ProSvaneti
Koruldi Lakes
Small alpine lakes on a ridge at 2,700 m above Mestia — a demanding full-day hike, or a rough-road drive by 4x4 minivan, for a front-row panorama of Mount Ushba.
Gallery
Why visit
- ✓ Views of Mount Ushba from the Cross viewpoint on the way, and from the lakes
- ✓ Genuine high-alpine scenery close to Mestia
- ✓ Reachable by 4x4 minivan or as a full-day hike
How to get there
The road is in poor condition — only a 4x4 minivan (we arrange a Mitsubishi Delica) makes it up; a regular sedan can't. The drive takes about 1.5 hours each way, including a stop at the Cross viewpoint roughly halfway. On foot it's a full-day hike: about 7 km from Mestia with roughly 1,400 m of elevation gain.
Best time to visit
July to September, once the snow has cleared from the ridge. Avoid the drive after rain, or the night after heavy rain — the road surface becomes dangerous. Mornings usually give the best chance of a cloud-free Ushba from the Cross viewpoint.
The Koruldi Lakes sit on a ridge above Mestia (itself at about 1,400 m), at around 2,700 m — small alpine tarns with the unmistakable double summit of Mount Ushba filling the view from the Cross viewpoint on a clear day. It's genuinely high-alpine terrain, reached either by a rough drive that needs a 4x4 minivan, or by a full-day hike on foot.
Go by 4x4 minivan (about 1.5 hours each way) or make it a full hiking day (about 7 km, 1,400 m of climbing). Either way, avoid the drive after rain or the night after heavy rain — the road becomes dangerous — and pick a clear morning for the best chance of seeing Ushba.
Things to do
- Photograph Ushba from the Cross viewpoint and from the lakes
- Picnic on the ridge
- Combine with the Cross of Mestia viewpoint, the halfway stop
Tours here
FAQ
Do I have to hike, or can I drive up?+
Driving needs a 4x4 minivan — we arrange a Mitsubishi Delica, since a regular car can't make it. It's about 1.5 hours each way, with a stop at the Cross viewpoint roughly halfway. On foot, it's a full-day hike: about 7 km with 1,400 m of elevation gain from Mestia.
Will I definitely see Ushba?+
No guarantees — Ushba is often in cloud, though it's visible from the Cross viewpoint on a clear day. Early morning gives the best odds, and we watch the forecast to pick a good window.
Planning a trip to Koruldi Lakes?
Tell us your dates — we'll suggest the realistic way to fit it into your Svaneti plan.