Beautiful, wild and mysterious, Svaneti is an
ancient land locked in the Caucasus, so remote that it was never
tamed by any ruler. Uniquely picturesque villages and snow-covered,
4000m-plus peaks rising above flower-strewn alpine meadows provide
a superb backdrop to the many walking trails. Svaneti’s emblem is
the koshki(defensive stone tower), designed to house villagers
at times of invasion and local strife (until recently Svaneti was
renowned for its murderous blood feuds). Around
175 koshkebi, most originally built between the 9th and
13th centuries, survive here today.