Transcaucasian Trail

Transcaucasian Trail
Length About 3,000km
Location Caucasus
Established 2015
Use Hiking
Hiking details
Season Spring to autumn
Sights Greater Caucasus, Lesser Caucasus
Website transcaucasiantrail.org

The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) is a long-distance hiking trail under development in the Caucasus through Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

A long-distance trail in the Caucasus has been a lingering idea for trekkers and hikers for many years since they started hiking remote parts of the Caucasus.

Many sections of the TCT already exist, used by local community members and shepherds for centuries. These trails cross long valleys and traverse mammoth mountains to connect mountain villages together. In recent years many of these trails have fallen into disrepair, and while many trails are known to locals, they are difficult to navigate for visitors and tourists.

In 2015, two former Peace Corps volunteers, Paul Stephens and Jeff Haack, mapped and charted known routes in the Republic of Georgia. During this time they succeeded in locating many connections between known trails and publicizing the concept of the trail. In 2016, British explorer Tom Allen launched an expedition to scout a potential route traversing the Lesser Caucasus through Armenia and southern Georgia, sponsored by British 4x4 manufacturer Land Rover and the UK's Royal Geographical Society[1]. In the same year, the first trail construction and maintenance project began in Svaneti, Georgia, employing international volunteers to carry out the work, and the Transcaucasian Trail Association was formed. In 2017, the volunteer trail building programme expanded to Dilijan National Park in Armenia, and continued in the Svaneti region.

Today, over 300 km of trail has been improved and marked in Georgia and Armenia. The TCT can serve many purposes in the Caucasus region. For one, the natural diversity of the area needs to be protected. This habitat fosters many species of animal and provides unique ecosystems created by the mountains.

References

  1. ↑ "Royal Geographical Society - Land Rover Bursary"
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