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Georgia 2021
  • Antoine Toulmonde
  • Colette Minjauw
  • Antoine Toulmonde
  • Colette Minjauw

Georgia 2021

A 19-day adventure by Antoine & Colette Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 18, 2021
    Georgia 2021

    Tbilisi Airport - Touch Down

    October 19, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    After a little organisational coffee break in the arrival terminal of Tbilisi Airport we catch a ride into the city center with a not so chatty man and his son. A pure bargain, the lift is negotiated at 20 Lari instead of the promised 60!!
    Lo and behold, as we watch our ride drive away from us after having just dropped us at Liberty Square we start to follow our route to the train station when Colette’s phone announces “low battery”. 😱 The pin drops instantly - the external battery! Whom is charging happily in the arrival terminal of Tbilisi International airport...
    A little luck, a quick ride back with a jovial Georgian and the external battery was retrieved and the trip can officially begin!

    A bad beginning makes a good ending.    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Mestia

    October 19, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Arrival in Mestia at 7.30pm after more than 24hrs of travelling- plane, train and bus.
    A warm traditional Georgian feast was the only way to celebrate our arrival !
    First taste of khinkali, khatchapuri and all the rest 🤤Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Trek Svaneti Day 1: Mestia - Adishi

    October 20, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C

    Here we go!
    An easy 1600m D+ 29km to start....
    A wonderful walk through valleys and up snowy ridges with welcoming encounters:
    - a kind mother and daughter who sell us fresh raspberry juice and give Colette her first Georgian apples, the day can not get better!
    - actually it does... a lonely ski cabin with a music blasting hifi system on the roof attracts our attention. After many refusals we finally accept the invitation to join the birthday party. We get back on the trail a few shots of chachas later, the trail is for some reason much easier and the air warmer 🥴
    - Antoine spots frantically a Gypaete, Colette quickly becomes his ornithology apprentice
    - In Adishi a groupe of Belorussians invite us for a jovial glass of wine and we learn of the complicated political situation they are living; exiled in Georgia to avoid emprisonnement.
    - a rare white bear (who barks) nicknamed Luna, decides to guard our tent.
    We survive our first camp out at -4*C 🥶    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Day 2 Adishi - Ushg.. Ha non, Khalde

    October 21, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 5 °C

    Deuxième jour de marche, nous comptions boucler le trek ce jour et rejoindre Ushguli. Rencontre avec 8 Coréennes bien comiques à qui nous rendons un bob trouvé sur le chemin. Elles gloussaient si bien qu'on aurait dit des petites poulettes des montagnes ! En parlant de poulettes, nous observons un vol d'une quinzaine de Tétras lyre et 2/3 probables lagopedes, à confirmer avec les photos. Après avoir traversé un col pour rejoindre la vallée d Iprali (avec vue sur le glacier d adishi), nous décidons de poursuivre avec un dernier col jusqu'à Ushguli. Malheureusement, le chemin était de piètre qualité et nous perdons la trace dans les rhododendrons. L'ascension est dangereuse et c'est une véritable course contre la montre pour atteindre le col avant la tombée de la nuit. À 200m du sommet (D+), on doit se faire une raison : trop dangereux, trop tard, nous devons rebrousser chemin. Nous arrivons à 21h dans un petit bled (Khalde) avant Iprali. Au final, 29 km de marche et 1634m D +. Tentative de quelques photos de nuit mais la lune est trop brillante pour cela.Read more

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  • Georgia 2021
    2

    Day 3 Khalde to Ushguli

    October 22, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Mise en jambe difficile après ces deux premières journées bien chargées, Colette elle est bien motivée et me tire toute la journée. Notre déjeuner nous sera fourni par une famille car tous les magasins étaient fermés. Un horrible petit chien nous suit toute la journée. Petite sieste au soleil avant d arriver à Ushguli. Apero en terrasse avec quelques pintes, une soupe avec une pinte au resto et soirée avec les Biélorusses. On rencontre Catherine et André, un couple allemand tout mims en voyage pr 3 mois (d'Allemagne jusqu'en Géorgie en van). Nuit à la Caucasus Guesthouse (40 GEL)Read more

