EXPERIENCE SVANETI
Experience Svaneti with the people who call it home.
Ski Touring
Mountaineering
Hiking & Jeep
Why Svaneti?
A landscape like no other — towering Caucasus peaks, medieval Svan towers and remote valleys.
A Landscape Like No Other
Ski beneath towering Caucasus peaks, surrounded by medieval Svan towers, remote valleys, and dramatic alpine scenery.
Living History
Explore the unique heritage of Upper Svaneti, with its UNESCO-listed cultural landscape, ancient towers, and traditional mountain villages.
Local Flavours & Hospitality
Enjoy authentic Svan cuisine, welcoming family-run guesthouses, and the warmth of local mountain life.
Big Mountains, Endless Possibilities
Discover high peaks, open powder fields, varied terrain, and spectacular descents in one of the Caucasus' most exciting ski touring regions.
Mountain Life After the Ride
Unwind in cosy local bars, share stories from the day, and experience the lively, welcoming atmosphere of Svaneti.
Untouched, High-Quality Snow
Experience Svaneti's pristine, untouched snow and exceptional snow quality, offering unforgettable freeride adventures in the heart of the Caucasus.
Why Svaneti Mountain Life?
- 01
Local knowledge, genuine hospitality
Experience Svaneti through the people who call it home.
- 02
One team, many disciplines
Mountaineering, ski touring, hiking, and jeep adventures.
- 03
Flexible by nature
Tailored experiences, adaptable group sizes, and options for different skill levels and ambitions.
- 04
Experience you can trust
Over a decade of working in the mountains, with local roots and professional standards.
Verified Reviews
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Guest name · CountryBook Early. Secure Your Dates.
Popular dates fill up quickly, especially during ski touring season.
Plan your tripMore Than Guides.
Svaneti Is Our Home.
Svaneti Mountain Life is a team of certified local mountain guides based in Svaneti, Georgia. With over 10 years of experience, we combine professional expertise with an intimate knowledge of the mountains we call home.
From mountaineering and ski touring to hiking, and jeep tours, we create mountain experiences shaped by local knowledge, safety, and a genuine passion for Svaneti.
Our main goal is to make our region feel just as welcoming and special to our guests as it is to us.
Certified Professionals
Our team includes IFMGA/GMGA-certified guides, bringing professional mountain expertise and a strong commitment to safety.
Born and Raised in Svaneti
These mountains are our home. We grew up here, learned to ski and climb here, and built our lives around the outdoors. Our local knowledge goes beyond maps and trails — it comes from a lifetime spent in the mountains.
Our Approach
We believe in responsible mountain travel, respect for local culture and nature, and making thoughtful decisions based on conditions, ability, and safety.
Decisions made in the mountains.
Final itineraries are planned in Mestia — with the latest forecast, the snow underfoot and the group in front of us. Every day we weigh:
- 01Weather forecasts
- 02Snow conditions
- 03Avalanche risk
- 04Crowd levels
- 05Group ability
Safety and mountain conditions always come first.
Our Guides
Certified, local, and genuinely at home on these mountains.
Sandro Zhorzholiani
A former member of Georgia's national ski team, Sandro combines high-level skiing experience with extensive knowledge of Svaneti's mountains. With years of experience guiding ski touring and hiking trips, he brings strong local expertise to every adventure.
Avto Japaridze
Avto is the co-founder and head of the Svaneti Mountaineering and Climbing Club, affiliated with the Georgian Mountaineering Federation. An experienced mountaineer, he has completed numerous ascents of challenging Caucasus peaks, including both summits of Ushba.
Beshken Pilpani
Beshken is a certified ski and hiking guide with a strong background in mountaineering. Having summited both peaks of Ushba, one of the Caucasus' most challenging mountains, he brings valuable high-altitude experience and local mountain knowledge to every adventure.
IFMGA(International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations) is the internationally recognized federation that sets professional standards for mountain guiding. IFMGA certification confirms that a mountain guide has met rigorous international requirements for technical skills, safety, and professional competence.
GMGA(Georgian Mountain Guides Association) is a professional association in Georgia dedicated to the training, certification, and professional development of adventure and mountain guides. The association promotes international professional standards, safety, and high-quality guiding practices in adventure tourism. It brings together professionals specializing in mountain guiding, alpine guiding, ski guiding, and hiking. Through its training programs, GMGA helps aspiring guides develop the theoretical knowledge, technical skills, and practical experience required to lead people safely in mountainous and outdoor environments. GMGA also works with international organizations, including IFMGA, to support internationally recognized qualifications and professional standards. The main goal of GMGA is to improve the safety, professionalism, and quality of adventure tourism in Georgia.
Where wild mountains
meet ancient culture
Discover ski touring in the heart of the Greater Caucasus, where vast mountain terrain, deep powder, and remote alpine valleys meet the rich culture of Svaneti.
From untouched slopes and dramatic peaks to medieval stone towers, traditional villages, and warm local hospitality, Svaneti offers a ski touring experience that goes far beyond the mountain.
Local Knowledge. Certified Guides. Safer Adventures.
Our local guides combine professional mountain training with an intimate understanding of Svaneti's terrain, snow conditions, and weather patterns. Every tour is planned around the group, the conditions, and the safest available options.
Certified Mountain Professionals
Guidance from appropriately qualified mountain professionals.
First-Hand Local Knowledge
Local terrain knowledge to help select suitable routes and adapt to changing conditions.
Safety-Led Decisions
Route choices and daily plans based on snowpack, avalanche risk, weather, and group ability.
Ski Touring Tours
Looking for something different? We can adapt the routes, pace, and daily objectives to suit your experience, fitness, and ambitions. Get in touch.
Is this trip right for you?
