Georgia is a wonderful country that you want to return to again and again. And even though I’ve been here many times before, it’s still the same – every visit leaves only pleasant memories in my soul. Some of the main impressions of Georgia are mountains and people.
I think many have heard about Georgian hospitality – so, it really exists!
Let’s consider what options there are for hiking and climbing in Georgia.
Georgia is a mountainous country, here, wherever you look, there are mountains. In the north of the country there is the Main Caucasus Range, in the center there are mountains near Borjomi, near Batumi, in the east – near Lagodekhi…
Main Caucasus Range
The southern slopes of the GKH lie in Georgia and here are the following regions, well developed by tourists: Svaneti – in the north-west of the country, and the region of the city of Kazbek in the north of the country.
Mount Kazbek (5033m) – ascent
It is located approximately 150 km north of the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, and is a fairly popular and relatively easy mountain for summer climbing. The ascent begins from the cozy village of Stepantsminda, passes through the majestic Tsminda-Sameba church, rising on a hill, which offers a beautiful view of both Kazbek itself and the nearby ridges. In good weather the view is amazing! Summer ascent to Kazbek is available to a wide range of people, but experience of previous hikes and good physical shape are desirable – then the ascent will be easier and more interesting. Participants can obtain all the technical experience necessary for climbing (working with a rope, walking with crampons, etc.) on site.
Climbing programs to Kazbek from Georgia from ExtremeGuide:
Летнее восхождение Зимнее восхождение
Svaneti – hiking, climbing, skiing.
Svaneti is a mountainous region in northwestern Georgia. By right, Svaneti can be considered the most beautiful mountainous region of Georgia – the views of the Main Caucasus Range with its snow-capped peaks and steep cliffs, and mountain villages with their authentic Svan towers and stone houses are very photogenic here.
This area is quite popular both among Russian-speaking tourists and among foreign tourists (of whom there are even more). Here you often meet Israelis, French, British, and representatives of other countries on the trail. It is thanks to this popularity that overnight accommodation and transport services are well developed here – in almost every village you can find a guest house, which foreign trekkers are very fond of (going without tents and spending the night in guest houses). But for lovers of autonomous hiking there are no barriers here – tents can be set up in any place you like. And the picturesque valleys and ridges, beautiful trails and passes will not leave anyone indifferent!
Hiking programs in Svaneti:
Поход по Сванетии + восхождение на Лайлу (4008 м)
Треккинг по Сванетии: Местия, Адиши, Ушгули
In addition to hiking, in Svaneti you can climb many beautiful peaks, and you can choose a suitable peak based on your mountaineering experience – the majestic (and difficult) Ushba, the no less beautiful Shkhara (the highest point of Georgia), Tetnuldi, Laila…
Climbing programs in Svaneti:
Поход по Сванетии + восхождение на Лайлу (4008 м)
Восхождение на Тетнульд (2Б альп., 4869м.)
And in winter in Svaneti you can go skiing – the ski service here is also quite well developed. And if you combine a ski program with a short hike in the mountains and a trip to the sea, you will get this wonderful program – Новий Рік в Сванетії + Анаклія (Грузія).
Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park – trekking.
This area has not yet been heavily developed by tourists, so here you can fully encounter wild places, quiet mountains, and selfless and sincere Georgian hospitality.
These mountains are different from Svaneti – the ridges here are calmer, more forested with rare rocky outcrops, with vast treeless areas from which views of vast green spaces open. The mountains resemble the Carpathians. The places here are wild and there are a lot of animals in the mountains – from hares and foxes to bears and wolves, so walking here in a large and friendly group is better than alone 🙂 I walked here at the end of August alone, and all the locals I met (who periodically they fed and watered me) they argued that it was better not to walk alone.
Nevertheless, the mountains here are very beautiful, calm, and if you have already been to Svaneti and you want to see Georgia again, but from a new perspective, be sure to come here.
Программа похода от ЭкстримГида
Gudauri – alpine skiing, freeride.
In addition to Svaneti, the Gudauri region, which is located just a few kilometers from Kazbek, is perfect for a ski holiday. This area is popular as a ski resort – there are excellent slopes, both for descending on prepared slopes and for off-piste skiing (freeride). Gudauri is a mecca for freeriders, a modern and constantly developing area. And together with a visit to Tbilisi, Mtskheta and other attractions, you will remember winter Georgia even more!
