Georgia – From Mestia to Ushguli

Everywhere there is mud and smell, so we do not stop and move on. In the distance, the watchtower is situated again. She stands here alone and surprisingly there are plenty of people there. We suddenly see that the locals made it an attraction. They called it Tower of Love and you can climb in for a small fee and take a picture.

Ushguli is often spoken of as the longest permanently settled village in Europe, located in the historical region of Svanetie at the northwestern border of Georgia. The whole area is surrounded by the Caucasus Mountains and is home to the highest peak of Shkah in the Caucasus, which has 5,193 m, and the notorious 2 000 Ushba with 4 710 m. Some of the buildings in this village are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Once we arrived at Ushguli, we were completely intimate. The view of the towers, the wild river and the mountains is amazing. We parked the car in the first place, and we set out for a city tour. But a lot of PET bottles stopped me in the river, and there was not enough waste sorting. When we got enough of local buildings, we drove into the valley along the river flowing out of the mountains under the Schhara glacier. This walk is very pleasant and it's half-day.

The journey is not a difficult one. In front of you are the mountains, a river flows around you, you meet cows that are grazing everywhere. On the way, even a dog rookie joined us. After about 8 km we start to climb slightly. We skip through the stones, walk through different shrubs until we finally reach the place where the whole iceberg gets visible before us.

Again we are full of experiences. And I have to say that this area has completely enchanted me. It is a great place for all types of tourists. I recommend it to everyone. You will find plenty of treks with beautiful views and a mysterious landscape that can be ride on horseback.

GPS: 42°55'03.3"N 43°00'58.6"E

Text and photos: Kateřina Janovská