Ushba.

Route type:	on foot or horseback
Length:	16 km
Duration of travel on foot:	8 hours
Altitude: Beginning / End:	1420/1590 m
The Highest point, m	2960
Type of road:	Path, sleigh track
Recommended period:	1st June - 15 October
Trail Marking:	On trees, boulders, wooden posts

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE

The route begins in the centre of Mestia, it follows Vittorio Sella street through the Lekhtagi neighbourhood, it crosses a stream, roughly 200 m after the neighbourhood it turns right, goes into the woods and heads up North through the woods to Mount Tshkhakezagari, where a steel signpost (1) is placed. Here the tree line ends and the trail heads up to the Lamaaja ridge through alpine meadows. We pass herdsmen’s summer huts on the way.

On the Lamaaja ridge the trail splits into two forks: one heads up North to pristine Koruldi lakes, the other one heads up northwest to the Guli pass. This is indicated on the signpost (2) placed here.

Along the route are visible: villages of Mulakhi community against the background of the snowy Tetnuldi massif to the East; the double-peaked Mt. Ushba to the North; the Svaneti Ridge to the South; and to the West the Guli pass, which is to be crossed.

Straight ahead there is a hollow dissected by streams. The streams join downstream to form a small river. We continue to skirt the semicircle of the hollow. Trail marking is done by means of wooden guideposts. The easily seen wooden guideposts are placed within 8 to 15 minutes’ walking distance of each other. Elevation varies in the range of 2350-2400 m. At the end of the hollow the trail crosses a gully at a confluence of two streams (3). This portion of the route is steep and strenuous.

After the stream the trail heads up to a signpost placed at 2450 m on the ridge (4). From here the trail continues along the ridge, it turns right at the next signpost and heads up the pass (5).

After the pass the trail leads to the right and continues to climb to the next wooden guidepost (6).

After the wooden guidepost the trail descends to the left zigzagging to Becho community. From here the Dolra River valley and villages of Becho community – Bagvdanari, Chokhuldi, Tvebishi, and Nashkoli are visible. At 2460 m altitude the trail continues along a small ridge and then descends to herdsmen’s summer huts (7).

After the huts the trail goes past the pinewoods along a clearly visible path and descends to the site of the former village Guli (8). We come to St. Gabriel church and the site of the former settlement. From here we descend to the village of Bagvdanari along a sleigh track (9) and then reach a steel signpost placed on the highway. From this signpost it is ten minutes’ walking distance to the village of Mazeri, where the route terminates.