Hiking in Svaneti on your own

Introduction

Hiking in Svaneti on your own is an adventurous challenge for those who want to explore this unique region of Georgia without a guide or tour operator. Svaneti, one of the most beautiful regions in northwestern Georgia, attracts not only cultural travellers and mountaineers, but also many hikers. That is why almost all Georgian tour operators offer hiking tours in Svaneti.

However, there are also many people who like to organise and carry out their trips themselves, without the help of tour operators or local guides. In this blog, we would like to give these travellers practical information and share the pros and cons of hiking in Svaneti on your own from our experience.

This information should help you to make the right decision about whether you want to go on your hiking trip in Svaneti alone or with a guide.

Hiking routes in Svaneti

Hiking opportunities in Svaneti are diverse. Depending on your taste and level of difficulty, you can choose between hiking trails in Upper and Lower Svaneti. A combination of both areas is also possible.

The most famous route in Svaneti is the classic route from Mestia to the village of Ushguli, which takes seven days and includes the most important attractions in Svaneti.

The longer, 11-day route is also very popular. It begins in Lentechi in lower Svaneti and ends in the village of Ezeri in upper Svaneti. This tour also includes the Mestia-Uschguli route and, for me as a hiking guide, it is the most beautiful hiking tour in Svaneti for several reasons.

For those who want to take less well-known routes, there are also many possibilities and directions in this region.

Accommodations

In Svaneti, there is a wide range of accommodation and hotels, especially in the more tourist-friendly places such as Mestia and Uschguli. Here it is not difficult to find and book accommodation of any kind. There are both good, slightly more expensive hotels and simple but affordable guesthouses. Accommodation can be booked with or without meals, and platforms such as Booking.com or Airbnb can be very helpful.

It is a little more difficult to find accommodation in smaller villages. In places like Betscho, Mulachi, Hadischi or Kala, there is only a limited selection of accommodation. These are usually very basic and it can be difficult to organise the booking and communication. Nevertheless, these hostels usually offer hot showers and good food.

Thanks to our many years of experience, we know many good hotels and guesthouses in Svaneti and are happy to help with bookings.

Camping

Advantages and disadvantages  

There are pros and cons to travelling on your own in Svaneti. We would like to briefly explain these from our experience.

Advantages

• Price difference: Of course, it is cheaper to travel on your own, no matter where and which tour you do, than to book with a tour operator or travel agent.
• Flexibility: Travellers who plan everything themselves and travel without a group are much more flexible than those who have a fixed programme and have to follow it to the letter.

Disadvantages

• Organising everything yourself: Organising and undertaking a trip yourself is definitely a big challenge and costs a lot of time, nerves and energy, especially in such a remote area as Svaneti. In reality, trips planned based on information from the internet are often not well thought out, which can lead to various problems during the trip.
• Signage: Although Svaneti has long been a popular destination for hikers, the infrastructure is not always optimal. Markings and signage are often outdated or missing entirely. Hiking trails can be overgrown or washed out, requiring precise knowledge to avoid going off the trail.
• Learn more with a guide: A guide is not just someone who shows the way. Our guides and I try to tell our guests a lot about the culture, history, geography and traditions of Sweden. With the help of the guides, guests come into closer contact with the locals and experience the everyday life of the Swans. Guests travelling with a guide see, experience and learn more than guests travelling alone in Svaneti.
• Safety: Safety is very important when hiking in Svaneti. Domestic animals such as dogs in the villages can be dangerous for hikers. Rickety bridges, washed-out paths and glaciers also pose a challenge. Our guides know how to deal with such problems. Therefore, safety is much better guaranteed with a guide than when travelling alone. Safety also means knowing the local customs in order to avoid conflicts with locals.
• Language and communication: In remote places, it can sometimes be difficult to communicate in foreign languages (English, German, French, etc.). Older people often have little understanding of European languages; the only language they understand to some extent is Russian.

Summary

For these and other reasons, we believe that hiking in Svaneti on your own is not a good idea. We always recommend to our customers and other interested parties to book such trips in Georgia through a travel agency or tour operator and to go on a hike with a guide.