Omalo
Tusheti's main village at about 1,880 m, with guesthouses, Keselo's stone towers above, and trails to the region's tower villages.
OmaloPhoto: Abramia Giorgi, CC BY-SA 4.0Omalo is the main village of Tusheti, the remote mountain region on the northern side of the main Caucasus ridge that belongs to Kakheti's Akhmeta municipality. It sits at about 1,880 m between the Greater Caucasus and the Pirikiti range and is split into Lower and Upper Omalo. Above Upper Omalo rise the restored towers of Keselo Fortress. Most of Tusheti's guesthouses are here, and in summer the village fills with hikers, horse riders and Tushetian families returning from the lowlands for the season.
Omalo is the base for day hikes and rides to Shenako and Diklo, to Dartlo and Kvavlo, and to Oreti Lake, and the starting point of longer treks, including the multi-day route to Shatili in Khevsureti over the Atsunta Pass. Guesthouse food is hearty: Tushetian khinkali, guda cheese, kotori pies and herbal tea. In summer the Tushetoba festival brings horse races, folk music and traditional food. Outside the summer season the road closes and very few people stay.
History
Tusheti has been home for centuries to the Tush, Georgian highland shepherds who moved their flocks between high summer pastures and the Alazani lowlands in winter. The towers of Keselo above Omalo were built in the 13th century as a refuge from invaders. Much of the area has been protected since 2003 as Tusheti National Park, with the villages inside the Tusheti Protected Landscape.
What to see and do
- Keselo Fortress towers above Upper Omalo
- Hikes to Shenako, Diklo and Dartlo
- Tushetian food in family guesthouses
- The Tushetoba festival in summer
- Start of the trek to Shatili via the Atsunta Pass
How to visit
Getting there
Omalo is about 70 km from Pshaveli over the Abano Pass by 4x4, usually 4 to 6 hours from Kvemo Alvani, and about 190 km from Tbilisi, a full day's journey. In summer shared 4x4s leave Kvemo Alvani, usually around midday.
When to go
July–September. Plan 2–4 nights here.
- Book guesthouses ahead for July and August.
- Bring enough cash for your stay; do not count on card payments or cash machines.
- Pack warm layers and rain gear; nights are cold even in summer.
- Leave a spare day in case rain closes the road.
Omalo: FAQ
How do I get to Omalo in Tusheti?
By 4x4 over the Abano Pass from Pshaveli, near Kvemo Alvani in Kakheti. Shared 4x4s run in summer, or you can hire a private driver; the trip takes about 4 to 6 hours.
How many days do I need in Tusheti?
At least two or three nights, because the drive in and out takes most of a day each way. Four or more nights let you hike to Dartlo, Shenako and Diklo.
Tours that include Omalo
Read more in our guides
Photo: Q-lieb-in, CC BY-SA 4.0Colour starts near the treeline in late September and reaches Tbilisi in November. Here is when each region peaks, the walks to do there and which mountain roads shut first.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0When to go for hiking, wine, beaches or skiing, with monthly weather for Tbilisi, the coast and the Caucasus and the festivals worth timing a trip for.
Photo: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0Visa-free stays of up to a year, the e-visa, the insurance rule that started in 2026, airports, land borders, duty-free allowances for wine and chacha, and border permits for mountain hikers.
Nearby places
Straight-line distance from Omalo.
