The Jewel of Eurasia: a White Water Expedition to Georgia

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Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be asked to lead an expedition to Georgia (the country, not the US state!).

The trip surpassed all my expectations with some committing canyons, pushy big volume and playful alpine rivers set in absolutely stunning mountain ranges.

Lowri on the Tergi

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But it wasn’t just the paddling that blew us away, it was the kind people and friendly cluture that made the trip even more unforgettable.

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A full report from our adventure can be read in December’s Canoe & Kayak Magazine, due in shops from Nov 5th. The front cover shows Mike beaming towards the end of an awesome day on our ‘Picture Perfect’ first descent near Mestia.

CKUK Dec 2010 Cover

But just to give you a taster: we paddled 12 different sections of river (3 of which we believe to be first descents), dined with countless truly hospitable families, drove on some of the most terrifying roads of our lives and on some of the most impressive mountain passes, drank the US Ambassador’s finest wine,  lost some paddles, hiked out of a canyon, found some paddles, drank wine from a horn and learnt the true meaning of Hair of the Dog.

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A selection of photos from the trip can be found on the FlowFree Flickr account.

Until the next time, Gamarjos!

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