Georgia > The mountain road to Ushguli

When we pull back the curtains, the sun is shining. Outside instantly looks much cheerier. The Enguri Dam is also bathed in sunlight. One of the geologists points out that on the way to Mestia there is a viewpoint where you can see the reservoir itself. For this, we have to leave the main road briefly. At breakfast, a minor panic breaks out. From their gestures, we understand that there is no breakfast for us. It seems they are short on ingredients. “You must go,” they gesture—go, go. We can only have breakfast in an hour. Just as we are about to buy some bread ourselves, eggs and bread arrive. Still, a perfectly fine breakfast. On the way to the dam, there is a checkpoint. Will we be allowed to continue? The guard comes over.

Georgia - With Brutus on the way to the mountain village of Ushguli

We may proceed, but the car must stay outside the gate. From a platform, we have a view of the 271-meter-high dam. Only when I compare the dam to a bus and a few cars all the way below can I imagine its height. The lake behind it is immense. We follow the lake. The winding road goes up and down. There are frequent large holes in the road. We steer carefully around them, not avoiding the other half of the road. Along the steep rock face, there are warnings about falling rocks—and it soon becomes clear that the warnings are not exaggerated. Rocks lie on the road in several places. No one worries about it as long as they can drive around them.

Georgia - An encounter with the Dutch Circumbendibus in the mountains of Georgia

When we enter a tunnel, water seeps through the roof. The asphalt has been damaged and is full of potholes. We had not expected this, nor the large puddles in the tunnel. Heavy braking! We continue cautiously. We drive the next tunnels a bit more carefully. In a small village, we order coffee. The little shop has only two chairs. We take two extra chairs out of our Land Rover. While we drink our coffee, we attract a lot of attention. Just after noon, we drive into Mestia. Mestia is a mountain village in the Caucasus. Many houses in the village have old watchtowers, which were once used both as homes and for defense against raids. On the central, cozy square, we have our lunch. Schoolchildren are preparing a performance on a stage, while the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus rise in the background. The village gives off a winter-sports vibe. From Mestia, we continue to Ushguli. Mestia lies at 1,400 meters; Ushguli at 2,200 meters. Ushguli is therefore the highest continuously inhabited mountain village in Europe.

Georgia - Muddy roads in the mountain village of Ushguli

We wonder if it might not be higher in the Alps. The road there is poor. Recent rainfall over the past days has certainly not improved it. The first section is still paved, but the last twenty-five kilometers are unpaved. The road is full of potholes filled with rainwater. We drive very slowly. It is unbelievable that this is the only route to Ushguli. The other mountain pass is still closed due to snow. Streams flow across the road, and puddles cover its width. It is a real challenge to climb higher and higher into the mountains. As we near Ushguli after nearly three hours of driving, we see a camper with a Dutch license plate. When we stop, we are immediately asked, “Are you from Here to Tokyo?” Marleen and Roderick are traveling in an old Mercedes bus and had already contacted us online. They call their camper Circumbendibus. Last week, they also met friends of ours in Batumi who had heard about our journey. It is a small world. They are camping just outside Ushguli. In the village, there was no flat ground. We stay in a guesthouse in Ushguli. Like in Mestia, most houses have old watchtowers. The village looks poor and has a medieval feel, yet it is set in a stunning location among the mountain peaks. Due to the rainfall, the streets have turned into muddy paths. It is no wonder that residents move around on horseback. In the evening, during dinner, we discover there is no electricity—no lights and no hot water. There is nothing to do but go to bed early—but after such an intense drive, that is not unpleasant.