<strong>Into the wild:</strong> A narrow gravel road is the only access Georgia's remote Tusheti region has with the outside world. Its isolation has made it a unique destination for adventurous hikers on the frontier of Europe.
Into the wild: A narrow gravel road is the only access Georgia's remote Tusheti region has with the outside world. Its isolation has made it a unique destination for adventurous hikers on the frontier of Europe.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Made of stone: </strong>The sleepy ancient hamlet of Dartlo spills out of a valley.
Made of stone: The sleepy ancient hamlet of Dartlo spills out of a valley.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Lookout towers:</strong> Dartlo is characterized by its defense towers and perfectly stacked stone houses.
Lookout towers: Dartlo is characterized by its defense towers and perfectly stacked stone houses.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Way in:</strong> With quaint guesthouses, the village of Omalo is the designated gateway to Tusheti.
Way in: With quaint guesthouses, the village of Omalo is the designated gateway to Tusheti.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Delicious dumplings:</strong> Palm-sized discs of dough are rolled out with an old glass bottle and filled with sheep's mince to make delicious khinkali dumplings. They're great washed down with a gulp of chacha, a powerful Georgian spirit made from the leftover pulp of wine making.<br />
Delicious dumplings: Palm-sized discs of dough are rolled out with an old glass bottle and filled with sheep's mince to make delicious khinkali dumplings. They're great washed down with a gulp of chacha, a powerful Georgian spirit made from the leftover pulp of wine making.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Time for tea:</strong> In Tusheti, nothing warms the soul quite like a mug of kondaris chai, a local tea brewed from wild thyme or summer savory -- sometimes both.
Time for tea: In Tusheti, nothing warms the soul quite like a mug of kondaris chai, a local tea brewed from wild thyme or summer savory -- sometimes both.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Socks appeal: </strong>Colorful woolen socks, hand-knitted by a local woman known as Masho Bebo, can be bought by hikers passing through the village.
Socks appeal: Colorful woolen socks, hand-knitted by a local woman known as Masho Bebo, can be bought by hikers passing through the village.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>St. George's: </strong>Towering over the tiny village of Shenako is St. George's. The church is almost a rarity in Tusheti, a region where stone shrines outnumber churches by the hundred.
St. George's: Towering over the tiny village of Shenako is St. George's. The church is almost a rarity in Tusheti, a region where stone shrines outnumber churches by the hundred.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Hill shrines:</strong> The landscape around some of the villages hosts numerous shrines.
Hill shrines: The landscape around some of the villages hosts numerous shrines.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Pot boiler:</strong> A large iron cauldron filled with a bubbling brew of mountain barley and wild hops creates a delightfully sweet, sour and cloudy ale known as <em>aludi</em>.
Pot boiler: A large iron cauldron filled with a bubbling brew of mountain barley and wild hops creates a delightfully sweet, sour and cloudy ale known as aludi.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>Special brew: </strong>Aludi is drunk to mark the start of Atnigenoba, a two-week long festival that's filled with paganistic ram sacrifices, shrine worship, folk dancing and fiercely competitive horse racing.
Special brew: Aludi is drunk to mark the start of Atnigenoba, a two-week long festival that's filled with paganistic ram sacrifices, shrine worship, folk dancing and fiercely competitive horse racing.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton
<strong>This way:</strong> Signs point the way along various hiking trails that criss-cross this remote region. Tusheti is only accessible around 4-5 months of the year, but is a paradise for hikers looking to chart new territory.<br />
This way: Signs point the way along various hiking trails that criss-cross this remote region. Tusheti is only accessible around 4-5 months of the year, but is a paradise for hikers looking to chart new territory.
Courtesy Melanie Hamilton