My Fall And Love In Tusheti

Fall is the time to fall in love with Tusheti. I have already shared a story about my summer trip to this fantastic region, and my hopes for a comeback came true in the late September, as I was invited to go there with a group of Polish travelers.

In the beginning of summer Tusheti was lush green, but after two month of merciless sunshine it has changed the colours and became even more photogenic.

After several days in Kakhetian towns and villages we took some freshly harvested grapes and hit the road. The most difficult road in the whole Georgia.

The road to Tusheti begins in the lowlands, in Zemo Alvani village, and goes up to 2800+ meters

It can be warm down there, but the closer you get to Abano Pass, the colder it gets…

We arrive to Lower (Kvemo) Omalo in about 3 hours, because Levan, our guide and driver, knows these roads very well. Otherwise it would take longer.

The village is about to say goodbye to all the tourists and almost all the inhabitants.

Winter is coming: you feel it in the air

Though it’s warm and nice in the guesthouse we stayed in

The carved balconies include solar symbols: Tusheti is still quite paganistic

Can’t stop admiring…

Highland honey is very very good

After having a tea break we head towards Shenako and Diklo

This is a pagan worshiping place called “nishi”. Women should not enter it.

The weather in Diklo is quite good, so we decide to hike to the old Diklo fortress

The path is the mini version of the whole road to Tusheti: twisted and narrow

Sun is shining, smell of pines is intense, and life seems amazing

Another nishi…

The Polish men are allowed to come closer; I just zoom and keep wondering about those old weird habits

And here is the fortress. Or its ruins.

Being constructed in the Middle Ages, this fortress remembers a bloody story about 12 Tushetian warriors, who protected it from the North Caucasian bandits for more than 200 days.

The weather starts changing…

Tushetian pets

The lady is knitting warm woolen socks. In Tbilisi you can see the similar ones, but not all of them are that soft.

I buy a pair for myself and wear them the next cold morning. Feels incredible!

The old ladies also prepare the cheese for sale and for consuming in winter. It smells in a very peculiar way, but the taste is good, especially with hot bread.

And then we are back to Shenako for a short walk

The weather is getting a bit gloomy, so we don’t spot any local people. Just a couple of local cocks.

I was a bit offended by the remarks of Levan about my attempts to approach the nishi (in his opinion, that kind of became the reasons of bad weather)

The next morning we are off to Dartlo, even though the weather is not very promising at all

Though, as we drive up, above the level of fog and clouds, everything’s got perfect

Tushetian towers are different from famous Svanetian ones, as well as from Khevsuretian. Every mountainous region of Georgia has its own architectural peculiarities.

The Tushetian towers served for the defensive purposes first of all

Some houses there are abandoned. We climb to the balconies, peak into the windows… No soul welcomes us there.

A view from a tower

Though, there are guesthouses and cafes that work and offer the travelers the necessary basics

You can find funny design items inside

Dartlo is almost empty. In October everyone goes to the lowlands. There is maybe one or two people who stay there the whole winter…

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