Svaneti and Ushguli

Svaneti, a remote and wildly beautiful region high in the Greater Caucasus in Georgia's northwest, is one of the most extraordinary places in the country, long isolated and fiercely independent. Its villages are studded with distinctive medieval stone defensive tower-houses, built to shelter families from invaders and blood feuds, set against a backdrop of towering, glaciated peaks. Its jewel is the UNESCO village of Ushguli, one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe, a cluster of ancient towers beneath Georgia's highest mountain.

The main sights

• The Svan towers - the medieval stone defensive tower-houses.
• Ushguli - one of Europe's highest inhabited villages and its towers.
• Mestia - the main town, museum and gateway to the region.
• The Caucasus peaks and trekking - the glaciated mountains and famous hikes.

When to go

June to September, the summer, for the best weather, open mountain roads and trekking, as the region is snowbound and hard to reach in winter; even in summer the weather can turn, and the roads, especially to Ushguli, are rough.

Things to know

It is genuinely remote, reached by a long, winding mountain road or a small flight to Mestia, and the further track to Ushguli is very rough, needing a four-wheel drive; it is snowbound much of the year. It is a place of wild, dramatic beauty and unique medieval heritage rather than easy sightseeing, best over several days with some effort. Its towers and peaks are unforgettable.

Nearby

The town of Mestia is the base; the trek to Ushguli and the peaks are around.