Trip Report
Report by the Explore-Share team from March 2019
Svaneti is a historic province in Georgia located on the central slopes of the southern Caucasus mountains. In the winter, its amazing mountains and superb powder, paired with the charm of its remote historic villages and people make it a unique destination for ski touring adventures. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and easy to reach.
With all this in mind, Antoine, Florent, Oliver, Benoit, and Victoria, traveled to Georgia and joined IFMGA certified guide Ilia (booking via Explore-Share) on a multi-day hut-to-hut ski touring adventure in the Georgian Caucasus. They had a blast!
They had the chance to explore Mestia, in the Svaneti region, which has it all: alpine descents, great powder, and gorgeous villages, plus great hospitality and delicious food! Local guide, Illia, made sure they had fun, shared his local knowledge, and took care of everyone’s safety. Staying at guesthouses in traditional villages gave them an authentic experience of what rural life is like in Georgia and also allowed them to experience the warmth of the local people.
The itinerary involved ski touring around some of the most emblematic peaks in the area, including Ushba (15,453-feet), Shkhara (17,037-feet), and Tetnuldi (15,932-feet). They also got the chance to visit two Svaneti ski resorts: Tetnuldi and Hatsvali. The cherry on top was stopping by the villages of Becho, Etseri, and Ushguli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the highest inhabited village in Europe.
The group loved that they got a chance to visit some of the more remote spots in Svaneti, and to experience the simple lifestyle of the Caucasus range with its historic villages, and awe-inspiring landscapes. A great spot with tons of amazing pow and lots more to offer too!