Школа фрирайда и беккантри в Гудаури
In addition to those listed above, there are a lot of beautiful places in Georgia – both cities (Tbilisi, Batumi, Mtskheta, Mestia and others) are interesting, as well as other cultural and natural monuments, the story of which is beyond the scope of this article, but which are also interesting to visit . So you can return to Georgia more than once, gradually getting to know more and more new and interesting areas!
Смотрите все походы и восхождения от ЭкстримГида по Грузии.
Georgia is a small country that has been able to absorb the best that the Caucasus has: hospitality, respect for the elderly, devotion and true friendship, colorful feasts and songs, unique traditions.
The climate, landscapes and infrastructure of Georgia attract tourists all year round. There is something to do here both in the snowy winter and in the gentle summer.The completeness of the picture is complemented by a unique cuisine: fine wines, suluguni, adjika, shish kebab, khinkali, kharcho, khachapuri. How can this be ignored?
Climate of Georgia
Despite the small area of the country – 69,000 square km climate and weather can be very different in the western and eastern parts. From the west, Georgia is washed by the Black Sea, from the east it is influenced by dry Asian air currents, and the north is the Caucasus Mountains. Thanks to this unique combination, the climate of the country is very mild; in winter there are no severe frosts, but a lot of precipitation and snow settle on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.
In the lowlands and valleys the climate is very moderate, in summer up to +30 C, at altitudes above 3500 +10..+15, and in winter the temperature rarely drops below 0 degrees. In the mountains, the climate is cooler in summer, temperature +20 + 25, and in winter -5…-15 C.
Most precipitation occurs in late autumn and winter and early spring. The climate of the coastal part of the Black Sea is subtropical humid.
Map of Georgia
Selecting a program in Georgia, routes
The format of recreation in Georgia can be different: hiking and trekking, rafting, horseback riding tours, climbing, wine and gastronomic tours, car tours, climbing, ski holidays and off-piste skiing. Depending on the season, you can do a mix of different activities in one program. One way or another, any trip to Georgia is: a gastronomic, wine tour and then everything else :).
Several areas are interesting for us: hiking in Georgia, climbing, mountaineering school, off-piste skiing, ski holidays.
The ski infrastructure in Georgia is very developed. There are several worthy resorts here: Gudauri, this is where we conduct a freeride school, and Upper Svaneti also has two comfortable resorts, Hatsvali and Tetnuldi, where we also conduct a ski program. The Bakuriani resort area is also promising for freeride.
We have chosen several regions for hiking routes: Upper Svaneti with its impregnable villages, fortresses and ancestral towers, we are also interested in the Borjomi region and hiking in Khevruseti, Chaukhi. Here you can do autonomous multi-day hikes, as well as short radial hikes without backpacks.
Our website also presents popular climbs in Georgia – Kazbek (the highest point of the country), Tetnuldi, Laila and the impregnable Ushba. In addition, for those who want to improve their level of sportsmanship, we offer to take a mountaineering school in Chaukhi.
Cost of hiking in Georgia
The average cost of the trip is 200 – 250 EUR. This includes basic expenses, including travel and food. Additional expenses include flights to Georgia, meals in cities, days spent in Tbilisi. On average, the budget for a trip + two days in Tbilisi will be 300-400 EUR + air.
Of course, if you are planning an ascent, for example Kazbek, then the budget here will be higher. Since organizing such an event requires large resources, two or more guides work with you, a group of no more than 8 people, and sometimes 2-4 for climbing Tetnuldi, Ushba. The guides who work with you have serious qualification requirements (such guides are in great demand). The program for Kazbek, taking into account equipment rental and additional days in Tbilisi, will cost about 700 EUR + air.
If you plan to come to Gudauri in winter and do freeride here, then your budget with rental and ski passes will cost you about 700-800 EUR + air.
Sights of Georgia
Anyone who wants to touch the cultural heritage of the country can start right from its capital. By the way, the flight from Moscow/Kyiv to Tbilisi lasts only 2 hours, ticket prices start from $100. Such a short flight allows you to make plans for sightseeing right on the day of arrival.
Tbilisi will give you indelible impressions from the Botanical Garden, the Ropeway, Mtatsminda Park, and the Narikala Fortress. Svaneti should be a must. They say that whoever visits here will see the real Georgia. Trekking or climbing will leave vivid memories of the beauty of this region: waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, lakes and majestic Svan towers – photos of all this will give you both a feeling of admiration and awe for a long time.
