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- Omalo village and Keselo fortress — The main hub of Tusheti, Omalo is where you’ll find guesthouses, a tiny museum and the stacked stone towers of Keselo that loom over the village. It’s the best place to get your bearings, hear local stories over a bowl of chvishtari (cornbread) and watch shepherds moving flocks at dusk.
- Dartlo (personal favorite) — A postcard-ready village of red-tiled roofs and crumbling defensive towers; the light here at sunrise and sunset is ridiculous. Walking Dartlo’s lanes feels like stepping into a movie set — great for photos, quiet nights, and conversations with locals who still keep traditional Tushetian ways.
- Shenako — Small, remote and hauntingly intact, Shenako’s stone houses and high terraces sit above broad green valleys. Fewer visitors go here, so you
- Omalo village and Keselo fortress — The main hub of Tusheti, Omalo is where you’ll find guesthouses, a tiny museum and the stacked stone towers of Keselo that loom over the village. It’s the best place to get your bearings, hear local stories over a bowl of chvishtari (cornbread) and watch shepherds moving flocks at dusk.
- Dartlo (personal favorite) — A postcard-ready village of red-tiled roofs and crumbling defensive towers; the light here at sunrise and sunset is ridiculous. Walking Dartlo’s lanes feels like stepping into a movie set — great for photos, quiet nights, and conversations with locals who still keep traditional Tushetian ways.
- Shenako — Small, remote and hauntingly intact, Shenako’s stone houses and high terraces sit above broad green valleys. Fewer visitors go here, so you get a real sense of isolation and old-mountain life — perfect if you want solitude and authentic village scenes.
- Abano Pass — The dramatic high pass that’s the gateway to Tusheti: steep, rough and only reliably open in summer, it’s either an adrenaline-fueled 4x4 ride or a long day hike. The panoramic views of the Greater Caucasus ridgeline from the top make the sketchy drive totally worth it.
- Alpine meadows and summer pastures — In summer the valleys turn into a carpet of wildflowers and grazing flocks; shepherds set up seasonal teahouses and make cheese right in front of you. These pastures are the heart of Tusheti’s landscape — easy short hikes or multi-day rambles through fragrant grasslands.
- Wildlife spotting — Tusheti is one of the better places in the Caucasus to glimpse Caucasian tur (mountain goats), chamois and raptors like golden eagles or the occasional bearded vulture. Sightings aren’t guaranteed, so go slow, listen, and try dawn or dusk when animals are most active.
- Village-to-village hiking trails — Classic multi-day routes link Omalo, Dartlo and Shenako, giving you real backcountry mileage without technical climbing. Trails can be rough and sometimes unmarked; hire a local guide if you want nav help, and pack for weather that can flip overnight.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.