GeorgiaOfficial tourism
Laila Pass

Where glaciers guard ancient trails

Laila Pass

Why go

Laila Pass (2,680m) is the dramatic threshold between Upper and Lower Svaneti, a glacial corridor that has channeled travelers, traders, and shepherds for millennia. The route from Mestia to Ushguli—the highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe—follows this natural gateway, threading beneath the 4,000-meter peaks of the Greater Caucasus. Here, the landscape shifts from forested valleys to raw alpine tundra, with the Laila Glacier's ice tongue visible from the saddle. The pass embodies Svaneti's wild autonomy: even Soviet planners never tamed this route with roads. Trekking it means walking the same paths Svan families used when fleeing lowland invaders to their mountain strongholds, their medieval towers still standing watch below.

On the ground See

  • The Laila Glacier icefall descending from Mount Laila (4,008m), visible from the pass saddle
  • Ancient stone cairns and shepherd shelters marking centuries of transhumance use
  • The descent toward Ushguli with panoramic views of Shkhara (5,193m), Georgia's highest peak

Practical Know before you go

Best crossed July–September when snow melts; the Mestia–Ushguli trail takes 3–4 days with basic guesthouses en route, no permits required but GPS advised as weather changes rapidly.

Last reviewed 25 August 2026 · reviewed quarterly