1 PSHAV-KHEVSURETI TRAVEL GUIDE TBILISI 2015 The Pshav-Khevsureti Travel Guide is the result of a collaborative effort of the Agency of Pro- This guide describes the geography, histo- tected Areas of Georgia, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and World Wide Fund ry and the ethnological and cultural her- for Nature (WWF) and has been prepared within the framework of the project “Enhancing FOREWORD itage of Pshav-Khevsureti. In addition to the Landscape and Ecological Integrity of the Greater Caucasus Corridor through Establish- a general survey of the region, the guide ment of Khevsureti National Park, Georgia” provides a wealth of suggestions and gen- Many points of interest await those who eral information for tourists, including WWF Caucasus wishes to thank Arabui Art House, Ecotourism Development Centre (ETDC), love the outdoors in Pshav-Khevsureti. information about travel routes, family Georgian Art and Culture Center (GACC) for assistance in the preparation of the Pshav-Khev- The region’s diverse ecosystem—subalpine sureti Travel Guide. hotels and guesthouses, as well as tourist forests, velvety meadows, rocky moun- organizations operating in the region. tains, river gorges, relict and endemic spe- EDITORS: cies—is but a part of the Pshav-Khevsureti Giorgi Tsintsadze, Project Coordinator region’s appeal. In order to conserve and We hope the guide will prove to be a re- Nugzar Zazanashvili, Conservation Director preserve the biodiversity and ancient liable companion during your travels to Tamaz Gamkrelidze, Communications Manager beauty of the area, the Pshav-Khevsureti Pshav-Khevsureti and will familiarize you (WWF) Caucasus Office Protected Area was established in 2013. with the region’s many offerings. Address: 11, M. Aleksidze St., Tbilisi 0193 Tel: +995 (32) 2237500 [email protected] panda.org/caucasus Lela Khartishvili TTG Georgia Ltd. Address: 14, S. Chiaureli St., Tbilisi 0179 CONTENTS Tel: +995 599 992161 [email protected] CONSULTANTS: Nino Arabuli, Shota Arabuli, Mamuka Arabuli LOCATION -------------------------------------------------------------- 5 FOLK HOLIDAYS ----------------------------------------------- 39 PROOF-READER: RELIEF --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CUISINE -------------------------------------------------------------- 40 Jeffrey Marshal DESIGN AND TYPESETTING: CLIMATE -------------------------------------------------------------- 10 HOW TO GET TO THE REGION -------------------- 41 Gega Paksashvili HYDROGRAPHY ------------------------------------------------ 11 PSHAVI MAPS: MONUMENTS OF CULTURE -------------------------- 42 BIODIVERSITY ---------------------------------------------------- 13 David Svanadze PSHAVI TOURIST ROUTES ----------------------------- 44 PHOTOS: PSHAV-KHEVSURETI PROTECTED AREA -------------------------------------------- 18 Shota Arabuli, Nino Arabuli, Berdia Arabuli, Sanata Gigauri, Irakli Gvenetadze, KHEVSURETI ------------------------------------------------------- 46 Giorgi Edisherashvili, Paata Vardanashvili, Ani Imedashvili, Giorgi Tsintsadze, HISTORY OF PSHAV-KHEVSURETI --------------- 22 POINTS OF INTEREST David Goguadze, Givi Tukhashvili, Levan Tsikarishvili, Keti Sidamonidze, Ana Kavtaradze, IN KHEVSURETI ------------------------------------------------- 48 Arabuli Art House, Aragvi Adventure Centre, Ensemble Gogochurebi, ETHNOLOGICAL HERITAGE Ecotourism Development Centre, Georgian Art and Culture Center. AND FARMING -------------------------------------------------- 24 KHEVSURETI TOURIST ROUTES ------------------ 54 Biodiversity Conservation and Research Centre NACRES ETHNOGRAPHY AND CULTURAL USEFUL INFORMATION ---------------------------------- 65 Old photos in the guide were obtained via the Internet. These photos may be HERITAGE ----------------------------------------------------------- 26 stored in protected collections of different museums and archives. FAMILY HOTELS/GUESTHOUSES ----------------- 70 HOUSING ------------------------------------------------------------ 28 Copyright © 2015 World Wide Fund Caucasus Office LOCAL CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS ------------------------------------------------------ 30 ISBN 978-9941-0-6742-6 Pshav-Khevsureti borders Tusheti to the east; Chechnya and Ingushetia (located LOCATION in the Russian Federation) to the north; Khevi and Mtiuleti-Gudamakari to the west; and Mtiuleti to the south. Pshav-Khevsureti is surrounded by moun- Pshav-Khevsureti is located in north- tain ranges to the east and the west. The eastern Georgia along the northern and Kidegani Range, Chaukhi Massif, Gudama- southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus kari and Alevi Ranges lie to the west. Mut- Range. Its area totals 1,600 sq. km, includ- so, the Atsunda Range, Mount