Trek the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia — Self-Launched

Land at Kutaisi International Airport (KUT) — Wizz Air flies here cheaply from Brussels, Frankfurt, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Athens. A metered taxi to the city centre takes ~25 minutes and costs around 20-25 GEL (~£6). Check into a budget guesthouse or hostel near the Colchis Fountain. Spend the evening wandering the cobbled old town and meeting other travellers over khinkali (dumplings) and a glass of natural Saperavi wine. Buy a local SIM (Magti or Silknet, ~15 GEL for a data package) tonight so you can book guesthouse beds as you go.

🚌Taxi from KUT airport to centre ~£6 (20-25 GEL)

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Kutaisi centre (private or dorm), £12-18

• →Arrive Kutaisi airport
• →Evening stroll around Colchis Fountain and old town
• →Buy local SIM card (Magti/Silknet)

Take the morning marshrutka (shared minibus) from Kutaisi bus station to Zugdidi (~4 GEL, ~2hrs), then catch a connection onward toward Mestia. Break the journey at the viewpoint for the Enguri Dam, the world's second-highest arch dam. Ask the driver to drop you at Becho, a small village below Mount Ushba, where you'll stay the night. Note: seat availability on the Mestia-bound marshrutka is limited, so arrive early or split the trip into stages. Guesthouses in Becho are simple, family-run, and include huge home-cooked dinners.

🚌Marshrutka Kutaisi-Zugdidi-Zugdidi-Mestia route, ~£8 total; ask driver to stop at Becho

🛏Svan family guesthouse in Becho, twin share, £15-20

• →Marshrutka ride through the Caucasus foothills
• →Enguri Dam viewpoint stop
• →Arrive Becho village

Set out from the guesthouse for the hike to the foot of Mount Ushba (15,420 ft) and the Shdugvra (Ushba) Waterfalls — a 5-hour climb through woodland that steepens near the top, with views of the Laila range. This is the same classic route as the guided trip; there's a well-worn trail and the guesthouse can point you in the right direction or arrange a local guide for ~£30-40 if you'd rather not navigate solo. Descend and continue by shared taxi or local minibus to Mestia (~30 mins) for the next two nights.

🚌Local shared taxi Becho-Mestia ~£5

🛏Guesthouse in Mestia, twin share, £15-20

• →Hike to Ushba (Shdugvra) Waterfalls (6-7hrs, 9mi, ~650m ascent)
• →Optional local guide (~£35)
• →Transfer to Mestia

The first full day of the classic Transcaucasian Trail section. Walk out of Mestia past the iconic Svan stone defence towers, up through forest and alpine meadows on rugged jeep tracks to a pass below Mount Khakiani (12,146 ft). Views open up over the Mulkhra Valley with Tetnuldi and Gistola towering beyond. Descend to the village of Zhabeshi for the night. Your main bag can be forwarded between guesthouses — most Svan guesthouses arrange luggage transfer for ~20-30 GEL; if not, pack light and carry everything or hire a porter locally.

🚌On foot; optional guesthouse-to-guesthouse luggage transfer ~£6-8

🛏Guesthouse in Zhabeshi, twin share, £15-20

• →Transcaucasian Trail: Mestia-Zhabeshi (6-8hrs, 10mi)
• →Svan Towers in Mestia
• →Mulkhra Valley viewpoint

Hike out of the Mulkhra Valley, climbing over the Tetnuldi Pass (8,202 ft) with glaciers and 13,100 ft peaks in view, then descend into the medieval village of Adishi. Adishi is famed for four historic churches dating from the 9th-14th centuries — a proper UNESCO-adjacent slice of Svaneti heritage. Ask at your Zhabeshi guesthouse about sending your bag ahead; the same 4x4 route the guided groups use is available for a small fee.

🚌On foot; optional luggage transfer ~£6-8

🛏Guesthouse in Adishi, twin share, £15-20

• →Hike Zhabeshi-Adishi over Tetnuldi Pass (6-7hrs, 7mi)
• →Visit Adishi's medieval churches and Svan towers

The big day: follow the trail toward the Adishi Glacier, cross the glacial Adishichala River on horseback (local horsemen wait at the crossing; expect to pay ~20-30 GEL, the local rate), then climb to the Chkhutnieri Pass (8,931 ft) — the highest point of the trek. Descend to the historic village of Khalde and on to Iprali for a well-earned dinner. This is the most demanding and most rewarding day; start early.

🚌On foot; horse crossing of Adishichala River ~£5-8

🛏Guesthouse in Iprali, twin share, £15-20

• →Trek to Chkhutnieri Pass, the trek's high point (6-8hrs, 11mi)
• →Horseback crossing of the Adishichala River
• →Adishi Glacier viewpoint

Take the short local taxi or shared vehicle to Ushguli (6,562 ft), the UNESCO World Heritage settlement at the very eastern edge of Svaneti, famous for its 37 Svan towers and the Church of Saint Mary. In the afternoon, hike up to the edge of the Shkhara Glacier and the source of the Enguri River, then return for a final night in the mountains. Ushguli guesthouses are atmospheric and informal — book a day ahead in summer as beds fill fast.

🚌Shared taxi Iprali-Ushguli ~£5-8; hiking on foot for the glacier

🛏Guesthouse in Ushguli, twin share, £15-20

• →Explore Ushguli's UNESCO-listed Svan towers and Church of St Mary
• →Hike to the Shkhara Glacier (5-6hrs, 7mi)

Relaxed start, then travel back to Kutaisi by marshrutka or shared taxi from Mestia/Zugdidi (allow 5-6 hours). In Kutaisi, visit the Bagrati Cathedral and explore the vast, colourful central produce market — Georgia's largest. Finish with a farewell dinner of khinkali and natural wines. Note the guided trip arrives around 4pm; if you're self-launching you can split this over a night in Zugdidi or Mestia instead if connections are tight.

🚌Shared taxi/marshrutka Ushguli-Mestia-Zugdidi-Kutaisi, ~£12-15

🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Kutaisi, £12-18

• →Travel back to Kutaisi
• →Bagrati Cathedral
• →Kutaisi central produce market
• →Farewell Georgian dinner

Breakfast at the guesthouse, then a taxi to Kutaisi International Airport (25 mins, ~£6) for your flight home. Wizz Air connections back to Brussels, Frankfurt, Prague, Budapest, Vienna and Athens make onward travel cheap.

🚌Taxi to KUT airport ~£6

🛏—

• →Transfer to Kutaisi airport
• →Departure