Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus Mountains run southeast from southern Russia near the Black Sea to Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea, spanning the tectonic plates of Europe and Asia. There are two different ranges: the Greater Caucasus to the north, which is around 1,200km (746mi) long, and the Lesser Caucasus to the south, which is approximately 600km (373mi) long. Between the two countries, a corridor of relatively level plains continues northwest across Azerbaijan and Georgia, characterized by lush farmlands, woodlands, and vineyards.

When you go trekking in Georgia, you get to explore places that few people have. The barren Caucasus Mountains of Georgia have just recently opened to tourists. You'll see fauna like as deer, chamois, and marmots, as well as green, white, and turquoise lakes, medieval villages and cities, and peaks rising into the sky.

One of the most appealing aspects of trekking in the Caucasus Mountains is also its greatest drawback in terms of accessibility for visitors: enormous stretches of wilderness far far from civilization. Hiking, unlike in many mountainous parts of Europe, is not a popular recreational activity among the people. There aren't many legally defined paths, and those that do may be cow tracks that fade due to repeated exposure to the weather. However, if you go to the correct places, the rewards are fantastic.

Location: Georgia