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Kazbegi

Kazbegi & Mtskheta · Mountains

Getting there
About 152 km (3–3.5 h) north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway over the Jvari Pass (2,379 m)
Best time
June–September
Recommended stay
1–2 days

About Kazbegi

Stepantsminda, still widely called Kazbegi, is the mountain town at about 1,740 m on the Georgian Military Highway, 152 km north of Tbilisi (3–3.5 h) and 15 km from the Russian border. Above it the 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church stands at 2,170 m with Mount Kazbek (5,054 m) behind. It is the base for walks to Gergeti, the Gveleti waterfall and the Dariali gorge, and by 4x4 for the Truso and Juta valleys. Come as a long day trip, or stay a night or two to walk in the morning light.

Tours Including Kazbegi

See all 14 tours

Must-See Attractions

  • Gergeti Trinity Church

    The 14th-century church at 2,170 m, reached by car on a paved road or on foot in 1–1.5 hours.

  • Mount Kazbek

    The 5,054 m volcano above the town; climbing it is a serious glacier ascent for experienced mountaineers with a mountain guide.

  • Dariali gorge

    The narrow gorge of the Tergi (Terek) river towards the Russian border, with Dariali Monastery near its northern end.

  • Alexander Kazbegi Museum

    The writer's family house in the centre of town.

  • Truso valley

    A 4x4 and walking valley with mineral springs, travertine terraces and abandoned villages, usually May–October, with a passport check.

Nearby

  • Gveleti Waterfall

    A 30–40 minute walk from the road in a side valley of the Dariali gorge, about 7 km north (15 min).

  • Juta

    A village under the Chaukhi peaks, about 20 km south-east by 4x4 to the road closure below it (40–50 min).

  • Truso valley

    The trailhead at Kvemo Okrokana, about 30 km south via Kobi (45 min).

  • Gudauri

    The ski resort and Friendship Monument, about 35 km south over the Jvari Pass (40–50 min).

Location42.6583° N, 44.6410° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 152 km (3–3.5 h) north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway over the Jvari Pass (2,379 m); paved all the way, with winter closures possible after snow.

Best time

June–September

Best time

June to September is best for hiking and clear views of Kazbek; May and October are quieter with a chance of snow on high paths, and winter is quiet and snowy, with access depending on the Jvari Pass.

Recommended stay

1–2 days

Getting there

The 152 km drive from Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway takes 3–3.5 hours without stops.

Season/Access

In winter the Jvari Pass can close for hours or a few days after heavy snow, so keep a spare day before an onward flight.

4x4

Not needed for the town or for Gergeti in dry weather; needed for Juta, deeper into the Truso valley and for Gergeti in snow.

Heads-up

The road north of town leads to the Upper Lars border with Russia and carries heavy truck traffic; lorry queues can slow the highway.

What to bring

Layers and a rain jacket at any time of year; it is often 8–10 °C cooler than Tbilisi.

History & culture

Culture

The people of Khevi, the Mokheve, traditionally lived from sheep and cattle farming, and Alexander Kazbegi's 19th-century novels, such as 'The Patricide', describe their mountain life. Much of the valley now lives from guesthouses and mountain guiding, and many families host visitors in their homes.

History

The town is named after Stephan, a monk said to have built a hermitage here; in 1925 it was renamed Kazbegi after the writer Alexander Kazbegi, born here in 1848 into the family of the local chiefs, and in 2006 the old name Stepantsminda was restored. Kazbegi remains the name of the municipality. For centuries the Khevi valley guarded the road through the Dariali gorge between Georgia and the North Caucasus, which the Russian Empire rebuilt in the 19th century as the Georgian Military Highway. In times of danger, relics from Mtskheta were hidden in Gergeti Trinity Church above the town.

Local Cuisine

Guesthouses in Stepantsminda serve mountain food: khinkali, khachapuri with local cheese, and honey from the Khevi valley; cafés in town also bake khabizgina, a cheese bread with potato in the filling.

Accommodation

The widest choice in the Georgian mountains outside the ski resorts: dozens of family guesthouses in Stepantsminda and Gergeti village, mid-range hotels with Kazbek views, and the Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, a large design hotel facing the mountain. Summer weekends book up early.