Mestia - Ushguli trail / Day 1 / Mestia - Zhabeshi / Svaneti / Georgia

Mestia - Ushguli trek is the most popular multi-hike trail in the Transcaucasian area. There is something special about the Caucasian mountains, Svan people and the high towers of this region that makes this trail really amazing and unique.

This is the classic “Mestia – Zhabeshi” trail which is the first day of the “Mestia – Ushguli” trek.

We followed the Transcaucasian Trail and turned off the trail in 2 spots (the reasons are mentioned below↴).

--- The trail starts right from Mestia’s center, then joins jeep treks.

--- You will see Transcaucasian trail’s signposts, but as not all the marks are in good condition, it’s better to have GPS with you.

--- Most of the time you will have a picturesque view of mighty mountain Ushba and mountain Tetnuldi.

--- While hiking you will encounter the gates of private property, so it’s better to turn off the trail in that spot (this part is mentioned in the waypoints). You join the trail after ~100 m.

--- When you get to the river, you’ll see a signpost which shows you the direction along the river. It is better to turn right and cross the bridge as the river flooded and part of this path got under the water. So in order to avoid wet hike, you cross the bridge and head to Zhabeshi by the village road. This is not a good option for hikers, but it’s short and safe last km till the village.

--- When you get closer to Zhabeshi village there are 2 spots to join the trail that goes to Adishi. First junction is before entering the village. This is for those who want to continue their hike without overnight or break in Zhabeshi. The next junction is situated at the village entrance. If you plan to stay in Zhabeshi or have a coffee/tea break there, it’s better to take the second one.
These 2 trails intersect after less than 1 km.


SEASON 

▶Doable:
Season starts from the middle of June and lasts till the middle of October.
From the middle of June till the middle of July we have a blooming and green season here.
Though the weather is not very stable and the chances of rain is quite high.
From the middle of July till September it's the high season with good weather and hot temperature. It is the most crowded period for the trail.
From September till the middle of October the temperature is a bit colder, but there are not too many people on the trail. It's a fantastic colorful fall in early October.

▶Recommended:
July, middle September

▶Not recommended:
I’d not recommend hiking the Mestia – Ushguli trail before the middle of June, as the weather is quite unstable. (heavy rains, cold temperature)
From the middle of October till June the trail is normally snow blocked which makes it unpassable.



▲FAQ about Mestia – Ushguli trek▲


▶ How many days does it take to hike from Mestia to Ushguli? Where I need to plan my overnights?
▷ This is the most visited trail in Georgia. Initially the trail was a 4-day hike, but because of the new asphalt road that leads to Ushguli, a lot of tourists skip that hike and get from Iprari to Ushguli by car (the 4rd day is Iprari-Ushguli trek).So this is a 3 or 4-day moderate hike (some people hike the last day anyway) or 2-day challenging hike for the advanced hikers.
The logistics of the hike is quite easy as we have affordable good guesthouses and small cafes in every village the trail passes. So no need to carry a heavy tent and sleeping bag with you. If we hike it in 3 or 4 days, we plan our sleepovers in these villages: Zabeshi, Adishi, Iprari (or Ushguli if we skip the 4th day hike).If we want to hike the trail for 2 days, we have overnight stay in: Adishi, Ushguli.The 1st, 2nd and the 4rd day are moderate hikes, the challenging day is the 3rd one - from Adishi to Iprari. 

▶ Is it safe to hike this trek? Are there wild animals? What about locals?
▷ As far as we know there are no wolves, bears or other dangerous animals on this trail. We haven’t met a single dog on our way. But I’ve heard that a shepherd dog attacked a woman on the Adishi upper trail (side trail of Mestia-Ushguli’s 2nd day) in late May. So always have pepper spray with you to be on the safe side.
Locals are very kind, many of them are helpful and friendly. Anyway do not forget about the fact that this is the Caucasian area with peculiar traditions and mindset, so even if most of the people are eager to help, always choose reliable guesthouses (have a look at booking’s recommendations) and stick to other hikers if you travel alone (especially if you are female).

