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The Valley of the Kists

Pankisi Valley is located in Kakheti between the foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains and the Alazani Valley wine growing region. It is about 130km north-east from Tbilisi, taking less than 3 hours to reach over the Gombori Pass. The nearest town is Akhmeta (20 km) and nearest city is Telavi (47 km).

The fertile valley is 20 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, divided by the Alazani River, which flows down from the Georgian-Chechen border in the north, towards Azerbaijan in the east. Batsara Strict Nature Reserve and Tusheti National Park are in close proximity to Pankisi Valley, making it an ideal base for hiking, mountain biking and horse-riding.

There are seventeen rural villages in Pankisi Valley. Ten of these are major Kist settlements: Duisi, Jokolo, Birkiani, Dzibakhevi, Omalo, Dumasturi, Kvemo Khalatsani, Shua Khalatsani, Kvemo Khalatsani and Tsinubani. The main administrative village is Duisi, which has the largest population.

In Duisi, there is a police station (another is located in Dzibakhevi), a hospital, community center (with ATM machine), sports center, café (Café Pankisi), petrol station, car wash station, car repair garages, convenience stores, pharmacies and bakery. Other villages have at least one or two small convenient stores.

There are seven villages on the eastern bank of the Alazani River, which are: Tsinubani, Koreti (Svans/Adjaran/Kist), Zemo Khalatsani, Shua Khalatsani, Kvemo Khalatsani, Omalo, and Dumasturi.

The ten villages on the western bank of the Alazani River are: Sakobiano (Pshav), Bakilovani (Pshav), Kutsakhta (Pshav), Kvareltskali (Pshav/Kist), Duisi, Dedisperuli (Pshav), Jokolo, Birkiani, Dzibakhevi, and Khadori (Pshavs).

Most of the families living in Pankisi Valley are Kists, descendants of Chechen and Ingush settlers who migrated to Georgia between 1830 and 1870. The Kists have their own language (Chechen), cuisine, customs, and follow Sufi and Sunni Muslim traditions. A small minority of Georgian Pshavs, Svans, Ossetians, and Adjarians live in Pankisi Valley.

Introduction to Kist people

For two decades, the Kists and Pankisi Valley have been misunderstood and misrepresented by the media and politicians. Today, the Kists are working hard to reach out and restore their public image and reputation through tourism.

Despite the difficult challenges, this small ethnic minority remains a welcoming, dignified and caring people. Contrary to what some people believe, Pankisi Valley is in fact a peaceful, beautiful and safe place to visit, attracting more and more foreign tourists each year.

The Kists are a small ethnic group who migrated from Chechnya and Ingushetia two hundred years ago to settle in Pankisi Valley. The population has dramatically decreased from about 5,600 in the last few years due to emigration to other countries. The high rate of unemployment and lack of job opportunities is the key factor.

The Kists speak a dialect of the Chechen language and are called Vainakh (Our People), which is a common ethnonym for linguistically related ethnic groups of Chechens and Ingush. Kists are typically bilingual in Chechen and Georgian but many speak Russian too.

Traditionally, the Kists have been practicing a syncretic religion based on Sufi Islam enriched by elements of Christianity and traditional beliefs of the Caucasian Highlanders (so-called Jvarism).

The Kists cultivate a traditional small-community rural life that is close-knit and clan orientated. Religious observance and practice play a significant role in personal, family, and community life. Social etiquette and the division between men and women are largely prescribed by moderate Islamic teachings and cultural customs.

Community-based tourism was first introduced to Pankisi Valley in 2007 as 'agrotourism", a way for families to improve their livelihoods and shed negative stereotypes but failed to evolve without support. Like all Georgians, the Kists have a deep tradition of hospitality and believe that ''a stranger is a gift from God''.

Past and Present

Until the turn of the 21st century, the Kists used to inhabit the valley with other ethnic groups, mostly Ossetians and Tush. They, unfortunately, started to leave the upper part of the valley before and during the “Pankisi Crisis”.

During the Second Russo-Chechen War, thousands of fleeing Chechens found refuge in Pankisi Valley. They were warmly accepted by the locals, who considered them their brethren.

However, the security situation in Pankisi Valley worsened. Along with the fleeing refugees, Chechen fighters and Georgian criminal gangs appeared in the valley. These elements took advantage of the chaos and lack of security. The first few years of the 21st century are thus known as the “Pankisi Crisis”, during which Pankisi Valley gained a negative reputation within Georgia and internationally through inaccurate and sensationalized media coverage.

The crisis was peacefully resolved in 2004. Since then, the community took charge of establishing its own narrative, self image and development. Since 2012, with support, ecotourism was established and has continued to evolve.

Over the past decade, advances in local ecotourism has offered new hope, pride and purpose to the Kist community; replacing the outdated narrative and restoring Pankisi Valley's image and reputation internationally.

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