Cycling Georgia: Kutaisi to Ushguli

This is the first of three parts detailing my cycle tour around Georgia's Upper Svaneti in July 2025. Here are links to Part Two and Part Three.

I arrived in Georgia late in the evening. Flights generally seem to depart and arrive here at night, so Kutaisi Airport is quite lively twenty-four hours a day. I pre-arranged a transfer from the airport through the hotel I was staying at, just to make sure it would be able to fit my large cardboard bike box. However, you could probably just turn up and find a taxi to take you into town.

The flight from Rome had gone smoothly with Wizz Air and my bike arrived on time, with no visible signs of damage. I planned to spend two nights in Kutaisi, giving me one full day to explore the city. The first part of my route would then head north to Lentekhi and then over the Zagari Pass to Ushguli, nestled in the heart of the Svaneti Mountains.

The weather forecast looked mixed. There were some afternoon thunderstorms possible, but it was expected to largely be dry and sunny until then. The biggest concern was the heat and high humidity, with high temperatures predicted.





The following morning I was excited to look around Kutaisi, and was immediately hit by a wall of heat as a left the hotel. By 10 am temperatures were already close to 40°C (104°F), accompanied by a drenching humidity. It made me look forward to the cooler air of the Greater Caucasus!

I enjoyed my day in Kutaisi, which is a small but charming city and the capital of the Imereti region. The highlight was the climb from the chain bridge up to the magnificent Bagrati Cathedral. The cathedral dates from the early 11th century and features a cross dome structure that is very typical of Medieval Georgian architecture. It is perched on top of Ukimerioni hill, from where you are afforded beautiful views over the city.

After descending back across the river on the charming White Bridge I visited the Kutaisi State Museum, which seemed to combine archaeology, ethnography, art and history in a slightly haphazard fashion. It was reasonably interesting, but nowhere near as informative as the fantastic archaeological museum inside Akhaltsikhe Fortress, that I had visited on my previous trip to the region.



After that it was time for a late lunch. I had missed Georgian food hugely in the year since my last trip here, and it was one of the main factors motivating me to return so soon. The mtsvadi, walnut salad and lobio hit the spot and provided plenty of fuel for the long ride I would be undertaking the following day.

Back at the hotel I assembled my bike, which was in fine working order, and agreed with the hotel that they would store my bike box and some other things I wouldn't be using on this trip for a couple of weeks, until I returned to Kutaisi.

Orbeli Pass & Lentekhi

The first ride took me out of Kutaisi, riding along the eastern bank of the Rioni River; it then followed a rolling road along the river before climbing the Orbeli Pass to Tsageri. The day finished by riding gently uphill alongside the Tskhenistskali River to Lentekhi. The vast majority of the ride was on good paved roads, with just the first section out of Kutaisi on a gravel track.

I considered an alternative route following the main road from Tskaltubo to Tsageri. This is a less hilly route, but I rode a section of this between Prometheus Cave and Tskaltubo on my return to Kutaisi ( see Part Three), and didn't enjoy it very much. There was a fair amount of fast moving traffic, which contrasted with the almost empty road alongside the Rioni river.

The route I chose was around 100km (60 miles), and didn't look overly challenging on paper. In reality it turned out to be a very tough day in the saddle, with both Google and RidewithGPS considerably underestimating the amount of climbing. The 'rolling' section that comprised the first 60km was constant up and down, accumulating around 1,300m (4,500 ft) of elevation gain before the start of the climb to Tsgaeri Pass. This was combined with a suffocating heat and humidity that really sapped the energy from my legs.



Despite this, I really enjoyed it and am glad I chose this way. Some of the scenery along the Rioni River was fantastic, particular the section between Tvishi and Orbeli which passed through a beautiful gorge.

The road surfaces were generally excellent. There was a rough unpaved stretch in the first 10km, leaving Kutaisi, but after that most of the ride was on newly asfalted roads.

Another highlight was the climb to Tsageri Pass. I was flagging a bit in the heat by this stage, but still appreciated the pretty Orbeli Fortress and the views on the descent looking down towards Tsageri.





Tsageri is a slight diversion on this route, but is a good place to stop for food and drink. From there, it is a gentle uphill alongside the river to Lentekhi. This section was much easy than the road alongside the Rioni River, with steady gradients and even some short downhill sections. It was scenic, with views of the river, but not as spectacular as earlier in the day.

In Lentekhi I stayed in a guesthouse and had a short walk around the town, but there didn't seem to be a huge amount to see. Most restaurants were closed, but there was a reasonably sized Spar supermarket, where I got some supplies and much needed calories. On the way back to the guesthouse I stopped in at Svaneti Kubdari, which had just opened up, and tried their house kubdari - the Svaneti version of a meat pie.

It had been a long day in the saddle, and I was relieved to make it back to the guesthouse to rest before a heavy thunderstorm arrived in the early evening.

Into the Svaneti Mountains

The ride from Lentekhi to Ushguli was basically following one road all the way, crossing the 2,600m high Zagari Pass. This road has recently been fully paved and is fabulous to ride. The vast majority of the traffic into the Upper Svaneti climbs from Jvari (Zugdudi) towards Mestia, and so this side is extremely quiet for riding.

