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Tetnuldi, Queen of the Caucasus 9-day Guided Climb in Georgia

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Tetnuldi, Queen of the Caucasus 9-day Guided Climb in Georgia
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Join a native Svanetian certified guide on an amazing mountain climbing experience in Georgia. Reach the summit of the stately Tetnuldi and catch sight of the beautiful Caucasus Range from a prominent vantage point!

Private

Caucasus

9 Days

Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Fit

Intermediate


Highlights

  • Climb Tetnuldi, Queen of the Caucasus, with a local certified mountain guide.
  • Explore Georgia and learn about what life is like in a small Svaneti village.
  • Discover breathtaking landscapes and a unique mountain culture.

Description

At 4,858 m (15,938 ft), Tetnuldi is a prominent peak in the central part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, located in the Svaneti region of Georgia. It is one of the most beautiful mountains in the region, and the locals have dubbed it the “Queen of the Caucasus”. On this 9-day guided climb, I will take you to its summit and share all of my knowledge of the region with you!

After getting picked up at the airport, you will be transferred to Mestia, where our adventure begins. Before setting off to the summit of Tetnuldi, we will enjoy a day of acclimatization and training, and it’s all uphill from there. However, this is not a climb for beginners.  The slopes of Tetnuldi are glaciated, generally about above the 3,000-meter line, so you will need prior mountaineering experience to join. You can find a detailed itinerary below.

Keep in mind that you will need to have an excellent fitness level. Additionally, you will require ice climbing and high altitude camping skills. Being comfortable and knowing how to use the equipment is also important for this ascent. Of course, I will be there to help and guide you every step of the way!

So, are you ready to meet the Queen of the Caucasus? She will be happy to greet you! Contact me now and let’s start planning an unforgettable Tetnuldi ascent.

Or, if you prefer, you can also join me on an 8-day climb to the summit of Ushba, the King of the Caucasus. Why not? You might even go for both!

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Accommodation included

- Transportation start and back

- Transport during the trip

- Luggage transfer

- Mountain guide expenses

- Breakfast

- Lunch

- Dinner

Price details

Note: All basecamp equipment - Food, Tents, gas etc. will be shared to all

participants to carry up to the basecamp, except personal equipment.


Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival

Meeting at the airport, transfer to the city, spend a night in a hotel.

Day 2: Mestia

Transfer to Mestia. Meeting with the guide, equipment check, and short briefing about the route
and its details. Overnight in Mestia.

Day 3: Tetnuldi basecamp

After an early breakfast, we will drive up to an altitude of 3000m above sea level. From there, we will start
hiking to the Tetnuldi basecamp at 3700m. The hike to the basecamp is around 4-5 hours and
it’s a 700m vertical drop. Overnight in a tent.

Day 4: Acclimatization and training

Acclimatization and training day. We will climb up to 4000m and the guide will explain how to walk in rope correctly and how to act when someone is in danger on the glacier. Overnight in tent.

Day 5: Summit day

We will start climbing at 03:00 in the morning, the route usually takes 7 to 10 hours roundtrip,
depending on the guests’ physical shape and route conditions. After the climb, we will come back to the
basecamp and spend a night there.

Day 6: Reserve Day

Reserve day for bad weather or additional acclimatization if needed.

Day 7: Mestia

Descend to the point where we left our shuttle, transfer to Mestia. Overnight in Mestia.

Day 8: Mestia

City tour + free day in Mestia

Day 9: Transfer to the airport

 

Details

Accommodation

Family Hotel & Tent

Meeting point

Mestia

Equipment you will need to bring

Helmet

Ice axe

Pulley

Harness

Backpack

Crampons

Sunglasses

Belay device

Watter bottle


About the guide

A Svaneti native, Nick Phaliani grew up with a strong passion for skiing, climbing and playing in the mountains. Looking to incorporate this passion into a profession he climbed several 4000-5000m peaks multiple times and attended mountain guide courses. He is fully certified mountain guide. (IFMGA/GMGA)

Currently, he is operating Svaneti Travel Guide, a local company providing mountaineering/backcountry guide services and one of the few huts in the Svaneti region (Cloudbase Hut), which serves as a start point for different routes.

