Explore the high Caucasus with local ski touring guides based in Mestia.
Discover ski touring in Svaneti, Georgia — from the mountains around Mestia and Tetnuldi to the remote valleys of Upper Svaneti. We create private and small-group ski touring experiences based on conditions, experience and the objectives of each group.
The region
Svaneti lies in the Greater Caucasus, in the north-west of Georgia, and it is where our family has always lived. Mestia is the natural starting point: a mountain town with stone towers, guesthouses and roads leading into several separate valleys, so a touring day can be chosen in the morning according to what the weather and the snowpack are actually doing.
The terrain around Mestia is varied. Tetnuldi rises to the east with open high slopes and long descents. To the west, the Becho and Mazeri valleys lead towards the Ushba massif, where the mountain scenery is as serious as anywhere in the range. Further up the region, past Adishi, the road continues to Ushguli — a cluster of traditional Svan villages under the Shkhara wall that can become a remote base for a multi-day trip when winter access allows.
What makes Svaneti unusual is not one single slope, but the combination: real mountain terrain, quiet valleys that see few skiers, and villages where people still live and work through the winter. You finish a day of touring in a family house with a fire and a proper Svan dinner, not in a resort complex.
Conditions here change quickly, and they change differently from valley to valley. That is exactly where local knowledge matters. We grew up on these mountains, watch the snow all winter, and plan each day around it. Our ski touring in Svaneti is private or small group, so the plan can move with the conditions and with the experience of the people in the group — rather than the other way round.
If you are planning a ski touring trip to Georgia, ask us about current conditions and we will tell you honestly what the season looks like.
We are based in Mestia and know the local valleys, villages, roads and mountain approaches.
Tour plans can be adapted to weather, snowpack, group experience and conditions.
A personal experience rather than large commercial groups.
We can help organise transfers, accommodation, luggage transport and other local arrangements.
Combine ski touring with the landscapes, villages and culture of Upper Svaneti.
Routes are selected according to current conditions, weather, avalanche risk and the group's experience.
Intermediate to advanced
One of the major ski and ski touring areas reachable from Mestia. High Caucasus terrain with a range of possible objectives, chosen according to conditions and the experience of the group.
Ask us about current conditionsIntermediate
Mestia is a practical base for ski touring in Svaneti. Several valleys begin close to the village, which makes it easy to change plans when the weather or snowpack does.
Ask us about current conditions
Advanced
A dramatic mountain environment below the Ushba massif. Touring here depends strongly on conditions and access, and objectives are agreed with the group beforehand.
Ask us about current conditions
Advanced · multi-day
A remote high-mountain base and a possible part of a multi-day Svaneti ski touring trip, subject to winter road access and conditions.
Ask us about current conditionsFor skiers with solid off-piste ability and some ski touring experience.
For experienced ski tourers comfortable with longer approaches, variable terrain and changing mountain conditions.
For highly experienced ski mountaineers looking for more demanding objectives, subject to conditions and guide assessment.
Routes and objectives are selected according to current weather, snow and avalanche conditions and the group's actual experience.
2026/27 Packages
Three ways to experience ski touring in Svaneti. Each trip is built around current conditions, group experience and your preferred pace.
5 days / 4 nights
A compact ski touring experience for travelers who want to experience the mountains around Mestia without committing to a full week. Spend several days exploring the winter mountains around Mestia, with daily objectives selected according to snow, weather, mountain access and the experience of the group. A good option for experienced skiers who want a shorter Svaneti adventure.
Level
Intermediate
From €890
per person
7 days / 6 nights
Our main ski touring experience. A full week in Svaneti with time to explore several mountain areas around Mestia and Upper Svaneti. Rather than following a rigid route, the week is shaped around current mountain conditions, the ability of the group and the best available touring objectives. Possible areas may include Tetnuldi, Mestia, Becho/Mazeri, Laila and other suitable areas, depending on conditions.
Level
Intermediate to Advanced
From €1,090
per person
8 days / 7 nights
A longer Svaneti experience combining ski touring with the remote mountain environment of Ushguli. Spend more time in Upper Svaneti and combine several ski touring days with the possibility of reaching Ushguli. The final itinerary is adapted to winter road access, weather, snowpack, group experience and the objectives that are realistic during the trip.
Level
Advanced
From €1,190
per person
Final price depends on travel dates, group size and the selected itinerary. Contact us for a confirmed quote.
Example itinerary — final routes and objectives depend on weather, snow conditions, avalanche conditions, mountain access and group experience.
Ski touring is a serious mountain activity. Every plan we make in Svaneti is a decision taken on the day, and it depends on avalanche conditions, the weather, the state of the snowpack, visibility, the terrain itself, the experience of the group and current mountain access.
We expect everyone to carry an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, and to know how to use them, along with clothing and equipment appropriate for winter in the Caucasus. If an objective is not sensible on a given day, we change it — that is part of touring here, not a disappointment.
Travel insurance covering ski touring and mountain rescue is strongly recommended.
The main ski touring season in Svaneti runs through the winter and into the spring months. Beyond that, honest answers are difficult in advance: snow arrives at different times from one year to the next, and conditions differ noticeably between elevations and between neighbouring valleys.
Rather than promise conditions, we watch the season as it develops and advise on dates accordingly. Tell us roughly when you can travel and we will tell you what is realistic.
We can organise private transfers to Mestia from Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi in our own vehicles, timed around your flights. Winter road conditions are taken into account when we plan arrival and departure days.
Routes, journey times and prices are listed on our Svaneti excursions and transfers section, and you can also see our Svaneti hiking and trekking tours for the summer season, including the Mestia–Ushguli trek. More about our family and who we are is on the Visit Svaneti homepage.
The ski touring season in Svaneti generally runs through the winter and into spring. Conditions vary considerably from year to year, and between valleys and elevations, so we plan dates around the season as it actually develops. Write to us and we'll tell you how the current winter looks.
Svaneti sits in the Greater Caucasus and offers a wide range of touring terrain within reach of Mestia, from forested lower slopes to high open faces. It suits travellers who want mountain terrain combined with traditional Svan villages rather than a large resort environment.
Svaneti is a mountain region in north-western Georgia. Most ski touring is based around Mestia, with further terrain around Tetnuldi, the Becho and Mazeri valleys towards Ushba, and the remote upper valleys near Ushguli.
Yes. Mestia is a practical base for ski touring in Svaneti — several valleys and approaches start close to the village, so day tours can be adapted to conditions without long transfers.
Some ski touring experience and confident off-piste skiing are expected. We ask about your background before the trip and choose objectives that match the group's actual experience.
Yes — accommodation in Svaneti, private transfers from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi, and local mountain approaches can all be arranged on request as part of your trip.
Touring skis or a splitboard with skins, suitable boots and poles, avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, plus warm mountain clothing and layers. Tell us what you have and we'll advise on the rest.
Complete beginners are not able to join technical ski tours. If you ski confidently off-piste but have not toured before, contact us — we can suggest an introductory approach in gentler terrain.
Tell us your dates, experience level and what kind of terrain you are looking for. We will help you plan a ski touring trip around current conditions and your goals.