▶ Is it one of those overcrowded trails?
▷ There are no crowded trails in the Caucasus J Though this is the most popular one and you meet other hikers on the way, it’s still quite virgin, fairy and comfy trail, especially if your hike is not in high season ( July, August).

▶ What about cell coverage?
▷ You have mobile service almost all the time. So no need to worry about being unavailable.

▶ Do we need to book a guesthouse beforehand?
▷ We haven’t done this during our trip, as all the villages we’ve passed through there were a lot of available guesthouses in booking site. But it was in early July, so they say that from the middle of July till September it gets more difficult to find a good homestay. Anyway, even if you do not want to plan your overnights beforehand, it will not be difficult to find it in a village, as locals are always ready to help with this.

▶ Is it costly to do this trail?
▷ No, it is not. You can find good affordable guesthouses (from 15 EU) and delicious food in homestays or cafes (15 -25 EU). There are also lunch services in most of the guesthouses (they make small lunch packs for hikers) so you do not need to go to the markets. Most important thing to know, that the only ATM you find there is in Mestia. So having cash with you is crucial here.

▶ What about direction? Is there a big difference between starting the trek from Mestia or Ushguli?
▷ Yes. I highly recommend starting from Mestia.
Firstly: It’s better to challenge yourself on the first days, not the last ones and Ushguli is really a good village to complete the trail.
Secondly: You may not feel very comfortable to hike most of the trail alone, as when you do it the opposite direction, the chances to meet other hikers on the trail get lower.
Thirdly: Adishi river gets flooded after noon. That river cross is very challenging even in mornings, so it's highly unwanted to take the risk of passing it when it gets higher. The other thing to keep in mind is that there will be no locals with their horses to help with the river cross at that time.

▶ Is the Adishi river cross that terrifying as they say?
▷ The river cross is really dangerous, especially if you are not an advanced hiker and not very good at balance. The inability to control your body may lead to adverse consequences here, so be very careful.
The thing is that the river flows really fast, the water level gets to your waist and the water is extremely cold.
If you’ve never experienced river crossings, it’s 100 percent no. Anyway, you will assess the situation carefully when you get there.
Right at the river cross there are locals with the horses who provide river-cross service with their horses (25 GEL/ 15 EU for one pass).

▶ Does Mestia-Ushguli trek match with the Transcaucasian trail in Svaneti?
▷ Transcaucasian trail is way longer than Mestia-Ushguli trek and Mestia-Ushguli is a part of Transcaucasian trail.
95 % of the TCT trail matches with the “currently hiking” trail (that 5 % mismatch is due to new private property areas on the trail and change of climatic conditions ).

▶ Is Mestia-Ushguli trek kid friendly?
▷ Yes, the trek is family-friendly, if we speak about hiker kids that are over 8 years and have hiking experience. The trail lacks steep edges. BUT: There is one risky spot on this trail - a river crossing 5 km away from Adishi village on the 3rd day. Kids undoubtedly need horse service there with the accompaniment of the locals/parents.

▶ Are there 2 different trails from Mestia to Adishi? Which one to choose?
▷ There are 2 trails heading from Mestia to Adishi. The one that goes through Zhabeshi and the other one that goes through Tsvirimi.
The classic trail of Mestia-Ushguli passes through Zhabeshi village.
The hike through Tsvirimi is not very comfy (no paths, just dirty jeep treks), but some hikers prefer that one for the 1st and 2nd day of Mestia-Ushguli trek, as it has really stunning views (especially the first day from Mestia to Tsvirimi).
You may shortcut the first day trail (Mestia - Tsvirimi) by taking a cable car till Hatsvali.
BTW you can hike both trails if you plan 1-2 more days in your itinerary.

▶ Is the Mestia-Ushguli trail marked or do I need GPS tools with me?
▷ The trail is blazed by the Transcaucasian Trail and it's quite easy to follow. But the marks are not enough to navigate during the whole hike. In some points there are some confusions among various cow paths and there are junctions without signposts as well. So having GPS trails in your phone will be better to be on the safe side.