SVANETI, GEORGIA

GUIDED SKI & SPLITBOARD EXPEDITION

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For centuries, the Upper Svaneti region in northwestern Georgia has existed as one of the most geographically isolated regions in the world. With a turbulent history of kingdoms, annexations and wars, the medieval villages that dot the area are strategically situated on mountain slopes in the shadows of 3,000-5,000m+ summits. Ancient architecture features castle-like tower houses built to serve in defense against invaders during the 9th-12th centuries. Today, the towers of Upper Svaneti are protected by UNESCO—reminders of the region’s rich cultural heritage—and are perfect for scoping the insane mountain backdrops that envelop the valley in every direction.

Almost half of the highest peaks of the Greater Caucasus are located in Svaneti, making it the perfect base for exploring Eurasia's most impressive mountain range. The climate is heavily influenced by its proximity to the Black Sea and is characterized by mild temperatures and heavy snowfall. The timing of our expedition—late January into early February—is intended to nail reliably good powder conditions. Add to that the incredible hospitality of the Svan people, a rich tradition of communal feasting, abundant wine and chacha, village streets crowded with cows and horses, and stray dogs who happily join on the skintrack in search of face shots, and it’s an incredibly unique and unforgettable skiing experience.

2027 DATES

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SESSION ONE: JANUARY 27-FEBRUARY 5

SESSION TWO: FEBRUARY 4-13

7 DAYS RIDING/10 DAYS TOTAL

DETAILS

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Our 10-day guided ski and splitboard expedition begins in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, one of our favorite cities in the world. We’ll stay in Old Town at really nice hotel with rooftop restaurant and spend our first day exploring the surrounding cobblestone streets, historic neighborhoods and markets. Tbilisi is just too amazing to pass by!

The next morning our journey begins with a ~5-hour drive through the Georgian countryside, past the birth place of Stalin, and eventually to the mouth of the Enguri River Valley, where the road begins its climb into the Caucasus Mountains. The drive from here is spectacular, winding and climbing alongside the river for another 2.5 hours before the valley opens up to reveal the famous defensive towers and peaks towering above them.

Our base for 2/3 of the week is a family-run guesthouse in the townlet of Mestia. Mestia is the “tourist hub” of Upper Svaneti, and while it offers a great selection of cafés and shops alongside its historic churches and forts, it feels far from touristy. Here, we’ll pull out the maps and assess our intended itinerary with the weather forecast in mind, as roads up and down valley often become impassable during big storms. If all looks good, we will stick to plan!

To kick things off: Day 1 touring from the upper boundaries of Tetnuldi Ski Resort, which offers lift access to 3,100m/10,170ft. While riding lifts in Georgia may not be on your bucket list, our day at Tetnuldi will be the perfect warmup and the backcountry terrain is quite seriously too good to pass up. If you’ve watched any of the Freeride World Tour stops in Georgia, the competition venue is a slice of the terrain we’re talking about! The access is amazing and will give us a taste of the skiing that’s awaiting us. Depending on snow conditions, we may be able to finish the day with a descent to either Zhabeshi or Adishi village, which is a super unique end to a day “at the resort.”

The following morning we’ll transfer down valley to Tskhumari village, at the foot of the Svaneti Range and Mount Laila (4,008m/13,150ft). From the village we’ll climb as high as the group would like with up to 2,000m/6,500ft+ of vertical possible for the day. Of course motivation and pace will determine how long the day’s descent is! The Svaneti Range (pictured in the banner photo above) parallels the main Caucasus Range and offers spectacular views to the north.

On Day 3, we’ll tour up to Koruldi Lakes, high above Mestia, and ski for the day before retreating to a renovated mountain cabin called the Cloudbase Hut. We’ll lounge and cook dinner around the crackling fire, and probably tuck in early in anticipation of the following day’s plan to ski the Chalaadi Glacier. The 6km/3.7mi-long glacier provides some of the best powder skiing in Svaneti, with the stunning north and south summits of Mt. Ushba (~4,700m/15,400ft) as the backdrop. After an exciting and exhausting descent, we’ll transfer back to the guesthouse in Mestia.

For Days 5-7 we’ll venture deeper up valley and close out the trip skiing around Ushguli, the fabled "highest settlement in Europe.” At 2,100m/6,890ft in elevation, Ushguli is actually a cluster of 4 small villages, close to the border with Chechnya and home to ~250 people year-round. Here, we will continue to eat like kings and will be treated to epic village-based touring at the foot of Shkhara (5,193m/17,037ft) and neighboring peaks—the highest in the Greater Caucasus. Objectives include Latpari Pass (which forms the high ridge between Upper and Lower Svaneti), a day lapping powder stashes in the Lamaria Range, and our final push to one of the best descents in Ushguli from the summit of Kareta Mountain. Kareta’s northwest aspect is known for excellent snow preservation, and provides absolutely unreal views of Shkhara.

After 7 days exploring up and down valley and ticking off the best skiing that Svaneti has to offer, it's back to Tbilisi for a final celebratory night out on the Old Town.

GUIDES

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Our 2027 Svaneti expeditions will be co-guided by Spanish-born/Chamonix-based IFMGA Guide, David Pujol, and IFMGA Guide and Svaneti local, Zura Phaliani. Meet our guides.

BOOKINGS

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USD $TBA/PERSON

7 DAYS RIDING/10 DAYS TOTAL

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ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE REQUIREMENTS

Session One: Participants will need to arrive in Tbilisi (airport code TBS) on or before January 27. Arriving super early on January 28 may be possible, however that’s the day we’ll transfer to Svaneti so you’d miss out completely on Tbilisi exploration. On the tail end, we will return to Tbilisi by late afternoon on February 5 for departures later that night (if available) or more likely on the 6th.

Session Two: Participants will need to arrive in Tbilisi (airport code TBS) on or before February 4. Arriving super early on February 5 may be possible, however that’s the day we’ll transfer to Svaneti so you’d miss out completely on Tbilisi exploration. On the tail end, we will return to Tbilisi by late afternoon on February 13 for departures later that night (if available) or more likely on the 14th.

PRICE INCLUDES

40 Tribes Lead Guide with additional support from one local IFMGA Guide; (Session One) Hotel accommodation in Old Town Tbilisi nights of January 26 (in case of early morning arrivals on the 27th), 27 and February 5; (Session Two) Hotel accommodation in Old Town Tbilisi nights of February 3 (in case of early morning arrivals on the 4th), 4 and 13; Private transport between Tbilisi and Svaneti (approx 7-8 hours each way); 4WD transport between all villages in Svaneti; 8 nights guesthouse accommodation in Svaneti; All meals in Svaneti; Lift ticket for day at Tetnuldi Ski Resort; 7 days of epic guided skiing/splitboarding!

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Airfare and baggage fees; Airport-hotel and hotel-airport transfers in Tbilisi (taxis or rideshares can be easily arranged); Medical/evacuation insurance; Meals in Tbilisi and on transport days to/from Svaneti; Alcohol other than wine and chacha that is sometimes provided at meals; Tips for guides.

BOOKING POLICY

A 20% deposit is required to secure your spot, with the remainder due 4 months prior to the expedition start date. Our cancellation/refund policies can be found here.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Our general terms & conditions can be found here.

RELEASE & WAIVER OF RIGHTS

All participants are required to sign our Release and Waiver of Rights.