The Most Popular Hiking Trails in Georgia

Stepantsminda, a townlet in the municipality of Kazbegi, is a popular destination only a two-hour drive from Tbilisi. From here, you can walk to the Gergeti Trinity Church, at the foot of Mount Kazbek, where the views of the surrounding village and hills are breathtaking. The hike is quite easy, as it’s only 4km (2.5mi) and takes 1-1.5hrs. With Culture Trip, you can enjoy a guided hike to the Gergeti Trinity Church on our action-packed nine-day Georgia adventure, as part of a small group of like-minded travellers.

Svaneti is another popular destination for keen hikers – the region offers many trails traversing mountains, high peaks and lakes, one of which will take you from Mestia to Ushguli, a remote part of the region that also happens to be the highest permanently inhabited settlement in Europe and is listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Stay in Ushguli for a night or two, and enjoy the stunning views of the Shkara summit.

The Chaukhi Pass, connecting the Kazbegi and Khevsureti regions, is a popular trail offering splendid views of the Chaukhi Massif and its impressive seven peaks. Hiking up this way means you can pay a visit to the Arkhoti community and also enjoy stunning views of waterfalls and gorges.

The Abudelauri lakes in the Khevsureti region comprise three different coloured lakes. This spot is a great weekend getaway from Tbilisi, and you can either spend the night in a guesthouse or camp. The lakes are blue, green and white and are located very close to each other, which means you can see all three in a single day. If you plan to camp here, then be aware that you can only do so by the green lake.

Tusheti‘s central town, Omalo, is a great jumping-off point for a multi-day trip from one region to another. The route from Omalo to Shatili takes you through the beautiful villages of Tusheti, where you can stay in small guesthouses and learn more about the everyday life of locals. As you follow the trail towards the Khevsureti region, you’ll also come across deserted villages where only the ruins of medieval defence towers remain.

This trail connecting the Khevsureti and Kazbegi regions is quite difficult and requires about six days to complete. The route follows the little-frequented border areas of the country, and there are often no roads or signs of civilisation, only a couple of shepherd’s huts and a border post.

As one of the biggest national parks in Europe, Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park is famous for its diverse wildlife and pristine forests. The park offers 12 well-marked trails, from which the St Andrew’s path is often considered the best and most popular. It offers breathtaking views of the area, as well as the opportunity to climb the Sametskhvario mountain, the highest peak in the park. The park also boasts a visitor centre where you can spend the night, or pitch your tent in one of designated campsites throughout the area. Make sure you sip on some of Georgia’s healing Borjomi water while you’re in the area, too.

The municipality of Kazbegi offers further hiking opportunities in the Truso Valley, a quiet area known for its unique travertine formations, mineral springs and geysers. Besides the gorgeous nature, you can also admire ancient towers and a number of deserted settlements.