Whereas Tusheti is "off the beaten track", Gometsari is the absolute back of beyond! It is an even more remote place than the other valleys in the area and contains just a handful of villages. It's a long time since the days when Tush shepherds would only ever come here in summer.
I explored the high Tusheti Alazani valley in the company of a local family and on foot, with horses used to help transport the luggage. Some choose to explore Gometsari on horseback, as this high terrain is a paradise for adventurous horse trekkers. A trail here enables you to reach the first two villages by jeep.
From the village of Omalo, we initially followed the dusty trail to to the first of Gometsari's historical villages, Bochorma, with its superb defensive towers. We then headed off along what were now hard, stony trails to Dochu, with its impressive ancient buildings, then Gogrulta, perched high up in its superb location, and finally Verkhovani, the last inhabited village. After that lies Tsovata, a high valley of wild, alpine pasture that has been completed deserted for over half a century. Solitude, immensity, steep slopes: these are the elements that define the wonderful character of Gometsari.