Tusheti National Park, Georgia

Tusheti national park is one of the most remote areas of Georgia offering incredible views of untouched nature dotted with ancient villages and stone towers.

Where to go Tusheti National Park ?

Main attractions: Village Zemo Omalo, Keselo Fortress, Ethnographic Museum, picturesque landscapes, diversity of bird species, finding and watching bezoar goats.

The trail starts from the Tusheti National Park Visitor Centre and through the Village Zemo Omalo leads toward Keselo Fortress, where visitors can tour the fortress and the Ethnographic Museum. From Kue field it is possible to watch bezoar goats and birds of prey. There is an Ethnographic Museum in Keselo Fortress offering to visitors very interesting exhibits on Tusheti.

During the evening, bezoar goats come out in the open areas to feed, and one can easily spot them with binoculars. Besides bezoar goats, it is likely that you will come across rare birds of prey and the birds that feast on carrion.

Village Dartlo is one of the most remarkable places in Tusheti owing to its architecture and overall landscape.

Dartlo. One of the biggest villages of Tusheti. There is a XIX century church in the hamlet while beside it is a site of worship of Yakhsari Icon which is an altar-type structure of mixed heathen-Christian character. According to the tradition popular in the mountains, women were not admitted either to temple ruins, or to the site of worship. For them there are special women’s pathways. Local court proceedings (sabcheo) used to be held in Dartlo. Even today one can see 12 stones placed in semi-circle where law assessors sat and ‘created’ law. In the middle of a circle there is one stone for a defendant.

Located 200km from Tbilisi in a remote Eastern mountain region of Tusheti, Dartlo represents a dream village, on the beautiful alpine slopes of Caucasus Mountains at the level of 1850m. Tusheti’s Alazani river, lots of homestays, Cafe with a perfect location, camping places, tasty mountain cheese, view to waterfall from the houses and even more Dartlo has to offer.

There are both Pagan and Christian religious buildings in Dartlo which are both considered as sacred. There is also a place which used to be a court.