Mestia, Republic of Georgia

Mestia is the traditional center of the Upper Svaneti region in the Republic of Georgia. Located in the Caucasus Mountains, it is known as one of the oldest wine-making regions in the world and for the Svanetian tower houses, most of which were built in the 9th-12th centuries. Mestia itself sits at about 1500m elevation, though some of my photos shown here were taken around Koruldi Lakes at ~2700m. Four of the ten highest peaks in the Caucasus Mountains are located in the Svaneti region. From Tbilisi, the drive to Mestia by marshrutka (mini-bus) is ~450km and takes roughly 10-11 hours.