Hidden in the Caucasus region and bordering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia, lies the small country of Georgia. Still off the radar for many travelers, Georgia could be considered a hidden gem with its natural beauty, charming old towns, and warm hospitality. The locals are friendly and everyone for the most part speaks some English. So getting around is relatively easy. As I love nature, I wanted to head out to explore the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus Mountains with some hiking along the way through old towns.
Kazbegi – Some of Georgia’s highest mountains
A few hours north of Tbilisi, following the Georgia military highway, takes you away from the busy city life, straight into the mountains. And with peaks towering at over 5000 meters, the mountains are truly spectacular. Driving the winding roads, every corner reveals another beautiful panorama of the valleys, before hitting Kazbegi…the last settlement in Georgia near the border with Russia. Here, Mount Kazbek, one of Georgia’s highest mountains, can be admired on a clear day along with the Gergeti church that draws many people to this remote village.
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Truso Valley – Valley views and colorful mineral lakes
Not too far from Kazbegi lies the Truso valley, another beautiful area that can easily be explored on your own. Walking through this valley means being away from people, and just surrounded by mountains, the occasional horses and old defense towers from pre-medieval times. As the canyon opens up, you will walk past the Truso travertines – Geothermal waters with minerals that make this water turn orange and red. The Abano lake in the Truso valley is a nice half-way point to take a break and observe these mineral waters. As a final reward for your hike through this beautiful valley, you will see the Zakagori fortress. This old Svan settlement sits on top of a hill and the views over the valley are worth the hike in itself!
Jut’a valley – the Georgian Dolomites
One of the highlights in this area of Georgia is the Jut’a valley, often called the Georgian Dolomites. Think of jagged limestone peaks that tower over a lush valley and creaks meandering through the landscape. The views over the Chaukhi mountains are like nothing you see anywhere else in Georgia and with so many hiking trails, it’s a good place to spend some time and enjoy nature. Time has stood still in Jut’a and I really enjoyed spending some time here away from it all, just soaking in the fresh air of the mountains and enjoying the alpine meadows in full bloom.
Svaneti region – Mountain villages of Mestia and Usghuli
Having spent a good amount of time in the Kazbegi area of Georgia, it was time to hit the road to Svaneti, the other region that should not be missed when visiting Georgia. In this region there are more beautiful mountain hikes to enjoy, such as the alpine lakes of Koruldi and the Shkhara mountains, but it’s the villages that make Svaneti so special.
In these villages, in particular Mestia and Ushguli, you can find defense towers that date back to the 9th century, called Svan towers. As you walk through the old cobble stoned streets of Chazhashi, one of the 5 villages in Usghili, and look up at these impressive defense towers, you can almost imagine what life must have been like over a thousand years ago. Ushguli is Europe’s highest continuously inhabited village and draws people from all over the world to admire its serene beauty. Being isolated in the winter, the community has only about 200 permanent inhabitants and about the same amount of dogs who follow you on your hike around the towns. On a clear day, which I was lucky enough to have, the views of these ancient villages with the Shkhara mountains in the back are some of the best in all of Georgia!
Martvili Canyon
What makes Georgia so special is that within a few hours of driving, the landscape changes drastically. As I left the snow capped mountains of Shkhara in the morning, I was admiring the emerald waters and waterfalls of the Martvili canyon in the afternoon. In the Martvili canyon, the emerald water rushes through moss-covered gorges and down countless waterfalls. The boardwalk takes you along some of the best areas, but it’s the boat ride at the end of the canyon that I liked most. Here you can experience the canyon in its full glory as you paddle through the calm waters.
Uplistsikhe cave city
As I left Martvili behind, the landscape once again changed drastically and I went from the lush canyon to the arid, desertlike landscapes in central Georgia. I found myself exploring the ancient cave city of Uplistsikhe, one of Georgia’s oldest urban settlements dating back as far as the 2nd century B.C. In its heyday, the caves here housed up to 30,000 people, and today you can still roam around many of the caves to admire the architecture and incredible craftsmanship that was used to build this city.
Rainbow mountains around the David Gareji monastery
My last stop on my Georgia road trip took me to the border with Azerbaijan, near the town of Udabno. Literally on the border, the David Gareji monastery towers out over the hills. And the hills here are unique, as they are very colorful. Often referred to as the rainbow mountains of Georgia, the landscape has hues of orange, yellow, red and green. I stayed for sunset and the low light in combination with some cool shadows made the views over these rainbow mountains even more spectacular.
