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William Wolf
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Iain MacMillan
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Ilia quickly became part of our noisy family of five (all adults) as we ski-toured about the Svaneti region on one of our best trips ever. Patient, adventurous, smiley, entertaining, quick-witted... a whole list of adjectives fit Ilia.
Louis Hubert P.
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
We spent an exceptional week in Svaneti. Ilia guided us safely all around the valley. The place is wonderful and exceptionally well preserved. Villages are just out of time and still protected from mass tourism. they should definitly be visited soon... We enjoyed extraordinary views and gigantic landscapes, followed by endless descents in superb snow... Ilia\'s reputation clearly precedes him among all the guides who consider him as a reference. One recommendation : Get there soon and enjoy this beautiful region!
Oliver Schmid
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Mestia and in particular Ushguli provided for a remarkable context to this amazing, off the beaten track skiing trip. The pictures speak for themselves: it is developing quickly but is nevertheless a place frozen in time, where cows and donkeys far outnumber cars and the Caucasus provides for an imposing backdrop. Georgian hospitality was fantastic and Ilia made sure we were well looked after at all times, on and off the slope. We felt very safe enjoying the copious amounts of powder that was falling the week we were there. We kept on bumping into groups of people who had been guided by him in prior seasons and felt compelled to visit again - and something tells me we might join those ranks soon too...
Benoit Tesch
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Mestia in the Svaneti region will not remain an idem gem for long. It\'s got it all: alpine descents, all-you-can-ski powder and remote villages charged with history. Illia was a great guide both in and out of the slopes; safe, fun and knowledgeable. And do not worry about the food, it is amazing!
Victoria van Lennep
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Absolutely loved our trip to Georgia. In short: incredibly pittoresque villages, wonderful people, amazing food, stunning scenaries, ridiculous powder (some of the best snow ever!), and a very friendly, professional and experienced ski guide. You will always feel safe with Ilia. What more does one need? I highly recommend a trip to the beautiful Svaneti region.
Gabrielle Walton
3.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
Poor weather but nice guide
Fabian Leimer
5.00
Hut to Hut Ski Tour in Georgian Caucasus, Svaneti
The traveller did not leave a comment.
Mestia may be a tiny town but it’s a cultural capital of Georgia. For centuries is lay at the core of national culture, with a collection of medieval buildings, including ancient forts and churches that are listed and protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today it is a fundamental tourism spot where to spring into the wintry backcountry.
Country code
+995
Language
Georgian
Currency
Georgian lari
What’s the weather like?
The region is home in the Caucasus Mountains, receiving an alpine climate with year-round snow
Best time to visit
Visit during the winter months between December and March for ideal backcountry skiing conditions
Located high up in the Caucasus Mountains is the alpine townlet of Mestia, resting at 1,500 meters above sea level. It is part of the Svaneti region of Georgia and has a population of approximately 14,000 people, most of whom are Svans, a subgroup of Georgians that mostly inhabit Svaneti. Although small in size, the townlet has been part of core Georgian culture for centuries
We spent a week organised by Illia and his team between Mestia, Ushguli, in Februar 2020. Our guide was Gogi. He was also driving us from Tbilisi to Mestia and in Mestia for the daily ski tours. We spent a fantastic week. Everything was very well organised. Gogi found very nice ski tours, that matched what we wanted, i.e. between 1000 and 2000m climbing per day in nice landscapes with good powder. Gogi was also always concerned with our security (avalanches) and we had always the impression to be in good hands. Thank you for this very nice week !