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TravelTips24 : Europe : Eastern Europe : Caucasus : Georgia : Kartli : Shida Kartli : South Ossetia

South Ossetia

South Ossetia is a separatist region of Georgia, mostly located in Shida Kartli.

Regions

Cities

  • Tskhinvali — the "capital" and the largest town in the region, home to the government of South Ossetia
  • Alkhagori — a small town formally under Georgian control, home to the Lomisi Brewery
  • Java — nominally the administrative center of Georgia's Java district, but not under Georgian control

Other destinations

Culture and History

There is surprisingly little to see in South Ossetia. And it is hard to go see what little there is, owing to the ongoing separatist conflict between the Ossetes and the Georgian central government and to the security vacuum the conflict has created. Sure, the mountains are beautiful, but they are just as beautiful in the regions to the west and east (Racha and Kazbegi Region) where there is far less danger of being kidnapped or caught in crossfire. And if Ossetian culture is what you want, head to North Ossetia. Most of South Ossetia's population has fled there to escape the conflict and it is a good deal safer than South Ossetia, albeit it too is not that safe.

South Ossetia was an autonomous region of the Georgian SSR under the Soviet Union. In 1989, amid rising nationalist sentiment throughout the Soviet Union, the government of the South Ossetian Autonomous Region passed a resolution to merge with the North Ossetian ASSR, in Russia, but the Georgian SSR government promptly overturned this resolution. In 1991, the president of Georgia declared that Russian would no longer be an administrative language of the new country, and that Georgian would thus be the sole administrative language. Alarmed Ossetes pressed for official status for Ossetian and either greater regional autonomy or full secession from the Georgian Republic to join with North Ossetia, in Russia. Nationalist tensions escalated on both sides until violent conflict broke out between the formerly neighborly ethnicities, resulting in a full-scale war between Ossetian separatists and the Georgian national government.

Under Russian pressure, the Georgian central government agreed to a ceasefire, policed by Russian peacekeepers, which theoretically holds to the present. However during the 8th of August 2008 the military of Georgia launched a milatary assult against the reagion in order to regain Georgian control. The attack which killed several South Ossetians and Russian peacekeppers quickly drew Russia into into the conflict, responding with aerial bombing, house to house fighting, and tank warfare. After quickly driving out Georgian forces and putting towns once under Georgian control into the hands of the South Ossetian government. The war was brought to an end by a ceasefire agreement, calling on both sides to withdraw to the positions they held before the conflict. Despite this however Russian forces still patrol the area. The government of Russia now recognizes South Ossetia as a legitimate, independent country, greatly angering Georgia and its western allies, but causing celebration among the Ossetians.

And just so you sound sophisticated: a person is an Ossete (ah-SEET), the ethnicity and the language are Ossetian (ah-SEH-tee-ahn), and the land is Ossetia (ah-SEH-tee-ah).

Talk

While most Ossetians speak Georgian, they may be hostile to travelers trying to use the language. It is better to try and communicate your needs in either Ossetian, if you know it, or Russian.

Travel to South Ossetia & Visa Requirements

As of now the border is guarded by Russian forces that are extremely unlikely to let you in.

Tours & Getting around South Ossetia

South Ossetia attractions and sightseeing

Itineraries

South Ossetia city tours

South Ossetia Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Ossetian food is delicious, a Caucasian cuisine similar to, but significantly different from Georgian cuisine. Be sure to feast on Ossetian pie, a dish similar to khachapuri, but with meat and mushrooms instead of cheese.

South Ossetia nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Stay safe

South Ossetia is probably the most dangerous region of Georgia and should be avoided. Visitors are advised to prepare for traveling in a war zone. As mentioned above civilian causalities are common and it is quite possible to get caught in the crossfire. Weapons are also all over the place, often in the hands of bandits, other minor criminal outfits, splinter rebel groups, and ordinary, fearful civilians. Foreign visitors have disappeared in South Ossetia, never to be heard of again.

The Ossetes are understandably jumpy and may arrest travelers taking photographs of, well, anything. It is also a bad idea to voice your political opinions regarding the conflict—better to listen to locals' perspectives and to be vaguely sympathetic.

If kidnapped, or taken hostage, it is best to remain passively cooperative. Your captors may well seem friendly (for them, the region's chaos is daily life), and you are likely to be released, but don't count on this.

Get out

  • If you find yourself in South Ossetia, you should probably try to find a way to get out. The fastest and safest way is most likely a public marshrutka going south on the main road from Tskhinvali towards Gori, Tbilisi, or Kutaisi. You could take a cab (i.e., flag down any car and pay them to drive you south to Gori), but getting into cars with strangers in a war zone is not a good idea.
  • The Russian border crossing at the Roki Tunnel is not a good place to be. Officials on both sides are exceptionally corrupt and fairly lawless. Only Russian and Georgian citizens are likely to be allowed through.
  • While this route is not recommended (due to security concerns) it is possible to take a mountainous road northwest from Tskhinvali all the way to Oni in Racha.

This page was last edited at 22:53, on 14 September 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Peter Fitzgerald, Wikitravel user(s) Cacahuate and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

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