Mestia and Ushguli by 4x4: the Svaneti road trip
Paved road to Mestia, gravel to Ushguli, towers and glaciers all the way. Three-day plan from Kutaisi Airport, road conditions by season, distances and the 4x4s we send up there.
Mestia and Ushguli by 4x4: Svaneti on your own schedule
Svaneti is the valley of stone towers in the north-west of Georgia, closed in by the 4,000 and 5,000 metre peaks of the Caucasus. Mestia, its small capital, sits at 1,500 m at the end of a paved road from Zugdidi; Ushguli, 45 km further up a gravel track, is a UNESCO-listed cluster of hamlets under Shkhara at about 2,100 m, inhabited all year. Marshrutkas reach Mestia and shared jeeps go up to Ushguli, but they leave when full and come back when the driver says so. With your own 4x4 you stop at the Enguri dam, drive up to Ushguli when the weather is clear and come down when you are ready.
GO Car Rental hands the car over in Tbilisi, at Kutaisi Airport or in Batumi, insurance and unlimited mileage are included, and our 4x4s are the cars we send up the Ushguli road. Day-by-day timings, places to stay and what the trip costs are in our blog post Svaneti, Mestia and Ushguli by car.
- Zugdidi to Mestia paved, Mestia to Ushguli gravel: 4x4 only
- Three days from Kutaisi, about 700 km in total
- Fits a one-way rental: land in Kutaisi, drop the car in Batumi or Tbilisi
from Kutaisi
A three-day plan from Kutaisi
Also works from Tbilisi (add a night in Kutaisi on the way) or as the first leg of a trip that ends in Batumi.
Day 1: Kutaisi or Zugdidi to Mestia
From Kutaisi take the highway west, then north at Samtredia to Zugdidi (about 100 km). In Zugdidi fill the tank and, if you have time, see the Dadiani palace. The last 135 km follow the Enguri reservoir and gorge, paved all the way: stop at the dam viewpoint and the Khaishi bridge. Mestia by late afternoon.
Day 2: Mestia to Ushguli and back
Leave by 09:00. The 45 km to Ushguli take about two hours each way on gravel, through Kala and past the Ipari towers. Ushguli (about 2,100 m) is a cluster of four hamlets with medieval towers under Shkhara, the highest peak in Georgia. Walk up to the Lamaria church, lunch in a guesthouse, back in Mestia for dinner.
Day 3: Hatsvali or Koruldi, then down
A slower morning: the Hatsvali cable car for the view of Ushba and Tetnuldi, or the rough 4x4 track to the Koruldi lakes above Mestia (two hours up, low gear, only in dry weather). Then the three hours back to Zugdidi and on to Kutaisi, Batumi or the airport.
What the drive is like
Zugdidi to Mestia (135 km, 3 h). Asphalt all the way, two lanes, with a long stretch above the turquoise Enguri reservoir and a narrow gorge section before Khaishi. Cows on the road, rockfall after rain, no fuel after Zugdidi until Mestia. Fine in a sedan in summer; we still recommend a 4x4 because of what comes next.
Mestia to Ushguli (45 km, 2 h). Gravel from Mestia onwards, graded most summers, with a few stream crossings and a narrow stretch above the Enguri. Low gear, no hurry, and let the shared jeeps pass. Closed by snow in winter; in spring and autumn ask about the state of the road before you go.
Winter. Mestia is open all year (the Hatsvali and Tetnuldi ski lifts run from December), but the Zugdidi road can be icy in the gorge and Ushguli is usually cut off. Our 4x4 rental page lists the cars we send to the mountains in winter.
How far is Mestia?
Four 4x4s that know the Ushguli road
Ground clearance matters more than power here. Every car below is a proper 4x4; the Pajero and the Prado have seven seats for a family or a group with luggage. Daily rates and live availability are on each car page, and on the prices page.
4x4 SUVRenault Duster2016 - 2021 · 4WD · 2.0 LPrice and dates on the car page
4x4 SUVMitsubishi Pajero2014 - 2022 · 4x4 · 7 seatsPrice and dates on the car page
4x4 SUVLand Cruiser Prado2013 - 2017 · 4WD · 7 seatsPrice and dates on the car page
4x4 SUVJeep Wrangler2017 - 2023 · 4WD · 285 hpPrice and dates on the car pageSvaneti by car: questions
Roads, seasons, distances and where to pick the car up. Anything else: WhatsApp us.
Do I need a 4x4 for Svaneti?
For Mestia itself, no: the road from Zugdidi along the Enguri reservoir is paved all the way, about 135 km and three hours. For Ushguli, yes. The 45 km from Mestia are gravel with river crossings after rain, and we only send 4x4s there. A 4x4 also makes sense for the Koruldi lakes track and for any trip between November and April.
How far is Mestia from Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi?
Tbilisi to Mestia is about 460 km and eight to nine hours with stops, so most people break the trip in Kutaisi or Zugdidi. Kutaisi (airport or city) to Mestia is about 230 km, four to five hours. Batumi to Mestia is about 260 km, five to six hours along the coast and then up the Enguri valley.
Can I pick the car up at Kutaisi Airport and drive straight to Svaneti?
Yes. Our colleague meets your flight at Kutaisi Airport with the car (the Kutaisi delivery fee is $120 per end, shown separately from the daily rate on the booking page). From the airport you are on the Zugdidi road in ten minutes and in Mestia in the afternoon.
Is the road from Mestia to Ushguli open all year?
Normally from about May to October. In winter and after heavy rain it closes, and even in summer a stretch can be washed out for a day or two. Ask your guesthouse in Mestia the evening before and plan Ushguli as a day trip rather than a place you must reach.
How many days do I need?
Three days from Kutaisi is comfortable: day one to Mestia with a stop at the Enguri dam, day two Ushguli and back, day three Hatsvali or the Koruldi lakes and the drive down. Add a day if you are coming from Tbilisi or going on to Batumi.
What about fuel and mobile signal?
Fill up in Zugdidi; there are petrol stations in Mestia but none between Mestia and Ushguli. Mobile data works in Mestia and most of the valley but drops in the gorges, so download the maps for Svaneti before you leave.
Book a 4x4 for Mestia and Ushguli
Pick up in Tbilisi, at Kutaisi Airport or in Batumi; insurance and unlimited mileage included, pay 15% online. One-way drop-offs welcome.