The short answer: most winter days, yes. The road from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) is also the road to Upper Lars, Georgia's only open land crossing with Russia, and is kept open all year. But between December and April the section over the Jvari Pass is closed from time to time, after heavy snowfall or when the avalanche risk is high. Closures are announced on the day, so nobody can tell you weeks ahead whether your date will be affected, and neither can we.
Where the road closes
The Georgian Military Highway is officially the Mtskheta–Stepantsminda–Larsi highway. It is 152 km from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda. The stretch that closes in winter is the Gudauri–Kobi section, which climbs over the Jvari (Cross) Pass at 2,379 m between the Gudauri ski resort and the village of Kobi. In the closure of 13 January 2026, for example, traffic was suspended between kilometres 93 and 107 because the avalanche danger was assessed as high, while the Mleta–Gudauri section below it stayed open for non-stop transit only [2]. The Tbilisi side, including Ananuri and usually Gudauri, stays reachable when the pass itself is shut [3].
How often, and for how long
- Season: closures happen from December to April; snow on the pass is normal from November to April.
- Length: usually a few hours; occasionally one to three days [3].
- Frequency: several times each winter, and in a snowy winter several times a month. Tbilisi operators report 3–5 closures a month in heavy winters, each lasting 6–48 hours [4].
- Restrictions short of a closure: on some days the road is open but snow chains are required on the Gudauri–Kobi section, or only non-stop transit is allowed [2]. Winter tyres are compulsory on this road in winter [3].
Where to check the status
Georgia does not have one live map that everyone uses, so check more than one source, the evening before and again in the morning:
- The Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure announces closures and restrictions on georoad.ge ("current road conditions") [1].
- The National Environmental Agency assesses the avalanche danger that most closures are based on; Georgian news sites such as Georgia Today and 1TV report its warnings and the closures in English [2].
- Your driver or hotel in Stepantsminda. Locals hear about a closure quickly, and a hotel on the far side of the pass can tell you what the road looks like there.
We don't publish a live road status ourselves; the official announcement is the one that counts.
If the pass is closed
- Kobi–Gudauri gondola. A 9.5 km cable car links New Gudauri with Kobi on the far side of the pass. When the road is closed and the gondola is running, some travellers ride it to Kobi and take a taxi on to Stepantsminda [3]. It closes for maintenance for a period in spring, and like any gondola it can stop in strong wind, so treat it as a possibility, not a plan.
- Wait it out. Most closures end within the day. If your dates are flexible, moving the trip by a day is the simplest fix.
- Go somewhere else. Ananuri, Pasanauri and Gudauri are on the Tbilisi side of the pass and make a shorter mountain day. Kakheti and Mtskheta–Gori–Uplistsikhe are not affected by snow on the pass at all.
The Kvesheti–Kobi road
A new road with tunnels and bridges between Kvesheti and Kobi is being built to bypass the avalanche-prone section and shorten the drive to Stepantsminda. It is due to open in stages, with completion of the whole road expected between late 2026 and 2027 [3][5]. Until it is officially open, plan as if it did not exist.
How to plan a winter Kazbegi trip
- Don't make Kazbegi the last full day before your flight home; leave a spare day after it.
- If you stay the night in Stepantsminda, a closure can keep you there an extra day. Check the forecast before you go up.
- The road up to Gergeti Trinity Church needs a 4x4 in snow and is sometimes impassable; the walk up is on snow and ice, so bring boots with grip.
- Days are short in December and January, so start early.
- Since 1 January 2026, health insurance with at least 30,000 GEL of cover is mandatory for visitors to Georgia.
How we handle it
For our private Kazbegi day trip from Tbilisi between December and April, we check the road the evening before and again in the morning. If the pass is shut, we suggest another plan with you: a shorter mountain day to Ananuri and Gudauri, a different trip such as the Kakheti wine day trip or Mtskheta, Gori and Uplistsikhe, or Kazbegi on another date. Nothing is paid before your date is confirmed. For what the day itself involves, read Kazbegi day trip from Tbilisi: what to expect.
Sources
- Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Georgia, road conditions: georoad.ge
- Georgia Today, "Traffic suspended on Gudauri–Kobi section of Mtskheta–Stepantsminda–Larsi highway", 13 January 2026: georgiatoday.ge
- Wander-Lush, "How to Travel From Tbilisi to Kazbegi in 2026" (updated 11 May 2026): wander-lush.org
- Sakhva Travel, "Kazbegi in winter" (April 2026): sakhva-travel.com
- Kvesheti–Kobi road project: kveshetikobiroad.ge
Last checked: September 2026. Road rules and timelines change; the official announcement on the day always takes precedence.
