Are You My Kind of Crazy?
Join me on an 8-day hiking trip through Georgia, with expenses paid*
I want to take a complete stranger, maybe you, on an eight-day guided trekking trip through Upper Svaneti, Georgia.
The trip runs from 10 to 17 August 2026 and is organised through Caucasus Trekking.
I will cover the tour myself, worth around €800. You will need to pay for your flights, travel insurance, and anything outside the tour package.
Yes, this is extremely short notice. I am testing your spontaneity.
If this sounds interesting but you cannot join, please help me reach the right person. Send it to the friend who might be crazy enough to say yes.
Why am I doing this?
I love meeting people and doing strange things that lead to concerned questions from my parents.
I believe social media can be used to create real connection. I want to see whether the algorithms can bring this invitation to someone I would never normally meet, and what might happen if we spend eight days walking through the mountains together.
In 2024, I joined a trekking tour through Kyrgyzstan. For twelve days, a group of complete strangers travelled through the mountains of a country many people around us had barely heard of. It became one of the best trips of my life.
This year, I am returning to the region. I kept thinking about how much more interesting the experience could become if I shared it with someone completely unexpected.
It is random. It is slightly weird. There are several ways it could go wrong. That is also exactly why it feels worth trying.
Who am I?
My name is Róbert. I am Hungarian from Romania, currently based in Lisbon, and I have lived nomadically on and off since the beginning of 2018.
I spent most of my adult life working as a software developer. Recently, I left my job to pursue a different direction built around writing, conversations, creativity, and human connection.
Mountains have been a core part of my life for the past ten years. I lived in Switzerland for two years through Alpiness Coliving. I run and hike regularly, have skied since I was five, and have some experience with mountaineering.
You can look through my Strava if you want evidence that I actually spend time in the mountains.
I also started an Instagram account where I speak with strangers and share what is happening in my own life. You can get a much better sense of me there than I could give you in a short biography.
Social media has already changed my life. This is an experiment to see how much further I can take it.
Who are you?
I do not have a precise type of person in mind. Your gender, nationality or profession do not matter. The practical requirements do.
You are genuinely comfortable with long days in the mountains. Expect several consecutive days of hiking, often covering around 8–15 km with substantial elevation gain, averaging around 900 m of elevation gain per day. You do not need to be an elite athlete, but you should already exercise regularly and have experience with long hikes or comparable endurance activities.
You have an open mind and a curious spirit. We will spend eight days travelling through the mountains with people we have never met. There will be plenty of time for conversations, but also fatigue, silence, bad weather, and whatever else the mountains decide to give us.
You are comfortable with some discomfort. This is not a luxury holiday. We will sleep in local guesthouses, eat the food available there, and move our bodies every day.
You can make decisions quickly. The trek begins in two weeks. You need to be able to reach Mestia by 9 August and commit to booking your travel shortly after the selection process.
You can pay for your flights, insurance, and additional expenses. I considered paying for everything, but I want this to be a shared commitment. Booking your own travel gives you some skin in the game and makes it much more likely that you will actually show up.
You take responsibility for your own decision to participate. I am another participant, not your guide. You are responsible for assessing whether the trek matches your fitness and experience, following the guides’ instructions, and arranging travel insurance that covers trekking in the mountains at the relevant altitude.
We will have time to speak, ask difficult questions, verify each other’s identities, and decide whether travelling together actually feels sensible.
I will probably document parts of the trip. You do not need to be a creator, and I will not publish footage of you without your consent.
I fly into Tbilisi on the morning of 8 August. If our plans align, we can travel towards Mestia together. Otherwise, we will meet there on 9 August.
The trip
The first three days will be a private tour with a small group of around four or five people. From 13 August, we will join the existing five-day group trek from Mestia to Ushguli.
The route passes through the mountains and traditional villages of Upper Svaneti. We will stay in guesthouses along the way, with guides responsible for leading the group.
The exact itinerary, inclusions, difficulty, and packing information are available on the tour website.
The vetting process
There will be a Typeform at the end of this article. Complete it by Wednesday, 29 July at 22:00 CEST.
I will invite a small number of people to a short video call on Thursday. The first goal is to confirm that neither of us is a serial killer.
The actual goal is to understand your hiking experience, expectations, communication style, and reasons for wanting to join. It will also give you the opportunity to question me and decide whether this feels safe and worth pursuing.
I will then have a longer conversation with a few people on Friday. This is mutual vetting. I might invite you, but you still get to decide whether you want to come.
After choosing someone, I will contact the tour operator and confirm that your place is available. I will pay the required deposit. You should only book flights after we have written confirmation from the operator.
Before travelling, we will exchange identification and emergency contact information.
The essential information
What: An eight-day guided trekking trip through Upper Svaneti, organised through Caucasus Trekking.
When: 10–17 August 2026.
Cost: I cover your place on the trek. You cover flights, travel insurance, and anything outside the tour package.
Who can apply: Anyone who can legally enter Georgia, reach Mestia by 9 August, cover their own travel and extras, and take full responsibility for showing up fit, insured, and prepared.
Structure: Three days with a small private group, followed by the five-day Svaneti group trek.
Meeting point: Mestia, Georgia, by 9 August. We may travel there together from Tbilisi on 8 August.
Difficulty: Demanding. You should be fit, experienced with long mountain days, and capable of hiking for several consecutive days.
Accommodation: Local guesthouses during the trek.
Food: Meals included in the tour package. Bring money for snacks, drinks, and anything you want outside the provided meals.
Equipment: Comfortable hiking shoes or trail runners, warm layers, rain protection, hiking clothes, and a backpack of approximately 25–30 litres. The operator will provide the final packing details.
Insurance: You must arrange appropriate travel insurance that covers mountain trekking, medical treatment, and emergency evacuation.
Participation and responsibility: Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Final participation is subject to approval and written confirmation from Caucasus Trekking. The selected person will participate as an independent traveller and must accept the tour operator’s terms directly. Routes, schedules and activities may change because of weather, safety concerns or other circumstances. I am paying the tour fee as a personal gift, but I am not acting as a guide, travel agent or tour operator. Flights and other independently booked expenses remain your responsibility and may not be reimbursed if you cancel, miss the trip or the itinerary changes.
Other: If you have any other questions, please reach out to me. Either here, through comments, Instagram or hello@seenbyrobet.com.
What happens next?
Fill out the Typeform by Wednesday, 29 July at 22:00 CEST.
Be available for an initial call on Thursday, 30 July.
A smaller number of people will have another conversation with me on Friday, 31 July.
I will then confirm the selected person’s place with the tour operator and pay the deposit. Once the operator confirms everything, you book your flights.
We meet in Tbilisi on the 8th of August or Mestia on the 9th of August.
Then we walk into the mountains and find out whether trusting the algorithm was a terrible idea.
*The guided eight-day trek is covered. You pay for flights, insurance, and expenses outside the tour.