Ushguli: one of Europe's highest villages, under Georgia's tallest peak

At the head of the Enguri gorge in Georgia's Upper Svaneti, a cluster of small villages sits at about 2,100 m, studded with medieval stone defence towers and overlooked by the glaciers of Shkhara, the highest mountain in Georgia. This is Ushguli, home to about 200 people and one of the highest continuously inhabited places in Europe.

It's part of the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's snow-covered for about six months of the year, and it's 43 km of mountain road from the nearest town. This guide covers how to get there and when you can.

What makes Ushguli special

• The towers. Svan families built tall stone defence towers, three to five storeys high, mostly between the 9th and 12th centuries. Ushguli still has dozens, standing among the houses as if nothing had changed.
• The altitude. At about 2,100 m, it’s one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe.
• The mountain. Shkhara (5,193 m), Georgia’s highest summit, fills the head of the valley with a wall of ice and rock.
• The heritage. Ushguli is part of the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 1996.

Ushguli is really a community of five small villages: Zhibiani, Chvibiani, Chazhashi, Murqmeli and Lamjurishi. Chazhashi, with the most towers, is the one most photographs show.

Getting there

Fly to Kutaisi or Tbilisi. Small planes also fly to Mestia’s little airport, weather permitting.

By road:

Mestia, Svaneti’s main town, is the base. From there to Ushguli:

• Shared minibus, in season: the cheapest option.
• Jeep with a driver for the day, which can take up to six people and usually includes stops along the gorge. Ask around in Mestia or book with a local operator.
• On foot: the multi-day hike from Mestia to Ushguli through the villages of Upper Svaneti is one of the classic treks of the Caucasus, with guesthouses along the way.

Much of the road is now surfaced, but some stretches are still gravel and it’s narrow, with big drops. In winter it’s often impassable.

What to do

• Wander the towers of Chazhashi. Walk the lanes between the towers and old stone houses. Some families open their towers or small museums to visitors; ask.
• Lamaria church. The medieval church on the hill above Zhibiani, with its own tower and old frescoes inside, is the classic view of Ushguli with Shkhara behind it.
• Walk to the Shkhara glacier. A path follows the Enguri upstream from the village, about 6 km each way, to the foot of the glacier at around 2,200 m, under the great wall of Shkhara. It’s moderate; allow most of a day there and back.

When to go

• June to September is the main season: green valleys, open road, minibuses running, guesthouses open.
• Late September and October bring autumn colour and fewer people, but cold nights and the first snow.
• Winter: the villages are snow-covered for about six months of the year, and the road from Mestia is often closed. Only go in winter with a local driver, flexible dates, and a plan for being snowed in.

Where to stay

Ushguli has family guesthouses, most with home-cooked Georgian and Svan dinners included or available. Staying overnight is the best way to see the towers in the evening light, after the day-trippers have gone back to Mestia.

Visiting with respect

People live in these towers’ shadows all year, through long, hard winters. Ask before photographing people and before going into any courtyard or tower, and keep to paths across hay meadows: the grass is winter feed for the animals.