Tusheti (Omalo)
Defensive Towers Over the Wildest Road in the Caucasus
A remote highland on the north side of the Greater Caucasus, reached by one unpaved road over the Abano Pass (about 2,850 m) from Kakheti: 72 km of cliff-edge track, 4x4 only, open roughly June to early October. Omalo, the main village, has guesthouses and the Keselo towers; Dartlo, Shenako and Diklo are a day's walk or drive apart. Guesthouses serve half board; there are no banks and patchy signal. Outside the road's months the only way in is a rare border-guard helicopter.
Highlights
- The Abano Pass road
- Keselo towers above Omalo
- Dartlo's stone towers
- Hike from Omalo to Dartlo
- Tushetian guda cheese and khinkali
- Tushetoba festival in August
Things to do
- Keselo towers and old OmaloEvening · 2h
- Hike Omalo to DartloMorning · 6h
- Drive to Shenako and DikloMorning · 4h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: July – September
Plan around this
Tusheti Road Closed
The only road into Tusheti, over the Abano Pass (about 2,850 m), is closed by snow from about October to May: it usually opens in June and closes in early October, with dates that move with the snow. In late September and early October, check with your Omalo guesthouse that the road is still open before you set out.
- Tushetoba — Tusheti's summer festival in Omalo, usually in early August: horse races, wrestling, folk music and sheep's cheese. Guesthouses and shared 4x4s up the Abano Pass are booked out; reserve well ahead.