Ushguli Georgia: Ultimate Guide
Ushguli is the homeland of defensive towers, one of Georgia’s symbols. It’s one of the most authentic places in the country, where millions of tourists haven’t yet carved a path. Locals say it’s also the highest village in Europe, although the residents of Kurush in Dagestan (Russia) would disagree.
Ushguli is a land of Georgia, surrounded by impassable mountains. Even in summer, you can see snow under the clouds on the summit of Shkhara – one of the highest peaks of the Greater Caucasus. Neither the charms of modern civilization nor comfort and conveniences can make the residents of Ushguli leave their land, even in winter, when snowdrifts cut them off from the outside world for weeks.
My new trip to Georgia happened because I saw a photo of Ushguli. I don’t know how I could have missed it before and not seen the most beautiful place in Georgia. You might skip (oh, nooo) the Chaladi Glacier, you might not visit Mestia, but missing Ushguli – that’s coming to Svaneti for nothing.
Ushguli is 100% a must-see!
How to get to Ushguli
You can’t reach Ushguli in a regular car. Part of the road is in very bad condition, and it gets even worse after rain when the road is washed out. You need an SUV with high clearance – if you have one, you can go.
- Car rental in Georgia: where, what, how much – addresses, passwords, tips. A massive article with everything you need to know about driving in Sakartvelo. Spoiler: it’s better to rent through this aggregator, some options don’t require even a deposit, and you can even pay any card or cash.
- Car rental with a driver in Georgia – perfect if you don’t want to limit yourself on tastings throughout the day.
There’s a legend that some public transport runs from Mestia to Ushguli, though nobody has ever seen it. The only way to get to Ushguli is through any local travel agency – or walk 45 km. Don’t count on hitchhiking, nobody goes there.
In the center of Mestia, every house has signs offering trips to Ushguli. They use minibuses and jeeps. You can share the ride with other tourists or book all the seats. We went in a regular 4-seater jeep – 1.5 hours one way and spent 3 hours in Ushguli. During high season is better to book in advance.
In Ushguli, people live according to the principle of a community, uniting four clans – Chvibiani, Murkmeli, Jibiani, and Chazhashi. In total, there are about 70 families, around 300 people.
In Upper Svaneti (Zemo Svaneti), the highest concentration of the famous Svan towers can be found, built several hundred years ago.
In the past, each family in the community had its own watchtower, serving as a storage space, sometimes a dwelling, and a stronghold. The base of the tower, the first level, was made of stone masonry without any specific rooms. Above it was a small opening accessible by a ladder, where people could also hide by pulling the ladder up inside. Slightly higher were living and utility spaces. At the very top was a viewing platform, from which, in case of attack, people would shoot and defend themselves by any means.
The name Ushguli comes from the words “Ushishari Guli” (Fearless Heart).
Ushguli is the only community in Georgia that was never conquered. In fact, even when taxes were imposed in Lower Svaneti (Kvemo Svaneti), the free highlanders of Upper Svaneti simply ignored them.
Do you think anything has changed today? We asked Georgi, the owner of our guesthouse:
– How much do you pay for electricity?
– Nothing, Svans don’t pay for electricity.
– Why?
– Because we don’t see the need.
Svans have always lived by their own laws. The leader was chosen from the elders and decided on all matters.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a judge came from Kutaisi to Svaneti. By the end of his trip, he had burned all the case files, saying that the law was not written for this people.
Approaching Ushguli, you get the feeling as if you’ve landed on another planet.
In Ushguli, with its 300 residents, there are 5 small churches and several tiny museums. One of the attractions is Queen Tamara’s tower; according to local legend, this tower was her residence. Svans are convinced that Queen Tamara is buried in Svaneti. Today, the community and all its buildings are a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Chvibiani is the center of the Ushguli community. There’s a restaurant for tourists – by the way, the prices are quite reasonable – guesthouses, and you can buy souvenirs, like Svan salt (though it’s better to do this in Mestia; I know a reliable place). A little further, in the village of Chazhashi, you can walk among the houses and towers.
In every community, locals rent out rooms, and some houses are converted into guesthouses. We didn’t stay overnight in Ushguli. Don’t make my mistake – if the weather is good, spend an extra day in the mountains. I recommend arranging with the locals (no problem, they’ll offer themselves) a short horseback trip to the Shkhara Glacier, about 7 km. If you prefer, you can go on foot. For me, it’s a new reason to return to Ushguli.
The best view of Ushguli opens up from the hill. If you’re lucky, you can see the summit of Georgia’s highest mountain – Shkhara.
