#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST DRIVERS#
#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST DRIVER#
#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST PROFESSIONAL#

Keep still the same direction, passing by the house until you reach an break, where there is a sharp drop-off. Pass a small quarry on the right and continue on the road which ends at a house. But today we are going in an opposite direction - turn right behind it. 1 km you can see a big road sign for the direction of Shenako and Diklo. You will reach the car road and then turn to the right.

Thank you in Kist language is 'bar-kahl'įrom Upper Omalo head to the south - stay on the marked path on the right side of the hillside.

Instead, you can choose from a wide array of energetic drinks - maybe that explains why Kists are so vigorous and energic.

Most shops don't sell alcohol, not even beer.

When entering a house, leave shoes outside.

Men should wear long trousers, women should have their knees covered.

Dress modestly - not enforced, but appreciated.

When visiting Pankisi, keep the following in mind: However, things improved greatly over the past years and the region now experiences a small tourist boom. As a result of lacking development combined with an influx of refugees after the Chechen wars in the 90s, it got its share of troubles with islamic extremism and even Georgians avoided it some 20 years ago. Which means that majority of Pankisi are Sunni Muslims. That's because it is inhabited mostly by Kists, people of Chechen origin who moved into Georgia in the 19th century. While I have no ambition to write a complex guide to Pankisi gorge, I need to touch on some points since this region IS different from almost any other in Georgia. It departs like each other day in the morning, so it can´t be relied upon.

#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST DRIVERS#

These drivers usually pick up passengers for a symbolic price but the truck has no fixed schedule. Therefore, your best bet will be locals heading to Omalo for a visit - but it may take a while until some show up.Īnother option is the Kamaz truck which brings supplies from the lowlands to Omalo.

#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST PROFESSIONAL#

Professional drivers will rarely pick you up for free. And even when they are not, tourists might be reluctant to pick someone who just walked a few hundred meters beyond the departure point and raised a thumb (especially if he is dressed up in Arc´teryx gear like a couple of 'travel hackers' we saw there the last time :)).

Hitchhiking can be 'hit or miss' since jeeps traveling to Omalo are usually booked by tourists and full. Therefore, even if you have your own car, for this stretch of the road, it may be better to use the service of the local driver. Still, the accidents happen here and the road claims a few lives every year. In navigates pretty steep mountainside but the road is usually wide enough and unless you are passing another car and need to navigate to the very edge of the road, there is no reason to feel nervous. BBC once placed it among the '10 Most Dangerous Roads in the World', but with a good driver, it definitely doesn´t feel like that. The ride to Omalo takes about 4-5 hours and costs 70+ GEL per passenger (or about 350-400 GEL for the whole jeep). This is the place from which depart jeeps to Tusheti so if you get here before noon, you should be easily able to hire a driver. In Kvemo Alvani, the bus or taxi will drop you at the main (and the only) junction. If you want to take a taxi from Tbilisi to Alvani instead of a bus, the price can be anywhere 100 and 150 GEL (it grows with your distance from the Ortachala station :))

#TRANSPARENT LATER INKIST DRIVER#

Or they simply want to hook you up with the jeep driver from Telavi but that is OK if the price is right. Just confirm with the driver that he is going all the way to Alvani, they sometimes try to drop passengers in Telavi in order to make them hire another taxi to Alvani. Drivers are used to tourists and often arrange them further transport to Tusheti. The marshrutka departs from Ortachala bus station in Tbilisi at 9.am and arrives at Alvani two hours later (price 15 GEL). If you are traveling from Tbilisi, you will first need to get to Kvemo Alvani village - this can be done by marshrutka or a taxi.

To get to Omalo, you will need to hire a driver with 4WD.

Transparent later inkist