Name: Guided Ski Tour Svaneti
Brand: The Alpine Project
SKU: 1
Price: 900 EUR
Availability: InStock

10 Days
1:6 Guide Ratio
Technical Difficulty: Intermediate - Advanced
Available February - May

Experience an unforgettable ski tour in Svaneti, Georgia with The Alpine Project. Our guided tours offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the awe-inspiring beauty of this medieval region. Immerse yourself in the heart of the Georgian Caucasus mountain range and indulge in delicious home-cooked Georgian cuisine at local guesthouses.

Embark on a journey through untouched landscapes, far removed from the modern world. Traverse powder-covered glaciers, valleys, and charming villages as you ski tour amidst towering peaks. Marvel at the iconic summits of Mt. Ushba and Mt. Shkhara, soaking in mesmerizing views that will leave you breathless.

Our Svaneti ski tour begins in Mestia, the vibrant main town of the region. From there, we move on to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ushguli, offering a unique cultural experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced skier, Svaneti offers a variety of lines suited to every skill level. Our experienced local guides, certified by IFMGA/GMGA, will carefully select the best routes based on your abilities and preferences, ensuring your safety throughout the journey.

At The Alpine Project, we are passionate about providing exceptional mountain experiences. Our dedicated team of guides prioritizes your safety and ensures a stress-free trip planning process. Even in challenging weather or conditions, we will find alternative solutions to make your journey unforgettable.

Discover the hidden and virgin slopes of Svaneti, one of the world’s most captivating regions for ski touring. Join us for an unforgettable adventure and visit our website to explore other ski tour trips in Georgia.

Experience Recommended

You should have good off piste ski skills. You should also be efficient in skiing through multiple types of snow terrain. (Deep powder, heavy snow, crusty snow). You should have ample ski touring experience and be efficient using ski touring equipment.

Fitness Levels recommended

You should have a great level of fitness. We will be ski touring up to 7 hours a day with 1000m + of climbing per day.

Itinerary

This itinerary is designed for intermediate to advance ski touring groups. However, we can design an itinerary for all skill levels. Please contact us and we will be happy to customize your trip.

Day 1

Arrival in Tbilisi international airport or Kutaisi international airport. From here the driver will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in Tbilisi or Kutaisi. Your hotel will be in the center of each city with easy access to sightseeing, restaurants, and cafes.

Day 2

After an early breakfast, the group will be driven to Mestia, the main town in Svaneti. The drive will be about 5 hours from Kutaisi and 8 hours from Tbilisi, with some short stops on the way. There will be plenty of landscapes to enjoy from the view on the way, especially as we gain altitude and get closer to Svaneti. You will feel you are moving into another world. Check into the hotel and be introduced to your local guide. You will have a welcome dinner where you can experience proper Georgian cuisine and discuss the plans for the days ahead. We’ll also make a visit to the ethnographic museum of Svaneti.

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Mestia

Day 3

Day 3: Early breakfast. You will be driven to Tetnuldi Ski Resort with the group. Here we will do several off-piste runs from the ski lifts to warm up for the days ahead. We will do a short ski tour about 1 hour from the top of Tetnuldi ski resort. From here we have a thrilling ski down 1,300m to the spectacular village of Adishi, nestled in a deep valley. With the 4×4 car, we will head back to Mestia to the hotel for the night.

Vertical ascent: 200m / Vertical descent: 1,300m

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Mestia

Day 4

After finishing breakfast, we’ll drive towards Becho Valley. From the village of Bagvdnari, at an altitude 1,600m, we will ski tour through an old abandoned village and the ancient Mtavarangelozi Church. The slope will take us up to 3,300m on the ridge of Mt. Kheldra. During the ascent, get closer and closer to Mt. Ushba, one of the most iconic mountains in the Caucasus. After taking in the view of the mighty peaks around us, we will make an impressive descent of 1,700m back to the village of Bagvdnari. The driver will meet us and transfer us back to Mestia hotel where we’ll feast and rest.

Vertical ascent: 1700m/ Vertical descent: 1700m

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Mestia

Day 5

On this morning we will have breakfast and drive towards Tskhumari village, which is the way we will approach Mt. Laila. The ascent will start at 1,350m. At 2,250, we will have a variety of options to continue skinning up. Depending on the condition of the group, we can make our way to 3,400m, which will give us the best ski descent of a 2,050m vertical drop. After we ski down to the starting point, we will drive back to the Mestia hotel. Dinner and rest

Vertical ascent: 2050 / Vertical descent: 2050

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Mestia

Day 6

This day will be an exciting tour to the powder covered Chalaadi glacier, one of the favorite tours of the trip. We will drive about 10 minutes from our hotel in Mestia and start skinning up at 1,500m. The ascent will be through a beautiful alpine forest on Mt. Koruldi up to 3,320m. From this point, we’ll ski down a different route, through the Chalaadi glacier, right at the foot of Mt. Ushba and the Chatini Mountains. The feeling is other-worldly as you witness the powerful presence of these summits above you while carving through fresh powder snow. The driver will meet us in the valley and take us to the hotel in Mestia. Dinner and rest.

