This article was produced in association with Santini
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home,” wrote the Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō. These words always make me think about how a sense of belonging does not necessarily derive from a physical place, but rather from the experiences we live.
A home is not just a tangible place made up of four walls, but also a state of mind that we can find everywhere, if the conditions are right. At least, this is how I like to think of it, and it’s an interpretation I share with Francesco Bonato, one the protagonists of an ambitious four-day cycling trip to Georgia. Georgia is a harsh and wild land, and on a bike, every road is a challenge full of mud, snow and landslides. Every metre must be earned, while the Caucasus mountains test both physical and mental resistance.
But as I learn from Bonato’s story, between imposing peaks and remote villages, the hospitality of local people can transform this vast, foreboding territory into ‘a home away from home’.
Bonato’s was a journey to discover the majestic mountains of the Caucasus, starting from Kutaisi, the third largest city in Georgia, located over 220 kilometres west of Tbilisi. Once out of Kutaisi, one of the oldest cities in the world, the ride took them across a vast rural panorama, where animals graze freely between fields and hazelnut plantations extend to the horizon. The landscape became more and more impervious and mountainous, revealing a fascinating, dramatic topography full of colour.
“I took this trip with Anna Campostrini and Matteo Costalunga, both passionate cyclists who travel many kilometres by bicycle every year, and with Nicola Rossi, who took the photos with me,” says Bonato. “Our idea of travel is a long way from the classic holiday. For us, travelling means immersing ourselves in a place that arouses a mix of emotions and discovering something new.
“Last spring, we were looking for an unusual adventure, and the imposing mountains of Georgia immediately caught our attention. We liked the idea of facing a real challenge; it felt like it would be a difficult destination to conquer. And it intrigued us because it’s relatively close, but at the same time, very far away. It offered an experience that seemed a world apart. We pitched it to Santini, who were enthusiastic about the trip and provided us with all the necessary equipment to face any type of weather condition.
“It’s a land with a unique culture: it looks a lot like Europe despite having different cultural roots and influences. It’s right on the border between different worlds, and this contrast makes it even more fascinating.
“During the journey, we found ourselves facing a lot of unpredictable situations, from the route and the weather conditions, to the food and architecture. Right from the beginning, this trip really pushed us, but we were excited to see what lay in store.”
Once in Tsalenjikha, the route continued in the River Enguri valley, on undulating, unpredictable terrain with many tight hairpins. Effort was rewarded though, with stunning views of the artificial lake at Enguri dam, the largest of its kind in Georgia. Higher in the valley, the scenery changed and the country’s mountainous character became increasingly harsh and impressive.
For over 100 kilometres, the valley followed the course of the river, on quiet roads dotted with isolated houses that seemed lost to time, and all the while, the riding got more difficult as the altitude increased and the temperatures dropped.
Over 5,000 metres
“We found ourselves between mammoth mountains, and it was an intense experience,” says Bonato. “We were all used to the Alps and the Pyrenees, but this is something else entirely. We were surrounded by peaks well over 5,000 metres.
“The people who inhabited these lands have always had a deep bond with the mountains. They sought refuge there to escape invaders who, over the centuries, have tried to conquer them. They didn’t want to be subject to anyone else, and so they retreated to the kind of landscape where no one else wanted to live.
“In a way, the mountain changed from being just a defensive place to their natural, familiar environment. There’s a local saying that reflects this: ‘The most beautiful mountain is the one you haven’t seen yet.’
“For them, the discovery of the mountains is a spiritual experience that permeates the entire course of life, offering a profound meaning to their existence.”
Mestia, in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, has a landscape that testifies to this defensive past, and the area is dotted with dozens of lookout towers. “To get to Mestia, you pass through a deserted valley,” says Bonato. “The road is about 100 kilometres long, climbing all the way. And as the valley rises and gradually widens, it offers up incredible panoramas. Along the mountain road, which alternates between asphalted stretches and dirt roads and often becomes almost impassable, we came across several landslides. Winter was just over and the summer hadn’t properly arrived, yet it was April, still out of season for tourists, which meant we had the valley pretty much to ourselves.”
It was a valley that seemed endless, and the riders only passed three or four villages, sometimes made up of just four or five houses, and occasionally the ruins of an old shop or a bar. Everywhere else, there were scant traces of any human presence, and nature and open spaces dominated, unchallenged.
“At a certain point, we found a lady sitting on the roadside with a row of home-made containers, including a Coca-Cola bottle without a label and an old jerry can. She’d set up her own rudimentary filling station. That was right in the middle of the valley and there were no proper petrol stations for a long time in any direction, so running out of fuel would be a serious problem for drivers. We didn’t realise right away that she was selling petrol, it was only later that it dawned on us.”
The wildness of the place and the ingenuity of its people are intertwined. And Mestia is a perfect example of how our modern world can be in clear contrast with the surrounding natural environment.
“Imagine arriving in a trendy mountain location, equipped with restaurants, supermarkets, a bank, even a small airport. The hotels have wi-fi and have people who work as guides, ready to accompany you. It was a big change after having travelled many kilometres feeling totally isolated, meeting very few people, feeling close with nature, with pigs and cows at the edges of the road,” Bonato continues.