Borbalo ing Pshavi – 560 sq. km, and Khevsureti – and the Kakheti Range lie to the east. The 1050 sq. km. It is the only region located region is characterized by a medium and on both slopes of the Greater Caucasus. high mountain landscape, and it encom- Pirikita (Outer) Khevsureti, Arkhoti (the passes mountain forest, subalpine, alpine Asa River Valley), Guro-Shatili and Ar- sub-nival and nival zones. ghuni (the Arghuni River Valley) valleys are located along the northern slope. According to the administrative-territo- Piraketa (Inner) Khevsureti (the Aragvi rial division, Pshav-Khevsureti is within Valley of Khevsureti) is located along the Dusheti Municipality in the Mtskhe- southern slope. Pshavi is located to the ta-Mtianeti region and includes the Bari- south of Piraketa Khevsureti, in the Pshavi sakho, Shatili, Magharoskari and Ukana- River Valley. pshavi Sakrebulos (municipal councils). 7 a building material in Khevsureti since ancient times. The so-called “wandering RELIEF blocks” from Chaukhi and Roshka (1950- 2000 m a.s.l.) are of glacial origin. They drifted away from the glaciers found in the Chaukhi Massif (3700-3800 m a.s.l.). Pshav-Khevsureti is characterized by its The traces of old glaciers can also be seen complex topography. A large part of the in an area adjoining Mount Borbalo. Small region’s territory is occupied by mountain amounts of marble (Karatis Tsveri), cop- and grassland landscapes, with the rest per, antimony, rock crystal (quartz), etc. being made up of mountain forest and can be found within Pshav-Khevsureti. glacial-nival type landscapes. Paleozoic plates and sandstones constitute many of The disconnected relief of river valleys the region’s high and inaccessible ranges. (Arghuni, Asa, Khevsuretis and Pshavis Pirikita Khevsureti has a higher location Aragvi and their tributaries) and the val- and is surrounded by glacial ranges. The ley-connecting ridges (2500-3000 m a.s.l) Liassic layers of slates and sands are also contribute to the landscape’s uniqueness. present in Khevsureti. This black slate of Of importance among the river valleys the Paleozoic Age is broken and cracked; is the main watershed (located in the it crumbles easily and has been used as Khevsureti Range), which is a part of the 8 Alps and passes: Kalotana Pass – 2,978 m; Arkhoti Pass – 3,172 m; Sabetsre – 2,798 m; Pkhitura Pass – 2,654 m; Mount Tanie – 3,499 m; Tsroli – 3,950 m; Ana- tori Pass – 2,768 m; Borbalo – 2,990 m; Karati – 2,912 m; Makhismaghali – 3,990; Datvisjvari Pass – 2,676 m; Chanchakhi Pass – 2,655 m; Mariatsminda – 3,140 m; Mount Archilo – 3,263 m; Andaki Pass – 2,887 m; Didi Borbalo – 3,294 m; Atsunti Pass – 3,431 m; Mount Tebulo – 4,493 m; Mutsostavi – 3,512 m; Mount Maisti – 4,081 m; Chaukhi Pass – 3,338 m; Juta Pass – 3,287m. Hiking and horse trails run through the abovementioned passes, with the most popular trails being those of Arkhoti, De- Greater Caucasus watershed and includes ranges include: Gudamakari, Chimghis paratively even mountain crests and vel- visjvari, Andaki, Atsunta and Roshka. a bow-shaped section between Chaukhi Klde, Kavkasioni, Mutso, Chanchakhi, Khi- vety Alpine meadows — a distinguishing Massif and the peak of Mount Patara Bor- dotani, Archilos Klde and Atsunta. feature of the peculiarity and diversity of Soil in Pshav-Khevsureti varies accord- balo. It divides Khevsureti into two parts, the region’s tourist routes. The Chaukhi ing to altitude. Forest, peat and moun- with its crown belt being stretched north- The slopes of Khevsureti’s ridges are not- rock massif is a particularly interesting tain-meadow (which can be found be- ward. Here, in addition to Chaukhi Massif ed for their steepness, which is most pro- and impressive site to behold. tween 2,000-3,500 m a.s.l) primitive soils and the Patara Borbalo peak, the Alps rise nounced at lower heights. These steep are found here. They are mostly com- above 2800-3000 m a.s.l. Other important slopes that gradually transition into com- posed of clay slates and sandstones. 10 11 Bogoncharis Khevi, Tsatsa and Vareula. Psavis Aragvi flows into the Tetrakheva in Shuapkho. Arkhotistskali Gorge (also known as Asa Gorge) is surrounded by high mountains and glaciers, the altitude of which reach 3,000-4,000 m a.s.l. Waters flowing down from these Alps run through the Arkho- ti Gorge. The Arkhori riverhead consists of the Tsirtslovani and Chimgha waters flowing down from the Caucasus; it flows northward from the village of Akhieli, and, in passing, feeds from the waters of Ka- lotana, Tania, Bisni, Tergha and Tateli. From Khieli (25 km from Amghi), it flows into the Ingushetia River (in the Russian Federa- tion); the Arkhoti and Ingushetia borders are also nearby. Arghunis tskali springs from Mount Dat- visjvari. Its tributaries are Tsubrovanistskali