Hi Suzy,
Great to hear that you’re headed to Svaneti in March and that our article was useful. The time might be a bit faster now as the road has been improved since we traveled there.

One thing to ask at your AirBnb is what trails will be open at that time or cleared of snow. We heard that many of the trekking routes really start opening up in May, but there will likely be some open routes near Mestia. As I understand, you plan to spend the whole time based in Mestia vs. trekking and spending the nights in different villages along the way. If this is the case then I think that hiring a guide for the first day will help to give you an orientation and see how well-marked the route are around Mestia. Then, you can determine whether you think you can manage on your own or whether you’d feel more comfortable with a guide.

Have a great trip!

I was actually researching on how to get to Svaneti via land and came across your blog. My cousins and I are planning a 4-day breather to Svaneti mid March 2018. You’re article is a delight for me since it answered all my question on the travel time and fare.

I have booked my AirBnB on Mestia which says 10mins away from the hike zone, in line with this, would you suggest on booking 3 full day of tour or we can do 1 day tour and the remaining 2 days to hike around by ourselves? Is 4 days enough for Svaneti? Sorry got lots of questions, am pretty much excited upon reading your article. 🙂

Michael,
For some light trekking you might want to consider day hikes from Mestia and/or Ushguli (and take a vehicle between the two). The tourism office there should be able to provide you with maps of trekking routes in the area. I don’t believe the roads will be snow-filled yet at that time, but weather in high altitudes like this can be temperamental so be sure you have lots of layers for warmth and rain gear.

Enjoy your trip!

Hi Monsar,
It should be pretty easy to arrange a car and driver from Mestia. Check with the tourist information office there or at the hotel where you’re staying in Mestia to see if they can organize it for you.
Enjoy your trip!
Audrey

Hello,it is easy to find a car for 7 person from media to ushguli.how much.

Hi Maria,
Our trek was approximately 65km spread over 3.5 days. There were sections of it that had steep inclines, but it was moderately difficult overall. I would recommend our guide (Avgan) as he was knowledgeable of the route and region. However, he didn’t speak any English (only Russian, Georgian and Svan) if that’s an issue for you. I’m not sure if he’s still working with the Svaneti Tourism Center but you can always check. They probably have a list of other guides if he isn’t.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!
Audrey

Love this your blog. My husband and I are looking to visit Georgia end of summer this year and are struggling to find info on how to trek in Svaneti. We would prefer to do this trip on our own rather than go with a tour operators.

How long was your trek and would you recommend your guide?

Thanks

Hi Stefan,
Great to hear that you are interested in visiting Svaneti. If you are in good shape then it shouldn’t be a problem for you. Since our visit to Svaneti several years ago the roads have gotten better, so it is only a 3-4 hour jeep/bus journey from Zugdidi to Mestia. You can get to Zugdidi by overnight train or by bus from Tbilisi. I also hear that there are more hotels there, and you can find trekking guides or companies there if you want to do a trek. If you have specific questions, just let me know!

Hello, I’m Stefan Stanimirov, 58 years old pulmonary physician from Bulgaria in Eastern Europe. Going to Svaneti is something I would really love to do during this lifetime but I know it’s not an easy trip to take. Will be grateful for more detailed information about your experience in Svaneti.