“We’re not used to this where we come from. For us, a road is a perfect strip of asphalt that connects point A to point B. But in Georgia, the road is shared with animals: donkeys, plenty of dogs and, at one point, a horse that ran in front of us for at least 500 metres. We must have scared him; It’s one of my most vivid memories of the whole trip.”
Gravel and dust under the wheels, wooden bridges and slippery mud, snowy peaks and glaciers, lookout towers, and a landscape that spoke of ancient stories. These were vast and lonely spaces, but life can be found in the most unlikely places.
“We were followed by a group of kids on bikes that came out of nowhere. I’d imagine they lived on the local farms, it’s a very traditional lifestyle. I know that many people from Mestia, for example, studied in Tbilisi or abroad, but returned to live in the places of their childhood. The link between them and the mountains is stronger than any modern lifestyle. They have chosen to return to their roots.”
Many of the inhabitants of Mestia are now involved in tourism. The mountains now have a new fundamental value, which contributes to the prosperity of the city and guarantees a good standard of living for its residents. For visitors, evening meals and socialising often take place in welcoming, family environments, promoting authentic encounters.
“The welcoming culture was something that we noticed immediately,” says Bonato. “And it stayed with us throughout the journey. Even without a common language, we met people ready to open the doors of their homes to offer us something to eat or drink.
“At the gates of Mestia, we passed a house with an old Russian car parked outside. We were curious about it, and when the owner saw us looking we thought at first that he’d be irritated by these tourists and just send us away, but he was curious too, and when we said, ‘Italia’, he invited us into his little courtyard where he gave us some homemade grappa. We felt at home right away.”
From there, the final destination was still far away, over the Zagari Pass, 2,620 metres above sea level. The road would become less solid with each passing kilometre, and the weather began to play a large role.
“2024 was particularly snowy, so we were aware that the higher reaches could be impassable. But we needed to see for ourselves, so we headed towards Ushguli, one of the highest human settlements in the Caucasus and one of the most distinctive in Georgia.”
Ushguli and its 200 souls
Ushguli is a community made up of four villages that are so close they look like a single settlement. Located in the Alta Svanezia region, it’s over 2,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of Mount Shkhara, the highest point in Georgia. It’s home to about 70 families, for a total population of 200 people.
“It was a real adventure to get there,” says Bonato. “The road started out asphalted, but soon turned into a strip of beaten earth. The guide advised us to ride quickly over some sections, due to how unstable it was with meltwater from the receding snow. Deeply dug gorges made the slopes unstable, and there was plenty of evidence of falling boulders and landslides, but there were also moments in which it was possible to stop to admire the beauty. Ushguli is a place covered with snow at least for six months a year, and I think that increases its charm. It’s amazing that there are people who live there all year round. Arriving there was exciting.”
Food in Georgia is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Asian flavours. ‘Khinkali’ are ravioli, stuffed with meat, cheese or broth and will be familiar to anyone who’s ever tried Chinese dumplings, while spiced meat dishes recall Turkish or Lebanese cuisine. Another omnipresent dish is the ‘khachapuri’, a sort of pizza stuffed with cheese, very popular throughout the country. And to drink, a strange soda tasting of cream and mint stands out.
“We were invited to a place known as the ‘house of the guides’, where we enjoyed a traditional Georgian meal of Khinkali, one of the most appreciated culinary specialities in the country. In reality, that place is a restaurant, but it could easily be someone’s home, with its five-metre-long room and open kitchen, in which we could see two ladies hard at work, kneading ravioli by hand.”
The road that leads to the Zagari Pass starts from Ushuguli, but the mountain conditions are often unpredictable and due to the weather, sometimes plans must change. “We realised that continuing was going to be impossible. The snowfall of the previous weeks had blocked the road, and it would end up being another four weeks before it reopened. While we were still debating what to do, the weather changed suddenly and the sunshine we’d been enjoying changed to rain and hail. It reminded us that we were in the high mountains, exposed, and so we decided to turn around and head back to Mestia. But it was still an unforgettable experience.”
Riding in these high mountains, hardship was always balanced with the hospitality of the locals. Perhaps that sense of community is the only way you can face daily challenges in such an environment. Because in places like this, even the quotidian can seem like a true adventure.
Santini
Santini clothing proves to be the ideal ally for every adventure on two wheels, even in the wild heart of Georgia, where nature lives by its own rules. Each garment, from the Alpha T jacket to the Alpha Pack vest, is designed to offer protection and comfort, transforming the challenges of the trip into unforgettable experiences.
From the freezing winds to the sudden changes of the mountain climate, these garments guarantee excellent performance and comfort, thanks to innovative fabrics such as Polartec Alpha and Primaloft Gold. When the wind gets bad, the Gilet Ventus comes into its own, while the Ovis jacket is essential on colder days. The Puff jacket, meanwhile, ensures comfort even in the most unpredictable conditions.
Every detail has been meticulously crafted and the impeccable fit allows you to ride in harmony with your surroundings and to discover unexplored territories.
