Ski touring in Svaneti
Join us on our unique ski touring adventure to the amazing region of Svaneti, Georgia.
About
With the region’s magnificent mountains, ancient churches, unique culture and architecture and traditional villages as a backdrop, it makes Svaneti the most exotic destination for powder-skiing in Europe. During our stay we will be lodged at both hotels, family-run guesthouses and private homes. Everywhere we will be met by the legendary Georgian hospitality. We will visit several different villages, and ski from one village to the other where possible. Amongst others we will visit Ushguli, a UNESCO world heritage site.
Dates 2024:
2. February – 11. February
9. February – 18. February
- Difficulty
Intermediate - Group size
5-8 persons - Duration
9 days - Price
2350 EUR
- Price includes:
- Private roundtrip transportation from Tbilisi to Svaneti and to ski villages
- Accommodation in local guesthouses and hotels
- 2 traditional Svan meals every day + lunchpack
- Traditional Svan feast with Svan folkmusic
- IFMGA certified guides
- Itinerary
- The area
- Practical info
Itinerary
Day 1:
Arrival in Tbilisi, and sightseeing in the beautiful and well preserved old town. Welcome dinner in the evening.
Day 2:
Transport from Tbilisi to Svaneti. If we have time and conditions allow we will stop along the way for a short ski tour. Accommodation in Mestia, the regional capitol in Svaneti. Svan feast with local Svan food, wine and folkmusic in the evening.
Day 3:
Transport to Ushguli in the morning. This village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and offers some amazing skiing in the mountains below Mt. Shkhara, the highest mountain in Georgia. We spend the night at one of the unique guesthouses in Ushguli
Day 4:
We have a full day of skiing in Ushguli, and choose among the many magnificent tours in the area. Transport back to Mestia and accommodation in Mestia in the afternoon.
Day 5:
Our tour this day will take us to the spectacular Laila pass which is the border pass between upper and lower Svaneti. Truly one of the most scenic tours in the area, with some amazing skiing from the mountain pass all the way down to the village. After the tour we will be transprted to the idyllic village of Etseri with genuine accommodation at one of our private host families.
Day 6:
Full day of skiing in Etseri which is one of the most beautiful villages in Svaneti and offers some of the best skiing in the area.
Day 7:
Touring from Etseri to Becho over the mountain pass. The tour involves 1,200 vertical meters of skinning, with great views of the Laila Range, Ushba, and the Abkhasian part of the Caucasus. We finish the day by skiing down to the family-owned Grand Hotel Ushba in Becho.
Day 8:
Touring from Becho to Gol pass. This is the biggest day out during the week, but the altitude is not too severe. This is one of the most beautiful routes in Svaneti, and offers some amazing shredding. Transport to Tbilisi in the afternoon. Hotel in Tbilisi.
Day 9:
Departure from Tbilisi airport.
Itinerary is subject to change due to weather and snow/road conditions.
If you have any questions or want more information, please do not hesitate to contact us on audun@urortskiogsykkel.no
The area
Ski touring in Svaneti
At the top of Europe, just a few miles south of Elbrus, you will find Svaneti. Regular snowfall throughout the winter makes this the most exotic destination for powder-skiing in Europe. Svaneti is a region enshrined in magnificent mountains, ancient churches, unique culture and architecture and traditional villages. Bottom line, it is an adventure no skier can miss.
Svaneti is located quite far south and at the same latitude as Monaco. Amongst other things this means that you have 10 hours of daylight as early as January. It also means that there are quite big variations in temperature during a day. It is not uncommon to experience 25 Celsius below at night, and plus degrees in the sun during the same day. The valleys in Svaneti are well protected from wind, which means it will seldom be affected by wind apart from on ridgelines and other exposed areas. It is located high up in the mountains, and we start ski touring from villages at around 1600 to 2100 vertical meters, and we skin up to 3500 vertical meters at the highest.
In 2018 we had the honor of guiding AMUSE magazine in Svaneti. Read all about our tour here.
Practical info
Level of difficulty
Intermediate
This is the tour for you if you have some experience with ski touring. You are a confident and competent skier who can handle almost all kinds of conditions, including powder up to 20 cm, windpack and treeskiing. You can easily control your skis in the backcountry, and you have basic knowledge of ski touring, including its techniques and equipment.
You need to be in good physical shape, and be able to ski-tour up to 6-8 hours per day, at a steady pace with several breaks. You will climb 1000 vertical meters per day at a minimum, at a pace of 300 vertical meters per hour.
Equipment
We will issue a recommended packing list for every tour. Please note that the packing list is issued as a reference, and Urørt ski og sykkeleventyr AS is not responsible for failing to include any particular item or misspellings on this list.
Terms of payment
When the order is placed you will pay a deposit equaling 30 % of the total price. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. The agreement between the parties is not binding until the deposit is paid in full. To read our full terms and conditions click here.
Your guides
Sigurd Felde
Guide ski touring
Sigurd has been living off and in the mountains for the last 20 years. He has been a mountainguide through all seasons for the last two decades, and he is IFMGA certified through Nortind. Sigurd has skied most continents, including Antarctica, and he has also been on several long ski expeditions. In addition to his skiing experience, Sigurd has also climbed some of the most demanding and technical mountains in the world, including K2, Trango, K7, Kiguti on Baffin Island, Ketilfjell on Greenland, and Cerro Fitzroy in Patagonia.
Ilia Berulava
Guide ski touring
Ilia is the only certified IFMGA guide in Georgia, and he is also responsible for the training of the Georgian ski guides through GMGA. The mountains of Georgia are his backyard, and he is a prominent driving force for he development of guided mountain adventures in Georgia. He has a long list of records from climbing, and he has climbed some of the most demanding and technical mountains in the Caucasus. Ilias favorite area of Georgia is Svaneti, and he has guided for Urørt since 2017.
Weather
Svaneti is located quite far south and at the same latitude as Monaco. Amongst other things this means that you have 10 hours of daylight as early as January. It also means that there are quite big variations in temperature during the day. It is not uncommon to experience 25 Celsius below at night, and plus degrees in the sun during the same day. The valleys in Svaneti are well protected from wind, which means it will seldom be affected by wind apart from on ridgelines and other exposed areas. It is located high up in the mountains, and we start touring from villages at around 1600 to 2100 vertical meters, and we skin up to 3500 vertical meters at the highest. We encourage all our guests to be prepared for all kinds of weather. At all times follow the instructions from your guide, and use the issued packing lists as reference to get the most out of your tour!