A lot of cycle tourists who follow a circular route through the Svaneti region do so in a clockwise direction - going first to Mestia and then onto Ushguli. The reasons seems to be that the main climb is more gentle that way, and it is also a bit easier logisitically if you get the train from Tbilisi to Zugdidi. However, I would recommend doing the route anti-clockwise, because that way you will be climbing (and thus spending more time) on the much quieter and more scenic road. The climb itself is really not too steep or difficult; it is comparable to a decent road climb in the Alps or Pyrenees.



After getting held up by some friendly cows at the start of the day, I made fast progress on the first part of the ride, with mostly gentle gradients and scenic views alongside the river. Temperatures were cooler than yesterday, although it was still warm enough to ride in just a jersey right to the top of the pass.

I soon reached the village of Mele where I bought some drinks; there are also some guesthouses here if you wish to break this day into two. The climb to Zegari Pass began in earnest a couple of kilometres before the village of Tsana.

Gradients supposedly averaged around 9% for the last 11km, although it felt a bit easier than that to me. I think it would have been a very hard climb before the road was paved, but now, with the smooth surface, it is thoroughly enjoyable. Even though there were some clouds around, the scenery was fantastic in the final 5km, where I was also joined by a small dog who ran alongside me all the way to the pass!

The road had very few cars and was a great way to arrive into Upper Svaneti, surrounded by the high peaks of the Greater Caucasus.




I finished the ride with a fast and flowing descent into Ushguli, where the distinctive tower houses were visible in the distance. Behind, the giant Shkhara glacier loomed menacingly, partly shrouded in storm clouds.

Ushguli

Ushguli is the name given to five tiny villages grouped alongside the Patara Enguri River. It is one of the most remote regions in Europe and is known for its remarkable architecture and strong Svaneti culture.

I spent two nights here, staying in one of the dozens of guesthouses which now seem to be the main industry here. Most tourists visiting were hikers who were either starting or finishing the popular low-level, multi day trek between Mestia and Ushguli. I had considered doing this myself, but decided not to as it seemed a bit too busy and lacking in elevation for my liking, and so I decided to do some circular hikes on less travelled trails around Ushguli and Mestia instead.

The distinctive tower houses, known as koshkebi, really dominate the skyline here; They were originally built from the 10th to 12th centuries as mini fortresses. This was a volatile region with raids and violence common in the High Caucasus, so the houses needed to protect the residents and their belongings (including their valuable livestock). The koshkebi here are the best preserved in the world, and have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Several families have opened up their houses as mini museums, in case you wish to look inside, and they also sell locally produced crafts and svaneti salt.




The food in Ushguli wasn't quite up to the usual standard in Georgia, with a lot of fried food and gristly meat seeming to be the order of the day. Obviously this is understandable, as the villages are still incredibly remote today and these traditional recipes have sustained families for hundreds of years.

I still ate heartily though and was fully refreshed and recovered the next morning to do a hike in the surrounding mountains. I have included the circular route that I took on the map above (please not this is only for hiking, it's not possible to cycle). I could not recommend it more highly, it was perhaps my favourite day on this trip, even though I didn't turn a single pedal stroke!




The hike began passing Queen Tamar's supposed tower fortress in Chazhashi and following a private trail alongside the river (the owner may come out and ask for a small fee for trail maintenance). From there, the route climbs steeply towards the peak of Gvibari.

The trail is clear and easy to follow and quickly climbs above the trees, before leading up to a gentle ridge. On the ridge there are absolutely stunning views overlooking all of the dramatic mountain peaks that form the border between Chechnya and Russia. Ushba and Shkhara are among the most prominent and, on a clear day, you can also see Mt Elbrus - Europe's highest mountain.

I literally spent hours on this ridge at 3,000m (10,000 feet) elevation, just admiring the scenery and enjoying a small picnic that I had brought with me.

The descent was almost as spectacular. At one point the track disappears for a bit, but it is on a grassy plateau, so if you have a GPS it is very easy to just cut across until it becomes obvious again. There impressive views continued on a very nice dirt trail, before entering the trees. Shortly before arriving back in Usghuli, I stumbled across the remains of the upper section of Tamar's Fortress, now partly reclaimed by the forest. This was fun to briefly explore before continuing back down to the picturesque towers of Ushguli.



I also did a bit of the very popular hike towards the Shkhara Glacier, but to be honest, I found this to be a much less scenic and enjoyable route than the Gvibari climb. I had considered doing some cycling on the dirt roads and trails around here as well, but they were very muddy (following heavy rain), and looked very rough as well. I think it would have been too much on a bike with no suspension.

Overall thoguh, I can not recommend visiting here highly enough. The cycling to get to Ushguli was great, and the circular hike to Gvibari was even better. As an introduction to the High Caucasus, it was fantastic. My next stop would be Mestia, the largest town and main hub of the Upper Svaneti.



Part 2 - Mestia & Jvari

Part 3 - Martvili & Gelati

Georgia Svaneti 2025 Tour Overview

Georgia & Armenia 2024 Tour Overview

Cycle Touring Guides