At an altitude of 2,200 meters, near the border with Turkey, lies the village of Shuamta, surrounded by the Khikhani Fortress and three lakes. The only landmark marked on the map is the "Three Lake Mosque."

In June, the inhabitants of the Memteuri village take their herds and move to the "summer mountains," where they remain until the end of summer. Due to the heavy snowfall, it is impossible to stay at such high altitudes during the winter.

For the mountain villagers, life in the Memteuri revolves around providing their families with food and dairy products for the entire year, including Adjarian cheese, kaymak, kuruti, and more. The herds are housed on the first floor of huts, while people live on the second. The cattle are milked early in the morning, after which the shepherd, often accompanied by his children, takes the herd to pasture.

There are a few ways to visit the Adjarian nomads: on foot, walking several kilometers and overcoming significant elevation changes from the nearest settlement, or by catching an old car rented from the municipality. Despite their isolation from city life, the locals welcome even complete strangers like long-lost neighbors.

Year after year, the number of families living in such villages decreases, and more houses are being demolished. At the time of my visit, no more than 30 huts remained.