TRAIL: Caucasus, Georgia £2,030

The land of the Golden Fleece, wedged between the Great Caucasus and the Black Sea, a crossroads of east and west fought over by Greeks, Romans, Turks, Mongols, and Russians. Alpine meadows, ancient forests, and abandoned monasteries overgrown with wildflowers, reachable only by horse or on foot.

The pace is fast, the horses are athletic TB-types bred to cover ground, and the country is wide open. No fences, no roads, no barriers, just miles to move across. Nights in simple camps, basic village houses, and the odd hotel. Full immersion, the real thing.