Tusheti Nature Reserve and National Park is managed by Tusheti Protected Areas Administration, which is located in Akhmeta municipality, village lower Alvani, and summer administration in Tusheti, village Omalo.

National Park is located in the administrative building of protected areas, with integrated hotel rooms for visitors, cafeteria and visitor center with exhibition and conference hall, interpretation and information boards. Visitors can plan various types of tour for Tusheti sights and gain information on existing services.

Visitors on Tusheti PAs can have different tourist services such as: hotel services, hiring guides, horses. Equipment rental is also possible. Tusheti PAs has 11 functioning tourist routes, giving visitors the opportunity to observe and become part of unique historical-cultural and natural landscapes of Tusheti. Tusheti touristic season lasts for couple of months – from June to October.

How to Get to the Protected Areas?

Tusheti Protected Areas visitor center is located along 85 km of Caucasus main watershed ridge, in lower Omalo.

Distance:

• From Tbilisi to village lower Alvani – 120 km (1 hr and 30 min)
• From Alvani to Omalo – 85 km (3 hr and 30 min)

It is remarkable that the Omalo-Alvani highway is one of the most difficult driving sections in Georgia, which goes along ground path to high mountains. This path was recorded in the list of the most extreme highways of BBC in 2013 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p012ttlb).

Travel by public transport:

Transportation to Tusheti Protected Areas is not done from from capital city, but visitors have to arrive in village lower Alvani.

Minibus leave from Ortachala and Navtlughi bus terminal to lower Alvani (6 Gel, 2 hrs); and private taxis leave every day, several times a day from metro Isani territory (10 Gel, 2 hrs)

• There is no regular transport from Alvani to Omalo, transportation is possible by hiring a private transport (4x4)
• You can hire a private transport in the center of lower Alvani all day long (see the facebook page of Administration: (თუშეთის ეროვნული პარკი/Tusheti National Park).

Contact person:

Anzor Gogotidze, Director of Tusheti Protected Areas Administration 
Tel.: 577 92 11 33, E-mail: agogotidze@apa.gov.ge

Giorgi Bakuridze, Visitor Service specialist 
Tel.: 577 10 18 91, E-mail: gio.bakuridze@gmail.com

Piqria Navguraidze, Visitor Service specialist 
Tel.: 577 10 18 92, E-mail: fiqrian@mail.ru

Lika Kalmakhelidze, Ecotourism specialist, Head office
Tel.: 577 90 72 72, E-mail: info@apa.gov.ge

Currently there are 10 tourist trails arranged in Tusheti Protected Areas:

1. Visitor Centre:

/ 1 km, 3 hrs, pedestrian, difficulty: easy /

Main attractions: Tusheti Protected Areas Administration and Visitor Centre, scenic viewpoint.

The visitor centre is located in village Kvemo Omalo. In 100 meters from the board protected area signboard is situated the administrative complex of Tusheti Protected Areas – one of the most beautiful buildings in the area. The place is surrounded with pine trees. To the east from the visitor centre there is a scenic viewpoint with a breathtaking panoramic view. You can see several villages from there, such as: Kumelaurta, Tsokalta, Chiglaurta and Khakhabo.  

Visitors will get information in visitor center about natural and cultural sightseeing of Tusheti Protected Areas. The center staff will assist in planning tours, booking hotels, hiring cars and horses. Visitor centre offers a cafeteria and well-furnished rooms. If desired it is possible to rent equipment (tents, binoculars, mountain bikes) and use the arranged camping space.

2. Keselo - Kue:

 

/ 10 km, 8 hr, pedestrian, easy /

Main attractions: Village Zemo Omalo, Keselo Fortress, Ethnographic Museum, picturesque landscapes, diversity of bird species, finding and watching bezoar goats.

The trail starts from the Tusheti Protected Areas Visitor Centre and through the Village Zemo Omalo leads toward Keselo Fortress, where visitors can tour the fortress and the Ethnographic Museum. From Kue field (an area near Village Omalo surrounded by pine forsts) it is possible to watch bezoar goats and birds of prey. There is an Ethnographic Museum in Keselo Fortress (entrance is free, however there is a donation box) offering to visitors very interesting exhibits on Tusheti.

