Übers Swanetische Gebirge

During the night to Tuesday, August 28, 2018, I have to leave the tent several times to reprimand some mischievous cattle. It's a full moon and the animals are causing trouble with their inappropriate activity. Both my clothesline and some tent pegs are damaged in the process. Shortly after seven, I enjoy the first warming rays of sun after another restless and cold night. After breakfast, I pack up our belongings, take a bag of trash to the nearby village, and start the ascent to the Swanetian Mountains around half past eleven. These mountains separate Upper Svaneti from the southern region of Lower Svaneti. It takes me about three hours to reach the Gvilbari Pass, which is located at an altitude of 2,943 meters. The sun is relentless, so I take several breaks, pick some blueberries for the next breakfast, and give my furry companion, Rango, some time to acclimate in the sparse shade of rhododendron trees. Around three o'clock, we continue along the mountain ridge towards the west, always just below 3,000 meters above sea level. Around a quarter to five, we reach our destination for the day and set up our campsite by a small lake for the night. The water is surprisingly warm and clear, inviting me to take an evening wash. Unfortunately, I am denied the view of the nighttime sky, untarnished by light pollution, as fog rolls in.

On Wednesday morning, I am once again delighted by the first rays of sun warming up the tent. It is a glorious summer morning, so I treat myself to a cup of coffee right after breakfast. Around eleven o'clock, we set off again. First, we have to descend to the Latpari Pass, which is 2,830 meters high. There, I have a conversation with three young men who claim to be building the highest-lying Orthodox church in Europe. We continue along a small mountain path to the west and down into the Zcheniszchali Valley. Along the way, I once again lose the trail and have to scramble up a few meters of steep mountainside. Overall, walking on the south slope is quite unpleasant at times, and I am glad when we reach the tree line again and can continue hiking in the shade from time to time. Nevertheless, the descent seems almost more exhausting than the ascent the day before, and I take longer than planned. After several forced breaks (my thighs are burning), we reach the village of Mami around half past five. There, we are intercepted by a woman who persuades us to camp on her property. However, when it turns out that the agreed-upon 5 Lari should be accompanied by an additional 5 Lari for using the shower, I leave with Rango and look for a spot directly by the Zcheniszchali River. I unload our luggage and Rango to go in search of something sweet, a cup of coffee, and food for Rango. But all I can find is a Snickers bar and a 3in1 coffee packet. So, the next morning, Rango has to be content with a few noodles. The mushrooms I managed to gather during the descent turn out to be less abundant than desired due to severe worm infestation. Before retiring for the evening, I check my navigation device again. It becomes clear why the descent was so exhausting. We are at an altitude of about 1,000 meters, which means we descended 2,000 meters during the day. Consequently, I quickly succumb to fatigue.

On Thursday morning, August 30, 2018, I have to wait a bit for the laundry I washed the night before to dry. So, we don't set off until around noon towards Lentekhi. In Tekali (a district of Mami, where I was looking for a Snickers the night before), we once again have to deal with an aggressive village dog, but we manage without any injuries on either side. Walking along the main road is not much fun, so I arrange a ride to the small town about 14 km away. At the southwestern end of the town, I spot a good spot to camp right by the river. With that, the majority of the day's challenges are overcome, and I stop at a small cafe with wifi for coffee and Kubdari (a kind of bread filled with beef). After uploading pictures for the next travel report, I set up the tent, take a bath in the river, and take a nap in the afternoon sun. Apart from shopping in Lentekhi, not much happens on that day. The descent is still weighing on me. It's getting dark quite early in the evening now, but the temperatures are more pleasant thanks to the lower altitude. I let the day come to a close by the fire.

On Friday, when I wake up, I realize that Rango's breakfast is missing. Someone was audacious enough to snatch a good kilogram of chicken thighs from under the awning unnoticed. So later, Rango gets a good kilogram of beef ribs, and I decide to extend my stay by one day. Besides some minor repair work and completing a travel report, I relax in front of the tent. The evening campfire is shorter than planned as it starts to rain. However, the lightning display above the high mountains, which precedes the rain, provides some lasting memories. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to take any pictures of it.