Vertical ascent: 1820 / Vertical descent: 1700

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Mestia

Day 7

Breakfast and checkout of hotel in Mestia. We will drive 2 hours towards the UNESCO Heritage site of Ushguli, the highest point of human occupation in Europe. At the feet of Shkhara and the massive Bezingi wall, Ushguli will fill you with amazements and curiosity. This is the most remote region of Svaneti allowing these ancient villages to be immaculately preserved. We’ll check-in to our guest house. Just next to the village, we’ll ascend Mt. Lamaria from 2,200m to 3,070m, where we’ll have an incredible view of the 9 summits of Mt Shkhara and the Svaneti main ridge. We will ski all the way down to Ushguli and relax in the guesthouse for the night.

Vertical ascent: 870m / Vertical descent: 870m

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Ushguli

Day 8

We’ll skin up to Mt. Gvibari up to 2,943m from the village. The North slopes of this mountain offers the best terrain and snow conditions. We will run this line twice on this day, as the first time is never enough. After a full last day of incredible skiing we’ll head down to Ushguli and rest in the guesthouse.

Vertical ascent: 1750m / Vertical descent: 1750m

Breakfast, dinner included

Accomodation in Ushguli

Day 9

After an early breakfast we’ll drive back to Tbilisi or Kutaisi from Ushguli. Check in to hotel and rest for the night.

Breakfast included

Accomodation in Tbilisi or Kutaisi

Day 10

Day 11: Transportation to airport from hotel and departure.

Breakfast included

Transportation to airport

Equipment Needed

Technical Gear

Skis – with ski touring bindings mounted* Make sure they are correctly fitted bindings

Skins*

Velcro ski tie – for carrying skis on your backpack

Ski touring boots*

Ski crampons

Crampons* – Crampons should be automatic or semi-automatic. Designed for ice climbing. 12 point steel with anti-balling, which is preventing snow sticking

Harness* – Standard climbing lightweight harness with 2 screw karabiners. Recommended to be a harness which can be worn with crampons on. Harness should be able to fit with your mountaineering jackets on.

Ice Axe* – General mountaineering ice axe, suitable to your size. 1 single axe needed

Ski poles* – Telescopic (with large disks at the bottom)

Helmet*

Shovel* – With metal blade

Probe*

Transceiver*

**Rentable items at local rental shop

Personal Clothing & Gear

Backpack – 40-50L Ideally you should be able to attach your skis to straps on the backpack

Ski Goggles

Headlamp

Sunglasses – sunglasses for mountaineering that fit face snug and tight. Should be 3-4^th UV category

Beanie hat, buff, balaclava – Gear to keep the head and face warm.

Hat for the sun

Waterproof Shell Jacket (1)

Down Jacket (1) – Light-medium weight preferably. Hooded or without hood is fine.

Mid Layer Jacket (1) – Fleece Jacket to put on top of thermal layer.

Thermal Base Layer Shirt (1) – Can be a synthetic or wool layer. Should be long sleeve, preferably ¼ or ½ zipper for ventilation.

Waterproof Shell Trousers (1 pair)

Soft Shell trousers – Tough & windproof

Thermal Base Layer Underwear/Leggings (1 pair) – Can be synthetic or wool.

Water Proof Insulated Gloves or Mittens – 1 Pair. For cold weather

Trekking Gloves – 1 pair. Should be warm, but not bulky. Only for ski touring and on the base camp.

Technical Ski Socks – Medium weight good quality ski socks. Bring a few pairs.

Other Essentials

50+ SPF Sun protection SPF for lips and face.

Thermos – Up to 1 liter

Reusable water bottle – Up to 1 liter

Any required medication and first aid kit

Mobile phone

Pricing Options

Group of 1 — 3250 EUR per person
Group of 2 — 2000 EUR per person
Group of 3 — 1560 EUR per person
Group of 4 — 1280 EUR per person
Group of 5 — 1130 EUR per person
Group of 6 — 980 EUR per person

*Please contact us for pricing on groups larger than 6 people

Price Includes

6 days with IFMGA/GMGA certified local mountain guide (English and/or Russian speaking)
Ski lift passes
All vehicle transportation during trip from arrival to departure.
Accommodation - Hotel Tbilisi or Kutaisi (2 nights)* Guesthouse Mestia (5 nights)* Guesthouse Ushguli (2 nights)
Breakfast and dinner in Mestia and Ushguli hotels
Breakfast in Tbilisi or Kutaisi hotel

Price Excludes

Airline tickets
Travel insurance
Alcoholic beverages and snacks
Lunches during the trip
Dinners while staying in Tbilisi or Kutaisi hotel (guide will provide local recommendations for best restaurants and Georgian cuisine)
Equipment rental fees
Personal clothing and gear