# 4×4 Expedition — Tusheti, Khevsureti and Kazbegi in 8 Days

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- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/georgia-4x4-expedition-8-days/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-27
- Updated: 2026-10-27
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/georgia-4x4-expedition-8-days/

€2,490 per person8 days / 7 nightsPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

Two 4×4 vehicles cross the Abano Pass into Tusheti, loop through Khevsureti to [Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/) and Mutso, then finish at [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) and Kazbegi over eight days.

The route

[Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)[Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/)[Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/)[Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/)[Stepantsminda](https://gtour.ge/georgia/stepantsminda/)

Why this tour

- —Abano Pass, one of the highest drivable passes in the Caucasus, open only July to September and impassable the rest of the year

- —[Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/)'s medieval stone tower houses, among the best preserved defensive architecture in Tusheti

- —[Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/) and Mutso, Khevsureti's fortress villages, reached by the rougher Datvisjvari pass and far less visited than Svaneti

- —One night camping at [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) below the Chaukhi massif, with Gergeti Trinity Church and Kazbegi to follow

- —Two 4×4 vehicles with experienced mountain drivers, so you watch the road instead of driving it

- —A genuine mix of guesthouse stays and home-cooked Tush and Khevsur meals along a route most visitors never attempt

Itinerary

Day 1Leave [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) early for Alvani and the start of the Abano Pass; the gravel climb to around 2,900m takes several hours in good conditions, with an overnight guesthouse stay in [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/).

Day 2Full day around [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/), with a walk to the nearby villages of Dano and Chesho to see the stone tower houses up close; second night in Dartlo.

Day 3Drive deeper into Tusheti to Shenako and Diklo, visiting the Keselo tower complex near Omalo before returning to a Tusheti guesthouse for the night.

Day 4Cross back over the Abano Pass and drive through the Alazani valley in Kakheti before turning north on the Datvisjvari pass road into Khevsureti, reaching [Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/) by evening.

Day 5Explore [Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/)'s interlocked tower-houses on the Arghuni River, then drive or walk to the abandoned fortress village of Mutso; overnight camp near Shatili.

Day 6Drive out of Khevsureti via Mtskheta and the Georgian Military Highway, then up the Sno valley to [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) beneath the Chaukhi massif, with an afternoon walk toward the Abudelauri lakes trailhead.

Day 7Short drive from [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) to [Stepantsminda](https://gtour.ge/georgia/stepantsminda/), with the afternoon free to walk or drive up to Gergeti Trinity Church below Mount Kazbek; overnight in Stepantsminda.

Day 8Return to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) on the Georgian Military Highway, stopping at Ananuri fortress and the Jvari Pass viewpoint, with drop-off in the city by early evening.

Included

- ✓ Two 4×4 vehicles (Land Cruiser/Prado class) with experienced mountain drivers for the full route

- ✓ 7 nights accommodation: guesthouses in Tusheti, Shatili and Stepantsminda, plus one camp night near Shatili

- ✓ Camping equipment (tents, sleeping mats) for the camp night

- ✓ Daily breakfast and dinner at guesthouses, with home-cooked Tush and Khevsur dishes where available

- ✓ English-speaking driver-guide throughout

- ✓ All fuel, tolls and parking between Tbilisi, Tusheti, Khevsureti, Kazbegi and back

- ✓ Any Tusheti protected landscape permits required at time of travel (checked at booking)

Not included

- — International flights

- — Travel and medical insurance, recommended given the terrain and altitude

- — Lunches, except where taken together along the route

- — Personal hiking gear, trekking poles and a sleeping bag warm enough for a mountain camp night

- — Entrance donations at churches and monasteries along the way

Good to know

- · This tour runs July to September only, when the Abano Pass is open; it is closed by snow the rest of the year

- · Roads in Tusheti and over the Datvisjvari pass are gravel with exposed drops in places; expect dust, slow speeds and some motion sensitivity on the switchbacks

- · Nights are cold even in midsummer, especially at [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) and the [Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/) camp; bring warm layers and a good sleeping bag

- · Walking is moderate rather than technical, but trails are uneven and at altitude, so a reasonable level of fitness is expected

- · Phone signal and internet are patchy or absent for most of Tusheti and Khevsureti

- · Pack for both heat and cold: sun protection for midday, insulated layers for evenings and the camp night

Questions

**Is this a self-drive trip?**
No. You travel in two 4×4 vehicles, each with its own experienced driver who knows the Abano and Datvisjvari passes.

**Can we do a shorter version of this route?**
Yes. Our 4-day Tusheti Expedition covers [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/) and the Abano Pass alone, and our Kazbegi tours cover [Stepantsminda](https://gtour.ge/georgia/stepantsminda/) and [Juta](https://gtour.ge/georgia/juta/) without Khevsureti; see https://gtour.ge/tours/ for both.

**What happens if the Abano Pass is closed by weather?**
We hold a buffer day in the itinerary where possible and will reroute via Kakheti and the Military Highway if the pass is unsafe; any change is agreed with you before departure.

**What is the camp night actually like?**
Tents and sleeping mats are provided near [Shatili](https://gtour.ge/georgia/shatili/), with dinner either at a nearby guesthouse or prepared by your driver-guide; toilets are basic and there is no shower that night.

Prices are per person for two travelling together, in euros; solo travellers and larger groups are quoted on request. Every departure is private and adjusted to you. Hotels, wineries and restaurants on our routes are [verified by GTour](/verified/).

*Image: Winding dirt road over Datvisjvari Pass through the Greater Caucasus mountains. Photo: Jelger Groeneveld / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0*

*Image: Mount West Chaukhi rises beyond a winding mountain track near Datvisjvari Pass. Photo: Yasuhiro Kojima / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

Medieval Mutso watchtower perched on a cliff above a dramatic Khevsureti gorge. · Photo: Moahim / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0