Kazbegi & Truso-Tal im Geländewagen – private Tagestour ab Tiflis

Hoch über dem Aragvi-Fluss erhebt sich Ananuri, eine Festungsanlage, die einst als Hochburg der Herzöge von Aragvi diente – einer Feudaldynastie, deren Kämpfe diesen Teil Georgiens prägten. Innerhalb der Mauern stehen zwei Kirchen und ein Wehrturm, die mit den kunstvollen Schnitzereien und Fresken der georgischen Sakralkunst geschmückt sind. Von den Zinnen öffnet sich der Blick über den türkisfarbenen Schinwali-Stausee und die umliegenden Berge – ein besonders lohnender historischer Halt im Land.

High in the Greater Caucasus, Gudauri is Georgia's biggest ski resort, with lifts rising from about 1,990 to 3,279 meters and a season that usually runs from late December to mid-April. When the snow melts, the same peaks open up to paragliders and hikers, with the Gudauri Viewpoint and a climb to Sadzele Peak rewarding you with panoramic mountain views. Cap each day with khinkali, khachapuri, and mulled wine, and a lively apres-ski scene warmed by genuine Georgian hospitality.

A high valley west of Kobi at the head of the Terek, with mineral springs, orange-white travertine terraces, the Zakagori fortress and the ruins of abandoned villages. Most visitors walk or ride a 4x4 along the mostly flat valley road; the upper valley ends at the occupation line of the Tskhinvali region.

Stepantsminda, still widely called Kazbegi, is the base for Georgia's high Caucasus. The 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church sits alone at 2,170 meters with Mount Kazbek—the country's third-highest peak at 5,054 meters—rising behind it. Reach the area on the 152 km drive from Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Highway (about 3-3.5 hours), then hike to the Truso Valley's mineral springs or walk the cliffs of the Dariali Gorge.

Set against the snowcapped cone of Mount Kazbek, this 14th-century church is one of Georgia's most photographed sights and a living Orthodox pilgrimage site. We walk you up from Stepantsminda, about 60-75 minutes up through meadows that bloom with wildflowers in summer (about 430 meters of climb), or drive up the sealed road for those who'd rather save their legs. Once a refuge that safeguarded Georgia's religious treasures during invasions, it still holds travelers spellbound with its alpine isolation.