Meet Mari, your local guide in Svaneti
Born and raised in the mountains of Svaneti, guiding travellers across Georgia since she was seventeen. For Mari the Caucasus is not a destination, it is home.
Hi, I am Mari
I started guiding at seventeen, and I have spent every season since then on the paths, passes and back roads of my own region. Most of my work is private and tailor-made, which means the day is shaped around the people walking it rather than around a fixed programme.
My knowledge goes further than the well-known viewpoints. I can take you to family-run guesthouses, to villages where the towers are still lived in, and to routes that are difficult to find without someone who grew up here.
Three ways to see Svaneti with Mari
On foot
Day walks from Mestia and Ushguli, from gentle valley paths to the long day under Ushba. Distance and ascent are chosen to match the group, not the other way round.
By road
Comfortable minivans on the long transfers, and a 4x4 with Mari at the wheel on the rough mountain tracks where nothing else gets through, such as the road up to Ushguli.
On horseback
Svaneti has been travelled on horseback for centuries. Mari guides riding routes herself, from a couple of quiet hours to a full day, and beginners are welcome.
What Mari takes care of
- The route, day by day, adjusted to your pace, fitness and interests
- Where you sleep, in guesthouses chosen for the family running them as much as for the view
- Transport inside the region, including the mountain roads
- Food, including the meals that are worth stopping for
- The small local arrangements that are hard to make from abroad
On safety
Mountain weather changes quickly, and a guide who reads it is worth more than any equipment list. Mari has trained in first aid, carries a kit on every route, and will turn a group around when the day asks for it. She works alongside a team of local guides, so a group is never left without cover.
Every itinerary is discussed with you before it is confirmed, including how demanding each day is.
Mari does not work alone
Over the years Mari has built a small team of local guides she works with regularly. On a larger group a second guide comes along, so nobody is left walking at the back on their own, and when Mari is already out on the mountain your days are led by someone she has worked with for years.
Every arrangement is made through Justvia. Wherever you are in the mountains, you have one point of contact in the UK, one number to call and one team answering for the trip.
Travel Svaneti with someone who lives there
Join the fixed September departure, or let Mari build the trip around your own dates.
