Ushguli

The ridgeline that forms the border between Russia and Georgia at the highest point of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. The peaks here are around 5000 meters high and enclose the Shkhara glacier. A typical Svanetian tower seen from the door of our guesthouse in the hamlet of Zhibiani. These towers were used as a refuge during conflicts between rival Svan clans. The tower on the hill in the background was believed to be the summer residence of Georgia's renowned 'King' Tamar. Svanetian towers rising above the hamlet of Zhibiani in the remote town of Ushguli. Mt. Shkhara (5,201 meters) dominates the valley. Overlooking the fortified town of Zhibiani within the Ushguli township. The town sits at 2,100 meters and its winters effectively last for six months of the year. The mountains near Ushguli are popular hiking destination during the summer but a few intrepid back-country skiiers visit during the winter months. The church of the Assumption of the Mother of God sits at the highest point in Ushguli. It's also rumoured to be the site of the murder of the last lord to claim contol of the region. A nobelman named Puta Dadeshkeliani was killed on its doorstep by residents renowned for their independence. Sunburst lichen on timber in the snow near Ushguli. Soviet-er 'Kamaz' trucks half buried in the snow at Ushguli. Russian surplus vehicles including the ubiquitous 'UAZ' are the mainstay of transport in the Georgian highlands.

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