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MONTH BY MONTH IN SVANETI (MAY-OCTOBER)

12/5/2019

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Layla (4008m) in the middle of summer

​Each and every season is unique!
In recent years (starting from 2017) the weather pattern has changed. There is no certainty that those dry and sunny summers will or will not continue. However I decided that  the following updated description should   refer  to this recent pattern.   
If planning to revisit consider coming in different month. You might not even recognize your favorite spots! Autumn has  beauty  very much different from summer's.
​
MAY
Transition from late spring to summer
  • Deep snow still prevails above 2300  and nights are cold.  It melts a lot as we get closer to the end of month
  • More rainy days (at the beginning of the month). Last two weeks are considerably drier
  • Certain  routes  are already accessible
  • Snow bridges make river crossings easier and safer. However on sunny  days water is high and turbulent
  • Flowers start to pop up and   fruit trees attractively    blossom
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On the top of Shtavleri (3993m)  in the second half of May


​June 
Summer  arrives and strengthens it's positions.
  • Extensive snowfields   at 2800 which melt away as we approach July   
  •  The peak of bloom (both shrubs and flowers)
  • Mountains are still covered with  layers of shining snow left from spring
  • Days getting hotter and nights are comfortable. Occasional rains (two days in a row at most)
  • Glaciers are safer to cross and icy sections are easier to move through
Picture

Primulas at  the  foot of Mt.Layla
​

​July 
High summer month 
  • Days are hot and nights are warm (even at higher altitudes)
  • Many  more tourists make popular routes crowded
  • Most of the snow (below 3000) melts away
  • Weather is  stable with  only rare showers giving way to longer sunny spells
  • Most routes are  in excellent conditions 
Picture
Above West Layla (Dzhvari) glacier

​August
Vacation season is in full swing
  • Days are often extremely hot and dry. Very few rains and occasional  thunderstorms
  • Popular trails are very crowded and many hotels/guesthouses  are solidly    booked
  • Glacier routes become icy and bridges over crevasses thinner (or   collapse)
  •  Wild berries appear
  • Mountain lakes   are already free from snow
Picture
Above the glacier of Mt.Layla  in the second half of August

​
​September

Dry and cool time to enjoy the mountains. Half summer/half fall
  • Days are still hot    yet nights become cooler (even freezing as you climb higher)
  • Second half of the month may bring  an occasional  snowfall  above 3000
  • Colors of autumn start to appear after  its  second week
  • Glaciers  look like shields of bare ice. Crossing them after first snowfalls must be taken seriously
  • Plenty of wild berries and fruits
Picture
Layla (4008m) with it's many glaciers in September
October
Quieter period full of wonders
  •  Lower day temperatures make hiking very pleasant
  • Nights are freezing  and require extra layers
  • Some  snowfalls above 2600 
  • Fall colors and snow covered peaks match perfectly
  • Climbing routes are either  icy (south faces)  or    covered with    layer of snow (north faces)​​​
  • Sunny  periods  go on for weeks
  • Harvest season of wild berries continues
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The spectacular road of Inguri. Zugdidi to Mestia.

4/5/2019

2 Comments

 
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Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going.
Paul Theroux

The "problem" of most tourists is that they don't have enough time, both for research  and traveling.  And information is scarce.
So this is one of my goals - to inspire interest and to introduce Svaneti not just as another picturesque destination but something you become familiar with even before your visit. Not just jumble of unfamiliar peaks and valleys but distinct places with their names and history. 
For most people the road from Zugdidi to Mestia is hardly more than 3-4 hours spent on a bumpy road of 136 km while being drowsy after an early wake up call in the train from Tbilisi (or shared taxi from Kutaisi). Very few consider it part of their travel; for majority the important thing is to get to Mestia where things are more exciting. True, not all seats in marshrutka are good for seeing what's there outside (to get your window seats arrive earlier) but with some determination you may succeed.
So here is the famous Inguri Road (which I believe is more interesting than Georgian Military Road to Kazbegi) illustaretd with 10 photographs of different places along it. All of them are easily recognizable.  
Svaneti is as beautiful as the road  which brings you there!
Bon Voyage!

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 1.  
Zugdidi is 30 minutes away and after crossing Magana river (flows from Tobavarchkhili Lakes) the road enters higher places and starts to climb up leaving the coastal plane far behind. Across the valley you can spot Egrissi Range (photo 1) with it's saw-like ridges and before July is still  covered with snow. No other range is as close to the Black Sea as Egrissi which despite it's very modest heights (up to 3300m) carries some small glaciers.
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 2. Inguri Dam and reservoir (photo 2)are perhaps the most known attractions of the road. On the web you can easily find facts about this huge constuction. The reservoir  is quite beautiful in particular when water is color of  turquoise.
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3. After Khaishi (the first sizable village of Svaneti) the road crosses  bridge to the right bank. Here is a confluence with mighty Nenskra - the valley on the western border of Svaneti and Kodori Range above it creating a high barrier separating it from Abkhazia. From this point the valley turns into a narrow gorge (photo 3) with roaring Inguri just below the wheels. This part of the road is the most thrilling.
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4. Nakra valley marks the midpoint of the road. Clear water of Nakra is unlike grey streams of Inguri. Nakra village is relatively new, only in 1930-th svans started to move to this once totally uninhabited  and wild valley. Donguz-Orun Pass (3250m) in it's upper reaches is the easiest link to Northern Caucasus and brings you after a long day's walk straight to the foot of Mt. Elbrus (the highest mountain in Europe).
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5. Road steadily climbs up leaving the river far below. From now on the distant views are not hidden anymore. Long switchbacks take you even higher. From above, when looking back you see Mt.Shtavleri (3993m) a massive pyramid in the range separating Nakra and Nenskra valleys. On your right hand side still closer is Bakildi Ridge (photo 5) with numerous attractive looking villages at it's foot. 
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6. On 110 km the road is still high above Inguri and Mt.Layla though modestly comes into view. Below are four villages of Tskhumari community known for it's excellent harvests of walnuts.
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7. If the day is not overcast and your seat is on the left side (stretch your neck of not) you will have an absolutely grand view of Mt.Ushba (it's South summit), Guli glacier and Guli pass.
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8. Road makes a large half loop and passing by Tskhumari road sign turns east. High snow peaks (5000m high or alsmost so) appear on the horizon while closer is the beautiful valley with steep slopes above the river. Excilarating view... Latali community is getting closer. 
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9. A bit later turn your head to the right and you will be greeted by Laylachala - the valley of 8 glaciers!
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10. After leaving Latali, Mestia is not far, only 9 km away. Now, when Inguri is behind a wooded Zagar Range we are in the valley of Mulkhura.  Lenjeri community (photo 10) with it's many towers is easily recognizable while Gvalda Range dominates the view with it's highest mountain - Banguriani (3857m). 
Welcome to Mestia!
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