The guide collects you at the Adler Airport, and in 1.5 hours you will arrive in the resort town of Gagra (Abkhazia) that has preserved its imperial charm and Soviet heritage.

Lunch in town.

Thereafter, we take the Ritsa highway to ride to the mountains. By sunset, we’ll have a stroll through the fir-tree forest from Lake Greater Ritsa to Lake Minor Rista, and have a picnic there enjoying the view on the mountains and the blue water surface. Afterwards, we’ll get back to Lake Greater Ritsa, and ride about 1 hour to reach the alpine shelter “Auadkhara” famous for the adjacent medicinal mineral water springs.

In the evening, a continuous feast, Abkhaz style. Staying overnight at the alpine lodge.

This day we’ll walk towards Lake Mzy across the Atsetuk range. We’ll see fir-tree forests, the sub-alpine zone and alpine meadows. The culminating point in the trekking will be Lake Mzy situated at the very Russian border. On our way, we’ll also come across the atsangvars or stone fences, the vestiges of an ancient pastoral culture. Back to “Auadkhara” by nightfall.

Staying overnight at the alpine lodge.

We’ll have a very short drive in off-road jeeps to the zone of alpine meadows. Then we’ll make a horseback ride to the Seven Lakes District, and thereafter, we’ll cross the Bagrat Iashta range to visit the shepherds. The Abkhaz pastoral culture is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the Caucasus. The men climb up the mountains with the cows and goats, herd them, milk them and make cheese on site. The cheese is stocked up to suffice for the entire family throughout the winter. Some of it is smoked, to keep it till spring time.

These men stay at the alpine pastures for months, in a narrow circle, and are exposed to all the whims of Nature’s elements. In such conditions, people strictly observe the ancient customs and unwritten rules of communication between each other and the mountain spirits.

Staying overnight in a shepherd’s hut or a tent.

Every young man in Abkhazia shall once in a while climb the mountains and spend some time with shepherds. It is sort of an initiation ritual for men. Here young guys prove themselves full-fledged men, and are introduced to the unwritten code of behavior, the Apsuara.

We’ll spend one day with the shepherds. Perhaps, we’ll ride on horseback to the Bagrat Iashta range or descend to the fir-tree forest to fetch some medicinal mineral water.

You may participate in milking and cheese making. Staying overnight in a shepherd’s hut or a tent.

Pskhu is the most inaccessible village in Abkhazia that has been populated by Russians since the early 20th century. Settlers from South Russia rendered this place habitable after decades of desolation, and preserved the Russian archetype, now almost gone.

Before 1864, the village was inhabited by the Abkhaz, a most rebellious and independent mountain community. But they were deported to Turkey by the Tsarist administration.

Nearly the whole day, we’ll be descending from alpine meadows to the deep valley of the River Bzyb.

We’ll be rewarded by staying overnight in a village house with a hot shower.

In the morning we’ll depart for the capital of Abkhazia by the 10 seater aircraft AN-2. This day we’ll stroll around the town, have coffee on the embankment, and ride to hot springs.

Staying overnight at a 4* hotel.

We’ll dedicate the whole day to seeing Sukhum. First we’ll visit its botanical garden, which is small, but has a really interesting collection. Then we’ll visit the national museum and a few important places in the center of the town. We will have lunch at one of the best restaurants that offer traditional cuisine.

After lunch we’ll have coffee with local history and culture experts, and visit souvenir shops. Next, we’ll go to a nursery of aboriginal grape varieties, which belongs to the biggest winery in the country. We’ll enjoy a nice wine tasting then have dinner with local musicians.

Staying overnight at a 4* hotel.

Before noon, we’ll be exploring New Athos, a small town that from the very outset has become a major shrine of Orthodoxy in the Black Sea region. Nearby, on the steep hill, the ruins of Anakopia, the first capital of the Abkhaz kingdom, are situated. We’ll climb there by all means. In addition, we’ll have a ride in the Abkhaz subway: ten rail cars will take us to one of the most popular landmarks in Abkhazia, the Novy Afon cave.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Pitsunda-Musser Reserve and spend the night on the sea shore: in a tropical forest, in tents.

We’ll spend the night sipping wine and swimming in the nocturnal sea.

Staying overnight in tents.

By lunch time we’ll be in Gagra, and then we’ll depart for the Adler Airport.