8-Day Trekking Group Tour in Svaneti

Traveler Reviews

• SD

  Sonata3.0•October 2026
  Georgia is an exceptionally beautiful country, and this trek has the potential to be outstanding. The scenery,...
  Georgia is an exceptionally beautiful country, and this trek has the potential to be outstanding. The scenery, villages and mountain landscapes were genuinely memorable. Unfortunately, the organisation and guiding did not consistently match the quality of the destination. One thing that should be made much clearer when booking is the level of fitness and hiking experience expected. Our group included everyone from first-time hikers to very experienced trekkers, therefore in this case, the overall pace was largely dictated by the weakest members of the group. For more experienced hikers, this became quite frustrating because there was very little opportunity to hike at a natural pace or make full use of what was a very beautiful route. There were two guides, so clearly the possibility of splitting the group on some days, particularly on longer or more demanding sections should have been an option. Unfortunately, it wasn‘t. I think this would have made a very substantial difference to everyone's experience. Communication was another weakness. Decisions affecting significant parts of the itinerary were sometimes simply announced rather than properly discussed with the group. The clearest example was the Guli Pass to Mestia hike, which should have been one of the highlights of the trip. That morning we were told that the first five kilometres would be skipped and that we would instead be driven part of the route. This removed roughly a third of the day's walk, including a beautiful section through a village. There was no meaningful discussion or option offered to those who wanted to complete the full route. For the stronger hikers in the group, this was a major disappointment. An even greater disappointment was another of the most beautiful planned hikes, which was cancelled because of a storm the previous evening. By the morning, however, the rain had stopped, conditions appeared normal and the weather was pleasant. Later in the day it became sunny. I appreciate that guides must make safety decisions and that mountain conditions can differ from what guests can see themselves. However, there was very little explanation of the specific risk or discussion of possible alternatives. Once the hike was cancelled, there was also no opportunity to recover that part of the itinerary later. As a result, one of the principal hiking days was lost completely. Our main guide also appeared extremely tired. She openly spoke several times about working almost continuously throughout the season, moving from one week-long trek directly to another for months. By the end of the season, that fatigue was visibly affecting the experience. This was particularly noticeable in the pacing. On uphill sections there were very frequent stops, sometimes after only a few minutes and otherwise approximately every 20 to 30 minutes. Yet on easier downhill sections we sometimes continued for long periods without stopping. The rhythm therefore felt driven more by the guides' own energy levels than by a well-planned hiking schedule. I do not think guides' exhaustion should become something that guests have to absorb during a trip. Accommodation was also inconsistent. Some guesthouses were genuinely lovely and added to the experience. Others required much more careful selection. Ucha Family Guest House, for example, is attractive, very clean and well maintained, but it was not particularly suitable for wet or cold hikers. There was no heating in our rooms and therefore no practical way to dry wet clothes. There were also only a small number of shared bathrooms for a large number of guests. Even simple things such as tea or coffee were not freely available and had to be purchased separately. After a long hiking day, somewhere warm to dry clothing and basic hot drinks make a significant difference. The accommodation in Mestia was another disappointment for different reasons. Rather than the smaller, characterful guesthouse experience we had enjoyed elsewhere, it felt like a large, impersonal hotel and was probably the least appealing accommodation of the trip.Show more
  Traveled in September 2026
  

