Dartlo and Kvavlo Old Towers

Visit Guide to Dartlo and Kvavlo Old Towers

Dartlo, 12km northwest of Omalo in the Pirikiti Alazani valley, is a uniquely picturesque village with an impressive tower grouping, overlooked by the tall tower of Kvavlo 350m above the village itself. Kvavlo is a small fortress village situated above Dartlo. The view is breathtaking and makes visitors wonder how people in the Middle Ages could build towers in such an inaccessible place.

Getting There

Drive from Tbilisi to Kakheti, cross the Alazani Valley and take the Tusheti Road. Via Omalo, you’ll get to Dartlo. The whole trip takes about 6 hours.

What to Expect

When you take a trip to Dartlo, you feel like you’ve been teleported back in time. From the remote village of Omalo, another 15 km further into the Pirikita high valley, and there lies the medieval fairytale settlement of Dartlo.

History

In Tusheti several ancient defensive towers (koshkebi) still stand in many of the villages.