2020 Wilderness Travel Catalog of Adventures

Hiker’s Journey to the Caucasus LODGE-BASED HIKING IN THE REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA

HIGHLIGHTS • Hike in the alpine landscapes of the Tusheti and Kazbegi mountains • Be welcomed like long-lost friends in family-run guesthouses • Savor traditional Georgian feasts with the villagers, including lamb roasts and wild trout with local wines • Hikes by day, lodge (basic) overnights— no camping! • Learn how European, Asian, and Middle Eastern influences melded together to shape the unique culture DETAILS • 11-day trip begins and ends in Tbilisi • 5 nights hotels, 5 nights guesthouses with shared facilities • All meals included except 2 lunches

Enjoy an insider’s welcome in isolated villages in wild Tusheti National Park and taste wines in Kakheti, where the wine-making tradition dates back 8,000 years! PHOTOS: BILL ABBOTT

Our adventure with extraordinary Trip Leader Eka Tchvritidze brings us to a realm where, in Eka’s words, “the mountains meet heaven.” In wild Tusheti National Park, our lodge-to-lodge hikes bring us across pine-covered mountains, through lush meadows, and to slate-roofed villages guarded by 17th century stone watchtowers. Overnights are in guesthouses where feasting is a cherished tradition and way of life—we’ll be welcomed with songs, poems, and hearty toasts! In the Kakheti region, we’ll discover Georgia’s age-old wine-making traditions, taste a delightful cuisine with influences from Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and hike in the foothills of the Caucasus below mighty Mt. Kazbek. This is an amazing experience of the thriving cultures and soaring landscapes of the Caucasus. Days 1-2 Tbilisi In the ancient hillside city of Tbilisi, our walk includes the 4th century Narikala Fortress overlooking the Old Town and charming Rustaveli Avenue, the city’s popular strolling promenade.

DATES Jun 14-24, 2020 Jul 7-17 Sep 2-12

TRIP COST $4395 (7-12 members) $4695 (4-6 members) Single supplement: $480

warmly greeted in mountaintop hamlets where medieval watchtowers stand tall. Our Trip Leader grew up here in the village of Shenako, which has UNESCO “living museum” status, and her extended family still lives here—we’ll be welcomed! We hike across Sanare Pass (6,270'), visiting three remote villages en route. Our highest hike takes us over Nakaicho Pass (9,514'), which connects the untamed alpine beauty of the Tusheti, Pirikity, and Gometsari valleys. The Tusheti region, with its semi-nomadic herding heritage, is still largely untouched by the 21st century, and we’ll stay in simple, family-run guesthouses where we’ll enjoy supras —Georgian feasts around long communal tables (get ready to drink wine out of goat horns, toast to life, and dance!). Days 8-11 Wine Tasting in a Private Vineyard / Hikes in the Kazbegi Mountains In Kakheti, we’ll taste the wines in Eka’s lovely vineyard, set in one of the world’s oldest wine-growing regions. In the Kazbegi Mountains, our final hike brings us up to the iconic 14th century Gergeti Trinity Church, perched on a ridge below snow- capped Mt. Kazbek (16,512'). Depart on Day 11 via Tbilisi.

TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 hiking days on ungroomed mountain trails, 4-7 hours a day, 2 walking days, van support altitudes between 7,000-9,500 feet, some long drives

Days 3-7 Hiking in Tusheti National Park In Georgia’s green Tusheti Mountains, we are

FOR MORE DETAILS ON OUR EUROPEAN TRIPS, VISIT WWW.WILDERNESSTRAVEL.COM/TRIPS/EUROPE 88