Top 5 Hiking Trails in Georgia Europe

Georgia is well-known as a perfect place for adventure lovers. 54 % of Georgia territory is mountainous area, made up of two range of Caucasus mountains- Great and Lesser Caucasus mountains. Georgia hosts 5 the highest snowcapped mountains in Caucasus and offers great variety of lush green valleys and alpine lakes. There are countless hiking trails in Georgia, but we pick up 5 must-hike destinations.

01. 2-Day Hike from Juta to Roshka  via Chaukhi Pass

This hiking is one of the most interesting hiking trail in Georgia. The hiking trail follows green valleys, ascends to the 3338 m and covers three alpine lakes of Abudelaurebi.  The hiking trail starts in Juta village which is located in 20 kilometers from Kazbegi and in 165 km from Tbilisi.  From Juta village, you have to go to Zeta Camping, from where the trail follows upstream of the small rivers in Juta valley. After 5 km hike, you can set up camp in Chaukhi massif and overnight there. In the next morning, you will hike to the Chaukhi Pass (3338). The trail is well-marked, but near the top, you have to follow stone signs.  After reaching the pass, you will hike down to the Abudelaurebi lakes. The descend is sharp and you have to be very cautious. After hiking down 1,5 km, you can visit three alpine lakes of Abudelaurebi (white, blue and green) and then hike to the Roshka village. If you are tired, you can skip alpine lakes and follow the trail which directly leads to Roshka village.

There is no public transport to Juta and to Roshka from Tbilisi. You need to hire a car to reach both villages. 2-Day hike from Juta to Roshka  via Chaukhi Pass is possible to do from mid-June till at the end of September.

TrekGeorgia offers  2-Day hike from Juta to Roshka  via Chaukhi Pass

02. 3-Day Hike to Black Rock Lake

This trail starts at the visitor’s center of Lagodekhi national park which is located in 160 km from Tbilisi. The hiking trail is well-marked and offers two touristic shelters for overnights. On the first day, you will follow Lagodekhi valley, cross the forest and reach to Lagodekhi Meteo Shelter where you will overnight. On the next morning, you will start hiking in the alpine meadows, make registration at the border police of Georgia and then reach the stunning Black Rock Lakes. The lake itself is a border between Georgia and Russia. From Black Rock Lakes, you can hike back to Meteo Shelter or take a different, recently opened new trail which goes to Demidovi Touristic shelter, and reaches the visitor’s center on the third-day.

Walking Distance: First Day – you need to hike for 11.5 km, 1,350 m. above sea level. Second Day –25 km, 900 m. above sea level. Third Day – 11.5 km., 1,350 m. above sea level.

Transportation from Tbilisi to Lagodekhi is quite easy. Mini-buses and private taxis are running from Isani Metro Station in Tbilisi every 30 minutes, however from Lagodekhi to Tbilisi, last minibus leaves at 5 o clock. For this hike, you need a valid passport (or ID) for the registration at national park and the fees for the overnight. Trail to Black Rock Lake is open from the beginning of June until the mid of October.

TrekGeorgia offers  3-day hikes to Black Rock Lakes

03. 2-Day Hike to Gergeti Glacier

Trail to Gergeti Glacier is one of the most popular hiking destination in Georgia.  Gergeti Glacier is located near Kazbegi town, on the way to Mount Kazbegi. The hiking trail starts from Kazbegi town, goes through Gergeti village, goes up to Gergeti Trinity Church and then follows small path into the alpine meadows. The trail follows dirty road up to Gergeti Trinity Church, but then you will take small walking path towards the Gergeti Glacier. After 11 km, you will reach Gergeti Glacier. The path continues to Meteo Basecamp of mount Kazbegi, but unless you do not have special equipment, it is recommended to stop and overnight near Gergeti Glacier. On the next day, you will take the same path and return to Kazbegi town.

There is public transport from Tbilisi to Kazbegi, mini-buses run every hour from Didube bus station. The first bust leaves Tbilisi at 8 o clock in the morning, and the last bus from Kazbegi leaves at 5 o clock. There are plenty of accommodation in Kazbegi in case if you want to overnight there. The trail to Gergeti Glacier is open from June till late September.

04. 3-Day Hike to Udziro Lake in Racha

3-Day hike to Udziro Lake & Katitsvera in Racha is probably the most underestimated hiking destination in Georgia. Located in the alpine meadows, surrounded by snowcapped mountains and offering unspoiled nature, 3 –day hiking trail to Udziro lake offers hikers everything that they can imagine. The trail to Udziro lake starts in Shovi village, then it follows  Chkauri valley and reaches to Geske pass (3076m). From here, you will descend down and reach the Udziro lake where you set up tents and overnight there. From Udziro lake, You can see picturesque panorama views over Greater Caucasus mountains. On the next day, you will descend towards Glola village and end your hiking adventure.

There is no reliable public transport from Tbilisi to Shovi, you have to use mini-buses to Oni and from there hire a car to reach Shovi. The trails are not well-marked and it is recommended to hire a guide for this hiking destination. The hiking trail to Udziro lake is open from mid-June till mid-September.

05. Hike in Khevsureti

Khevsureti region is a wonderland of Georgia, where you can see Shatili and Mutso stone villages but you can also undertake a hidden walking paths into the Caucasus mountains.  This hiking destination is a mix of cultural sights with outdoor activities. You will travel to Shatili village from Tbilisi. The road is one of the most dangerous in Georgia and is accessible only from May till October. After arriving in Shatili, you can visit Shatili towers and then explore Mutso village – a unique complex of stone towers. 

On the next morning, you can do real hiking activities in Shatiliskhevi and Mitkhuli gorges. Both gorges are located near Shatili. You just need to follow upstream to the rivers and explore hidden valleys. There is no well-marked trails here, just walking paths made by local shepherds. You can travel to Khevsureti and take small hiking activities from mid-May till mid-October.