A trip to the Tusheti (თუშეთი) region, Georgia
Adventuring in one of the most remote part of the world, through one of the deadliest roads in Europe!
Good morning good evening good afternoon, travelers! Time is irrelevant, as we are here to talk about space, spaces we visit and spaces we become a part of!
This last few days, I've had the privilege to travel to the north-east of Georgia, close to the Russian and Azeri border, in the most remote part of Georgia. The Tusheti region is located so deep into the mountains that the road that leads there is only practicable a few months throughout the year, when the weather allows it.
After a very sinuous and tortuous drive through sharp mountains, dangerous turns, peaks and passes, and what seems to be an eternity floating on the edge of your last breath, you reach this sublime plateau in the mountains, composed of 3 different valleys and multiple little villages, each located at different altitudes.
We stayed in the village of Omalo (ომალო), which is separated into a lower Omalo and a higher Omalo, and from there we went on to exploring the different valleys and villages. Most people get around by horse or walking in Tusheti, as the road are dirt path, quite dangerous and tricky to drive, especially when the weather changes for the worst.
A little idea of what the road mostly looks like
Along the road, you can see a huge number of graves, memorial plates, or names carved on the stone, names of the people who died on this road. It is said that some (mad) drivers, while going to Tusheti, sometimes stop by every grave and to pay their respect, drink a shot of Chacha (ჭაჭა), the local booze, which often ends up with another memorial plate to be added....
Here are a few pictures from the different villages we managed to hike to.
