Mitsubishi Delica D:5

Guides and photographers book the Delica months in advance, because nothing else in the fleet does both jobs at once. It is a minivan body — seven to eight seats, sliding doors, upright windows everyone can see out of — sitting on a genuine four-wheel-drive chassis with 210 mm of ground clearance.

That combination is why a group of eight can reach Ushguli in one vehicle instead of two crossovers: the Delica belongs to the off-road category that is permitted on the unpaved roads of Svaneti and Tusheti. The 2.2 diesel is modest for the size at roughly 9.0 l/100 km, and the automatic gearbox takes the drama out of long climbs.

The trade-offs are honest ones. It is tall, so mountain crosswinds and low garage entrances need attention, and with all eight seats occupied the space behind the rear row is small — four suitcases fit once that row is folded. The rate is 290 ₾ a day, the deposit 1,200 ₾, drivers from 25. Summer dates go quickly, so call early via Contact.