Mestia is the capital of Upper Svaneti, a high, remote region of northwest Georgia, tucked in a valley of the Greater Caucasus, with the glaciers of Ushba, a twin-peaked mountain of over 4,700 metres, rising above the rooftops on a clear day. Mestia lies at roughly 1,500 metres, and the village is crowded with square stone towers that rise four or five storeys. These Svan towers, built mainly in the Middle Ages, were defensive homes for families who lived in a land of feuds and avalanches, and the whole of Upper Svaneti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Getting here is half of the experience. The road from Zugdidi follows the River Enguri up past the huge Enguri arch dam, one of the tallest in the world, then climbs into a narrow gorge and winds on through forests and small villages. The tarmac has improved in recent years, but expect potholes, landslide patches, roaming cows and pigs, and the occasional blind corner with a truck coming the other way. Winter brings heavy snow, and spring can bring mud and rockfall, so summer and early autumn are the best times to ride.
The Svans have their own language, completely different from Georgian, and their own food. Try kubdari, a bread filled with spiced meat, and the Svan salt, a mix of salt and spices that goes on almost everything. Guesthouses in family homes are the usual way to stay, with plenty of hospitality and homemade cheese and wine. The museum in the town holds icons, manuscripts and crosses from remote mountain churches, and is worth an hour.
Fuel is available in Mestia, though it pays to arrive with a reasonably full tank and not to rely on supplies in smaller villages further up the valley. The road continues east toward Ushguli, one of the highest continuously inhabited villages in Europe, but that stretch is rough, rocky and often muddy, and is best attempted on a bike with decent ground clearance and tyres. The border with Russia is close, and the mountains of the main range form a spectacular, remote wall to the north.