Duration: 7 days, 6 nights | Trekking Days: 4 | Total Trekking: ~55 km | Total Driving: ~350 km

Max Elevation: 3,431m (Atsunta Pass) | Difficulty: Challenging | Fitness Required: Excellent

Accommodation: 3 nights camping + 3 nights guesthouses | Regions: Khevsureti → Tusheti → Kakheti

Trek Highlights

• Cross Atsunta Pass at 3,431m – one of Georgia’s highest trekking passes
• Explore Shatili – the legendary fortress village of Khevsureti
• Visit the haunting ruins of Mutso fortress
• Trek through the wild Khonischala gorge
• Camp at high altitude beneath Caucasus peaks
• Descend into Tusheti’s Pirikiti Valley
• Discover medieval tower villages: Dartlo, Chesho, Kvavlo, Girevi, Parsma
• Visit Keselo Castle complex above Omalo
• Experience two distinct highland cultures: Khevsur and Tushetian
• End with wine tasting in Kakheti’s vineyard country
• Cross Datvijvari Pass (2,676m) en route to Khevsureti
• Horse support for luggage on trekking days

The Atsunta Pass has connected Khevsureti and Tusheti for centuries – a high-altitude corridor between two mountain communities that developed in near-total isolation from the outside world. Though separated by just 55 kilometers of mountain terrain, these regions evolved distinct traditions, architecture, and even dialects. Walking this ancient route, you experience both worlds.

Khevsureti: Land of Warriors

Your journey begins in Khevsureti, one of Georgia’s most mysterious highland regions. The Khevsurs were famous throughout the Caucasus as fierce warriors who preserved medieval customs into the 20th century – including chain mail armor, ritual sword fights, and a unique blend of Christianity and older beliefs. Shatili, your first stop, is a fortress-village unlike anything else: dozens of stone towers merged into a single defensive complex that seems to grow from the mountainside itself. Nearby Mutso is even more dramatic – an abandoned fortress perched on a cliff that once guarded the approach from the north.

The Crossing

From Khevsureti, the route follows the Khonischala gorge upward into increasingly wild terrain. The landscape transforms as you climb – forests give way to alpine meadows, then to rocky moraines and lingering snow patches. The pass itself, at 3,431 meters, marks the watershed between two river systems and two worlds. On clear days, the panorama from the top extends in all directions across the Greater Caucasus range.

Tusheti: The Hidden Kingdom

Descending from the pass, you enter Tusheti through the back door – the Pirikiti Valley, the most remote of Tusheti’s four historic communities. The tower villages here (Girevi, Parsma, Chesho, Kvavlo) are less visited than those accessible by road, giving you a sense of discovery that’s rare in modern travel. By the time you reach Dartlo and Omalo, you’ve traversed the full breadth of this remarkable region.

Driving: ~4-5 hours | Walking: ~2 km in Shatili | Max Elevation: 2,676m (Datvijvari Pass) | Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Overnight: Guesthouse in Shatili

We depart Tbilisi heading north toward the Greater Caucasus range. The road follows the Aragvi River valley before climbing to Datvijvari Pass (2,676m), the gateway to Khevsureti. From the pass, views open across one of Georgia’s most remote regions – a landscape of dramatic valleys and fortress-topped ridges.

The descent brings us to Shatili, one of the most remarkable villages in the Caucasus. This medieval fortress-settlement consists of interconnected stone towers that served as both homes and defensive positions – an architectural style unique to Khevsureti. We explore the old village on foot, walking through narrow passages between towers that have stood for centuries.

Dinner and overnight in a local guesthouse, where you’ll experience traditional Khevsur hospitality and cuisine. This is your last night in a guesthouse before three nights of camping.

Hiking: ~20 km | Duration: 7-8 hours | Elevation: 1,400m → 1,500m (via Mutso at ~1,600m) | Meals: Full board | Overnight: Camping near Ardoti

The first full trekking day begins with a visit to Mutso – one of the most haunting ruins in the Caucasus. The fortress perches on a cliff overlooking the Argun gorge, its towers silhouetted against the sky. A one-hour hike from the main road brings you to this abandoned citadel, once home to a community that finally relocated in the Soviet era. The views and atmosphere are unforgettable.

From Mutso, we continue along the valley toward Ardoti, where our trek into the high mountains truly begins. This is a long day of walking through increasingly remote terrain, following trails that have connected these highland communities for centuries.

Your luggage travels separately by vehicle to Ardoti, so you carry only a daypack. At Ardoti, we set up our first camp at approximately 1,500 meters – the beginning of our ascent toward the pass.

Hiking: ~15 km | Duration: 6-7 hours | Elevation: 1,500m → 2,800m (+1,300m) | Meals: Full board | Overnight: High camp near Atsunta Pass (~2,800m)

**Horse support:** Luggage carried by pack horses from Ardoti onward

Today we climb into the high mountains. From Ardoti, the trail follows the Khonischala gorge – a wild valley that sees few visitors. The landscape transforms as you ascend: deciduous forest gives way to alpine meadows, then to rocky terrain with patches of snow lingering into summer.

