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Ushba, King of the Caucasus 8-day Guided Climb in Georgia

Ushba
Ushba
Ushba
Ushba
Ushba

Join a local certified mountain guide on a unique mountain climbing experience in Georgia. Reach the summit of Ushba, a Caucasus favorite that stands tall at an altitude of 4,710 m (15,450 ft) in Svaneti, and is waiting for you to climb it!

Private

Caucasus

8 Days

Jul, Aug

Fit

Advanced


Highlights

  • Climb to the top of Ushba, the King of the Caucasus
  • Join a 1-week mountaineering adventure in Georgia led by a local guide
  • Discover the Georgian mountain culture and awe-inspiring landscapes

Description

At 4,710 m (15,450 ft), Ushba is one of the most stately mountains in the Caucasus. Due to its shape, it’s earned itself the nickname of “Matterhorn of the Caucasus”. Join an amazing 8-day guided climb to its breathtaking summit. 

On this mountain climbing program, you will have the chance to experience the unique mountain culture of Svaneti, in Georgia. After picking you up at the airport, we will transfer you to Mestia, a beautiful mountain townlet with a rich history and culture. From there, we will set off on our way to the Ushba summit. You can find a detailed itinerary below.

Keep in mind that Ushba is graded Difficult: D / UIAA – IV. Therefore, this program is for climbers with prior ice climbing and mountaineering experience.  Additionally, you will need to be in good mental and physical shape to tackle the climb. You will also need to be familiar with the equipment. Of course, I will be there every step of the way to help and guide you.

So, do you think you’re ready for the Ushba summit? Then contact me today and let’s start planning an unforgettable guided climb in the Caucasus!

You can also join a guided climb to the summit of Tetnuldi, the queen of the Caucasus, or, on any of the other exciting adventures I lead in Georgia.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Accommodation included

- Transportation start and back

- Transport during the trip

- Luggage transfer

- Mountain guide expenses

- Breakfast

- Lunch

- Dinner

Price details

Horses for the main luggage


Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival

Meeting in Tbilisi or Kutaisi airport – Transfer to Mestia (approx. 5/8 hours of driving). dinner and overnight at a hotel in Mestia.

Day 2: Shdugra Waterfall-"Akhotnichi" BC

Breakfast at the hotel, drive to Mazari village (approx. 30 minutes). There the main luggage will be packed on horses and transported straight to Shdugra waterfall. After 3 or 4 hours, we will reach the Shdugra Waterfall, take our backpacks, and hike for around one hour to “Akhotnichi” BC.
Overnight in tent

Day 3: Camp 1

We will go from the Base Camp to Camp 1, Lower Plato, at an altitude of 4000m. (6-hour hike)

Day 4: Camp 2

We will go from Camp 1 to Camp 2, 4200m.

Day 5: Summit Day

We will wake up at 3 am. After breakfast, we will begin our ascent to the summit of North Ushba at 4690m. (Apx. 6-8 hours). After, we will descend to C2.

Day 6: Extra day in case of bad weather.

Day 7: Back to Mestia

We will descend from Camp 2 to Mazari village, and transfer to Mestia. Overnight in hotel.

Day 8: Transfer to the airport

 

Details

Accommodation

Family hotel & Tent

Meeting point

Tbilisi or Kutaisi airport, from there, you will be transferred to Mestia.

Equipment you will need to bring

Ice axe

Pulley

Harness

Backpack

Crampons

Sunglasses

Belay device

Other gear: Equipment Requirements : - harness - ice axe (type 2) 2x - boots (type B2) - crampons (type C2) - carabinere x5 - dinema slings x2 - belay device - prussiks - sleeping bag (-8/-12 comfort) - sleeping pad - down jacket - gaiters - base layers - mid layer (soft shell) - gore-tex jacket - gore-tex pants - headlamp - hat - helmet - thin gloves - warm gore-tex gloves - trekking poles - sunglasses - sunscreen


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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