· 2 years ago

The Transcaucasian Trail An epic 3,000km-long hiking trail across Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan

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The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) is rapidly becoming established as a world-class, long-distance hiking trail, consisting of two intersecting routes and connecting roughly two dozen national parks and protected areas across the South Caucasus region through Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. As with so many long-distance trails, it began with the personal ambitions of a few hikers, gathered momentum, and swelled into a movement, a community, and a project with a vast range of stakeholders.

The mountain ranges of the Caucasus are both a cradle of civilization and a geographic crossroads, where tribes and empires have fizzed and swirled for thousands of years. Journeys by foot across the Caucasus have been made for as long as the region has been inhabited. The Transcaucasian Trail could be described as an attempt to reimagine this long history of slow travel in the mountains at a time when the long-distance walk as a form of recreation, pilgrimage, or otherwise transformative personal journey is undergoing a worldwide renaissance.

Part of the appeal of any trail is the terrain it passes through. The Caucasus Mountains cover an area comparable to the European Alps, peaking at Mt Elbrus, which at 5,642m (18,510ft) is considered the highest and most prominent in Europe. The region also packs in an amazingly rich cultural experience for its size, and all within the short- to medium-haul flight range of most European, Russian and Middle Eastern airports.

After years of exploring and mapping thousands of kilometres of forgotten trails, organising volunteer camps and outings to clear and mark them, and collating a huge amount of information to support hikers and trail crews alike, the 832km Armenia section of the route was published at the end of 2021, representing the first completed national section of the Transcaucasian Trail. Parallel efforts in both Georgia and Azerbaijan are making steady progress towards completion too, with hundreds of km of route stages open in both countries. You're invited to visit the Caucasus and see what it's all about!

ℹ️ Find out more about the Transcaucasian Trail: transcaucasiantrail.org
🏞 Be one of the first to thru-hike the TCT: transcaucasiantrail.org/en/tct-trailblazers/
🥾 Join one of our guided supporters' treks: transcaucasiantrail.org/en/group-hikes/
🌱 Get involved with our volunteering camps: transcaucasiantrail.org/en/volunteer/
🤝 Donate here and become a part of the community bringing the trail to life: donorbox.org/transcaucasiantrail

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Trail Prospector & Writer

Hey! I'm Tom, one of the co-founders of the Transcaucasian Trail and trail designer for the Armenia section of the route. Ask me anything!

2 years ago
Ian
Founder, Travel Massive

This looks like an incredible adventure! How many people have walked the entire 3000km trail? And how long would it take?

1 day later
Trail Prospector & Writer

Nobody has walked the entire 3,000km trail as it isn't fully interconnected yet – but several adventurous souls tackled the ~1,500km north–south portion through Georgia and Armenia this year for the first time. Most took around 10–12 weeks to complete this. I imagine the full route will easily occupy an entire season when it's ready!

23 hours later

Wow! So amazing

2 years ago
Managing Director, Digitalhound.co.uk

Looks like an epic adventure beckons!

2 years ago
Event Organizer & Traveler, GlobalGaz

An epic trail, and an amazing corner of the world for exploration.

2 years ago
CEO, Horizon Guides

Good to see you guys still going strong Tom!

2 years ago
Interactive Tour Writer, The Secret City

Sounds incredible!

2 years ago
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The Transcaucasian Trail

1 review

The Transcaucasian Trail was posted by Tom Allen in Destination , Armenia , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Hiking , Adventure . Featured on Oct 12, 2022 (2 years ago). The Transcaucasian Trail is rated 5/5 ★ by 1 member.
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