Home Tours in Georgia ExcursionsPrices Blog About the guide Contacts Book online

Svaneti Tours 2026

Mestia and Ushguli — Svan towers, glaciers, mountain passes. Guided tours from Tbilisi.

1 day

Svaneti in 1 day — Mestia

Timur will show you Mestia's old quarter with towers that tourists usually walk straight past on their way to the main square.

Departure at 5:00. Zugdidi to Mestia: a mountain road with views of the Caucasus range. The towers of Mestia and the ethnographic museum with 10th–14th-century icons. Lunch with Svan salt and khachapuri. Back in Tbilisi by 23:00. A packed day.

⏲ 14 hours ⛰ 1,500 m above sea level
from ₾345 / person
Details
4 days · UNESCO

Svaneti in 4 days — Mestia and Ushguli

Timur will show you Ushguli at dawn, when there isn't a single tourist and the towers stand in the mist above the river.

Day 1: Tbilisi – Zugdidi – Mestia. Day 2: Ushguli (2,200 m) + the Shkhara glacier. Day 3: the Chalaadi glacier + hiking trails. Day 4: return via Kutaisi (Prometheus Cave). The best journey in the Caucasus mountains.

⏲ 4 days / 3 nights 🏠 hotels in Mestia
from ₾750 / person
Details
Adventure · 1–3 days

Adventure tour in mountain Georgia

Timur will show you an active route beyond standard sightseeing — trekking, mountain passes, rafting.

For active travellers: trekking, mountain passes and rafting. The route is tailored to your group's fitness level. 1–3 days, up to 7 people.

⏲ 1–3 days 🏔 up to 7 people
from ₾395 / person
Details

What to see in Svaneti

Mestia, Ushguli, glaciers, towers — the six key points of the route.

1

Mestia — the capital of Svaneti

A town at 1,500 m and the centre of Upper Svaneti. The Margiani towers, the ethnographic museum with 10th–14th-century icons and unique gold treasures. A main square with restaurants serving egg khachapuri and Svan salt. Every route to the upper villages and glaciers starts here. Mestia airport takes small planes.

2

Ushguli — Europe's highest village

Four villages at 2,200 m at the foot of Mt Shkhara (5,068 m). Listed by UNESCO as part of the "tower villages of Svaneti". The towers of Ushguli are among the most famous photos of Georgia: medieval towers against a white glacier. In winter the village is practically cut off from the world — the road from Mestia (45 km) closes with snow. In summer it takes 1.5–2 hours by jeep.

3

Svan towers — 1,000 years of history

Stone towers 20–28 m tall, built from the 9th to the 13th century. Every wealthy family had its own tower for protection against raids and blood feuds — a tradition that survived in Svaneti into the 20th century. About 30 towers remain in Mestia and about 20 in Ushguli. Guide Timur tells the stories of specific families and towers instead of just showing you stone buildings.

4

Chalaadi glacier

An accessible glacier 8 km from Mestia — a 1.5–2-hour walk each way along a forest trail. The end point is the glacier tongue with bluish ice and a meltwater stream. One of the few glaciers in the Caucasus you can walk up to without mountaineering gear. In summer rhododendrons bloom along the trail.

5

Shkhara glacier — the largest in the Caucasus

Shkhara (5,068 m) is Georgia's highest peak. Its glacier comes down almost to the villages of Ushguli — a rare chance to stand in a medieval village and look at an active glacier 3 km away. In the evening the mountain glows pink in the sunset — one of the most striking landscapes in Georgia.

6

Svan cuisine

Svan food is different from Tbilisi's: kubdari (spiced meat pie), chvishtari (cornbread with cheese), Svan salt (a spice blend famous all over Georgia). Village guesthouses cook with produce from their own gardens. Timur knows the hosts who cook best — not from a tourist menu, but the way they cook for their own family.

How to get from Tbilisi to Svaneti

430 km to Mestia — four ways to travel.

🚗

By car with a guide

A comfortable jeep, departure at 5:00–6:00. 5–6 hours on a scenic road through Samegrelo and Zugdidi. Stops whenever you like. The guide talks along the way — the time flies.

Included in the tour price
🚌

Marshrutka (minibus)

Didube bus station in Tbilisi. Departure: 8:00 daily. Travel time 6–7 hours. About ₾45–50. Not very comfortable, but a budget option for independent travellers.

