Zakaria — Svaneti Trekking Guide: Mestia & Truso

Zakaria Zadzaglishvili grew up in the mountains, so mountain routes are not guidebook pages to him but places he has known since childhood. He has been a guide for eight years.

In the Sakhva Travel team Zakaria is in charge of the mountains: treks in Svaneti and Truso Gorge. On multi-day Svaneti routes he drives the guests himself, from Mestia to the mountain villages where the treks start and finish.

What matters to him is that guests feel how varied Georgia's nature is. So his routes are not about ticking boxes but about the mountains themselves: the trail, the glacier, the lakes and the views of Ushba and Shkhara. We set the pace and length for your group and send a plan with clothing and footwear tips before the tour.

"Come to Georgia and feel it. Trust me, I recommend it," Zakaria says in his video. He guides in Russian, English and Georgian.

Truso Gorge means mineral travertine lakes, waterfalls and abandoned medieval villages. From Tbilisi it is a full-day trip, and from Kazbegi Zakaria leads a trek through the Truso valley to Zakagori fortress near the border. You need a 4×4 and your passport; the season is May to October.

In Svaneti the base is Mestia. From here Zakaria takes you to Chalaadi Glacier: a jeep to the bridge, then about two hours on foot through the forest to the glacier tongue. Another trek goes to the Koruldi Lakes: a 4×4 climb to the cross at 2,160 m and a trail to alpine lakes at 2,750 m with Ushba views.

A full day from Mestia goes to Ushguli, Europe's highest village (2,200 m), with UNESCO towers, Lamaria church and views of Shkhara. A Svaneti tour from Tbilisi takes 2–3 days: Mestia, Svan towers and peaks above 4,000 m.