Svaneti Private 4x4 Tour
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Best time: Jun–Sep
- Moderate
- 2–4 guests
Six days in Svaneti with a local driver-guide and a 4x4. Svan towers under Shkhara in Ushguli, the Chalaadi glacier, and the Koruldi Lakes facing Mount Ushba.
Your local host speaks English and Georgian
Highlights
- Shdugra waterfall, up the Becho valley under Ushba
- The Shkhara valley and its glaciers
- Mestia's Svan towers, your base for five nights
- The Enguri gorge on the way home
What's included
Included
- Private 4x4 Jeep
- Professional local driver/guide
- 5 nights in a Mestia guesthouse, with breakfast
- Fuel
- Route planning and local assistance
- Water and snacks in the car
- Private Georgian wine tasting in Tbilisi with a sommelier, our gift with this tour
Not included
- Lunch and dinner
- Entrance fees, if applicable
- Drinks and personal expenses
- International flights
- Travel insurance
Day by day
Day 1Tbilisi → Mestia
Begin the journey from Tbilisi and travel west toward the mountains of Svaneti. Drive through Kutaisi and Zugdidi before entering the Enguri Gorge. The road gradually climbs deeper into the Caucasus, with forests, rivers and mountain villages replacing the lowlands. Arrive in Mestia and settle into your accommodation.
- Kutaisi and Zugdidi on the way west
- Enguri Dam and the Enguri Gorge
- Evening in Mestia
Overnight: Mestia.
Day 2Chalaadi Glacier → Mestia
Start the adventure with one of Svaneti's most accessible glacier experiences. Drive from Mestia toward the Chalaadi Valley, then continue on foot through the forest following the Mestiachala River toward the glacier. The hike combines forest, river scenery, rocky mountain terrain and views of the surrounding peaks. After returning to Mestia, enjoy a relaxed afternoon exploring the town and its historic Svan towers.
- Chalaadi Valley
- Chalaadi Glacier hike
- Mestiachala River
- Svan towers and old Mestia
- Free time in Mestia
Overnight: Mestia. The Chalaadi walk is generally considered one of the easier mountain hikes around Mestia, making it a good first active day.
Day 3Ushguli → Shkhara Valley
Today is the main 4x4 adventure. Leave Mestia and follow the mountain road toward Ushguli, passing remote villages and deep valleys along the way. Explore Ushguli and its medieval Svan towers before continuing into the Shkhara Valley, where the enormous Shkhara massif dominates the landscape. Take a walk through the valley for closer views of the mountain and surrounding glaciers before returning to Ushguli.
- Mountain road to Ushguli
- Ushguli villages and Svan towers
- Chazhashi
- Lamaria Church
- Shkhara Valley
- Views toward Mount Shkhara
- Remote Caucasus landscapes
Overnight: Mestia. The Mestia–Ushguli road is roughly 45 km and is commonly done by 4x4; the Ushguli/Shkhara trip takes a full day.
Day 4Koruldi Lakes, facing Mount Ushba
Head high above Mestia toward the Koruldi Lakes. The Jeep takes you up the mountain roads toward the alpine zone, followed by a walk around the lakes and viewpoints. On a clear day, the panorama opens toward Mount Ushba, Tetnuldi and the surrounding Greater Caucasus. This is one of the strongest photography days of the trip.
- 4x4 mountain road
- Koruldi Lakes
- Alpine meadows
- Mount Ushba panorama
- Caucasus mountain viewpoints
- Optional longer hike
Overnight: Mestia. Koruldi is commonly offered either as an off-road excursion with a shorter walk or as a longer hike from Mestia.
Day 5Becho Valley → Mazeri → Shdugra Waterfall
A full day for the Becho Valley, beneath the northern face of Mount Ushba. From Mazeri the trail follows the river through forest to Shdugra Waterfall; the 4x4 can take you to the halfway café if you want a shorter walk. Back in Mestia for the evening.
- Becho Valley
- Mazeri village
- Shdugra Waterfall hike
- Ushba from below
Overnight: Mestia. No long drive today: the day belongs to the hike.
Day 6Mestia → Enguri Gorge → Tbilisi
A rested start and the long road home, down the Enguri Gorge and across western Georgia.
- Enguri Gorge
- Zugdidi and Kutaisi on the way
Drop-off at your Tbilisi hotel or Tbilisi Airport in the evening.
What to expect
Moderate: Longest: Shdugra Waterfall from Mazeri, about 14–15 km round trip, 5–6 h, around 500 m of climbing (about half if the 4x4 takes you to the halfway café). Chalaadi Glacier: about 6 km round trip, 2–3 h
- Hiking
- Longest: Shdugra Waterfall from Mazeri, about 14–15 km round trip, 5–6 h, around 500 m of climbing (about half if the 4x4 takes you to the halfway café). Chalaadi Glacier: about 6 km round trip, 2–3 h
- Driving
- About 9–10 h between Tbilisi and Mestia on day 1 and day 6; Ushguli and Koruldi by 4x4 on mountain roads
- Elevation
- Highest 2,740 m (Koruldi Lakes, reached by 4x4); you sleep in Mestia, about 1,500 m
- The Shdugra hike has its own day with a night in Mestia after it, so the long drive back to Tbilisi is a separate, rested day.
- Every hike can be shortened or skipped; the guide sets the pace to the slowest walker.
