The Most Popular Hiking Trails In Georgia

With its mountainous landscapes, Georgia is a paradise for hiking and nature enthusiasts. The possibilities are endless – you can hike to remote villages, explore breathtaking lakes and high peaks, or travel from one region to another on foot. Here’s our pick of the best trails around.

Feeling inspired? Consider joining Culture Trip’s specially curated nine-day Georgia trip, led by our local insider.

Stepantsminda to Gergeti Trinity Church

Church, Hiking Trail

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.

Built in the 14th century, Gergeti is one of the most beautiful churches in the world

Mestia to Ushguli

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

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 Mestia to Ushguli trek takes 3-4 days and is a great walk for all levels of fitness

Chaukhi Pass

Hiking Trail

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.

You’ll find some of the most incredible landscapes in Georgia along the Chaukhi Pass

Abudelauri Lakes

Natural Feature, Hiking Trail

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.

The magnificent Abudelauri lakes in Khevsureti are 2,812m (9,226ft) above sea level

Omalo to Khevsureti

Ruins, Hiking Trail

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.

The ruins of a deserted medieval village in Khevsureti

Shatili to Juta

Hiking Trail

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.

The trek from Shatili to Juta offers a glimpse into the lesser-visited areas of Georgia

Borjom-Kharagauli National Park

Natural Feature, Park, Hiking Trail

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.

Truso Valley

Hiking Trail

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.

Expect isolated settlements and spectacular landscapes in the almost abandoned Truso Valley

About the author

Baia Dzagnidze

Writer

I am a travel blogger, content writer, food lover and a passionate photographer. Four years ago I quit my editorial job at the newspaper in order to pursue my passion of traveling through South East Asia. Check out my adventures at redfedoradiary.com or follow my daily rambling on Instagram @redfedoradiary.