7 nights, 5 days in the saddle
6-10 persons
20/07 to 20/09
For intermediate
7 nights, 5 days in the saddle
20/07 to 20/09
6-10 persons
For intermediate
Megrelske Golden Fleece week-long horseback expedition
Experts in Greek mythology claim that the story of the Argonauts going to the grove of Ares in Colchis for the hair of the golden ram is the result of a misinterpretation of the tale. According to them, Jason and his crew set out - simply - in search of piles of gold, for Colchis was considered by the Greeks of the time to be the most beautiful and richest place in the world.
However, regardless of opinions and interpretations as to the object of the expedition, all agree on one thing: The Argonauts set off for Colchis, a land located in what is now western Georgia. And it is into this region that we set off on a beautiful adventure rally.
On the trail to Askhi
Passing through a picturesque valley. The trail to the Shkhara Glacier.
The route of our expedition runs through the mountains central Georgia and High Caucasus, at the junction of the regions: Imeretia, Lechchumi, Samegrelo and Svaneti. The area abounds with spectacular, beautiful and scenic routes that will elicit more than one sigh of admiration. Following the trail towards the Latpari Pass, we will reach the 'roof of Georgia' at an altitude of 3,000 metres, from where there is an incredible view of the Caucasus. We will ascend under The extraordinary Aschi plateau, which long ago was at the bottom of the Black Sea. We will set off on the trail of ancient robbers and into the picturesque countryside of Georgian Alaska. We will reach the Zagaro Pass, the highest point of the Svaneti Loop. We will arrive just below the head of the glacier and spend the night in the village of Ushguli overlooking Mount Shchara - the highest of the Caucasus peaks in Georgia (5193 metres).
In Ushguli, we will have the opportunity to walk around this remarkable village and also hook up with the local cinema, where we will see a film shot in Ushguli. Its cinematography became the inspiration for our horse trails!
Here is a detailed description of the expedition programme! Have a cup of good tea or coffee ready.
Enjoy your reading!
Part I - Kulbaki Horse Trails - Intersection of 3 regions Imereti, Lechkhumi, Megrelia.
Day 1 - Arrival in Georgia
This is the day for the group to assemble. Each participant arriving on this day is collected from the airport and taken directly to the hotel in Kutaisi. It is best to plan a flight to Kutaisi, from where our expedition departs. In case of flights to Tbilisi, we will help with the transfer to Kutaisi. Once all participants have arrived at the guesthouse Hostel Kutaisi by Kote, a welcome and inclusive dinner awaits us. You will enjoy delicious Georgian cuisine and natural wine!
Day 2 - The Robbery Trail
After breakfast, we set off for the mountains! We drive along a scenic route, overlooking Okatse Canyon and a roadside waterfall. The road will take us about 1.5-2 hours. We will stop at the last major market on the route, where you can stock up on the necessities. On site, in the village of Kulbaki (yes, that's the name of the village!), a picturesque centre with fishing ponds, a wooden house awaits us. We are hosted by friends, native inhabitants of these mountains. The area has belonged for generations to families bearing the Gasviani surname. On the other side of the mountains, the Nachqebia family has settled, which inevitably means that this is the family territory of our Kote, who leads you to horseback adventures in this part of Georgia. There you will meet our partner endurance team from Kulbaki Horse Trails: Giorgi, Irakli and Lasha and you will feel at home.
Waiting for us will be horses already saddled and prepared for the expedition. We will assign each horse according to ability, height and weight. We will set off along the ideal trail to get to know the horses and the local riding style. Your first horseback climbs and descents in the mountains await you. We will spend about 4 hours in the saddle, with a break for a rest. The route passes through dense, unspoilt forests. On the trail we pass as many as two waterfalls! This was a trail and a meeting place for former robbers of these mountains. The trail is pleasant in any weather. At the end, before returning to the base, we will stop at a hidden waterfall where those wishing to do so can bathe. In the evening we will sit down to dinner together.
Day 3 - Askhi
We will have breakfast at around 9am and then set off. We have the most challenging trail of this trip ahead of us. We spend about 4-5 hours on the trail, and will return to our resort in the late afternoon. The main objective of this day is to reach the pass below Mount Aschi, at an altitude of 2050 metres. We have about 1,050 metres of elevation gain through meadows, beautiful forests. With every turn we are getting higher and higher! Further on, we reach a rockier and rockier section of the trail that will lead us to the start of alpine-type glades, but it doesn't end there! We have a final climb up to the pass on limestone stones to cross. A picturesque clearing will open up in front of us. There we will stand for a stopover and an off-road lunch. We have some time to rest and, above all, quietly admire the panorama of the whole area. We then set off on the return journey. On the first rocky section we will bring our horses. On the way, it is worth looking at the rocks and stones. You can see clear layers on them - more than 100 million years ago the sea was skimming here. On the way, we will try to visit a local shepherd making the famous megrel cheese Sulguni. We'll descend to level ground where it's possible to move at a brisker gait. In the late afternoon we will arrive at our base camp. In the evening we will sit down to dinner together. A delicious feast and a fun evening awaits us.
Day 4 - Georgian Alaska
We'll have breakfast around 9am and then hit the road. Today we will drive through an area (somewhat humorously) referred to by locals as "Alaska" - because of the dense forest and the views of the rocky countryside piercing from between it. This is the first section of the 30km trail to Lake Lebarde, which we conquer on the Special Edition of this rally. The route follows a forest track, basically only used by skidding and logging crews and local shepherds. The trail is quite varied, undulating up and down while gently ascending all the time and leading to a waterfall. Along the way there are several good places for merry gallops, the pace of the ride will vary. For a stopover we will stop in the countryside. We will have a leisurely lunch, rest, and then set off on the return journey. There will be a short section where we will lead the horses first, before jumping into the saddles and moving on, also having a few opportunities to gallop. In the late afternoon we will arrive at the base camp in Kulbaki, where we will say goodbye to our horses and guides. We will then have a delicious dinner at a restaurant.
