4×4 adventure
Where the road gets interesting.
A shorter 4×4 Sprinter and Rezo’s knowledge of Georgia’s back roads open up mountain valleys, high passes and villages that ordinary vans leave out. Road and weather conditions shape every mountain plan.
Best for travellers who want the road to be part of the trip
Some of Georgia’s most memorable places are at the end of tracks. Rezo plans these journeys around the season and the vehicle, not the other way round.
Where a 4×4 matters
- Tusheti: a 4×4-only dirt road over the Abano Pass (about 2,850 m) into stone villages and summer pastures; about 100 km and four to five hours from Telavi, usually open June to October.
- Ushguli and Upper Svaneti: a day trip from Mestia on a mountain road, with the vehicle chosen for the conditions that day.
- Gergeti and the Juta valley: reached by 4×4 or on foot above Stepantsminda; Rezo decides on the day depending on the weather.
The vehicle
A short-wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter 4×4, one of five vehicles in the fleet. Read how Georgia’s mountain roads behave before you choose your dates.
Questions about 4×4 travel
Which vehicle do you use for mountain roads?
A short Mercedes Sprinter with 4×4, chosen for mountain valleys and rough tracks that ordinary vans avoid.
Can I drive myself on these roads?
Rezo’s tours are driven by drivers he works with, who know the roads. The roads are seasonal and weather-led, which is the main reason the vehicle and driver matter more than the schedule.
When is the road to Tusheti open?
Usually June to October, snow permitting. The route crosses the Abano Pass at about 2,850 m and is 4×4-only.
What happens if the weather changes the plan?
Road and weather conditions shape every mountain plan. Rezo builds slack into mountain days and, if conditions change, revises the day and tells you.
Start from the high villages.
Choosing the Wine valleys to high villages idea fills in the answers for you. You can change each one.