Datvisjvari Pass is a road with plenty of dangerous drop offs

Ugheltekhili Dat'visjvari is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.689m (8,822ft) above the sea level, located in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of Georgia.

Set high in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, the road to the summit (‘Bear Cross Pass’) is totally unpaved. It’s 42.5 km (26.40 miles) long, running from Godani to the historic highland village of Shatili, near the Russian border. The pass gets usually blocked by snow in October and becomes passable again in May. The route is dangerous. Not recommended to newbies. Along the way you’ll have to deal with some dangerous drop offs. You might want to take this into consideration if you have passengers that don't like heights. The name of the pass derives from the huge marble cross which used to point this watershed during the Russian Empire.
The road was built in the 1970's. The serpentine road to the summit, also known as Datvi-Jvari Pass, Datvis-Jvarisghele or Datvis jvari is used for transportation from one side to the other. 4x4 vehicle required. Be careful: this road is not for the sissies. One mistake can have consequences. The drive is steep, hitting a 10% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps.

Tucked away in the eastern part of the country, the drive is very scenic. At the summit there are beautiful views. There are plenty of dangerous drops apart from this pass, as well as ancient villages and fortresses along the way. After Shatili it continues to Mutso and ever more remote villages in the Andaki valley.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson
Pic: Pre S2