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Geotour

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

Omalo (Tusheti)

Tusheti & Khevsureti · Mountains

Getting there
About 2–2.5 h from Tbilisi to Pshaveli in Kakheti, then about 72 km (4–5 h) by 4x4 on a dirt mountain road over the Abano Pass
Best time
July–mid-September
Recommended stay
3–4 days

About Omalo (Tusheti)

Omalo is the main village of Tusheti, a high mountain region in north-east Georgia reached by a single dirt road over the Abano Pass (2,826 m), usually open only from June to early October. Upper Omalo sits below the restored stone towers of Keselo, and Lower Omalo has the national park visitor centre. From here you walk or drive by 4x4 to the tower villages of Shenako, Diklo and Dartlo, and eat Tushetian food in family guesthouses.

Tours Including Omalo (Tusheti)

See all 2 tours

Must-See Attractions

  • Keselo towers

    Restored defence towers on the hill above Upper Omalo, with views over the Pirikiti and Gometsari valleys.

  • Tusheti visitor centre

    Park information, maps and trail advice in Lower Omalo.

  • Shenako

    Village of wooden-balconied houses and a Holy Trinity church on the hill above, about 5 km from Omalo.

  • Diklo fortress

    Ruined fortress on a spur facing the Dagestan border, above Diklo village.

  • Dartlo

    Tower village of slate houses in the Pirikiti valley, about 12 km from Omalo.

Nearby

  • Shenako

    Tower-and-balcony village, about 5 km (20 min by 4x4).

  • Diklo

    Village and fortress near the border, about 8 km (30 min).

  • Dartlo and Kvavlo

    Slate tower villages in the Pirikiti valley, about 12 km (45 min).

  • Abano Pass

    The high point of the road in, about 3 h by 4x4 from Omalo.

Location42.3789° N, 45.6300° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 2–2.5 h from Tbilisi to Pshaveli in Kakheti, then about 72 km (4–5 h) by 4x4 on a dirt mountain road over the Abano Pass; 7–8 h door to door. Open only in summer.

Best time

July–mid-September

Best time

July and August are the most reliable for the road and the high trails, with festivals in early August; June and late September are quieter but carry a higher risk of road closures from snow and landslides.

Recommended stay

3–4 days

Season/Access

The Abano Pass road usually opens in June and closes with the first heavy snow, typically late September to mid-October.

Getting there

Travel only with an experienced local 4x4 driver; the road is narrow, unpaved and unfenced, and we avoid it after dark and in heavy rain.

Heads-up

Keep a buffer day in your plans; landslides or snow can close the pass for a day or more.

Cash

There are no ATMs in Tusheti; bring enough cash for guesthouses and extras.

Documents

Since 2022 Diklo fortress and Lower Diklo are in a border zone that needs a permit; carry your passport and we arrange the permit.

History & culture

Culture

Tushetians keep a strong shepherd culture and their own shrines (khati), where women may not enter and where beer and sheep are offered at festivals. Tushetoba, a festival with horse racing, songs and shepherd competitions, is held over a weekend in early August, and village festivals (Atnigenoba) take place across July and August. Tushetian wool felt and knitted socks are local crafts.

History

Tusheti's villages were summer settlements of shepherd communities, who spent winters with their flocks in the Alvani plain of Kakheti and still move them up and down the mountain each year. The Keselo towers above Upper Omalo were built as refuges during raids from across the ridge; they have since been restored. The road over the Abano Pass was built only in 1978; before that Tusheti was reached on horseback.

Local Cuisine

Try guda, a sharp sheep's cheese matured in a sheepskin bag, kotori (a thin pie filled with cheese and butter), khinkali with Tushetian lamb, and hearty mutton soups. Guesthouses serve almost everything from their own flocks.

Accommodation

Family guesthouses in Upper and Lower Omalo, most with shared or simple private bathrooms and half board. Book ahead for July–August.