₾45–50 one way
✈

By plane

Mestia airport. Flights from Tbilisi (Vanilla Sky) take about 45 minutes. The schedule is irregular and flights are often cancelled due to weather. Fares from ₾90. We recommend it as a way back (there by car, back by plane).

from ₾90, irregular
🚄

Train to Zugdidi

Tbilisi – Zugdidi train: 4.5 hours, from ₾20. From Zugdidi to Mestia — a 3–4-hour marshrutka or a taxi for ~₾80–100. A combined option for those travelling without a tour.

train ₾20 + taxi ₾80–100

The best season for Svaneti

June–September is the only time the road to Ushguli is open to traffic. Snow starts in October and the road closes. In winter Mestia is reachable, Ushguli is not. The best months are July–August: green meadows, glaciers on the horizon, warm evenings. September brings golden leaves and fewer tourists.

How many days do you need for Svaneti

The honest answer: with less than 3 days you'll only see the road and 2 hours in Mestia.

🕐

1 day — Mestia only

Departure at 5:00, back at 23:00. 5–6 hours on the road each way, 2–3 hours in Mestia. Towers, the museum, lunch. Ushguli is impossible. For those with very little time — better than nothing.

🕏

2 days — Mestia + Ushguli

Day 1: the drive + Mestia + towers. Day 2: Ushguli + the drive back. A quick look, but you'll see Ushguli. An overnight stay is a must. Glaciers only in passing. For those ticking off UNESCO sites.

🕎

4 days — ideal

Day 1: the drive + Mestia. Day 2: Ushguli. Day 3: the Chalaadi glacier + trekking. Day 4: return via Kutaisi + Prometheus Cave. This is the format Timur recommends — you see everything without rushing.

🕍

7+ days — adventure

Svaneti + hiking in the mountains. The Mestia – Ushguli route is a 5-day trek over 4 mountain passes. Or Svaneti + Tusheti + Kazbegi — all of mountain Georgia in one week.

Book a Svaneti tour

Message Timur — he replies within 15 minutes and will find dates for your trip.

Call: +995 511 272 623

WhatsApp — reply in 15 min Telegram Book online

One-day jeep tours from Mestia

If you're already in Mestia, you can book these routes separately — the price is per car for up to 6 people.

Other mountain routes

Svaneti is one of 12 destinations with guide Timur.

Kazbegi tours

Gergeti Trinity, the Georgian Military Highway. 1 or 2 days.

from ₾175

Summer tours

Tusheti, Truso, Batumi. Mountains and the sea — all in summer.

from ₾175

Winter tours

Gudauri, sulfur baths, New Year. Lower prices.

from ₾178

Batumi tours

The Black Sea, the Botanical Garden, Adjara.

from ₾250

Kakheti tours

Sighnaghi, wine, monasteries. A good fit after a mountain tour.

from ₾170

All tours in Georgia →

12 routes: mountains, wine, the sea, caves, monasteries.

See all 12 tours

Svaneti tours — frequently asked questions

How much is a Svaneti tour?
A day trip to Mestia from Tbilisi starts from ₾345 per person. The 4-day Svaneti + Ushguli tour starts from ₾750 per person, including 3 nights in guesthouses. The adventure tour in Georgia (rafting, trekking, 1–3 days) starts from ₾395 per person.
How do I get from Tbilisi to Svaneti?
Tbilisi to Mestia is 430 km. By car with a guide: 5–6 hours via Zugdidi. Marshrutka (minibus): from Didube bus station, departing at 8:00, 6–7 hours, about ₾45. By plane: flights from Tbilisi (Vanilla Sky), 45 minutes, from ₾90, but the schedule is irregular. Your guide arranges transport for the whole route.
When is the best time to visit Svaneti?
The best time is June–September. In June there is still snow on the peaks, the meadows are green and there are fewer tourists. July–August is the peak: green mountains and the glacier in full view. September brings golden forests and the best colours for photos. October is the last month before the road to Ushguli closes. In winter the Ushguli road is closed by snow.
How many days do I need for Svaneti?
At least 3 days: 1 day for the drive and Mestia, 1 day for Ushguli, 1 day to return. 4 days is ideal: you add the Chalaadi glacier or hiking trails. In 1 day from Tbilisi you can only see Mestia — there is no time for Ushguli. Guide Timur recommends the 4-day format as the best balance of depth and comfort.
What are the Svan towers and why were they built?
Svan towers (koshki) are stone towers 20–28 m tall, built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Every well-off family had its own tower for defence against raids and blood feuds. The tower villages of Mestia and Ushguli are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The towers of Ushguli against the Shkhara glacier are one of the most recognisable photos of Georgia.
Svaneti tours 2026

Towers, glaciers and Ushguli — with a guide from Tbilisi

Message Timur — reply within 15 minutes. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before. Groups of up to 7 people.

Call: +995 511 272 623

WhatsApp Telegram

Read more: Svaneti travel guide

All tours in Georgia — 12 routes with a guide →

Free guide: 15 places in Tbilisi you won't find in guidebooks + 5% off

Sent — check your inbox