Shatili

Shatili lies deep in Khevsureti, in a valley on the northern side of the Caucasus watershed, and it is one of the most extraordinary settlements in Georgia: some sixty flat-roofed stone tower houses built hard against each other on a rock spur, connected internally so that the whole village functions as a single fortress, with the roofs of lower houses forming the terraces of those above. It was built to be defended, in a region that spent centuries under raid, and the honeycomb could be sealed and held. Most residents moved to the lowlands in the twentieth century and the old village is now largely empty, with a few houses restored as simple guesthouses. Getting there is half the story: the road climbs to a pass at around two and a half thousand metres and is only open for a few months of the year.

Highlights

• The fortress village - the fused honeycomb of stone tower houses on the spur.
• The interconnected interiors - passages linking houses within the structure.
• The Datvisjvari pass - the high crossing on the road in.
• Mutso - the even more dramatic ruined tower village further up the valley.

When to go

The road is generally open only from around June to early October, and snow closes the pass for the rest of the year, sometimes stranding people at either end of the season. Late summer is the safest window. Check locally before setting out, as conditions change quickly.

Things to know

This is a genuine expedition: a long rough road over a high pass that requires a four-wheel-drive and a driver who knows it, with no fuel, limited signal and simple guesthouses at the end. The season is short and the pass can close without warning. It sits close to the northern border, so carry your passport. Going as a day trip from Tbilisi is possible but brutal and not recommended.

Nearby

Mutso's ruined towers are up the valley; Juta and Kazbegi lie west over the mountains.