Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti

From plains and canyons to the peaks of the Caucasus, the tower villages, snowy peaks and glaciers of Svaneti make up Georgia's most magnificent mountain scenery.

Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti lies in northwestern Georgia, with Zugdidi as its capital; the lowlands have attractions such as the Dadiani Palace and the nearby Martvili Canyon. In the north, Upper Svaneti lies deep in the Greater Caucasus, where the medieval defensive tower villages of Mestia and Ushguli are World Heritage Sites, surrounded by glaciers, alpine lakes and numerous hiking routes, and there are ski resorts in winter. Summer is the best season for mountain hiking. You can travel from Zugdidi to Mestia by mountain road, and Mestia also has a small airport with flights to and from Tbilisi.

Destinations

• Mestia (Svaneti)
• Kutaisi

Itineraries

• Grand Loop Road Trip of Georgia – A two-week self-drive route linking wine country, snow-capped mountains, cave cities, Svaneti stone towers, and the Bla…
• Classic East-West Georgia Route – Depart from Tbilisi, travel through Kakheti, Kazbegi, and Kutaisi, and end at the Black Sea in Batumi.