5 days

About this activity

A photography tour to Svaneti is an amazing opportunity, not only to hone your skills but also to explore your creativity. Our guide, a Dutch photographer with more than 20 years photography experience, will run the tour personally. Years of living in Georgia and exploring Svaneti have given the photographer an intimate working knowledge of the landscapes, the light, unique photo spots, and local people. As the aim of the tour is to offer guidance and advice for an in-depth and exciting insight into the country, he will guide you on an adventurous journey through the region’s different eras, architectural influences, and geographic features. On locations, working alongside with you and inspiring you, he will offer technical advice and practical help that will leave you with both great photos, deeper understanding of Svaneti and unforgettable memories.
Surrounded by the highest and majestic peaks in Europe: Shkhara (5.200m), Tetnuldi (4.858m), Gistola (4.860m), Ushba (4.710m) and not far from there, just over the border - the highest mountain in the Caucasus and in Europe, Mount Elbrus (5.642m) – gives the feeling that the sky is within reach of your hand, so close that you can actually touch the stars.
Just imagine being every day on the move surrounded by incredible and unspoilt nature, driving from one place to another, crossing high mountain passes and rivers, doing some light hiking activities to reach even higher places, witnessing the amazing hospitality of locals. The landscapes scattered with ruins, medieval towns, roaring mountain peaks and huge valley glaciers, chasing the best light around the mountains is what this tour has to offer.
All photos shown are taken by our photo guide.

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Included

Day 1: pick up in Tbilisi at your hotel, airbnb or other accommodation of residence.
Day 1: drop off at the correct railway track, train and sleeping compartment.
Professional photo guiding on all days except day 1.
a photo meetup with the photo guide on day 1.
All jeep transport described in the itinerary.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on all days except day 1
Accommodation for 3 nights in guesthouses in Svaneti (Becho, Mestia, Ushguli) on the basis of twin/double rooms with a shared bathroom or a private bathroom.
All described activities per itinerary.
Day 5: Drop off in Tbilisi at your hotel, airbnb or other accommodation of residence.
Bottled water on all days except day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Bottled water

Not included

Accommodation in Tbilisi.
Snacks and alcoholic beverages.
Gratuities

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Itinerary - day to day
Day 1 - Meet up with the guide and travel by Land Vehicle
The first part of our journey will be traveled by car, We will convene with you a time and a place (hotel, airbnb, etc) in Tbilisi for a pick up of one of our drivers to ensure your guaranteed transportation towards Zugdidi ( Halfway point towards Svaneti.
Day 2 - Mount Ushba and Shdugra waterfall
Early in the morning, We will drive on a mountain road towards our first destination Becho in Svaneti, located just under one of the most spectacular mountains of the Caucasus, Mount Ushba. The road in the mountains offers spectacular views. We will make numerous photos stops and photographic detours. We will also make a stop for breakfast and later for lunch. In the afternoon we arrive in Becho. After checking-in in our guesthouse, we will explore the surrounding area. We have a short hike to the Shdugra Waterfall and visit a nice panoramic viewpoint with excellent opportunities to take photos of the Becho Valley. After dinner, we will have a sunset photo session from a nearby hill. When the sun hides behind the horizon, the sky fills itself with stars. With the help of expert guide, we will be able to capture Mount Usbha.
Day 3 - Idyllic villages and Koruldi lakes
For the earlier riser, the jeep is ready to bring us higher for a photography sunrise session. Upon returning to the guesthouse in Becho, after breakfast and checkout, we will drive in the direction of Mestia. Along the way, we will make photographic detours to idyllic villages and experience the daily life high in the mountains. After checking-in in our guesthouse and lunch in Mestia, we take a jeep path towards the impressive Koruldi Lakes at an altitude of 2.740 meters. We will spend the whole afternoon photographing these hills. Depending on sunset times we might have sunset photo sessions here as well or return and have another excellent photo location after dinner.
Day 4 - Glaciers and Tetnuldi Plateau
Again in the morning, a jeep will wait to bring us to a new sunrise location. We will visit the Chaladi Glacier. A short and easy hike will bring us all the way to the tongue of the glacier. After breakfast and checkout, we continue our way in the direction of Ushguli, the highest inhabited village in Europe. We will make several photographic detours. Our visit to the Tetnuldi Plateau will be most impressive. From here, at an altitude of 3.165 metre, we will see all the high peaks and far below the populated valleys. We arrive at midday in Ushguli. After a short walk and lunch, we will head towards the Shkhara Glacier, part of the highest mountain of Georgia, the Mount Shkhara. Around dinner time, we will be back in our guesthouse. After dinner there is time to witness the sunset and the appearing stars just from the street of the village.
Day 5 - Zagaro Pass
Today, everyone will have to get up early. We will take our breakfast and lunch with us on the road. To leave Svaneti and go back to Tbilisi, we will take a different route to the one we took into Svaneti. This will be by far the most breathtaking part of the journey. Driving back to the lower areas early in the morning, with the best light following us, we are going to take a panoramic jeep path leading us across the Zagaro Pass, on an altitude of 2.620 metres, through the wild nature of the High Caucasus, where hardly any people live or come to visit. After exiting the mountains, we drive back to Tbilisi. There will be a long stop for a Georgian dinner along the way. We arrive back in the evening and everyone will be brought back to their hotel or preferred places.
Jeep Transport
We travel by uttermost reliable and powerful 4x4 vehicles. We use guaranteed top condition jeeps with all necessary insurances. The jeeps are modern built with a spacious interior.
We have excellent views on the surroundings and we are very flexible in reaching impressive places at the right times in all the comforts. The photo guide is also our lead driver. He has been driving on mountains road for many years in all seasons and weather conditions. In case when a group consists of more than 4 people, we will add another same class type of jeep with a trusted Georgian driver following all directions of the photo guide.
Accommodations
The rooms are on the basis of 2 persons per room with private bathroom en-suite. Option: single room at an additional fee.
Clothing & Climate
The weather in the mountains is susceptible to change. It can be summer in the valley while a little bit higher up in the hills the ground is covered with fresh snow. We can take shelter in our comfy jeep, but the changeable mountain weather creates interesting images. The forecast will be closely monitored. Accordingly, there can be slight changes in the itinerary. Dressed in layers, outdoor clothing is advised and comfortable walking shoes with a good grip are a must. At night it can be chilly, a warm hat is by no means a luxury.
Tour Season
The Zagaro pass is open 5 months per year, only. The tours take place between the beginning of June till the end of October.
Photo Equipment
The tour can be joined with any type of camera. Even without a camera, the tour will be very enjoyable. We will visit amazing places in Svaneti, which will be a joy to see with your own eyes. But that should not stop you from bringing all the photo equipment you have and you want to use. For capturing the night’s sky, a tripod is highly recommended. We advise having a proper bag to protect your equipment, extra batteries and memory cards and a cleaning kit to keep your equipment clean.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers