Tusheti National Park: Georgia’s Most Charming Region
Tusheti, a small historic region located in eastern Georgia, lies on the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains and covers an area of 796 square km. The area is one of the most ecologically pure regions in the Caucasus. The extraordinary beauty of Tusheti National Park and it’s mountainous landscapes, architecture and castle-like inhabited buildings caught the attention of UNESCO who placed it on its World Heritage List in 2007.
The region is bordered by the Russian republics of Dagestan from the East and Chechnya to the North. The area is 2,800 – 4,500 meters above the sea level, which means winter season for at least seven months. Spring comes late, autumn early and it often snows in September, while summer is short and breezy.
A Look Back at History
Due to the climate in the mountains, gardening and agriculture have never actually developed. Traditionally, Tushs are sheepherders and famous for their goat’s cheese.
Each family in Tusheti possessed hundreds of sheep and was rich in wool. Therefore, the knitting industry became one of the most important parts of the culture. Over the time, embellishments appeared on the products – geometrical ornaments were replaced with floral, animal and human-like shapes.
The population used to be divided by their family names and had their villages. Each household used to have their ancestral tower which served as a shelter during invasions. The tradition is still present in some areas, but a significant percentage of Tushs live in lowlands today.
How to Get to Tusheti
Getting here is quite challenging. The road lays on slopes and goes up to 3,000 meters over gorges of Tusheti. It is one of the most dangerous roads in the world.
The only way to get there is via 4×4 car from Kakheti through Abano Pass. The road is so narrow that sometimes wheel of the vehicle is in the air and one careless maneuver can be dreadful. Just a glimpse from the window down the gorge is enough to feel your heart miss a beat.
The road is full of gravestones or simple crosses to honor those who died here due to different reasons. I had counted at least 20 of those before we hit the end of the Pass.
The weather, both on the road and villages varies, one minute the sun is shining, the next, you are covered in dense fog and cannot see a thing. Evenings here are quite cold, so be well prepared.
Must-See Villages of Tusheti
The villages here are 2000 meters above sea level, presenting some impressive views over the most beautiful grass valleys of the Caucasus. The most significant community is Omalo, from where you can take three different directions depending on where you want to go. Here you will come across Keselo fortress dating back to the 18th century. It now serves as an ethnographic museum and offers visitors various products and treasures indigenous to the region.
During our Jeep Tour, we stayed in Shenaqo village east from Omalo, where you will stumble upon one of the prettiest towns in the area. Stone houses with wooden balconies, breathtaking landscapes and only functional Orthodox Church in the region is here.
Diklo village, just 4 kilometers east from Shenaqo, is home to the old fortress overlooking the spectacular valleys.
One of the most remarkable and my favorite of all is Dartlo. Located 12 kilometers east from Omalo, the village has ancient defensive towers visible far from the road. Have a small hike towards the upper town to have even more breathtaking views over the valley.
The road continues until the border of Khevsureti region, but the villages get less and less populated, with Girevi being the last one. From here, there is a trekking route which takes you to Khevsureti and takes about 2-3 days. When I master trekking skills, I want to do this for sure!
Be Cautious!
Tusheti has a long history and proof of the old animistic religion. You can find stone shrines almost everywhere. Women are not allowed to come closer or even be in the vicinity of it. So be very cautious where you step.
As “a picture is worth a thousand words,” enjoy the scenery from your device for now. I hope you will make it to Tusheti one day.
As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments down below, or connect with me on my social media channels. I will be happy to assist you as much as possible.
Happy Travels!
Baia
Red Fedora Diary is bilingual quality travel resource that inspires people to get out there and see the world on a budget. The blog provides destination information, authentic travel stories and useful information to help everyone travel the world on a budget. Red Fedora Diary focuses on giving honest advice to its readers.
20 Comments
Valen
Wow!! This place definitely sounds challenging to get to. I love all the sheep and it definitely looks like a special place….
Rossana Wyatt - life is full of adventures
Wow, talk about off the beaten path… sounds like an experience just getting there! It is interesting to hear about the history of the area…. never knew it was there.
Sherrie Fabrizi Allbritten
This was an amazing journey! The video of the road that had to be traveled..ummm..no way, I would of turned around. Oh wait, you can’t turn around! Fantastic article!
Shruti Prabhu
I had never heard of Tusheti national park before this. Glad to have come across this post! Not sure how I feel above women not allowed near the shrines. Need to know more as to why! The landscapes are stunning.
Baia
Thank you Sherrie, glad you liked it
Punita
Some stunning pictures you have here. Such a wonderful landscape. The little villages are adorable.
Kristof
That seems like a lovely park! The road there is quite scary though! An experience you won’t be forgetting soon I imagine! 😉
Jean
Wow it looks amazing. Though I don’t envy the crazy road.
Amrita Sen
The place looks stunning. It landscape definitely looks like that in Leh, India.
mark
Looks amazing and what an experience. Looks very much old world and untouched. It great that UNESCO can keep these places stay authentic
michele
What an incredibly remote destination. That road through the Abano Pass is a real heart-stopper of a journey. Great post
Jo Jo
Wow! Had no clue this existed in Georgia! I would love to visit one day. It looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hassan
Absolutely breathtaking! Thanks for sharing – never heard of this place before. And getting there seems to be the most exciting part!
Oursweetadventures
Truly beautiful landscape. Driving on that road would be exhilierating! But also terrifying at the same time. It seems like we stumble upon such beautiful untouched landscape once in a while and it is truly remarkable. The colors the houses and landscape provide are incredible.
Kellyn
Interesting place with a lot of history. It’s so important to learn about and respect the cultures of others. I’ve never thought about visiting Georgia, but I think my kids would be interested.
Harsh
I was blown away by the looks of this beautiful National Park until I read about women not being allowed touching or going near stone shrines. Is it because of their regressive ideologies or is there any theory to it?
Elena
This place looks stunning and it reminds me of a very popular village in my country Galichnik.
Ariane
Woa this is just the kind of trip I like! And the state of the roads… this seems to be a pretty adventurous undertaking 🙂 Loved every bit of your post and will definitely keep this destination in my mind for our next road trip! Cheers.
Kate
this place looks like coming out from another era! it seems so wild and untouched. The road is so scary, I don’t think I’d feel to drive over there 🙂
Marky Ramone Go
Amazing scenery it could very well be a fitting Game of Thrones shooting location