Jvari is a small town in western Georgia, but its significance is vastly out of proportion to its size, because the largest dam in the country stands a few kilometres upstream. The Enguri Dam, completed in the Soviet era, rises about 270 metres across the narrow gorge of the Enguri river, making it one of the tallest arch dams in the world, a huge curved wall of concrete holding back a long, green-blue reservoir. It still supplies a large share of Georgia's electricity. The dam lies close to the boundary with the breakaway region of Abkhazia, which gives the area a certain tension, though the road to the dam and the mountains beyond is open.
Jvari is, above all, the gateway to Svaneti, one of the most spectacular and isolated regions in the Caucasus. From here the road climbs along the gorge of the Enguri, passing the dam and the reservoir, and continues deep into the mountains toward Mestia and the villages of the high valleys. The Svans have preserved a distinctive language, traditions and architecture, including the stone defensive towers that stand beside many houses, built in the Middle Ages to protect families during feuds. The towers give the villages of Upper Svaneti a skyline like no other, and they are now listed by UNESCO.
For a rider, the road beyond Jvari is both thrilling and demanding. It has been improved in recent years, but landslides, rockfalls, potholes and sections of rough surface are common, especially after rain or the spring thaw. There are tunnels, some of them unlit, and the road clings to cliffs above the river, with long drops. Traffic is mostly local, with minibuses, trucks and cattle, and overtaking can be unpredictable. Check conditions with locals before you set off, and keep daylight on your side. In winter, snow and avalanches close the upper road, and the best months for travel are late May to October.
The country is lush and green, covered in forest of beech, fir and chestnut, with walnut and hazelnut trees along the lower valley, and the air smells of wet leaves and woodsmoke. The river runs a milky turquoise from glacial melt.
The town has a handful of shops, cafés and guesthouses. Fuel stations are present in Jvari, as in most Georgian towns of this size, but supplies in the mountains beyond are limited, so fill up before you go. Tsalenjikha, about twelve kilometres away, has more services. Try a bowl of kharcho, a spicy beef soup, and a plate of fresh bread.