5 days
duration
hard
difficulty
24 km
hiking distance
↑↓1761 m
ascent / descent
Itinerary
Day 1:
Departure and rest
Tbilisi → Zeda Khaishi
We meet in Tbilisi and hit the road toward Svaneti. To avoid starting a tough trek exhausted from the long drive, we'll stop at Zeda Khaishi. We'll check into a cozy guesthouse, grab dinner, recharge, and get a solid night's sleep in real beds.
Day 2:
Off-road, forest, and the lake
Zeda Khaishi → forest → Didi Okrotskali
Distance / ascent / descent: ~8.8 km / ↑938 m / ↓160 m
Early start at 06:00. We drive a couple of kilometers to the village of Lukhi, where we hop into a massive GAZ-66 military truck. Ahead of us lie 20 km of serious off-roading.
The truck drops us off at an old yellow Soviet trailer (a local version of the bus from "Into the Wild"). This is where the hiking begins.
First, we head through the forest. The main challenge here is the mud. We'll be trekking through wet ground for about two hours until we reach a massive valley.
In the valley, there's a 500-meter stretch where the grass grows over 1.5 meters high. There's also an abandoned shepherd's hut here where we can hide from the sun. Fair warning: this section is swarming with insects (mosquitoes, horseflies, flies). There are so many that even repellents sometimes fail, so we push through this part as fast as possible.
We reach the Ormaleti River. No bridges here. In early summer, the river is high (guides will set up a 20m rope crossing), but by late summer, the water level drops.
Once past the river, the bugs and tall grass are behind us, but a steep ascent begins (about 400 meters). Budget about 3 hours of hard work for this climb.
We arrive at the stunning Didi Okrotskali lake. We'll set up camp on the shore and have dinner.
The truck drops us off at an old yellow Soviet trailer (a local version of the bus from "Into the Wild"). This is where the hiking begins.
First, we head through the forest. The main challenge here is the mud. We'll be trekking through wet ground for about two hours until we reach a massive valley.
In the valley, there's a 500-meter stretch where the grass grows over 1.5 meters high. There's also an abandoned shepherd's hut here where we can hide from the sun. Fair warning: this section is swarming with insects (mosquitoes, horseflies, flies). There are so many that even repellents sometimes fail, so we push through this part as fast as possible.
We reach the Ormaleti River. No bridges here. In early summer, the river is high (guides will set up a 20m rope crossing), but by late summer, the water level drops.
Once past the river, the bugs and tall grass are behind us, but a steep ascent begins (about 400 meters). Budget about 3 hours of hard work for this climb.
We arrive at the stunning Didi Okrotskali lake. We'll set up camp on the shore and have dinner.
Day 3:
From Didi Okrotskali to Patara Okrotskali
Didi Okrotskali → Patara Okrotskali → Didi Okrotskali
Distance / gain / loss: ~6 km / ↑↓823 m
Option 1 (Relax): Stay at the camp by the Big Lake. Wander around, take photos, chill out, drink tea with a view of the turquoise water, and recharge.
Option 2: A light day hike to Patara Okrotskali (Small Okrotskali). It's only 2.5 km one way, but the route is extremely tough. We'll have to tackle 450 meters of vertical gain over very difficult terrain. But the views at the Small Lake are truly mind-blowing.
Note: The lake is near the border with Abkhazia, but it's safe here due to its remote location.
In the evening, the whole group gathers back at the camp by Didi Okrotskali. Dinner and overnight stay.
Option 2: A light day hike to Patara Okrotskali (Small Okrotskali). It's only 2.5 km one way, but the route is extremely tough. We'll have to tackle 450 meters of vertical gain over very difficult terrain. But the views at the Small Lake are truly mind-blowing.
Note: The lake is near the border with Abkhazia, but it's safe here due to its remote location.
In the evening, the whole group gathers back at the camp by Didi Okrotskali. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4:
descent to Zeda Khaishi
Big Okrotskali → forest → Zeda Khaishi
Distance / elevation gain / loss: ~8.8 km / ↑163 m / ↓941 m
Today we head back along the familiar path.
The trickiest and most technical part of the day is the first 2 kilometers of steep descent from the lake to the Ormaleti River (trekking poles and healthy knees will be lifesavers here).
We cross the river, valley, and forest in reverse order.
Our trusty GAZ-66 will be waiting for us by the yellow wagon.
We drive back to the same guesthouse in Zeda Khaishi. Hot shower, soft bed, delicious dinner, and sharing stories from the trail.
The trickiest and most technical part of the day is the first 2 kilometers of steep descent from the lake to the Ormaleti River (trekking poles and healthy knees will be lifesavers here).
We cross the river, valley, and forest in reverse order.
Our trusty GAZ-66 will be waiting for us by the yellow wagon.
We drive back to the same guesthouse in Zeda Khaishi. Hot shower, soft bed, delicious dinner, and sharing stories from the trail.
Day 5:
Return to Tbilisi
Zeda Khaishi → Tbilisi
Wake up, grab breakfast at the guesthouse, and hit the road to Tbilisi.
Price and payment
1500 GEL
until July 1
1650 GEL
from July 2
To book your spot, a 50% deposit is required
The remaining balance is due no later than 10 days before the start
If we cancel or reschedule, your deposit is fully refunded. More details on cancellations, transfers, and refunds here
Pay in USD or EUR to a Georgian TBC card
Pay in RUB to a Raif card at the Zolotaya Korona exchange rate
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