Hiking trails as a peace tool is a known practice, like in the examples of the Walk of Peace between Italy and Slovenia and the Pannonian Peace Trail between Croatia and Serbia. The South Caucasus is one of the regions in the world which has lived through instabilities. Therefore, regional initiatives aiming for peace and connection have gained momentum. The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) can be one of the means to connect all three countries of the region – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - through hiking. South Caucasus has a lot to offer to its visitors in terms of rich nature and biodiversity, as well as a blend of different and unique cultures. Through this international trail, anyone visiting can experience pristine nature and diverse culture of the region in a more sustainable way.
This blog post delves into the development of the Transcaucasian Trail, and on how this project will contribute to the region’s visibility and impact lives of locals. Online video interviews were carried out separately with interviewees throughout April and May 2024.
How the Transcaucasian Trail evolved over the years
There are currently two intersecting trail corridors within the TCT: North-South, stretching from Georgia to Armenia, and East-West, from Azerbaijan to Georgia. While the work is in progress towards the completion of the planned 1500 km hiking route, there are also plans to add more routes within the region. About 200 km out of the overall 600 km has been completed in Azerbaijan. The North-South part is to be completed by 2028, while the East-West part is expected to be completed two to seven years after the North-South finalization. This project started in 2015, by two expats Paul Stephens and Tom Allen, living in Georgia and Armenia, respectively. ‘We want to take the trail-building process organic and “slower”, as it is not only about clearing paths, but also to build the community awareness around it. Trail building might end at some point, however maintenance of it is almost never-ending’, says Paul. The development and management of the TCT is being supported by The Transcaucasian Trail Association, Inc. (TCTA), a non-profit corporation registered in Washington D.C.
The purpose of TCT is to foster sharing cultures, focusing on nature and mountains, creating more possibilities for eco-tourism. Paul, the founder and advisor of the Transcaucasian Trail Association Georgia and Azerbaijan, highlights that this shared project is powerful in the sense that it connects all three countries through nature and that it gets people thinking beyond the borders of their countries, by being centred within the whole mountain range. Each of the South Caucasus countries has its own unique culture, and diversity, while they also have so much in common.
Efforts of the trail builder team in Azerbaijan
Nazrin Garibova, Regional Trail Manager, has worked passionately to form a team for the development of the trail’s Azerbaijan part. Prior to TCT’s launch in Azerbaijan, local people and organizations had already substantially contributed to the development of hiking routes in the country. However, in her opinion, TCT promoted the region in a more holistic way. With a blend of international experience and local knowledge, the TCT team of local guides and nature enthusiasts have combined efforts to improve and adapt the trail.
Nazrin, who grew up in the US, says the hiking she experienced in the US was different from that in Azerbaijan. In her opinion, unlike in the US where hiking culture is given and one follows hiking rules as social norms, in the South Caucasus, hiking culture is still being developed, as it gradually is becoming more accessible to a considerable number of people in the region.
According to Abuzar Aghazada, a Program Manager for TCT Azerbaijan, ‘People say roads end where asphalt ends, whereas our road starts where asphalt ends’. In his opinion, there is a lot to do in this regard in the country in comparison to other countries. As a late comer to the project, Azerbaijan needs considerable development in trail-building, hiking traditions, and trail maintenance. He states that it is also necessary to make certain legislative changes before making the trail fully operational in the country. ‘The TCT route passes through several national parks, by local law, a person cannot enter the territory of [the] national park without a local guide, which most of the time thru-hikers prefer not to have.’
Sustainability and economic impacts
The trail aims to promote and actively contribute to sustainability and wildlife conservation through the ‘leave no trace’ principle, as well as responsible tourism and consumption. While the project aims to make the South Caucasus one of the well-known hot spots of hiking, it also strives to form a strong hiking culture internally. Learning from the knowledge and experiences of the local people and applying it will be one of the experiences throughout the trail development. These include historical trails, cultural points, witnessing lives of local nomads and others. In order to align with international standards, TCT also filed an application for the Greenflagtrails.org accreditation. This will enable more accessibility and information provision for the thru-hikers in the region.
The TCT Azerbaijan team hopes that it will have a positive impact on the livelihoods of local people. ‘The influx of visitors to the region has had positive effects, leading locals to embrace change with greater open-mindedness. For example, they became increasingly supportive of the education and career advancement of their children, and especially their daughters’, says Gunay Murshudova, the TCT Azerbaijan Outreach Coordinator.
Globally, economic value generated by trails are measured by hundreds of billions of dollars. For example, in Washington state alone, the economic output of trails in 2023 was about 8 billion USD. Trails hold the potential to create economic activity in sustainable ways. Considering the limited economic opportunities in the region, guesthouses and retail shops can present additional sources of income.
Not all changes may result in positive outcomes. For instance, before the mountainous Lahic village in Azerbaijan became a tourist hotspot in recent years, local people used to wear traditional clothing in daily life. Abuzar noted that on the one hand, ‘we are glad that their culture became well-known, however, the change tourism has brought, alienated locals from this beautiful tradition. We want to be mindful about the change tourism will bring’.
‘Once hiking becomes part of the culture it will remain that way’, says Nazrin, who also believes it will be win-win for the whole region. The TCT will not only bolster a connectivity between people, sharing of cultures and economic opportunities for the locals, but will also establish hiking as a lasting tradition. Therefore, what this unique trail holds for the region is promising in the long term. What comes next in the trail stories will be as galvanizing as the geography of the region.
