Build the Transcaucasian Trail in Georgia

I’ve been wanting to start traveling to places that many people in the United States haven’t heard of, and Georgia has been on the top of my list for a while, so when I found an opportunity to go there, I went for it. It was an incredible experience. Everyone on my crew was really nice, and helpful and everyone did their part. I feel like I received enough information to effectively conduct fieldwork because our leader spent a good amount of time thoroughly explaining how to use each tool effectively and safely, and they were always watching to make sure we were using them properly

I enjoyed discovering a beautiful mountainous area that was new to me, I also enjoyed time spent in Kutaisi and trips from Kutaisi to Zeskho and back. The work that I had to do also brought enjoyment to me, since I do not perform physical labour on a daily basis. But most of all I enjoyed a company of smart, interesting and diverse group of individuals who come from all walks of life. My biggest takeaway is that working in the mountains and aspects that come with living there can be more fulfilling than living "comfortably" in the city.

My three weeks in Georgia were amazing. I met awesome people, worked on new trail sections, and enjoyed the beautiful mountains and great food. The experience was friendly, safe, and unforgettable. I learned so much and made great memories along the way

I love the TCT, the trail, the people and wanted to give back Great experience with a good crew. Really enjoyed the mix of local and international people Maybe recommend brining fun snacks to share (s'mores etc) The crew leader did a great job, only feedback would be to have more supervision to allow more people to work at once especially on technical scope like steps

My biggest takeaways is "Shwarma in Kutaisi. It was a large pork one with fries. No, I'm joking, sorry. After two weeks with no internet I really started to appreciate the beauty of the mountains, the forest, the individual trees, the small habitats, the rocks and the streams in the landscape. This mainly on the hike to and from the worksite that took a proportion of each day." Continued to sustainably develop trail. Had largely good weather over the four weeks. Stayed safe, no injuries. Didn't feel as tired or fatigued as I expected after multiple weeks of trail work. Digging three toilets was not terrible. Crew leaders and all the other TCT staff are fantastic at welcoming, accommodating, teaching and sharing with the volunteers. All the crew leaders really do a great job at making the volunteers feel safe, comfortable and positive in this very remote environment.

Where I would have expected more was on the food (both in terms of quantity and organization) and the non-working hours, nice to have the freedom to do what we like, but I was expecting more social activities, interactions, games, short workshops/sessions, etc (maybe not mandatory but on a volunteer basis). Also, the price is not reflecting the experience, which is authentic and cost-efficient (in a positive way), while the price is more towards a “glamping” option, which wasn’t the case (that’s why I choose it). I know funds have been an issues, but this should not impact the volunteers experience in my opinion, or the provided experience should change to reflect the price. The small habits we had, everyone has his own tasks, the morning routine, it helps enjoying the camping life even more

Trail work was in line with expectations as were general conditions of living/camping. I enjoy the opportunity to feel I was making an actual difference that will hopefully develop hiking and tourism supporting it and local communities in Georgia Food was not always the best - appreciate it is hard to get food up a mountain, but for the price paid for the course there could have been more spent on protein sources such as tuna/tinned fish and less on empty carbs such as cookies, noodles etc. On many days I was low on energy because food felt insufficient in terms of nutrients.

I had wanted to visit Georgia for several years, and last year I discovered the volunteering program through the TCT. It immediately sounded like a great plan for the summer of 2025. Although it was hard to imagine beforehand what a week in Zeskho would be like, the experience met my expectations and was very professionally organized, which was the most important part. Contributing to such a meaningful project, learning how trails are built, meeting local people, and enjoying the calm of such a remote and beautiful place made the experience truly memorable