Ski touring trip Georgia | Svaneti
The ski touring adventure where the road ends: Pretty mountain villages with a simple lifestyle, surrounded by mighty 5,000 metre-high mountains, combined with beautiful snow, secluded nature and two modern ski resorts nestled in a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Highlights
The Georgian region of Svaneti in the wild Caucasus offers unspoilt ski tours amidst mighty 5,000 metre peaks. Georgia offers many ski touring opportunities and also two modern ski resorts from which we can go freeriding or freetouring. But don't worry, although the ski area is ultra-modern, there is only one gravel piste and the number of visitors is very limited. The mountain villages are authentic and rustic. Small fortified towers and wooden and stone houses characterise the landscape. We stay in simple but clean and warm accommodation and enjoy the well-known and lavish hospitality of the Georgians.
Ski touring trip
We are organising the ski touring trip to Georgia, Svaneti in two sections. We will spend the longer part in the village of Mestia at an altitude of around 1500 metres and from there we will go on ski tours into the various side valleys. We will also visit the two ski resorts and go on ski tours from there or, if it is snowing at the time, enjoy a freeride day. We will spend the second section in the mountain village of Ushguli at 2100 metres. This is considered the highest permanently inhabited settlement in Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its 500-year-old defence towers and narrow alleyways where cows, horses and dogs roam freely, it is a place well worth a visit from which we can set off on ski tours. The mountain village lies at the foot of Shkhara (5201 metres) - the highest mountain in Georgia. Due to its exposed location at over 2200 metres, there is very little forest in Ushguli and therefore no bad weather alternatives. We therefore plan our trip flexibly so that we can take advantage of a good weather window to enjoy this spectacle of ski tours around Ushguli.
We stay in a beautiful guesthouse with double rooms in both places and are cooked for by the locals and their hospitality. We travel in all-terrain 4×4 minivans and use local drivers to move comfortably and flexibly through Georgia. After beautiful tours we enjoy a glass of "Chacha". A traditional pomace brandy, combined with delicacies such as badridzhani, shashlik, chachochbili, khachapuri and khinkali. Here we have also arrived in Georgian culinary heaven.
Georgia is a region from another time. Surrounded by mighty 5,000 metre peaks are small mountain villages that are very difficult to reach in winter. But this is probably why the wild and rugged mountain world here has retained its unspoilt character. Experience and enjoy the Georgian ski touring adventure with us!
Find out more about this trip in a great experience report by Franz.
Tour destination
We travel to Georgia and enjoy the countless touring options and variations in Mestia and Ushguli. We plan the tours according to the conditions and circumstances and look for great, secluded ski touring terrain.
Tour schedule
- Thursday afternoon arrival in Kutaisi. The easiest way is to take a direct flight from Memmingen in southern Germany with Wizzair (FMM - KUT).
- Memmingen can be reached from Zurich in around 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight from Memmingen, 17.45
- First night in a hotel in Kutaisi, short city tour and then drive to Mestia.
- Day 3 - 9: Ski touring & freetouring and freeriding in Mestia and the surrounding valleys (Tetnuldi, Mazeri, Laila ski area)
- Within the week: 3 days in and around Ushguli
- Saturday: Journey back to Kutaisi and return flight, flight from 15.45, arrival 17.10
- Thursday afternoon arrival in Kutaisi. The easiest way is to take a direct flight from Memmingen in southern Germany with Wizzair (FMM - KUT).
Requirements
- Mastering the ski touring technique with its basics (skins, hairpin bends). Often these are normal ski tours, as we know them from Switzerland. If possible, we also include tours with passages where we tie on the skis or a foot ascent is included.
- Safe downhill technique in open terrain and in different types of snow. We often find the most beautiful powder snow. But like everywhere else, the weather can do what it wants.
- Condition for 1000m - 1200m ascent at a leisurely pace over a week. Sometimes we will do less than 1000 metres and sometimes more. We divide the tours so that we have enough energy for all days!
- Splitboarders are welcome, provided they are experienced.
Important info
- The organised trip is from Friday to Sunday from and to Kutuaisi. We give you tips and recommendations for travelling to Georgia.
- The flight or journey is not included and must be booked by yourself.
- Group size: 4-6 guests per mountain guide. We will be travelling in two groups and can therefore adapt the length and difficulty of the tour to suit individual requirements.
- Additional costs are incurred for travel and catering on the day of arrival and departure. The rest is included.
- We spend one night in a hotel in Kutaisi and then in a guesthouse in Mestia and one in Ushguli. Here we have double rooms. We are cooked for by the locals.
- Contact for questions before the tour is your mountain guide Jonas: 079 452 33 72
Price and services
- CHF 2990.-
- Small group with 4-6 guests per mountain guide:in
- Comfortable accommodation in Kutaisi, Mestia and Ushguli with full board
- Transport by locals with 4×4 minivan
- Implementation and organisation with Swiss mountain guides
- The return flight from Memmingen to Kutaisi costs around 200 euros
- As we have high fixed costs, special cancellation fees apply for this trip. Travel insurance is recommended.
- Cancellation up to 180 days before departure: CHF 1500.-
- Cancellation up to 60 days before departure: 80 % of the tour price
- Cancellation 59 to 0 days before departure: full tour price
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us, preferably directly at Jonas or via the Contact form.
Accommodation
Guesthouse @Loska
Cosy and charming hospitality. This authentic guesthouse in Mestia impresses with its pretty and spacious rooms and very friendly service. We have the house to ourselves and can have breakfast here. We enjoy dinner either in the restaurant opposite or at a place of our choice.
Impressions: Ski touring trip Georgia
Join us for a ski touring and freeriding experience in Georgia:
- 20 Feb - 1 Mar 2025, Thursday - Saturday, 10 daysWaiting listMountain guidesJonas Meyer (Black) and Rolf BäblerCHF 2990.-
As Private Tour on your desired date with your group:
As Voucher give your favourite as a gift:
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