Pack horses carry the tents, food, and heavy equipment, allowing you to hike with just a daypack. The horsemen who accompany us know these trails intimately – their families have been crossing Atsunta for generations.

We camp below the pass at approximately 2,800 meters. This is high-altitude camping in spectacular surroundings – peaks rising on all sides, the route to tomorrow’s crossing visible above. Evening brings cold temperatures even in summer; a warm sleeping bag is essential.

Hiking: ~10 km | Duration: 7-8 hours | Elevation: 2,800m → 3,431m → 3,300m (+631m / -131m) | Meals: Full board | Overnight: High camp on Tusheti side (~3,300m)

The highlight of the trek. We start early to tackle the final ascent to Atsunta Pass in good conditions. The climb from camp to the pass gains over 600 meters through rocky terrain – potentially with snow patches depending on season and conditions.

At 3,431 meters, Atsunta is one of the highest trekking passes in Georgia. The panorama from the top is extraordinary: the peaks of the Greater Caucasus stretch in all directions, and on clear days you can see deep into both Khevsureti and Tusheti. This is a moment to savor – you’re standing on the spine of the Caucasus, on a route that has connected communities for millennia.

The descent into Tusheti begins with careful steps down the eastern slopes. We camp just below the pass on the Tusheti side, still at high altitude (~3,300m) but with the hardest climbing behind us. Tomorrow brings the long descent into the inhabited valleys below.

Hiking: ~12 km (or 8 km + transfer) | Duration: Full day | Elevation: 3,300m → 1,800m (-1,500m) | Meals: Full board | Overnight: Guesthouse in Dartlo

**Option:** Vehicle pickup possible at Chesho village (saves ~4 km hiking)

A long descent day – losing 1,500 meters of elevation from high camp to Dartlo. But what a descent! The trail passes through the Pirikiti Valley’s most remote villages: first Girevi, then Parsma, Chesho, and Kvavlo. These tower villages see far fewer visitors than those accessible by road, and walking through them feels like genuine discovery.

The architecture here is classic Tushetian: stone towers rising above clusters of houses, defensive positions that once protected against raids. Some villages are inhabited only in summer; others are maintained by just a handful of families. The sense of walking through living history is powerful.

At Chesho, there’s an option for vehicle pickup to save tired legs the final 4 kilometers to Dartlo. Either way, you end the day in one of Tusheti’s most beautiful villages – and, after three nights of camping, a guesthouse bed and hot dinner await.

Important: From this point you are in Tusheti, where pork products are strictly prohibited by local tradition. Please respect this custom.

Driving: ~6-7 hours total | Walking: ~1 km (Keselo) | Max Elevation: 2,926m (Abano Pass) | Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Guesthouse in Telavi

A transition day from high mountains to wine country. We drive from Dartlo to Omalo (about an hour), stopping to walk up to Keselo Castle – the iconic fortress complex above Upper Omalo that has become Tusheti’s unofficial symbol. The views across the valley are magnificent, and the towers themselves are among the best-preserved in the region.

Then comes the dramatic descent over Abano Pass (2,926m) – one of the world’s most spectacular (and nerve-wracking) mountain roads. The 72-kilometer unpaved track winds down from Tusheti’s high valleys to the lowlands of Kakheti, Georgia’s wine heartland.

The contrast couldn’t be greater: from remote mountain villages to vineyard-covered slopes. We stop at a local winery for a tasting – Georgia’s 8,000-year winemaking tradition uses unique clay qvevri vessels that produce wines unlike anything from European traditions. An optional walking tour of Telavi, Kakheti’s historic capital, rounds out the day.

Overnight in Telavi – your first proper hotel bed after days in the mountains.

Driving: ~2 hours to Tbilisi | Meals: Breakfast

**Extension available:** Additional Kakheti exploration (wineries, monasteries, Sighnaghi) for additional cost

After breakfast, we return to Tbilisi – about two hours drive through the Kakheti countryside. The trek officially ends on arrival in Tbilisi.

**Want more?** Many trekkers add an extra day exploring Kakheti: visit ancient monasteries like Alaverdi or Gremi, explore the picturesque hilltop town of Sighnaghi, or sample more wines. Contact us to arrange an extended itinerary.

Georgia’s Classic High-Altitude Crossing

The Atsunta Pass trek is the journey that defines Caucasus trekking – a true mountain expedition connecting two of Georgia’s most isolated and fascinating highland regions. It’s not for everyone: the fitness demands are real, the camping is basic, and the terrain is unforgiving. But for experienced hikers seeking genuine adventure in one of Europe’s last wilderness areas, there’s nothing quite like it.

From the warrior villages of Khevsureti to the tower-studded valleys of Tusheti, from windswept passes at 3,400 meters to ancient wine cellars in Kakheti – this trek offers the full spectrum of Georgian mountain culture. Seven days that will stay with you forever.

Ready for the challenge? Contact us to check availability and discuss your experience level.