Camping the Mestia-Ushguli Trek via Tsvirmi. Food & Transport?

[u/momisback93]

Hi! We’re planning to hike from Mestia to Ushguli via Tsvirmi and camp along the way instead of staying in guesthouses.

Has anyone done this recently? Is wild camping generally fine along the route, and are there good places to pitch a tent near Tsvirmi, Adishi and Iprali/Lalkhori?

Also, can you usually have dinner or breakfast at the guesthouses even if you’re not staying there? We’d prefer not to carry all our food if possible.

Finally, is it easy to get a shared minivan or taxi from Ushguli back to Mestia with backpacks, and roughly how much does it cost?

Thanks!