Why Mestia, Georgia should be your next holiday destination.

Imagine the Alps, but bigger. Imagine an undiscovered blend of European and Central Asian culture. Deep in the heart of the Georgian Caucasus, down a long and winding road, sitting in a valley surrounded by 4000m peaks to rival the highest and most beautiful that can be found in the Alps, is Mestia, the largest settlement and only town in the region of Upper Svaneti.

The first thing that will hit you on your arrival to Upper Svaneti, as you traverse one of the road’s many hair-pin bends, is Ushba. The mountain rests at a height of 4710m, towering above the small village of Becho and dominating the skyline in the way the Matterhorn does over Zermatt, only with greater scale and intensity. It’s a mountain that feels worthy of worship, but is just the beginning of what the area has to offer. As well as Ushba, the surrounding peaks of Tetnuldi (4848m) and Layla (4008m) offer inspiring views in their own right. The mountains are the thing of legend; locals name Ushba the groom and Tetnuldi the bride of the Caucasus.

The mighty Ushba

Mount Tetnuldi

Culture runs strong in Upper Svaneti, a region that has only recently benefited from proper road links to the rest of Georgia. Livestock are the primary users of the narrow village streets, tucked in among the 500 year-old defence towers, an iconic and unique feature of the Svan villages. The winters are hard and the villages remote, with horse-drawn sledge still the preferred mode of transport in many. Upon visiting you will find it hard to avoid the Svan hospitality; an offer of food, a drink or a place to stay is often enforced upon a wondering stranger – a trait which becomes ever more difficult to find as tourism to once remote and friendly areas becomes monetised.

The watchtowers of Mestia

Mestia lies at the heart of the region. Back-dropped by mountains, it offers a small glimmer of comfort with a growing number of local bars and restaurants, producing the region’s favourite – and fantastic – dishes, and the starting point for most people visiting the area. From here there are numerous opportunities for hiking, ranging from half-day hikes up to glaciers to multi-day trekking through remote villages, as well as ample climbing opportunities in the surrounding peaks. In winter a newly opened ski resort offers excellent piste skiing as well as outstanding ski-touring later in the season.

This is a true undiscovered region practically on your doorstep and it deserves your attention, now.

Remote Corner Adventures offers guided climbing, trekking and ski-touring trips throughout Central Asia, including an ascent of Mount Tetnuldi. For more information visit www.remote-corner.com and like the Facebook Page or email info@remote-corner.com.

Just below Camp 3 on Tetnuldi's 'normal' route up the South West ridge.