But after the region declared independence in 1991 the tourists vanished as the country descended into chaos

But after the region declared independence in 1991, the tourists vanished as the country descended into chaos. Now, as Georgia struggles back to its feet with a new leadership and ambitions to join the EU, the visitors are returning in a trickle, as likely to be speaking German or English as Russian or Ukrainian.After supper came the customary toasting session in whatever language we could muster, as Soso had brought several bottles of rough, home-made brandy. Our tough little Caucasian horses coped well, but at times the steep gradient forced us to dismount and lead them, their hot muzzles panting close behind.After several hours of steady climbing we broke the treeline.The sun setting, we reached a rickety, tin-roofed Soviet weather station that was to serve as our home for the next three days.In Soviet times, Georgia was a favourite destination for visitors from across the USSR. Leaders from Stalin to Gorbachev had holiday villas there, and Lagodekhi was a popular hunting ground for Politburo bigwigs. In the foothills of the Caucasus we hired horses and rode up through thick forest into the mountains, accompanied by Misha and Soso, a ruddy-faced local park ranger with a well-developed taste for brandy.

With 12 peaks loftier than anything the Alps have to offer, this range is home to rare wildlife and a tradition of hospitality that can at times be overwhelming.In theory, it is possible to use public transport and find your own accommodation in Georgia; but in practice, if you are planning to head out to the sticks this can be time-consuming, problematic and, in some places, poten-tially dangerous. Few people speak English, and in remoter regions locals speak only obscure dialects of Georgian, itself a unique and ancient tongue with virtually no similarity to any other living language.We first set out from Georgia’s crumbling 19th-century capital of Tbilisi on a two-day jeep ride to Lagodekhi, a national park on the border with Azerbaijan and southern Russia. Some parts, for example, are closed military zones, while others have a reputation for banditry, so it is advisable to check with the Foreign Office before you travel.A far easier option is to find a local guide to assist you. The former Soviet Republic of four million people tucked in a mountainous fold between Russia and Turkey still suffers an image problem; grinding poverty, simmering civil conflicts and strife in neighbouring Chechnya have not exactly helped.But beyond the headlines (and the odd rusty rocket-launcher) Georgia is an adventurer’s paradise.

The nearest habitation was a shack a good 20 miles away in the remote Georgian village of Shatili, hard on the Chechen border. “Perhaps they’re not scaffolding poles,” I said, prodding tentatively with a foot.
Rusted and covered with weeds, the home-made rocket-launchers had clearly been lying there for some time. It lays it down like a wine,” writes Amis, and you imagine the cogwheels whirring.. or a.. or a.. check what else you lay down… Politically, the country is as stable as it has been at any time in the past 15 years.I had come for two weeks of exploring on horseback and on foot in the High Caucasus. Splash around in the private lido, take a rowing boat out into peace and tranquillity or dine at the restaurant with panoramic views If anyone can beat that, let me know. “Why don’t you take one home as a souvenir?” suggested my guide, Misha Mindiashvili.Remotest Georgia is not the most conventional holiday destination, and this sort of thing is one reason why.

During the late 1990s, Chechen rebels had used this part of Georgia as a safe haven in the war against the Russians. I’ve got a competition to win.Katy’s top tipIf your little adventurers are into medieval stuff such as castles, Latvia is the place to head for an autumn mini-break. Check out the Baltic Travel Company (0870-753 7747; baltictravelcompany ) for interesting offerings.. It seemed a strange place to leave a pile of old scaffolding poles: 3,000 metres above sea level in the Caucasus mountains, surrounded by snowy peaks. Take one of its family holidays on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast and you will find yourself kayaking and scuba-diving to your heart’s content. But to really experience the great outdoors, you need to camp – try the Istrian Peninsula, dotted with islands for your mini-explorers to conquer. You and your family will stay in the former residence of President Tito – now the Relais & Chateaux Vila Bled Hotel, which is set in its own national park.

Stay with Vacansoleil (08700 778779; vacansoleil.co.uk) and you will get all the basics: Jacuzzis, a terrace bar and scuba diving, all at very reasonable prices.At the other end of the market, Black Tomato (0207-610 9008; blacktomato.co.uk) features something a bit different: a luxurious family-friendly break on the shores of Slovenia’s Lake Bled. This company specialises in walking breaks for all ages – they take in caves, waterfalls, canyons and wildlife galore – and you get to stay in houses and farms (no high-rise hotels allowed).For those bursting with energy, meanwhile, Activities Abroad (01670-789 991; activitiesabroad ) has just the thing. An increasing number of family-oriented package operators now feature Eastern European destinations, including First Choice (0870-850 3999; firstchoice.co.uk) and Thomson (0870-606 1470; thomson-holidays ) but for something a bit different, the smaller companies are well worth checking out.Upland Escapes (01367 851111; uplandescapes ) offers a range of family holidays in the Slovenian Julian Alps (for all those who didn’t pay attention in geography, that is the bit at the top where Italy and Austria meet). It is hard to keep up when all those about you are discovering paradise in unexpected places, but at least I’m in on the secret now, and I can take a serious stab at the next “who had the best holiday?” competition.
If I’m going to be the winner, I’d better get cracking, because people are catching on fast. Ihave just been at the school gates comparing holidays – a subject nearly as sensitive as property prices or secondary school choices – and as usual I’ve come back a tad green. One mother’s detailed description made me realise that I had missed a trick. She and her children spent three weeks on an empty pristine beach in Croatia, while we were parked cheek-by-jowl on a French Mediterranean strip of sand.