Photos Tagged: Svaneti
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The village of Adishi in Svaneti splits the mountains en route to Ushguli. We spent a night with a local family here. Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
A peak emerged from the top of the pass from Adishi to Iprari.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Villages in Svaneti are dotted with these trademark towers. Used originally for defense, many of these towers date back to the 12th century.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Fog begins to fill the gaps in the village of Ushguli.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Zaur and his son share similar eyes and a love for hats.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
From afar, this looks like any other small village in the hills of Svaneti. Closer up, you realize that the village has been abandoned for 12 years. Some houses still remain in good form, but there isn't enough economic activity here to keep the village alive.The story of dying villages is common to Svaneti, Georgia and similarly difficult to reach rural alpine communities.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Zaur giving our guide, Avgan, advice on how not to lose us along the path between Mulahi and Ushguli (3 days).
The clouds lifted long enough to afford us this beautiful view during the opening party for the Svaneti Tourism Center in Mestia.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
A quick shot off the pass from Mulahi to Adishi (en route to Ushguli from Mestia).This is why Georgians go ush, ush, ush when you tell them that you are headed to Svaneti. The Svanetian landscapes are only outdone by the people and their hospitality.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Once considered the epitome of perseverance (it held off Russian troops for 4 months after the Bolshevik Revolution), the village of Khaldi is now abandoned. Our guide's mother used to live in this house. Some items and memories eerily remain inside.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
An aspiring artist draws portraits of Lenin and Stalin (not pictured) on the side of an abandoned house in the village of Khaldi. The irony here is that Khaldi is famous for its defense against the Russian army after the Bolshevik Revolution.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
A newly built house contrasts with the traditional Svan towers of Mestia.
Just an ordinary lunchtime affair in Iprari......Ucha and his family warmly welcomed us into their home in the village of Iprari.On the second day the girls sang to us, attempting to convince us to stay another day...but Ushguli beckoned.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
We're invited into a barn for Svaneti wine at the home of one of our fellow passengers.No shortage of khajapuri (gooey cheese and leek-stuffed bread) to accompany dramatic toasts with fresh berry wine...to family, friends, ancestors, the mountains, etc., etc.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
If we had a Lari (~0.60 USD) for each person who told us that Ushguli was the highest inhabited village in Europe, we'd be rich.Hype and claims of a superlative nature aside, it is a beautiful place.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
A quick stop to check tires on the way from Ushguli to Mestia. The jeep was packed with eight rather large (probably drunk), singing (screaming?) men.It's never a boring time in a shared jeep in Georgia. Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Friendly clouds build on the mountain peaks in Svaneti.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Even though they didn't know we were coming, Jora and his wife welcomed us with a feast of fresh products from their farm - cheese, yogurt, freshly baked khajapuri, kubdari, potatoes...and, of course, homemade racha (the local moonshine).Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
On the short walk (150 meters) to the Ushguli museum, we were invited to no less than three drinking and khajapuri gatherings. We chose this one for a quick drink with the local police. It's always a wise idea to stay on the good side of the law. Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Large dogs stand guard along Ushguli's rain-saturated muddy paths.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
This photo was taken from the top floor of the Ushguli Museum. Traditionally, these holes in Svan towers were used to fight against aggressors...not take picturesque photos of the villages in Ushguli. By this point, we'd already taken two photos, and were told that was the limit. Very bizarre. After some prodding from our guide, the museum eventually allowed us this final snap.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
The ruins of a Svan tower next to a family home in the village of Adishi in Georgia's Svaneti region.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
Svaneti Skyscrapers
A shot of Mestia's main square.Read about our visit to Svaneti and the rest of our visit to Georgia.
