THE TCT GEORGIA TEAM

Our TCT guides for the trek in Georgia were Sopo and Austin. Sopo is from Georgia, a fantastic communicator and has been studying towards her Master’s degree in Berlin, Germany. She was adopted by all our hosts and is a super smart, awesome leader! Austin is from the U.S. and has been working in Georgia the last 18 years - spending half of each year abroad. He originally came to Georgia with the Peace Corp and fell in love with the country. Austin is also a writer, musician and great storyteller! He is married to the journalist, Laura Kasanoff, who wrote the book Don’t Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen.

There are two additional hikers both from the U.S. Kim is a chiropractor and avid hiker and Wendy is a recently retired school administrator starting a new phase of her life with this big kickoff!

(photos 11 & 12 are by Sopo)

MONASTERY OF GELATI

According to the UNESCO World Heritage Site description: “Monastery of Gelati was founded in 1106 in the west of Georgia, and is a masterpiece of the Golden Age of medieval Georgia, a period of political strength and economic growth between the 11th and 13th centuries. It is characterized by the facades of smoothly hewn large blocks, balanced proportions and blind arches for exterior decoration. The Gelati monastery, one of the largest medieval Orthodox monasteries, was also a centre of science and education and the Academy it housed was one of the most important centres of culture in ancient Georgia”.

SVAN TOWERS

As we are hiking out of Mazeri we meet a young man who invites us to visit his family’s tower. There are over 200 remaining towers in the Svaneti region that were built around the 14th century. These fortress like towers housed animals downstairs and the family above. We got to climb up and see the majestic views from the lookout holes and roof. Inside, we saw artifacts from 45 families - showing how they cooked and lived. At the end of our tour there were fresh picked blueberries which we were happy to purchase for our lunch.

MESTIA

Mestia is considered the center of the Svaneti region and is home to 45 Svan Towers. It is a popular with tourists and is home to the TCT Georgia field office and retail store. We were invited to the TCT Conservation Corp graduation ceremony and dinner. We met interesting young people who will effect change through their leadership roles teaching new trail builders.

There was also an opportunity to visit the Mestia Historical-Ethnographic Museum which had an exhibit of select photos by Italian photographer, Vitorio Sella, who visited the Caucasus in the 1890’s. There were more exhibits showcasing the history of the Svaneti region with its intriguing artifacts.

LAGHAMI CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE SAVIOR

This small church is tucked away in a residential area. The first story is a single small room and was built in the 9th century from broken cliff rocks. The second story was added between the 13th and 14th centuries with a more sturdy means of construction. The responsibility of caring for this remarkably well preserved building has been passed down through the generations of the church guide’s family.

USHGULI

Ushguli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has fascinating old buildings, Svan Towers and the Lamaria religious complex. Mt. Shkhara, the highest mountain in Georgia, is the often cloud covered backdrop to this medieval village.

There is a restaurant with an improvised movie theater on the second floor that plays Dede every day. The director, a woman, is from the Svaneti region and the actors are local. It is a touching movie that centers on the changing role of women within a traditional society.

RANDOM ANIMALS BY THE TRAIL

The second photo - I happened upon a small group of cows breaking and entering to get into a nice lush delicious field. The lead cow just walked right over the fence and the rest followed!
Horses are used by guides and tourists to visit the glacier about 6 kilometers out from Ushguli. Most tourist walk the route because because they are not in a rush.
A couple of my favorite dogs who accompanied on the walk to the glacier and around town. They take their job as tour guides very seriously and always appreciate a delicious treat as a tip!