Svaneti (1)

Last week we had the chance to travel to the Svaneti (სვანეთი) region in northwestern Georgia. Svaneti is the highest occupied region in the Caucasus. It is remote and rugged, with high mountains and deep gorges, and occupied by a distinct group of people, the Svans, who speak their own, unwritten language. They tend to be closed, and suspicious of outsiders.

We went with a small group, which included a friend who had relatives in Svaneti. One of her uncles joined us for the four days we were there, and was our guide and security. We found lodging at a home-stay in Mestia, one of the chief communities of Upper Svaneti, and toured from there with a driver and four-wheel-drive van.

Following are pictures with a few notes. Of course, you can click on any picture for a larger view. Or, click on either of these two links for a bit more info about Svaneti.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svaneti

http://wikitravel.org/en/Svaneti

Svaneti (2) Getting there

We left Tbilisi in the early morning by marshutka (a public minivan) bound for Zugdidi, five hours away.

The sign in the window says "Zugdidi"

Of course we had to make a bathroom stop.

Pay 20 tetri (12 cents) to use the toilet

Buy some delicious sweet bread or bags of fruit

Zugdidi is a nice looking town

Change to another marshutka for the 4-hour ride to Mestia

Starting to look more rural

Strange sights

and more bathroom breaks

We now have our Svan guide (left) and driver

and the scenery begins to look more rugged

and beautiful

and remote.

We do make a lunch stop for some khachapuri (cheese bread) and I get a few shots of the kitchen in the cafe.

Svaneti (3) Mestia

Mestia is where we found our home-stay, and was our base for the days we spent in Svaneti. From here we toured out, to Usghuli the first day, and for a long hike up to a glacier the second day. In between these side trips we did wander around the town a bit. Here are some representative pictures of what we saw there.

Our home-stay

run by the Svan wife (left) of our driver.

The rooms were comfortable

and she made some great food.

We did visit the museum

Shoes and snowshoes

Pot for boiling meat

And, here are some representative views in the town.

The town square

Old Svan

Young Svan

Svan women with their ducklings

Old with new

Fixer-upper on the main street

Svaneti (4) The Towers

The most famous feature of the Svaneti landscape is certainly the towers that can be seen in all the towns and villages. These were constructed mainly from the 9th to the 12th centuries, as fortifications, but many are still in use today. They typically do not have doors, and can be entered only by the use of a ladder which is then drawn up inside. Here are a few photos that illustrate.

Svaneti (5) Ushguli

Ushguli, at close to 7,000 ft in elevation is the highest village in Europe that is inhabited year-round. From our home-stay in Mestia, it is another three-hour drive up into the mountains.

We pile into a sturdy 4-wheel drive vehicle

(Russian something, I think)

Not particularly comfortable

Lots of levers, and a cup holder

Our suspicious Svan driver checks the tires

And we head out....

On some pretty scary roads

Into the middle of nowhere

We finally get out of the car a couple of kilometers before we reach the village, and walk in to Ushguli enjoying the scenery.

The main activity going on in the village seems to be watching a truck being unloaded.

We decide to drop in on the (very modern) local school.

This guy greeting us is one of the teachers. He is 14 years old.

Classroom

Class in session with guest lecturer

The bell they ring, when they have electricity

The gong they use when the power is out

The school restrooms

Inside the restroom

As we leave the school, our guide meets a lady on the road.

Turns out they know each other, and we get invited to lunch at their house.

First we have to stroll through the town.

And then get to enjoy the hospitality.

This was such an interesting place, with great views and surprises around every corner.

We met a friendly local dog

What does his collar protect him from???