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  • Georgia 2021

    Road from Ushguli to Zugdidi - Bojormi

    October 23, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We shared a ride with André and Katherine to Zugdidi. A wonderful german couple with an amazing van who left us in admiration of their travelling style!
    Two buses more and a taxi ride with a Spanish speaking Georgian, we finally arrived at Borjomi at 10pm - Guesthouse BistioniRead more

  • Georgia 2021

    Lomismta Shelter

    October 24, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    First camping spot of our Bojormi NP trek.
    After a 12.5km 1028m D+ hike through a new scenery of woody pines filled with chirpy birds and woody woodpeckers, large amounts of mushrooms and views right through the small Caucasus mountain range we arrive at our luxury camping spot. A cabin, fire spot and picnic table all await our arrival. Antoine doesn’t miss a minute to acknowledge the fact that he might have carried the tent just for the pleasure of carrying it.
    The fire is our first priority, then water, and last but not least the opportunity to try out our new toy found along the way 🪓 - first aid kit nearby!
    In the end we are not alone in the cabin and share the warmth of our fire with a mouse, flies, a rat and even a nearby deer seemed eager to join in!    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Bojormi NP day 2

    October 25, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    We came back by a steep path going down from Lomismta Shelter (Colette improved a lot, she only fell down once this time!) through the forest. The weather was supposed to be awful but it turned out okish : only a bit of snow and rain. Easy peasy for Belgians.
    After that, we enjoyed a warm coffee and a brioche with raisins.
    We ended the day playing cards at Pesvebi café and sharing a nice meal (mushrooms, livers and trout prepared with walnuts) at Cafe Old Borjomi.    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Vardzia monastry

    October 26, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C

    Created in the 12th century this cave city is today still inhabited by monks.
    A little claustrophobic labyrinth in the cliff leads to a beautiful church and bell tower , thankfully we are both petite and flexible 🤖Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Sighnaghi - Khakheti region 🍷🍇

    October 27, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    After the west we start to discover the east...
    Starting with Khakheti region known for its viticulture (first wine makers ever? 🤷‍♀️)
    But natural qvevri Georgian wine is a little harder to get used to than we may think.
    Sighnaghi is yet to be the cutest, most traditional town we’ve seen till now. It’s Tuscan feeling, pebbled streets and coloured balconies make up for the energetic quad bikes skidding through the town.
    In lack of hiking we still managed to find a pleasant walk out of town to visit Bodbe Monastery and its very peaceful gardens.
    We found a nice accommodation close to the center, held by a welcoming family. Impossible to skip family time with coffee and a little chat next to the typical Georgian oven.    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Monastery + winery

    October 28, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Today is our tourist attraction day.
    We start by visiting a typical Georgian monastery; Guurjanis Qvelatsminda, where Colette even in jeans and her hood up was still too provocative apparently..
    11:00- wine tasting o’clock, obviously. We visit Nikolashvilis winery, a small traditional family run business where the lady of the house explains to us the Georgian wine making process in qvevri clay jars and we taste a collection of white wines, black wines and liquors as well as nuts, fruits, sweets, cheese and bread 🐷
    The next 1h30 ride up to David Gajeti was clearly postprandial nap time 😴    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    David Gajeta Monastry

    October 28, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    After a long drive through the semi arid desert, we arrived at the David Gareji monastery, located next to the Azerbaijan border. The area is well protected by military forces of both countries.
    The visit was enlighted by the beauty of the landscape (color layered hills), a raptor seen on the way (buse féroce?), the charm of the monastery and the presence of a rare bird : the wallcreeper. This bird is often compared to a butterfly (through its flight and its shape). Let's hope we will be as lucky for the next national parc (Vashlovani).Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Vashlovani National park day 1

