Uschguli village community

Deep in the mountains of Upper Vanetia in Georgia lies a community of villages called Ushguli. Today it is considered one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe and consists of the communities of Tshvibiani, Shibiani, Murqmeli and Chashashi. Scattered across the landscape are narrow, stone tower houses, many of which have survived to the present day. Thanks to its long isolation, Ushguli is an exceptional example of a medieval European mountain settlement that takes visitors back to a time long past.

The four villages of Ushguli are spread over a distance of about 2 kilometers. The highest village, Shibiani, is located at 2200 meters above sea level. Throughout time, Ushguli has withstood many influential empires such as the Arabs, Mongols and Persians. Christianity and also the control by Russia from the middle of the 19th century have left their mark, but the inhabitants, the Swans, have kept their old way of life and traditions. They speak their own language, Swanish, which is believed to be even older than Georgian. Due to the migration of the population and because the only school is taught in Georgian, Swanish is slowly disappearing. History tells about this people as brave and indomitable warriors, who could outlast any enemy and any natural disaster. Among other things, they owe this to the numerous stone towers, which were used both as living quarters and as defense towers. In times of war, even important people and objects from the surrounding areas were brought to Ushguli to have them protected in the towers. It is said that there used to be more than 300 such towers in Ushguli alone, but today only 30 of them are still standing, protected by UNESCO.

Today, about 200 people live permanently in Ushguli and there is a small school for the children. Meanwhile, after a long period of migration to lower-lying areas, the village community is seeing more immigration and the remaining families have made it their goal to preserve the Swan culture and language. With the recognition of Chashash as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, changes also came to the region. The only road leading to Ushguli was still threatened by bandit gangs in the early 2000s and not many visitors took the road. In 2004, however, they were driven out and the road is even expected to be paved in the coming years. The government built a new power supply in 2012, so now even the most remote villages have access to electricity. A small airfield has been built and one of Georgia's largest ski resorts is now emerging on the sleepy slopes of Mount Tetnuldi. Tourism is booming, and the watchtowers that once kept out intruders are now meant to attract tourists.

Due to its extreme remoteness, this former outpost offers incredible views over the mountains and the opportunity to immerse yourself in ancient village life and, of course, the living history of the Swans. The season begins each year around May and lasts until October. In the months of July and August there are the most visitors in Ushguli. In winter there is a lot of snow in the mountains and the road is hardly passable. However, this could change in the future with the expansion of the route and the season could be extended. Already now the village is accessible as a day trip and every day numerous tourists marvel at the medieval towers. Ushguli is surrounded by beautiful mountains and therefore very popular for hiking. Alternatively, a visit to the museum, a ride on the numerous horses and a walk through the stone watchtowers are worthwhile.

From Mestia you can reach Ushguli with a 3-hour cab ride. The prices for the ride can be quite high (up to 70 euros for a cab with 6 seats), so it is worth sharing the cost with other travelers. If you want to stay longer than a day in the region, Ushguli has some small inns where rooms can be booked for the night. There is also a small grocery store as well as a café and the services are constantly being expanded.

You want to visit the highest settlement in Europe, but you don't know exactly how? Come with us on our unique Georgia Adventure and let yourself be inspired by Uschguli and numerous other places without having to make tedious arrangements in advance.