The trip is graded moderate and is suitable for hikers with appropriate fitness levels to walk

in mountainous terrain up to 3000 metres, for a minimum of 6 hours a day for multiple days

carrying a day pack.

Early summer (late May – June) and autumn (September – mid October) are the best times to hike in the Upper Svaneti.

In early summer we can enjoy the contrast of vivid green valleys and snow-capped mountains not to mention the beautiful mountain flowers. Temperatures will be around 22 degrees centigrade during the day and 10 degrees centigrade during the night. However it being Spring there will more rainy days!

You will be hiking between 6 and 8 hours a day. The terrain underfoot can be quite rocky and uneven so walking boots with ankle support is advised.

We will be staying in family run guesthouses and homestays. They are run by local Svan families who will look after us and cook us some wonderful meals.

Georgia is a safe place to travel.

Yes, a lot of the group will be coming on their own, some may know each other from previous trips. By the end of the trip you will have made many new friends through sharing in an amazing adventure.

The group size is dictated by the transportation arrangements. We use nine seat mini buses to travel around in so the group size will either be eight travellers with one driver/leader or  up to sixteen travellers with two minibuses and two drivers/leaders.

You will need insurance covering hiking in Georgia up to 3000 metres.

We have private transport to take us from Kutaisi to Mestia and return as well as from Ushguli to Mestia.

Of all the potential hazards lurking in the Caucasus mountains, people most often talk about bears. How many live there? Are they dangerous? Is it safe to hike in the mountains?

Bears are shy and avoid contact with humans. It is very unlikely we will see a bear. Plus there hasn’t be a single incident of a hiker being attacked by a bear.

Shepherd dogs on the other hand can be a bit of a nuisance and will encounter plenty of them on our hike. We will take the advice of our local guide on how best to avoid them.

For UK and many EU nationals a visa is not required. Please check https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/georgia/entry-requirements for further details regarding visa requirements as well as up-to-date information on health, security, travel and customs.

You cannot take Georgian Lari into or out of Georgia. We suggest purchasing £50 worth of local currency on arrival at the airport to enable you to buy souvenirs such as Svanetian salt, local honey, wine and cha cha. Also there is a bank in Mestia for additional cash withdrawals.

Georgian food is a vegetarian’s dream. It has been influenced by Western Asia, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Europe. The resulting fare is hearty, vibrant, fresh and an unexpected delight.

Please contact us before you book to check whether we can accommodate your particular requirement.

Details of inoculations can be found at: www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

The advice is to have a Hepatitus A, Tetanus and Typhoid inoculation and others to consider include Hepatitus B, Rabies and Tuberculosis (TB).

We fly Wizz AIr from London Luton to Kutaisi. The trip runs from Thursday to Thursday. The outgoing flight departs at 17:00 and returns to London Luton at 16:30 the following Thursday.  Once we have enough people for the trip to run we will tell you to book your flight. Do not book your flight before the trip is confirmed.

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