Having travelled for what seemed an eternity we still had a few hours to go after the pass. The trip from Tbilisi to Shenako (in Tusheti )is about 6 to 8 hours, depending on how often you stop.
Once over the pass into Tusheti the view is magnificent but we still had a significant way to go.
The best thing was not to count the time but to hang on for grim life and enjoy the ride.
There is never a dull moment with every twist and turn of the track leaving you with your stomach in your mouth. The Tush just take this in their stride and treat the road as an everyday journey- as you would going to work. The road is not tarmacked and is often affected by frequent landslides and mountain streams/rivers, so the going is frequently slow and very uneven.
As our 4WD edged us towards the first settlements in Tusheti we found ourselves peering up at tiny villages clinging to the mountainside.During our travels around Tusheti we later to became familiar with these hamlets but our first port of call ,as for so many when they arrive in Tusheti, is Omalo, a wonderful spot cradled by the Caucasus. Sadley the Soviet brutalist influence still lingers on unlike the rest of Tusheti. Upper Omalo is by far my favourite place to stay and only 30 mins climb up the hill from lower Omalo, with some great new guest houses.Travelers to the region often stay briefly in Omalo but only as their first port of call when arriving in Tusheti .
If you are looking for a horse, Omalo is a good place to enquire, although in high season you might need to book in advance. Zora was our horse provider and guide in the summer of 2007 - kindly arranged by Eka . You can see her contact details below the images on the right.
0 comments:
Post a Comment