Meskheti Tours: Rediscover the Lost Grandeur of Medieval Georgia

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Also called Samtskhe, Meskheti comprises the mighty Mtkvari canyon from the wooded resort town of Borjomi on upward, as well as the stark pasturelands and terraced villages above it. If Kartli and Javakheti are the parts of Georgia where one feels the presence of the Bronze Age most, Meskheti is where the sense of the Middle Ages burns the strongest. The landscape itself calls out memories of armored horsemen with flying banners, while the most massive and dramatic castles and fortresses of all Georgia dot the open scenery.

The Treasures of the Mtkvari Canyon

The premiere tourist site of Meskheti is surely Vardzia, Queen Tamar’s cave town in the cliff in the most remote reach of the Mtkvari canyon. But few of the streams of tourists who hurry out and back on their day trips from Tbilisi realize how many treasures lie just a stone’s throw away. The valley is full of similar cave-monastic structures which don’t attract nearly the same amount of crowds, while the desolate plateau directly on top of Vardzia holds a wealth of medieval structures and artifacts, including the most extensive ancient tunnel system in Georgia. Just behind Vardzia, the oldest grapevine in Georgia, a tangled 400-year-old giant, grows amidst an old stone winepress, and Tmogvi Castle, guarding the valley below, is simply breathtaking. And the guesthouses of the valley have some of the warmest hospitality I’ve met, helped out by Meskheti’s unique food culture (the only region in Georgia which takes noodles seriously!)

Beyond Vardzia: Illustrious History and Spectacular Nature

I could keep listing places – the alien-like Stone Man of Uraveli (one of the last surviving pagan idols in Georgia); the majestic and unconquered Golden Fortress; the ancient Saro Megaliths, a fortress dating at minimum from the Bronze Age; the misty hills and ridges of Tori, where one rarely meets another hiker; unnamed and unmarked hot springs hidden deep in the forest. But just a list couldn’t possibly convey the depth of mystery that Meskheti holds. Even I hardly know a fraction of the treasure scattered around its landscape. The perfect place for an adventure, on the open steppe, under the open sky.

Travel in Meskheti with Me

Meskheti is a land of heartstopping beauty and thrilling ancient ruins – every time I visit, I always regret that I don’t have more time to spend exploring. It’s always a lot of fun to bring guests here, so please do get in touch if you are interested in taking a custom tour of Meskheti with me!

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Ancient stone church stands solitary in a vast, dry golden meadow under a clear blue sky in Meskheti.

Abandoned medieval church of Zeda Tmogvi on the Vardzia Plateau.

Ancient stone wall remnants overlook a vast Meskheti canyon with layered arid mountains stretching to the horizon.

The Mtkvari Valley as it passes by fortress ruins in Meskheti.

Dense clouds drift over the forest-covered slopes of the Tori mountains in the Meskheti region.

Mist in the Tori Mountains.

Winding dirt path leads toward the ancient Tmogvi fortress ruins perched on a rocky Meskheti canyon cliff.

Tmogvi Fortress from above.

Okros Tsikhe fortress ruins perched on a steep, green mountain peak under a dramatic, cloud-filled sky in Meskheti.

Okros Tsikhe, the Golden Fortress.

Oqros Tsikhe fortress ruins crown a jagged, rocky ridge overlooking a sprawling green valley under a bright blue sky.

Another view of Okros Tsikhe.

Mtkvari River winds through a lush Meskheti valley flanked by rugged mountains and small village houses.

The Mtkvari Valley passing near Atskuri village.

Brown horses graze on a grassy mountain hillside overlooking a hazy valley and distant peaks in Meskheti.

Horses in the mountains on the way to Imereti.

Small wooden houses cluster on a misty Meskheti hillside above a vibrant wildflower meadow under a soft summer sun.

Highland summer cottages for herding families, near the pass to Adjara.

Weathered stone archway of Enteli ruins stands against a clear sky on a grassy Meskheti plateau.

Ruins in Enteli.

Sunlight illuminates rolling green ridges and evergreen forests beneath a sprawling sky of fluffy white clouds.

The mountain panorama climbing out of Atskuri into the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.

Horses trek along a narrow mountain hiking trail between giant weathered rock formations in the Meskheti highlands.

Horses pass through a rock formation in the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park.