Mestia is the main town in the mountainous region of Svaneti. Though not as hard as going all the way to Ushguli, it still isn’t easy to get to unless you can snag one of the few flights from Tbilisi to Mestia.
That said, it’s well worth a visit to this stunning but isolated mountain region – especially if you’re a hiker or trekker (just make sure you have Georgia travel insurance cover if you’re going up in the mountains though!).
There you’ll find a unique but fierce culture that has managed to ward off invaders ranging from the Mongols to the Persians to the Ottomans.