Discovered in 2015, the Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) goes through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Trailing 6,562-feet above sea level, the TCT stretches through the depth-ridden valleys and peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. Overall, it connects over 20 national parks. The Transcaucasia region is a hidden gem that stretches over two continents of the world.
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Not only does the hiking trail indulge hikers to experience different international locations, but it also brings hikers through one of the most linguistically, biologically, and culturally diverse regions in the world, according to TimeOut. According to BBC, Arab visitors claimed the Caucasus region to be the “Mountain of Tongues,” because of its intense variety of languages. To put it into perspective, around 40 indigenous languages are used regularly in a region barely smaller than Great Britain. The cause of the linguistic diversity is credited to the rugged terrain of the Caucasus region, which “incubated a density and diversity of ethnic and cultural groups.”
As stated by BBC, the Caucasus region is also named within the 34 biodiversity hotspots of the world. This is due to the region’s “pristine landscapes and multitude of endemic species.” Hikers are accompanied by cattle, Kabardian horses, mountain dogs, and piglets.
The Armenian section is about ready to open after people have been working on the trail for six years. Since 2015, a community of people have been working to uncover new trails, find old trails, and create resources for hikers along the way. Volunteers aren’t allowed to work on the TCT year round though, as snow covers the ground of the trail for half the year. Additionally, COVID delayed the development of the trail along with the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, for a commitment as big as finishing the TCT, it will take many more years to complete the full trail.
Ultimately, the finished trail would take committed hikers three months to finish.
