The Greater Caucasus 2027

We’re heading to magical Tusheti for our flagship ride – and our oldest riding expedition in Georgia! This is a spectacular, adventurous journey on horseback through the mountains. We’ll make our way across the wilds of Tusheti, cross high mountain passes and stay overnight in places that some European maps do not even show. Although we always sleep under a roof and in proper beds, and many modern conveniences have gradually made their way into Tusheti, access to hot water, electricity or mobile signal is not always guaranteed. What you do get instead is the chance to watch eagles soaring overhead, drink water straight from mountain streams and rest in the shade of mysterious stone towers in one of the most beautiful and environmentally pristine regions of the Caucasus. Along the way, we stay in guesthouses run by local families and hosts, who always make sure tired riders are very well fed – and equally well supplied with drinks.

The route forms a five-day loop through some of Tusheti’s most important and characteristic places, including the villages of Omalo, Shenako, Diklo, Dartlo, Girevi and Jvarboseli. On the final day, we’ll also head to one more place that you absolutely have to see. Twice along the way we reach an altitude of around 3,000 metres above sea level, crossing the high-mountain passes of Sakheo and Nakaicho, which offer truly spectacular views over the valleys and ridges of the Greater Caucasus. We also cross the Alazani, a life-giving river whose headwaters are here in Tusheti and which plays an important role in the geography of eastern Georgia. The route takes us through mountain valleys, local roads, rocky passes, vast meadows and old Tushetian villages. Along the way, we’ll also reach lesser-known but exceptionally scenic and fascinating places that allow you to experience Tusheti up close – through its nature, history and the everyday lives of its people.

Tusheti is one of Georgia’s wildest and most isolated regions, lying high in the Greater Caucasus among deep valleys, alpine meadows and rugged rocky ridges. For centuries, its remote location helped preserve a distinctive culture, shepherding traditions, local customs and the characteristic architecture of stone villages and defensive towers. For generations, the people of Tusheti have been closely connected with sheep and horse breeding, seasonal livestock migrations and a way of life shaped by the rhythm of the mountains. The region has also preserved numerous traces of ancient history and pre-Christian beliefs, which to this day coexist with Georgian Orthodoxy and local traditions. For Georgians, Tusheti is a symbol of freedom, independence, resilience, strength and attachment to ancestral land, while its people hold a special place in the national imagination. It is one of those corners of Georgia where landscape, history and culture remain exceptionally closely intertwined.

A large part of the route runs through areas that are almost completely uninhabited. Tusheti has fewer than 50 villages, most of which are abandoned today, and even at the height of the season only a few hundred people stay in the entire region. Tusheti is also inhabited only seasonally, from late spring until mid-autumn. For the rest of the year, the region is cut off from the outside world by the snow-covered Abano Pass, crossed by the legendary – and only – road leading into Tusheti. From June to October, the Tushetians graze thousands of animals in the mountains, run guesthouses and… welcome guests – something that is both part of their identity and their favourite thing to do. In autumn, the inhabitants, including shepherds, guesthouse owners and horse owners, descend to the lowlands, leaving only a dozen or so people in the entire region for the winter. When the snow melts in spring and the pass becomes accessible again, the Tushetians return to their beloved mountains. The local highlanders, whom we have known and been close friends with for more than 10 years, always welcome our riders with smiles, open arms and tables full of food.

Our local team consists of extremely experienced guides and riding tour leaders. Over more than a decade, they have led well over a hundred of our rides, know exactly what they are doing and – without the slightest exaggeration – are among the best guides in Georgia.

Tushetian horses are relatively small-framed, as mountain horses tend to be, yet incredibly hardy and fearless. They have exceptional balance, gentle temperaments, intelligence and an extraordinary instinct for dashing through difficult mountain trails. We have never met anyone who was not impressed by them – it is difficult not to admire these tough horses of the equally tough Tushetian highlanders.

The starting and finishing point of our expedition will be Omalo, the “capital” of Tusheti, and our guesthouse there, which has been our main base in the region for more than a decade. The guesthouse belongs to our long-time friends and riding partners, Tushetians through and through, with whom we always feel completely at home.

Trail difficulty and required riding skills
The ride is designed for experienced horse riders. By this, we mean being comfortable and confident in all gaits, including longer canters and gallops in a group of horses and riders over varied and changing terrain. Previous experience of group trail riding is required, along with the skills and fitness needed to spend several hours in the saddle at a varied pace and in potentially challenging terrain and weather conditions. The expedition takes place in a high-mountain environment, partly through uninhabited areas. Some sections are steep, while others follow mountain ridges and run alongside steep drops, and twice we reach an altitude of around 3,000 metres above sea level. Some sections of the route need to be covered on foot, and the ride requires good overall health and a reasonable level of physical fitness.

The rider weight limit is 95 kg.