    October 29, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Do you remember the passage in the movie the 12 tasks of Asterix, the Pace that sends you mad where they have to do some administrative work? Well, it's more or less the same to get in that national park. First, we have to reach the visitors center in Dedoplistskaro to pay the entrance and get the map. It doesn't seem too difficult but of course we arrived at lunchtime : office closed. We decided to have lunch on a hill where a monastery oversees the town. Second try : office is open but the lady doesn't speak English. Georgian way : call Nino and give the phone to the tourist BUT DON'T TOUCH IT (covid obliges). Nino explains what document we have to send her. She gave us her number (with 3 numbers missing, not very helpful). Next step : border permit to get from the police station a bit further. Georgian efficiency, we only wait 40 minutes to receive this handwritten paper. It's 3PM, good timing to get in the park with our freshly rented Nissan XTrail 4x4 (Ndlr prononced quatro quatro).
    The way is well indicated to get in the park and we find it right away (get the irony in my writing please). Or we end up driving close-by the Azerbaijan border... twice until we were escorted by military men in a buggy to our campsite. Its 6 PM, we did literally nothing of the day and didn't see a iota of the park. We spend a rainy night in the tent surrounded by golden chackals calling (it surprisingly sounds similar to hyenas call that are also present in the place).    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Vashlovani National park day 2

    October 30, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    We drove through the park hopping to see animals, (unfortunately no mammals wanted to see us, we only saw birds). Nevertheless, the landscapes are breathtaking (if only the visibility was more than 20 m...). The paths (well supervised by military men) are quite challenging even with a 4x4. We spotted bear footprint during our evening walk. We ended up at a ranger station and spent the night there. The pistachio tree and Juniperus are 2 remarquable trees present in the park.Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Vashlovani National Park day 3

    October 31, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    This will be our last day in the park. We hoped to have a better day than the last 2. After an early breakfast, we were ready to hit the road. The car wasn't... Flat tyre! Time to unpack the freshly packed car. Spare tyre : check. Jack : check. Lug wrench : on holiday. And the useful rangers have no car and no tools. They called another ranger that was supposed to come one hour later (Georgian timing). After 2 hours, a pack of crisp, a couple of beers, a game of cards later, a car finally arrives, driven by a proud 10 yo polish boy. The parents were useful and helped us to change the tyre. 2 pm, good timing to hit the road. Plenty of raptors were waiting to be photographed on our way back. It saved a bit the visit.Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Lagodekhi, Georgia

    November 1, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Lagodekhi National park - finally back to walking, camping and long days of hiking 😍😍
    Or not...
    With the heavy rains of early October all the bridges on the trail to the black rock lake have been washed away and the trail is therefore closed 🥺
    A bit bummed by the news we stroll around Lagodekhi, watch a local Georgian football match and find our best guesthouse yet.
    Or not...
    Halloween is upon us and our host is clearly taking her witch costume very seriously, she even has the missing teeth 😐

    A clear blue sky brightens our mood and we head out determined to see as much of the park as we can, trail closed or not. Our balance skills turn out to be quite good considering our very high centres of gravity, logs and stones making very good bridge alternatives.
    After almost 1000m D+ of walking and lots of woodpecker watching, we trekked back regretting not to have taken all the camping gear with us.
    Moral of the story; Georgians are very quickly discouraged by broken bridges.    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Abudelauri Lakes day 1

    November 2, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Back in the wild for real!
    We start a 2 days hike from Korsha to reach the three Abudelauri lakes (one green, one blue and one white).
    After a first day of 15 km and 1300mD+., we camp at an altitude of 2600m with a 360* view of high snow covered peaks and the green lake on one side and the valley of Roshka on the other.
    Our best hike so far✌️    Read more

  • Georgia 2021

    Abudelauri Lakes day 2

    November 3, 2021 in Georgia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    After a rainy night, we started hiking to the highest lake out of the 3 located at 2840m above sea level.
    We were in a cloud almost the whole time and the end of the trail was covered by a thick layer of fresh snow.
    On our way down through Roshka a lady was cleaning sheep whool at a guest house where we stopped for a coffee. We almost finished her stock of fresh milk it was so good.! We even bought a litre to go and a box of her natural honey.
    Good news, the car was still where we parked it and it still had its 4 wheels inflated.
    We came back to the capital for our last night where we coincidentally joined a group of international people (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Ukrainia, Georgia) for dinner in a small local cafe. We were entertained by the party dancing and one eager Kazakhstan girl determined to dance with each male present and nott go home alone. No matter her persistance and strong grip she did not manage to lure Antoine to the dancefloor.    Read more

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