A Great Caucasus Offroad Adventure (2017)
A GREAT CAUCASUS OFFROAD ADVENTURE
We actually wanted to drive from Germany to Russia in Uli’s Russian sovjet van – but after 73 kilometers and a seized piston, the trip was over and we spontaneously started a completely different journey:
We only needed one afternoon to come up with a plan for a new, exciting trip. We used our Russian visa and flew directly to Saint Petersburg to see this wonderful city. From there we took a plane to the small border town of Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia-Alania – in the politically dangerous south of Russia.
Uli has friends there who we visit and who show us their homeland from their perspective. From there we take a taxi to the Georgian border and from we take a minibus to the capital Tbilisi. There we rent an off-road vehicle with which we explore the remote valleys of the Caucasus and master one of the most difficult roads in the world. We drive to the south of Armenia and can see Iran on the other side of the border fence, as well as the burnt houses in Nagorno-Karabakh. We sleep where we can pitch our tent. It is a wonderful, spontaneous off-road adventure that I will never forget!
A Great Caucasus Road Trip (2017)
Our original plan was to drive from Germany to Russia in our old Soviet combat bus “UAZ” made in Russia. Unfortunately, the solid car broke down after just 73 kilometers. We spontaneously decided to use our Russian visa anyway and fly to Saint Petersburg. From there we will fly to a-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
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π·πΊ Visiting the Crisis Area of ββNorth Ossetia around Mount Elbrus
We spontaneously visit Uli’s friends in Vladikavkaz in southern Russia. The morning after our arrival,-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π·πΊ Dargav, the City of the Dead in the Russian North Caucasus
We spontaneously visit Uli’s friends in Vladikavkaz in southern Russia. The morning after our-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Welcome to Georgia – With Regards from Prometheus
The driver drives us from Vladikavkaz in Russia to Stepansminda, the first place in Georgia across-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Tbilisi, Georgia’s Capital of Youth
Nevertheless, we reach Tbilisi in one piece (in Georgian worm script αααααα‘α) at an incredibly-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Kakheti – The Lesser and the Greater Caucasus
We pick up our car early the next day. Funnily enough, the messenger has already stalled the car in-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Up to Omalu – On one of the most dangerous roads in the world
Uli convinced me that it is a great idea to drive the elevated road from Kakheti to a place called-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Unexpected Friendships in Tusheti
We spend a great night under the Milky Way on the 3000 meter high pass that leads to the heart of-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The endless Switchbacks of Chewsureti
Fortunately, after our drive over the passes of the Greater Caucasus, we made the way unscathed in our-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Lost in the valleys between Shatili and Chechnya
We drive into the valley through rain, hail, thunder and lightning. Isolated defense towers rise-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Drunk illegal in Chechnya – Hungover Adventures in the Caucasus
I wake up in the tent, in my sleeping bag, on my sleeping mat. I know we set up the tent before-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The border with Russia and Ossetia at the venerable Mount Kazbek
From the valley of Shatili we set off to the valley through which we entered Georgia. I bathe-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The 4000 Year old Cave City of Uplisziche
On the drive through the Lesser Caucasus, we visit the cave city of Uplistsikhe, which is 4000-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Gori and the legacy of the Soviet dictator
We come to Gori. Another city. The city is best known as the birthplace of Josef Stalin. All-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Over the Lesser Caucasus mountains to Batumi and the Black Sea
We get through a mountain range on an initially paved, then roughly gravel road. Once again the-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The Svanetian Towers of Mestia and Ushguli
Our destination is the mountainous Svaneti. The good Tamona from Tbilisi warned us that winter was-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Deep in the Greater Caucasus at Ushguli
We have breakfast in a small tourist cafΓ© as soon as it opens. Then we explore the village, stroll-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The Cave of Prometheus and Kutaisi’s Natural Forces
We are on the way to the city of Kutaisi. On the way we stop at a sight, the “Cave of Prometheus”.-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Inside The Tiny Canyon Of Martvili
The next morning, too, no electricity returned in the city of Kutaisi. We’re heading north because-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Above the Treetops in Okatse
A long bridge over the Okatse forest is a little more spectacular. There you have attached a-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Looking into the Past – The Sovjet Observatory
We heard about an observatory that you can visit. We drive a long time through a mountain range
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π¬πͺ Break in Achalziche – Georgia’s Touch of the Orient
We camp not far away in a good place, to which we have to cross a shallow stream in the dark. We drive-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ The Maze of the ancient Cave City of Vardsia
We continue to the impressive cave city of Vardzia. Up to 30,000 people are said to have lived-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¬πͺ Stranded in the Border Region between Georgia and Armenia
From Vardzia we are now approaching our next big goal: Armenia. Through the foothills of the Lesser-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¦π² Welcome to Armenia, The wild Land of Apricots
The border crossing turns out to be very complicated even after successfully leaving Georgia. First we-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¦π² Garni, Geghard and the Armenian Cross-Stones
We continue to Garni to visit a sun temple there. This was built by a king in the style of ancient-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¦π² The Drama of Ararat, the Holy Mountain
Next we want to go towards Ararat. The mountain, sacred to Christianity, is already in Turkey, but-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¦π² The eerie Breath of Nagorno-Karabakh
The weather suddenly turns bad behind the pass. It’s cold and rainy. We drive along the-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
π¦π² Armenia’s Silk Road on the Trail of Lake Sevan
With the same caution, we avoid Nagorno-Karabakh and other en- and exclaves. According to Google-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->-->…
