Svaneti History and Ethnography Museum
Museum in the main town with old icons, manuscripts, jewellery and tools from the region. It gives a good introduction to Svan culture, known for its stone towers and old traditions.
Mestia (Svaneti)
Glaciers, outstanding mountain hiking and medieval stone defence towers define this remote highland region.
Attractive locations
Ushba
Twin-peaked mountain whose sharp, rocky summits dominate the skyline of upper Svaneti. It is among the hardest climbs in the Caucasus, though walkers can enjoy it from viewpoints in the valleys.
Lashtkhveri Church
Medieval church on a small hill above Mestia, with views over the town and the mountains. Visitors should dress modestly.
Tetnuldi
Mountain with a ski area that is busy in winter and a base for hiking in summer. The lift gives access to high ridges with views of the glaciers and peaks of the central Caucasus.
Iprari Church
Stone church from the 11th century in a high Svan village, set among meadows and mountains. Visitors should dress modestly and respect any services that are being held.
Ushguli
Community of villages in upper Svaneti beneath Mount Shkhara, known for its medieval stone defence towers. It is one of the highest year-round settlements in Europe, reached by a rough mountain road.
Koruldi Lakes
Pair of small mountain lakes above Mestia, reached by a steep walk or rough road, with views toward the Ushba massif and Caucasus peaks.
Airports
David the Builder Kutaisi International Airport KUT
It is about 98 km in a straight line from Mestia (Svaneti).
Vladislav Ardzinba Sukhum International Airport SUI
It is about 132 km in a straight line from Mestia (Svaneti).
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Georgia (Caucasus) page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan-10.2 °C78 mm
- Feb-9.3 °C65 mm
- Mar-5.9 °C94 mm
- Apr-0.8 °C68 mm
- May5.6 °C78 mm
- Jun10.2 °C80 mm
- Jul13.2 °C67 mm
- Aug13.5 °C61 mm
- Sep9.0 °C88 mm
- Oct3.7 °C97 mm
- Nov-3.0 °C93 mm
- Dec-8.3 °C80 mm
Driest months: Feb, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Mar, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 33% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
112 for police, fire and ambulance.
local government
Georgian National Tourism Administration (GNTA)
Helps with: Georgia's national tourism body. Its Georgia Travel website lists a hotline and an office in Tbilisi for visitor questions and feedback.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Georgia or planning a trip there.
Phone: *9898
Email: feedback@georgia.travel
Address: 4 Sanapiro Street, 0105 Tbilisi
ngo
Georgia Red Cross Society
Helps with: Georgia's national Red Cross society. Its website describes first aid training, disaster management work, social day centres and a volunteer network.
Who qualifies: People in Georgia who need its first aid, disaster or social services.
Phone: +995 32 2 501 105
Address: 71 Vazisubani Street, Tbilisi
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Georgia
Helps with: The UN migration agency. Its Georgia office supports national migration management and border management, and its offices run a Safe Migration Hotline and assisted voluntary return enquiries.
Who qualifies: Migrants and people planning to migrate. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +995 577 251115
Email: iomtbilisi@iom.int
Address: 12 Tengiz Abuladze Street, 1st Lane, 0162 Tbilisi
embassy
Foreign embassies in Georgia (official Diplomatic List)
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Georgian foreign ministry's Diplomatic List (August 2026) lists the missions in Tbilisi and those based abroad.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own country's embassy or consulate.
local government
Emergency number 112 (police, ambulance and fire)
Helps with: Reaches the police, ambulance and fire services in Georgia. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 112