Trekking the Highlander Svaneti in Georgia

Trekking the Highlander Svaneti offers an authentic taste of Georgia’s unspoilt northwest, a region as beautiful as it is remote

Just 20 years ago, Svaneti was considered a danger zone. Today, with an embarrassment of snow-capped 4,000m peaks, enchanting villages dotted with tower houses and gleaming glaciers standing sentry over meadows of wildflowers, Svaneti is a paradise for hikers.

Located in the remote northwest of Georgia, on the slopes of the mighty Caucasus Mountains near the border with Russia, wild and mysterious Svaneti has seen a tumultuous history including marauding Mongols and murderous blood feuds. Following independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union and the ensuing Georgian Civil War, the frontier region became a safe haven for criminals on the run.

Fortunately, decades of investment have seen the region open up to tourists while still retaining its authenticity. Home to some of Europe’s highest continuously inhabited villages, UNESCO-listed Svaneti is now connected to the rest of the country by sealed roads and a small airport at Mestia, the region’s only town. There has also been a significant increase in accommodation options and tour operators in the region.

This summer, I joined the inaugural Highlander Svaneti trek, one of the latest additions to the Highlander Adventure collection, and found a beguiling landscape packed with mighty mountain vistas, peaceful leafy valleys and picturesque tower-house villages. Despite its recent transformation, Svaneti still offers a genuinely off-the-beaten-track adventure with delightfully empty trails. Its beauty and mystique are clearly in no danger of wearing thin.