Our standard itineraries are designed for intermediate to advanced groups with previous touring experience.
Experience Recommended
Best suited to skiers with solid off-piste skills and previous ski touring experience.
- Strong Skiing Skills
Confident skiing on varied terrain and in changing snow conditions.
- Variable Snow Experience
Comfortable skiing deep powder, heavy snow, crust, and other challenging snow types.
- Previous Touring Experience
Familiarity with uphill travel, transitions, and managing your pace during a full day in the mountains.
- Equipment Knowledge
Ability to use ski touring equipment, including skins, bindings, and boots, as well as essential avalanche safety equipment.
Tell us about your skiing and we will suggest the right trip, or adapt one.
Talk to a guideFitness Level Recommended
Ski touring in Svaneti can involve long ascents and demanding days in high-mountain terrain.
- Endurance & Adaptability
The ability to maintain a steady pace and adjust to changing mountain conditions is essential.
- Good Physical Fitness
Be prepared for sustained uphill effort and a full day outdoors.
Ski Touring Gallery
Svaneti Ski Touring Week
Group size 7–12 participants · Two mountain guides for groups of 7–12.
A hassle-free Svaneti ski touring experience with accommodation, private transfers, and local transportation arranged for you. Focus on the mountains while we take care of the logistics.
- Airport Pickup & Overnight Stay
Meet your driver at Tbilisi or Kutaisi Airport and transfer to a hotel for an overnight stay, including an early breakfast before departure.
- Transfer to Mestia
Depart early after breakfast for a scenic drive to Mestia. From Tbilisi: approx. 7–8 hours. From Kutaisi: approx. 5–6 hours.
- Accommodation in Mestia · [N] nights
Hotel accommodation in Mestia, including breakfast and dinner.
- Ushguli Overnight Stay · [N] nights
Stay in Ushguli, one of Europe's highest permanently inhabited settlements, with breakfast and dinner included.
- Local Transportation in Svaneti
Transportation between your accommodation and ski touring locations, including transfers to and from Ushguli.
- Return Transfer
Transfer from Svaneti to either Tbilisi or Kutaisi, with drop-off at your hotel or the airport.
Basic Package
A flexible option for those who want to focus on the mountain experience while choosing their own accommodation and other arrangements.
- Transfers
Airport pickup, hotel transfers, transportation to Svaneti, and return transfers to Tbilisi or Kutaisi.
- Guided Ski Touring
Professional mountain guide services for your planned ski touring days in Svaneti.
Guide-Only Package
Explore the stunning mountains of Svaneti with a professional local guide. This package includes guided ski touring only, giving you the flexibility to arrange the rest of your trip according to your preferences.
- Professional ski touring guide
- Guided ski tour in Svaneti
- Accommodation
- Transfers and transportation
- Any additional services or arrangements
The Itinerary
Looking for something different?
If you're interested in a private tour or any additional services beyond the packages listed on our website, please contact us. We'd be happy to discuss your needs and help tailor your ski touring experience.
Contact us
World-Class Alpinism
Svaneti is the heart of mountaineering in Georgia, renowned for its rich alpine heritage, legendary ascents, and a long history of extraordinary mountaineering achievements.
Our team includes world-class alpinists Giorgi Tepnadze and Baqar Gelashvili, recipients of the prestigious 2022 Piolets d'Or — widely regarded as the highest honor in mountaineering.
Their achievements include technically demanding first ascents and pioneering new routes across the Caucasus, the Himalayas, and the Hindu Kush. Their climbs have earned repeated international recognition, placing Georgian alpinism on the world stage.
For those seeking alpine challenges, they bring first-hand experience of some of the world's most demanding mountain terrain.
Giorgi Tepnadze & Baqar Gelashvili
Your guides
In the mountain press
Reports on the climbs of our alpinists, from the American Alpine Journal and Planetmountain. Open any report to see the photographs, the videos and the full story.
Articles and photographs remain the property of their publishers and photographers. Follow the links to read the full reports.
Pick your summit
Tap a peak. Heights to scale. Arrow keys work too.
Mountaineering Gallery
Ready for the big one?
Tell us your experience and ambitions. We'll find the right objective.
Request an expeditionHiking & Trekking
Svaneti's valleys, passes and glacier lakes — with the people who know every trail. Tell us where to send the news.
Jeep Tours
Ushguli, high passes and hidden villages — arriving with the spring thaw.
Alpinist
Gallery
Why Book with
Svaneti Mountain Life?
Book your guide in advance with a clear payment process and transparent booking terms. Your payment arrangements are confirmed before your trip.
Submit one request and receive offers from available guides, making it easier to compare options and find the right fit.
Solo or a large group — we tailor our arrangements to your needs. Have something specific in mind? Get in touch.
Find guides with relevant IFMGA and/or GMGA qualifications, clearly presented so you can choose the right professional.
Read reviews from guests who have completed trips booked through Svaneti Mountain Life.
Book Early. Secure Your Dates.
Popular dates fill up quickly, especially during ski touring season. A deposit confirms your booking and reserves your guide for the agreed dates. As guides set aside time specifically for your trip, deposits are subject to the booking's cancellation and refund policy.
Illustrative only — timeline & percentages (Airbnb-style) to be decided with the client and a lawyer.
Pay the full tour price when booking. Your payment is securely held until your scheduled tour.
If you cancel your booking, a cancellation fee of [N/A] will apply.
The remaining eligible amount will be refunded according to the cancellation policy.
If a tour cannot proceed due to unsafe weather, snow, or avalanche conditions, rescheduling or refunds will be handled according to the applicable policy.
All cancellation fees and refund conditions are clearly communicated before booking confirmation.
Tell us your plans
Let's talk mountains
Questions about routes, conditions, groups or something custom? Write to us — a real guide will answer.