Part II - Ushguli Horse Trails - The unique Svaneti region and the highest mountain in the Caucasus in Georgia: Shkhara
Day 5 - Ushguli village and Shkhara, Georgia's highest peak
Around 8am we will have breakfast and pack up, but - this time - into off-road vehicles to move to the second of our rally bases. After about 3 hours of driving, we will arrive in Ushguli via the route through the Zagaro Pass, the highest point of the Svaneti Loop (2700 metres). In Ushguli we will stay in rooms in a family guesthouse. There will be time to rest after the route. At around 2 pm, saddled horses and guides from our partner team Ushguli Horse Trails will already be waiting. You will meet our local guides: Mose, Gela and Nuro, as well as our brave Svaneti horses, which are a mix of local Caucasian breeds. We will set off along a mountain trail through a picturesque valley towards the glacier of Mount Shchara, Georgia's highest peak at 5203m. The exact route for the day will depend on the passability of the trail. If the trail is in good condition on horseback we will get as far as Lake Namkvami (Romisghele) at 2500 metres. There, overlooking the glacier, we will stop for a rest. In the second version, the horse will take you to the end of the wide trail, and the last bit to the glacier face will have to be done on foot: those wishing to do so can go on a short trek that takes about 1.5 - 2 hours. Others can sit down in a small, intimate bar run by locals. After the afternoons, we will return to our horses and ride along the Enguri River, whose source is in the glacier. Along the way there will be no shortage of good places for fun gallops. In the afternoon we will arrive in Ushguli, on the side of the 11th century Lamaria monastery. We will spend about 2 to 3 hours in the saddle. Ushguli is a remarkable place: it is one of the highest inhabited villages in Europe, even in very harsh and severe winters. Maneuvering between stone towers and local houses, we will arrive at our base camp. We will then sit down to dinner at the guesthouse, during which we will taste the characteristic dishes of Swanese cuisine.
Day 6 - towards the Latpari Pass, to the mountain lake
We will have breakfast in the morning. We will drive our cars up to the oldest part of the village, where saddled horses and guides from our partner team Ushguli Horse Trails will be waiting for us. You will meet our local guides: Mose, Gela and Nuro, as well as our brave Svaneti horses, which are a mix of local Caucasian breeds.
We have about 4 hours ahead of us on the trail. From Ushguli we will set off towards Latpari Pass, over a mountain lake, to a place called the roof of Georgia! First we will pass through the oldest part of the village of Ushguli. There is an elevation gain of 900 metres in front of us, and we will take the trail at a walker's pace. The beginning of the route is a steep climb through clearings, streams and unusual stretches of mountain rhododendrons. At times you will have to jump off your horses and walk the more difficult sections. As we climb towards the pass, we will be able to enjoy views of Queen Tamar's summer residence, Ushba Peak, Tetnuldi and Shchara! Swanec horses will show more than once along the way how to conquer such approaches! When we leave for the subalpine meadows, everyone unanimously sighs with delight - the view there is magnificent! And once we see the other side of the mountains in the Lower Svaneti and Megrelia regions, it will mean that we are on the roof of Georgia, at an altitude of almost 3000 metres! We will be surrounded by a beautiful panorama of the Caucasus Mountains, along with Georgia's highest peaks! We will ride on through vast glades, where we will sometimes go up at a trot and at a leisurely gallop. At a mountain lake we will stop for a rest and enjoy the views. On the return journey you will cover part of the route on foot. We will return to the guest house in Ushguli in the late afternoon and sit down to dinner to continue tasting the delicacies of Svaneti. In the evening, we will take everyone who is interested to the local cinema, which is located in a 1000-year-old stone tower. We will see the film 'Dede' about the lives of the locals, their customs and - of course - a tragic love story! The film was shot in Ushguli and the actors (except for one character) were the villagers, including our horse guides! Our horse trails are inspired by frames from this very film!
Day 7 - return to Kutaisi
After breakfast pWe will say goodbye to our hosts and set off by car to Kutaisi. On arrival, we will be greeted by the team of the Hostel Kutaisi by Kote. We will reminisce about our trip over a lavishly set Georgian table!
Day 8
Breakfast awaits us in the morning. All riders will be driven to Kutaisi airport. In case of later departures, it is worth taking a walk around the city, we will advise you what interesting things to see and... eat 🙂 Sooner or later, however, everyone will set off on the way back home.
Requirements for the rally:
- Skills: Moving freely in the three gaits: trot, canter, gallop.
- Due to the welfare of the horses and the high-mountain nature of the rally, the weight limit for riders is 85 kg.
- Nand the trail invites riders with experience in mountain horseriding.
Informations:
- Our trail is ideally suited and safe for horses and riders.
- The order of the days and the route can be changed according to the weather and the skills of the expedition participants.
- If you are following a special diet let us know in advance
Date from the expedition calendar:
- 15-22.07.2026
- 02-09.09.2026
The expedition is organised with our partners LISOWCZYCY. You can find price and booking information on their website:
8 - day horseback expedition. Megrel Golden Fleece (Convenience Edition) -. REGISTER! SEE BOOKING DETAILS
8 - day horseback expedition. Megrel Golden Fleece (Special Edition) -. REGISTER! SEE BOOKING DETAILS
Or call us via Whatsapp: +995 593 54 85 07
More snapshots from the trail:
