# Tusheti Photography Expedition — 5 Days

> gtour.ge — G Tour, Gateway to Georgia. Cite as: GTour desk, gtour.ge.

- Canonical: https://gtour.ge/tour/tusheti-photography-5-days/
- Author: 
- Published: 2026-10-28
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Language: en
- Russian edition: https://gtour.ge/ru/tour/tusheti-photography-5-days/

€1,690 per person5 days / 4 nightsPrivate · car & English-speaking guideBased on two travellers

Five days with a photographer-guide and 4×4 to the tower villages of [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/) and Kvavlo, timed for Tusheti's light, from [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) via [Telavi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/telavi/).

The route

[Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/)[Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/)[Telavi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/telavi/)

Why this tour

- —A photographer-guide plans each stop around golden hour and blue hour, not around a fixed sightseeing schedule

- —4×4 crossing of the Abano Pass into Tusheti, a region with no road access roughly October to May

- —[Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/) and Kvavlo, two of the best-preserved medieval tower villages in the Caucasus, photographed in low morning and evening light

- —A dedicated night session for the Milky Way over Omalo, timed around the moon phase

- —Return route through [Telavi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/telavi/) and Kakheti, with Alaverdi Monastery as a working option for architecture and landscape frames

- —Small group or private format, with the vehicle and pace built around light, not mileage

Itinerary

Day 1Depart [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) early and drive through Kakheti toward the Pshavi road, crossing the Abano Pass by 4×4 (open roughly June to September, condition checked at booking). Arrive in Omalo by late afternoon for sunset light on the Tusheti towers.

Day 2Sunrise shoot over Omalo, then drive and walk to [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/) for afternoon and evening light on its stone defensive towers. Overnight in a guesthouse in Dartlo or Omalo.

Day 3Morning walk to Kvavlo, a smaller tower village above [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/), with time for shepherds and flocks on the high pastures along the way. After dark, a planned session to photograph the Milky Way over Omalo, weather and moon phase permitting.

Day 4A further half-day in and around Omalo or Diklo for remaining shots, then the return 4×4 crossing of the Abano Pass before afternoon weather sets in. Overnight in [Telavi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/telavi/) or en route, depending on timing.

Day 5Morning photography in [Telavi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/telavi/) (old town, the ancient plane tree) and a stop at Alaverdi Monastery if time and light allow, then return to [Tbilisi](https://gtour.ge/georgia/tbilisi/) by early evening.

Included

- ✓ 4×4 vehicle with driver for the full route, Tbilisi to Tusheti to Telavi and back

- ✓ Photographer-guide for all five days

- ✓ 4 nights accommodation (guesthouses in Tusheti, hotel in Telavi or Tbilisi)

- ✓ Breakfast daily and dinner on guesthouse nights in Tusheti

- ✓ All transfers between Tbilisi, Tusheti and Telavi

- ✓ Entrance fees where applicable (checked at booking)

Not included

- — International flights

- — Travel insurance

- — Alcoholic drinks and lunches not specified as included

- — Personal photography equipment and rental gear

- — Tips for guide and driver

Good to know

- · The Abano Pass is typically passable only June to September; it is unpaved, exposed in places, and closed by snow or mud outside this window — current status checked at gtour.ge/road-status

- · Walking is required on uneven stone paths in [Dartlo](https://gtour.ge/georgia/dartlo/) and Kvavlo, up to 2800m altitude; moderate fitness needed for 3–5 hours of walking on some days

- · Bring layers — Omalo nights can approach freezing even in July and August — plus sturdy footwear

- · For the night shoot, bring a tripod, spare batteries (cold drains them fast), wide-angle lens, and a headlamp with a red-light setting

- · Mobile signal in Tusheti is limited or absent for most of the route

- · Dates for the Milky Way session depend on moon phase and are set during booking, not fixed in the itinerary

Questions

**Can we substitute or skip the night shoot for the Milky Way?**
Yes, though it is a core part of the route; the date is set around the new moon and checked at booking.

**What happens if the Abano Pass is closed when we travel?**
We propose an alternative route or reschedule; pass conditions are checked before departure and posted at gtour.ge/road-status.

**What camera gear should we bring?**
A DSLR or mirrorless body with a wide-angle and a short telephoto lens, plus a tripod for night work; we can advise on specifics once we confirm dates.

**Is this tour private or small group, and what does it cost for one person or a larger group?**
Both formats are available. The price shown is €1690 per person based on two travelling together; solo and larger group rates are quoted at booking.

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: Kvakhidi meadows and river valley in Tusheti National Park with mountain peaks at dawn. Photo: Moahim / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0*

*Image: Traditional stone tower houses of Dartlo village in the Tusheti highlands of Georgia. Photo: Lidia Ilona / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0*

Stone defensive towers of Dartlo perched on a green hillside under blue sky in Tusheti. · Photo: Wim Koolhoven from Enschede, Netherlands / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0