The mountains in Georgia, especially the Greater Caucasus, are perfect for spectacular hikes. During our two-week stay, we had eight hikes on the program:<\/p>\n
If I had to decide which of the hikes I liked best, it would probably be the tour in the Truso Valley. The valley itself is simply beautiful, and the colors of the Abano mineral lake absolutely blew me away. I had never encountered anything like that on my previous hikes, and I\u2019ve already been around a fair bit. The so-called fat-tailed sheep there were also new to me. The route itself isn\u2019t particularly strenuous, and there\u2019s no summit to climb. But anyone with an eye for beautiful landscapes and a bit of imagination will be thrilled by the Truso Valley.<\/p>\n
I was equally impressed by the hike to the Koruldi Lakes. However, the big drawback on this route is that there are some tourists for whom the ascent of around 650 meters is too exhausting. These city folks then have themselves driven up to the lakes in off-road vehicles. It\u2019s not just the noise of the engines that\u2019s annoying in an otherwise quiet setting. No, it\u2019s especially the dust they kick up every time, which then blows right into your face. I don\u2019t know how many times we cursed about it on the way up. Still, the climb is worth it. And we were particularly lucky that day: it wasn\u2019t just the lakes in the breathtaking mountain scenery that amazed us. We also witnessed a traditional wedding\u2014or at least a photo shoot of one. That was wonderful to see, as my pictures hopefully show.<\/p>\n
I also really enjoyed the hike to the Ushba waterfalls. It\u2019s incredible how loud the water roars. You can hardly hear your own voice. The spray hits your face even though the waterfalls themselves are still quite a distance away. The water, of course, is ice cold and rushes down the mountains in broad streams.<\/p>\n
But so that no wrong impression arises, I should say that the other hikes were all appealing as well. Often, we were accompanied along the way by free-roaming dogs, who were always friendly and happy to meet people. And well, if they were lucky, they even got a treat as a reward \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
I believe that with proper technical equipment, all the hikes can be managed as an individual traveler. However\u2014and this is perhaps the most important thing\u2014you absolutely need an off-road-capable vehicle. The roads and access routes in Georgia, especially in the mountains, are in very poor condition in places, so you should definitely plan for a lot of driving time.<\/p>\n