Languages

Georgian | English

Certificates

GMGA | IFMGA


What people are saying about Nick Phaliani

arthurchambon@gmail.com

5.00

February, 2021

We had tough conditions with big snow falls just before we came and Nick make everything possible to find safe places where we could discover his mountains in a safely manner. Despite the high risk of avalanche we enjoyed a lot in places with limited exposure thanks to Nick’s high professionalism and knowledge of the mountain,

Nika Lelashvili

5.00

January, 2021

I can not recommend Nick enough! During our climb to Mt. Tetnuldi we always felt safe, because of how he cares for the guests and how attentive he is. He was happy to explain and teach whenever we had questions. His demeanor is calm and confident. Enjoyed every bit of the time spent during the trip. As a bonus, he is also an amazing cook, even above the 3500 m from sea level. :)

Barbara

5.00

January, 2021

We had a really great time ski touring with Nick. He took us to the best skiing spots and the trip was perfectly organized. Big thanks to Nick for guiding us!

Brian

5.00

October, 2020

I had a great time with Nick and highly recommend him. He was very professional while guiding on Mt. Tetnuldi and was also teaching our group many skills. He showed great patience and skill with teaching that helped us reach the next level in our mountaineering skills. He is easy going and has a sense of humour so it is easy to spend a few days on the mountain with him. Nick comes from this area and has a depth of knowledge that is so vital in Georgia. Nick also closely helped with the planning process to make every element as smooth as possible. Safety is crucial and Nick certainly made me feel safer and more confident than other guides I have taken in the past. He will be my first choice when I have the pleasure of mountaineering in Georgia again. (also I should add that we communicated in English the whole time and there was no language barrier)

Lisa Offermann

5.00

September, 2020

We spent one week at Tednuldi basecamp to train with the rope, ice climb and climb the summit in the end. We learned a lot and I felt during all difficult stages of the week very safe. Nick is extremely attentive and cares the most for your safety. At the same time, he pushes you to your best performance. I can’t recommend him enough, as a guide and mountaineer!

Gigia Tsiklauri

5.00

August, 2020

I was privileged to have Nick Phaliani as my guide for mountaineering and climb to Ushba. Nick has superb skills and experience, his knowledge of the region is priceless. A very good leader and teacher with a relaxed style.

Sofie

5.00

January, 2020

Nick is an excellent guide! We wanted to experience some great skiing and some great views - and we did! Nick is a professional and next time we get to Georgia we will contact Nick to be our guide for sure! I will definitely recommend Nick to other people (and also the cabin he has close to Mt Ushba) - we felt safe with him, had a lot of fun and got the most amazing powder turns. Also, he has a lot of knowledge about the area. You will not find a better guide.

Iza

5.00

August, 2019

The trip to Mt. Layla with Nick goes far beyond the professionalism and the technical preparation he provide. Nick has pleasant personality and is very open-minded person. He is also very attached to Georgian traditions and knows a lot about the national culture so a talkative and curious person like me would really enjoy chats with him by the accompaniment of Georgian music.

Namal Siddiqui

5.00

July, 2019

Nick was extremely helpful and motivating during our Mount Kazbegi ascent. A fun soul to be around and a great conversationalist. He really eases out the worries of weather, camping and pushes you to keep a positive mindset. I learnt a lot from him about mountain technicalities, tips and tricks about ice and snow. He also introduces you to great Georgian music, so that’s a plus!

Chrissi

5.00

February, 2019

We had an amazing time skiing and touring 10 days with Nick in his backyard around Mestia and Ushguli. Nick was super helpful, always found the best powder descents and was perfectly connected in the town. We stayed at his place - had amazing food and hospitality there. It was simply a great time and everything was organized perfectly by nick. Thanks.

Milja

5.00

January, 2018

We stayed in Svanetia for two weeks and toured around with Nick for freeriding. He is an enthusiastic freerider himself so he has a good eye for good riding spots, not just touring. He is also fun to hang out with and being local, has great knowledge about Svanetia. He was very organized, and we enjoyed all of our tours; the best being Ushguli and the Cloudbase Hut. We also stayed in his family guesthouse.

Mike

5.00

January, 2017

I can't recommend Nick enough! He's a true mountain pro, his snowboarding/skiing skills are amazing, same as his knowledge about mountains and Georgia in general. He showed us incredible places and told us great stories about Georgian history and mountains. Personally, he's a kind, helpful and funny guy. We spent a week together in 2017 and are good friends ever since! If you're ever in Mestia you should contact him!


 

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