3 day tour to Khevsureti

3 day tour to Khevsureti

Best time for tour: July - beginning of October
Places: Tbilisi / Jinvali water reservoir / Museum in Korsha / Datvijvari pass / Lebaiskari / Kistani / Shatili / Kachu fortress / Anatori graves / Mutso / Ardoti
Duration: 3 days
Price per person for 2 person stay at guest house/camping: 385/250 lari
Price for 14 person stay at guest house/camping: 140/50 lari
 
Tour plan
 
Version 1 – Stay at guesthouse
 
Day 1
Transportation from Tbilisi to Jinval
Stop – see Jinvali water reservoir
Transportation to village Korsha
Stop to visit Korsha museum.
Transportation to Datvijvari pass
Stop on pass to view Aragvi and Argun gorges.
Transportation to abandoned village Lebaiskari.
Stop to view Lebaiskari tower
Transportation to village Kistani
Walk to Kistani castle and abandoned village
Stop at waterfall "traveler's tears"
Transportation to Shatili. Staying at guest house. Dinner
 
Day 2
Breakfast at guest house
Walk in Shatili
Transportation to village Ardoti
Walk in Ardoti
On the way back -
Walk in abandoned village Mutso
View Anatori graves.
Return to Shatili. Dinner.
 
Day 3
Breakfast
Walk to Kachu fortress.
Free time in Shatili, time to make photos
Return to Tbilisi.
 
Version 2 – Camping
 
Day 1
Transportation from Tbilisi to Jinval
Stop – see Jinvali water reservoir

Transportation to village Korsha
Stop to visit Korsha museum.
Transportation to Datvijvari pass
Stop on pass to view Aragvi and Argun gorges.
Transportation to abandoned village Lebaiskari.
Stop to view Lebaiskari tower
Transportation to village Kistani
Walk to Kistani castle and abandoned village

Stop at waterfall "traveler's tears" Transportation to Shatili. Camping. Dinner at fire.
 
Day 2.
Breakfas
Walk in Shatili
Transportation to Mutso. 
On the way see Anatori graves
Walk in Mutso
Transportation to Ardoti
Camping near Ardoti.
Dinner
 
Day 3
Breakfast
Walk in Ardoti
Return to Shatili
Walk to Kachu fortress.
Free time.
Return to Tbilisi.
 

·       Without Anatori and Ardoti trip may be made for 2 day.

 
Tour Description 
 
We are traveling to north, one of the most isolated region of Georgian Highland - Khevsureti. Khevsureti lies on both slopes of great Caucasus mountains. and has it's unique culture First we are traveling by Georgian Military Road, till Jinvali bridge. After crossing bridge we are entering historical region Pshavi. Soon travelers will pass Jinvali water reservoir - one of the biggest reservoirs in Georgia.

All way travellers will follow river Pshavis Aragvi to north. After crossing bridge near Shuapkho, travellers will enter Khevsureti. Road lies in narrow gorge, mountains are covered by forests.
Next stop is in village Korsha. This is last place where GSM can be used. After Korsha coverage area of all GSM networks ends. In the village is little ethnographic museum.
After visiting museum, our way goes up and up to Datvijvari pass (2676m). On the way we will see several little villages.
Soon forests ends and alpine zone starts. From Datvijvari pass is great view on Aragvi and argun gorges.

Here will be next stop, on latitude 2676.

Mountain roads are dangerous. Many people dies here in accidents, avalanches, stone falls... Mountainers always stop here on pass to remember all those who had died here. Datvijvari pass is opened only from end of June till middle of October. Very few people have courage to cross pass in winter time by foot, and very few from those has survived.  

Down from Datvijvari, soon we will meet Lebaiskari tower. Such towers are very typical on north-east Caucasus.

Next stop is near Kistani fortress, which is on top of hill. In gorge nearby is abandoned village Kistani. Before fortress is "Khati" holy place for locals. Women can't go near it.
After Kistani travelers will see waterfall "traveler's tears" which falls down directly on the road

After several kilometers travelers at least will see Shatili towers.

Shatili is highland village, inhabited by dozen families. Shatili towers were built between X-XII centuries.

In beginning of XX century typhoid epidemic started in Khevsureti and killed many people. Ill people were leaving their villages to Anatori to die there.

Mutso village was abandoned century ago. It is tower complex like Shatili and was also built in XI-XII centuries. Several offsprings of Mutso people still live in this gorge.

Upper in Andaki river gorge is another village-fortress Ardoti.
Many towers of upper Khevsureti has pictograph writings, meaning of them is unknown..
Kachu fortress is on top of mountain near Shatili.