Svaneti is an excellent area to organize your holiday in Georgia in winter and summer, as it not only has magnificent views, but also the excellent ski resort of Khatsvali, Tetnuldi, as well as an impressive trekking route with a luxurious observation deck.
A special time in Georgia is the festival period in September-October. It is during these months that a festival takes place that overshadows even the New Year – Rtveli, the grape harvest. A sea of wine, an abundance of delicious dishes, songs, dances – an atmosphere of amazing kindness and bright fun.
Popular hiking routes in Georgia:
- Восхождение на Казбек с Юга, Грузия (5033 м)
- Башни Сванетии + море, 9 дней
- Школа фрирайда и беккантри в Гудаури (Грузия)
- Восхождение на Ушбу
For more information about hiking in Georgia, watch the video lecture:
What season is best to choose for hiking in Georgia:
Hiking in Georgia in summer
The optimal period for hiking in Georgia, as well as climbing, is summer, for example from June to September, when there is already little snow in the mountains, the weather is more or less stable without prolonged precipitation. Mostly clear days.
Hiking in Georgia in spring
Spring in Georgia is quite warm, but there is precipitation, so it varies from year to year. Usually in May the weather is closer to summer than winter, the amount of precipitation is less, but you need to be prepared for the fact that it may still snow in the mountains. In general, we regularly conduct a route around Svaneti during this period.
Hiking in Georgia in winter
The most unstable period for hiking; there is often precipitation in the form of snow in the mountains. Therefore, during this period we try to conduct short radial trips during daylight hours, without spending the night in tents.
Hiking in Georgia in autumn
In September and early October in Georgia you can experience good weather without precipitation, the temperature is slightly lower than in summer. But overall it is very comfortable for going hiking with a backpack.
Freeride and alpine skiing in Georgia
Since Georgia is a mountainous country, if there is enough snow, freeride can be arranged anywhere. The most favorable, convenient in terms of infrastructure for freeride and ski holidays are the resorts of Tetnuldi and Gudauri. Here we regularly provide training programs that will allow you to become confident skiers and snowboarders off-piste.
Why you should go trekking in the Caucasus with ExtremeGuide:
✅ Experience since 2008;
✅ More than 4,500 satisfied tourists who went camping with us;
✅ Experienced guides who know “the Caucasus like a home”;
✅ Гgroup of 10-12 people with a guide for your comfort and friendly atmosphere. According to our observations, this is the ideal number of people on autonomous trips;
✅ Help at all stages before the hike: general recommendations, checklists and training videos;
✅ High-quality food tailored to your wishes (vegetarian, food allergies, etc.).
✅ Quality equipment and tents;
✅ Thoughtful service and fair price. We tried to include the main costs along the route so that you do not rack your brains and think that you were “deceived”
✅ Quality guarantee: if you didn’t like the atmosphere on the hike, the food, etc., we promise the next hike with us for free.
The main season for hiking and climbing is in the summer, but in winter we also prepared several programs. Programs vary in budget and complexity. From a simple hike in Svaneti to a challenging climb to Ushba for experienced climbers.
Hiking in Georgia: what you need to be prepared for
Firstly, we need to be prepared for the boundless hospitality of the Georgians, one way or another we will be invited to a dinner party, or simply treated to wine and khachapuri.
Most of our routes are 5-7 days away from populated areas and accompanied by porters and horses. We carry food, tents and other equipment on ourselves. The weight of the backpack sometimes reaches 15-17 kg.
Kitchen duty. The guide arranges and purchases food. But in the kitchen you need to take turns helping the guide in the process of preparing food.
The altitudes at which the hikes take place are 2500-3500. You need to be prepared for slight malaise, shortness of breath due to the altitude and the processes that develop during oxygen starvation. Our guides will take care of everything to make you feel comfortable. It is very important to drink more fluids and monitor your thermoregulation along the route.
The weather in the mountains of Georgia changes frequently. Wind, bad weather and even thunderstorms occur regularly, and even with clear, clear skies the weather can change in just a couple of hours. It is very important to listen to the guide’s commands and to approach the selection of equipment and clothing for the hike responsibly.
How to prepare for hiking in Georgia
It is better to start preparing for the trip in advance, no later than 2-3 months in advance. During this period, you should pay attention to strengthening your back muscles (since you will be wearing a backpack) and general endurance. Accordingly, in addition to general physical training, it is worth including running and cycling at least 2-3 times a week. The duration of the main part of the workout should be at least 1 hour. Monitor your pulse. Two weeks before the start, we recommend reducing the intensity and number of workouts.