It is advisable to take the trail in the second half of the day, as there is greater possibility to see bezoar goats in the evening (05:00 pm – 07:00 pm). During the evening, bezoar goats come out in the open areas to feed, and one can easily spot them with binoculars. Besides bezoar goats, it is likely that you will come across rare birds of prey and the birds that feast on carrion. Potable water is available on top of Village Kvemo Omalo and in Village Zemo Omalo.

 

3. Dartlo - Kvavlo:

 

/ 25 km, 2 days, pedestrian and horse riding, difficulty: average /

Main attractions: Village Zemo Omalo, Village Dartlo, Dartlo Sabcheo (traditional court), beautiful fortress of Kvavlo.

The trail starts from the visitor centre, passes through Village Omalo and descends onto Kue, on the crossroad field of Pirikita, Gometsari and Chaghma communities. From here via horse riding trail of Tsitelta pine grove slope it goes up to Gometsari watershed overpass – to Sakrilobo (gathering) stream, at the base of which there is a field where Tushetians from above mentioned four communities have always held their gatherings. 

From this field, the trail runs along northern slope of the watershed toward the overpass in the direction of Village Dartlo. Village Dartlo is one of the most remarkable places in Tusheti owing to its architecture and overall landscape. 

An automobile road goes from Village Dartlo up to Village Dano, from where it leades to Village Kvavlo. The tower with a pyramid shaped roof overlooks the trail. The village is built on the rocky slopes of the mountain. Sections of it are connected with each other with paths built with stones and rock-cut pathways.

Possible schedules of pedestrian route

Day 1: Village Omalo – Ghele – Village Dartlo. Distance – 12 km, overnight stay possible at guesthouses in Village Dartlo. It is possible to set up tents near the village;

Day 2:  Village Dartlo – Village Dano – Village Kvavlo. Village Dartlo – Ghele – Village Kvemo Omalo / Visitor Centre (distance – 13 km).

 

4. Daquekhi:

 

/ 73 km, 6 days, pedestrian and horse riding, difficulty: difficult /

Main attractions: One of the most beautiful villages of Tusheti, medieval fortresses, picturesque landscapes of Pirikita Gorge and Atsunta Overpass, habitat of East Caucasian Tur, diversity of birds, Pirikita KHevsureti and remarkable pieces of mountain architecture – Mutso and Shatili.  

The trail starts from Village Omalo and mainly runs along the automobile road leading toward Dartlo. The road goes up to Pirikita-Gometsari watershed overpass and then descends into Pirikita Gorge. From Dartlo the trail runs along the left bank of Pirikita Alazani River. After passing through Girevi, the pedestrian trail moves onto the right bank of Alazani River and reaches the source of the river. Then the trail continues toward Atsunta Pass, which is located at the crossroads of Khevsureti and Tusheti and one must cross this pass in order to go to Khevsureti. The trail ends in the village of Shatili of Pirikita Khevsureti, from where one can reach Tbilisi by car.

There are sheep farms alongside the trail (Chesho, Tursiekhi, Luibarche and Sagintskaro). By meeting Tushetian shepherds visitors can get an idea about their livelihood. It is possible to get involved in the process of making unique Tushetian cheese and to learn about domestic animals bred by using local selection process, such as: Tushetian sheep, Tushetian Horse and shepherd dog.

Possible schedules of pedestrian route:

Day 1: Village Omalo – Village Dartlo, 18 km. Overnight stay is possible at guesthouses in village Dartlo, as well as tents;

Day 2: Village Dartlo – Village Girevi. 13.5 km. Overnight stay in tents;

Day 3: Village Girevi – Kvakhidi. 16.5 km. Overnight stay in tents;

Day 4: Kvakhidi – Khidotani, overnight stay in tents;

Day 5: Khidotani – Mutso, overnight stay in tents;

Day 6: Village Mutso – Shatili.