  Reply from: TrekGeorgia

  Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We're glad you enjoyed the landscapes, villages, and overall beauty of Svaneti. At the same time, we would like to clarify a few points about how our group trekking tours are operated. Regarding the hiking pace, this is a group tour, so we keep an average pace that works for the group as a whole. The tour is described as medium difficulty, but naturally people will have different fitness levels and hiking experience. We cannot run a group tour at the pace of the fastest hikers. For guests who prefer to hike much faster or want more flexibility, a private tour is usually the better option. Regarding the Guli Pass day, the first section from Mazeri includes road walking, including asphalt, before reaching the more scenic mountain section. Depending on conditions, we sometimes hike this part and sometimes use vehicles. In this case, because it was the end of September and the weather around 3,000 metres can change quickly, we decided to drive the first section. The company covered the cost of the vehicles. The aim was to save time for the mountain section and avoid unnecessary road walking. Regarding the cancelled hiking day, there had been very heavy rain and thunderstorms, and the planned route also included the river crossing near Adishi. After strong rain, the river level can rise quickly and the crossing can become unsafe. Even if the weather looks better later from the village, this does not mean the river or higher sections of the route are safe. For us, this was a clear safety decision. Concerning the guides and the number of stops, group hiking is not a race. Breaks are part of keeping a safe and manageable pace for everyone, especially on uphill sections. The rhythm can also change depending on terrain, altitude and the condition of the group. For accommodation, we always reserve the best available options in the villages where we stay. In Iprali, there is essentially only Ucha Family Guesthouse, apart from one very small alternative. So there is simply not a wide choice there. Mountain guesthouses are basic by nature, especially late in the season, and facilities such as heating, drying space and private bathrooms can be limited. In Mestia, we intentionally use a better and more comfortable hotel so guests can relax properly after several days of trekking. Some guests prefer small traditional guesthouses, while others prefer larger rooms and better facilities. We try to choose the best overall option available. We are sorry that some parts of the tour did not match your personal expectations. At the same time, on a group trekking tour, everyone needs to adapt to the group pace, local accommodation conditions and safety decisions made by the guides. Thank you again for joining TrekGeorgia and for sharing your feedback.

  Show more
• BS

  Bogdan5.0•September 2026
  Excellent guides! Excellent group!
  Traveled in September 2026
• SS

  Sverre5.0•August 2026
  We had an amazing trip in the Svaneti Mountains. A special thanks to our wonderful guide, Dito, and our assistant...
  We had an amazing trip in the Svaneti Mountains. A special thanks to our wonderful guide, Dito, and our assistant guide, Erekle. The scenery was breathtaking, and the hikes were enjoyable, not too challenging, but not too easy either. Everything was very well organised, and whenever there were any surprises, they always turned out to be for the better. The guesthouses were generally very good, and the food was excellent. All in all, it was a fantastic experience that we would highly recommend.Show more
  Traveled in July 2026
• JE

  JOHN4.0•July 2024
  bit of a problem with the first guide. Apart from that the tour was excellent
  Traveled in June 2024
• ZZ

  zhiyi5.0•July 2023
  Totally satisfied with the trip and the guide Tato, who has taught us a lot about the history and culture of Georgia....
  Totally satisfied with the trip and the guide Tato, who has taught us a lot about the history and culture of Georgia. He has served as the toast master the Georgia way, and his speech before each drink is very profound and soul touching. The only suggestion for improvement is to modify the last day’s information to remove the visit to glacier Chalaargi on the way back to Tbilisi. It’s in the program but we are told if we go there, we’ll arrive at Tbilis at 10 pm.Show more
  Traveled in June 2023
• EO

  Eamon5.0•August 2022
  Absolutely brilliant experience. Dimitri our friendly guide was fantastic, an expert on culture, hiking and all...
  Absolutely brilliant experience. Dimitri our friendly guide was fantastic, an expert on culture, hiking and all things Georgian. The tour is very well organised, Svaneti is amazingly beautiful and I had the best experience, would recommend to everyone. Thank you to TrekGeorgia!Show more
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  Traveled in August 2022
• DK

  David5.0•July 2022
  Excellent trip. Our guide, Dmitri was very professional and well organized. Everything- meals, accommodations,...
  Excellent trip. Our guide, Dmitri was very professional and well organized. Everything- meals, accommodations, trekking- was exceptional.Show more
  Traveled in July 2022
  

  Reply from: TrekGeorgia

  Thank you David for such a lovely review. You were fantastic and enjoyed the trip with you so much. Have good future adventures. Yours, Dimitri

  Show more
• ES

  Esther4.5•September 2019
  Joined the 15 Sept - 20 Sept run; the group size of 8 from 7 countries was just right and could not have asked for...
  Joined the 15 Sept - 20 Sept run; the group size of 8 from 7 countries was just right and could not have asked for better company. Accommodation is basic but food is plentiful (and delicious).Show more
  Traveled in September 2019
• RB

  Robert5.0•July 2019
  We had a fantastic hike from Mestia to Ushguli with TrekGeorgia. All the logistics and communication were great,...
  We had a fantastic hike from Mestia to Ushguli with TrekGeorgia. All the logistics and communication were great, transportation was safe and comfortable and the group size was small and everyone got on well. Dito our guide was excellent, very knowledgable, helpful and kept a steady pace on the hike. Village guesthouses and homestays were simple but comfortable and the food was superb. Highly recommend.Show more
  Traveled in July 2019