Ultimate Hiking Packing List for Georgia

This is the Ultimate Hiking Packing List for Caucasus for based on years of trekking experience packed into one article! If you decide to travel to Georgia and explore its rough terrain and unspoiled wilderness, then you need to consider some issues for safety and comfort, and essential gear that you just simply need to have. We always recommend that you travel light, but keep in mind that our trekking tours are always supported with luggage transfers, allowing you to bring more staff for your comfort and safety.

We understand that you may have your packing list for hiking and trekking in Georgia. However, in order to make sure that you will bring all necessary items for your pleasant journey, please see below recommended checklist that will help you to make tour as pleasant as possible.

Essential Items for Hiking & Trekking in Georgia

Hiking Boots – Long Ankle

Good and reliable Hiking Shoes may be the most valuable thing while doing trekking in Georgia. Your shoes should be long-ankle boots made by Gore-Tex or Nova dry materials with anti-slip soles of Vibram. Trekking trails in Georgia are usually on rough terrain with rocks and alpine grass. For most of the trekking trails, you will need to cross many small streams and rivers, thus your boots need to be waterproof as well. Asolo, Lowa, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Meindl, Salewa are companies that make quality boots.

Hiking Shoes or Sandals

While doing multiday trekking, it is a good idea to have a spare hiking shoes. They can be low-cut or mid-ankle light shows with a vibram sole. Otherwise, you can also bring hiking sandals which will make water crossings much simpler and faster for you.  North face, Asolo, Lowa, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Meindl, Salewa are companies that make reliable hiking shoes and sandals.

Large Backpack

Multi day trekking requires a lot of gear and clothes’ that’s why you need to bring at least 60 liter capacity large backpack. Most of multiday trekking trips include luggage transfers by horses and it is essential to bring hiking backpack and not a general travelling suitcase.   Some of our trekking trips include luggage transfers by car. For these trips such as 8 Trekking in Svaneti, or 6-Day Trekking in Racha, you can bring a normal luggage suitcase.  Osprey, Deuter, Gregori are companies that make great and reliable backpacks.

Small backpack

Most of the time, your large backpack will be transferred by horses or cars, so you need to have 1 small backpack (20-30 liter capacity) to carry your food lunch, raincoat, and other essential items. The small backpack should be light pack with waterproof pack cover. In the ultralight style, Gregori, Deuter, Osprey, Kelty, Osprey, REI, and Sierra Designs all make great packs.

Raingear

The weather in the mountains are unpredictable.  We often have small storms and heavy rains occasionally in the summer period.  While not being a great enthusiast to hike in the rain, sometimes we have to do it. A good lightweight waterproof raingear can make the rain and bad weather bearable. You should bring both tops and bottoms raingear (separately raincoat and rain bottoms).  Raingear should be made by waterproof-breathable materials (Gore-Tex).  If you cannot make for a quality raingear, bring an inexpensive poncho but keep in mind that poncho is not a good choice to hike in the rain on the uneven surfaces in the mountains. Patagonia, North Face, Marmot, Arc’teryx, REI Co-op and Black Diamond are companies that make a good reliable waterproof raingears.

Additional Trekking Gear 

Trekking Poles are very useful when you are hiking on rough terrain. They help to find balance and stability and protect your knees on sharp descent.  Trekking poles should be collapsible and lightweight.  Leki and Black Diamond are the most known companies of making reliable and good quality trekking poles.

Headlamp is a must have item in your small day pack. Each day of trekking trip should end until the sunset, but sometimes emergencies happen and you need to hike in night. For this case, a good quality headlamp can make a real difference. Even without emergencies, you will need anyway to have a good headlamp if you decide to use bathroom while doing trekking in the wilderness.  Headlamp should have at least 200 Lumens power, and it can be both with rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries. The best headlamps are produces by the companies of Petzl and Black Diamonds.

First aid kid is another must have time in your small backpack. Trekking is an adventure activity and sometimes injuries can occur. In such case, you should always have a small basic kit which is for outdoor activities. You can easily bui a pre-assembled first aid kit for outdoor activities, or even you can have first aid kid for cars while doing trekking.  You always should have with you Medicines that you use regularly or Personal prescriptions (copies of scripts) (if you intend to purchase medicine in Georgia/or for border control).

Water Bottle is of course another item what you will need every day. You should have a reusable water bottle with at least 1 liter capacity. You can have a water bottle with special filters, or with a simply design. Reliable and safe water bottles are Hydro Flask, Nalgene Ultralight Wide, LifeStraw Go Filter, and many others.

Sun Protection such as sunscreen, sunglasses and hat are another must have items in your small daypacks. The sun is always stronger and more powerful in the mountains, and even in a cloudy day, you can get sunburn.  Sunscreen should be sweat-resistant sunscreen, with at least 30 % protection. A hat should cover your face and ears, and sunglasses should be either hiking or just random sport ones.

Hiking Gloves are real blessings in the cold weather in the mountains.  Hands are the first ones affected by cold temperature. In the city you can warm your hands in your pockets, but in the mountains you should always have hands free. Plus, without hiking gloves, you cannot use much trekking poles.

Hiking Clothes are one of the most essential items for trekking. Multiday Trekking Trips are only possible in summer in the Caucasus. The weather is often warm with lots of sunshine. However, it often gets changed in the mountains and it is absolutely possible to see coming snow even in August above 3000 m. To be prepared for changing weather or an unplanned night out, you need to pack both warm and light clothes for the trip.  Aside essential gear such as raingear and shoes, Recommended clothing for your hiking trip in Georgia are:

Additional Useful Gear

This additional checklist is deliberately comprehensive and intended to provide a list for multiday trekking in the wilderness where being self-sufficient is important to your well-being.  This list includes many items that you’re likely to need for multiday trekking tours.