Svaneti Hiking Trail USHGULI - MAMI

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROUTE

The route connects villages of Upper Svaneti's Ushguli community, which is the highest in Europe, with the village of Mami in Lower Svaneti via the Latpari pass. It allows us to return to Tbilisi via a new road that goes through the beautiful surroundings of the Svaneti Ridge and Lentekhi and shortens the distance to Tbilisi by 120 km.

Route type:	on foot or horseback
Length:	23 km
Duration of travel on foot:	8 hours
Altitude: Beginning / End:	2050/1100 m
The Highest point, m	2900
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 at the signpost (1) placed by the bridge in the village Chazhashi of Ushguli community. The trail heads past the local history museum and follows the river Enguri to the village Murkmeli, where it turns left by a stream (2) and heads up to the ridge along a sleigh track. At 2150 m altitude the stream splits into two tributaries (3). The trail follows the left tributary.

At 2350 m altitude the trail goes through rhododendron shrubbery (4). Trail marking is done by means of wooden guideposts. The trail turns right at a wooden guidepost placed at 2600 m altitude and continues almost level along a clearly visible path to the approaches (6) of the Gorvashi pass. The trail heads up the pass (7), where a signpost is placed. Almost all the peaks of the Main Caucasus are visible to the North, and a face of smooth schist rocks of the Svaneti Ridge is seen to the West, where the trail is headed. Altitude varies between 2750-2890 m. To the right the trail passes a small lake (8) located between the rocks, it bypasses the rocks to the right and approaches another lake (9), which will be passed on the left. After the second lake the trail continues almost level and then it descends zigzagging to the right to a depression on the ridge; the trail continues level to the right where a third lake (10) and tower-like two stone structures come into view. A signpost placed here indicates four directions: Ushguli, Mami, Iprali and Chvelpi. This is the Latpari pass (10). It’s three and half hours’ walking distance from Ushguli to the Latpari pass.

The trail descends from the Latpari pass to the village of Mami down the southern slopes of the Svaneti Ridge. The trail crosses a rocky terrain and trail marking is clearly visible on boulders and rocks. The Tskhenistskali River valley and villages of Lower Svaneti are constantly visible to the south.

The trail crosses several streams and from 2600 m altitude it descends through vast pastures (11). Trail marking on this section is done by means of wooden guideposts. At 2200 m altitude the trail enters the woods (12). On the fringe of the woods there is a brook on the right of the trail, a little way down the slope there are herdsmen’s two summer huts (13) in the field. One of them is in good condition. This might be stop-over point.

After the huts the trail descends to the village of Mami through the woods and reaches it (14) roughly in an hour. On the outskirts of the village there is a family hotel, where one can stay the night. After the village the trail crosses the river Tskhenistskali and 100 m from the bridge we reach a highway leading to Lentekhi. A steel signpost is placed at this point.