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Geotour

Photos: Moahim (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Abano Pass

Tusheti & Khevsureti · Mountains

Getting there
About 2.5 h by car from Tbilisi to Kvemo Alvani near Akhmeta, then about 70 km (4–6 h) by 4x4 via Pshaveli and the pass to Omalo on an unpaved mountain road
Best time
July–mid September
Recommended stay
4–6 hours (the crossing)

About Abano Pass

Abano Pass (2,826 m) carries the only road into Tusheti: about 70 km of unpaved, mostly single-lane track from Kvemo Alvani in Kakheti, via Pshaveli, to Omalo, with hairpins, drops of several hundred metres and waterfalls running across the road. The crossing takes 4–6 hours by 4x4 and is itself one of the highlights of a Tusheti trip: you stop at the pass for the view over both valleys, then descend to Omalo, the gateway to the Pirikiti and Gometsari valleys. It is open only in summer, when the snow has gone.

Tours Including Abano Pass

See all 2 tours

Must-See Attractions

  • Pass summit

    At 2,826 m there is a small chapel and views north into Tusheti and south over Kakheti; drivers usually stop here for 15–20 minutes.

  • Switchbacks on the Tusheti side

    The descent towards Omalo winds through alpine meadows and patches of old snow into early July.

  • Waterfalls on the Kakheti side

    Streams cross the track on the climb through the forest above Pshaveli.

Nearby

  • Omalo

    Tusheti's main village and the Keselo towers, at the end of the road, about 25 km (1.5–2 h) from the pass.

  • Dartlo

    The stone-tower village in the Pirikiti valley, about 1 h by 4x4 beyond Omalo.

  • Alaverdi Cathedral

    The 11th-century cathedral in the Alazani valley, about 30 minutes from Pshaveli on the way back.

Location42.2781° N, 45.5086° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 2.5 h by car from Tbilisi to Kvemo Alvani near Akhmeta, then about 70 km (4–6 h) by 4x4 via Pshaveli and the pass to Omalo on an unpaved mountain road.

Best time

July–mid September

Best time

The road usually opens in June and stays open until early October, but July to mid September has the driest surface and the most reliable weather for the crossing.

Recommended stay

4–6 hours (the crossing)

Getting there

Only by 4x4 with an experienced local driver who knows the road; ordinary cars and minivans cannot make it.

Season/Access

The road usually opens in June and closes in early October, weather permitting; landslides can close it for a day or more at any time, and the go/no-go decision is made on the morning of the crossing.

Heads-up

We never drive the road after dark, in heavy rain or in the first days after it opens. It is not suitable for travellers with serious back problems, strong motion sickness or a real fear of heights.

What to bring

A warm layer for the stop at the pass, where it can be 10–15 °C cooler than in the valley.