Thru-hiking NEW Transcaucasian Trail Georgia

Day 24 – 2nd October, 36000 steps, 21,5km
Oni to the campsite on a ridge.
Uphill, beginning on village roads, 2nd half on trails which were partly overgrown and unmarked. Bear droppings on the trail.
Nice campsite, the wind started at night.

Day 25 – 3rd October, 50000 steps, 34km
Campsite – Drbo – Sachkhere
Start at 8 am, with a bit of wind and rain. Inside of clouds, heavy rain 10-13 pm. Super wet. Lost the GPS trail several times around noon in the forest. In general, the whole section is unmarked. A lot of bear droppings, used the cowbell and tried to make noise (speak, sing) all the time. Later easier downhill. Late evening heavy downhill and last 6-8km on fields and muddy clay roads also through river 8 times. Got to a small Drbo village in the pitch black dark with headlamps.
Nobody was around, but after a while, managed to stop a group of kids who helped us to get a ride to a bigger town 10km away. Found a guesthouse after half an hour of searching and help from locals. Got to the guesthouse at 9 pm. Soaked and exhausted.

Day 26 – 4th October, 9000 steps
Rest day @ Sachkhere
Marso Guesthouse – 50 lari for a room (2 people, no food). Drying boots and clothes.

Day 27 – 5th October, 20000 steps, 11km
Sachkhere – Speti – campsite
Starting uphill through the village landscape. On the higher ridge large open farmlands with grass. The trail follows the car dirt track. Camping early on the side of a field due to rain in the forecast.

Day 28 – 6th October, 32000 steps, 25km(21?)
Campsite – Chalovani “campsite/guesthouse”
Downhill to a river and then following the river on a dirt track. Some houses/farms on the way.
To a big highway for 1.5km and then to a concrete road that goes through multiple villages.
No good place to camp and no guesthouses so we asked around for a place to stay or where to put a tent. Some guy directed us to a house with empty beds. The guys who usually stay here were not here. The room was very basic and we pitched the tent inside. No charge.

Day 29 – 7th October, 38000 steps, 24km
Chalovani house – Tsakva – campsite after Tsakva
Along concrete and then dirt road among small villages the whole day. Warm day.
Got to a bigger highway and then hitched 2km along to a restaurant. Delicious linner and then 1h/250m up after village.. camping on a field.

Day 30 – 8th October, 36000 steps, 25km
Campsite – Tsipa – Khashuri
Guesthouse Metreveli Street 19 – 50 for a room for one night. No food but can use the kitchen
Really windy night (20 m/s), also some locals came by with their guns.. they were hunting or something. Morning pack up fast to get away from the winds.
Hiking on dirt roads. Got to an overgrown trail.. tried to get through but it was not possible. We tracked back and followed another trail down.
From Tsipa started walking and tried to hitchhike.. the first car that appeared after half an hour picked us up. The locals were from Tbilisi. They took us for lunch which they paid for and took us a bit off their route to our destination – Khashuri.

Day 31- 9th October
Khashuri, rain day/rest day
Guesthouse Metreveli Street 19 – 50 lari a night for a room

Day 32 – 10th October
Khashuri to Zanavi bus – 5 lari/person
Stay in Zanavi Guesthouse Hotel Strawberry – 70 lari a night for room and dinner (total). Also included a bottle of homemade wine.

Day 33 – 11th of October, 36000 steps, 23km
Zanavi – Timotesubani camping
Dirt road uphill 1100m. Some wild horses at one point who got a bit aggressive.
At 2000m walked in the clouds and it rained a bit when coming back down. The path in the autumn forest was absolutely beautiful. While coming down saw a bear who ran across the road just 30m in front of us.

Day 34 – 12th of October, 37500 steps, 27km
Timotesubani camp – Tabatskuri Lake
Tabatskuri Guesthouse – 100 lari for room, dinner and breakfast for 2.
The first part is uphill on dirt tracks and forest paths. Out of the forest got onto wide open fields of Lesser Caucasus. Walked to the lake and to a guesthouse.

Day 35 – 13th of October, 43300 steps, 33km
Tabatskuri Guesthouse – Shepherd camp
First 10km on road against the wind. Then up the hill a bit and continue on large open fields. Following mainly the GPS trail on the grass fields. After a while catch up with sheep herders who were going the same way as us. We were trying to pass them from the side and things got nasty with the dogs many times.
After some time reached an area full of different herds and dogs. Talked to a shepherd and was invited to stay with them.
Spent the evening and night with 3 shepherds in their tent. They gave us their beds and slept on the dirt floor on top of sheep skins themselves. We tried to convince them otherwise but they didn’t take no for an answer.

Day 36 – 14th of October, 35000 steps, 24km
Shepherd camp – Lake Paravani – Gandzani
Stay @ Family Corner Guesthouse – 70 lari per room a night. Food separate.
First went downhill from the camp diverting the herds/dogs. Reached the lake and continued on the coast on grassy paths. After Aspara started raining a bit and got offered a ride by a local which we decided to take. Lunch at Poka fast food place. Then walked along farming fields to Gandzani.
We decided to finish here because the weather looked bad for the following week. It was only 28km to the border.