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Geotour

Photos: Alexkom000 (CC BY 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons

Truso Valley

Kazbegi & Mtskheta · Nature

Getting there
About 140 km (2.5–3 h) from Tbilisi to Kvemo Okrokana via the Georgian Military Highway and Kobi
Best time
May–October
Recommended stay
Half a day–1 day

About Truso Valley

Truso is a high valley of the upper Terek river, starting near Kobi on the Georgian Military Highway about 20 km south of Stepantsminda. From the village of Kvemo Okrokana a dirt track runs up the nearly flat valley floor past bubbling mineral springs, orange and white travertine terraces, the small Abano mineral lake, the abandoned village of Ketrisi and the towers of Zakagori fortress. You walk part of it or ride in a local 4x4. The upper valley ends at the occupation line of the Tskhinvali region.

Tours Including Truso Valley

See all 4 tours

Must-See Attractions

  • Travertine terraces

    Orange, white and rust-coloured mineral deposits where springs run down to the river, about 1.5 hours' walk in from Kvemo Okrokana.

  • Abano mineral lake

    A small lake of fizzing mineral water beside the track.

  • Ketrisi

    An almost deserted village with stone towers and an old church.

  • Zakagori fortress

    Tower ruins on a crag at the head of the accessible valley, about 11 km in; this is where you turn back.

Nearby

  • Stepantsminda (Kazbegi): The main town under Mount Kazbek, with Gergeti Trinity Church above it, about 30 km (45 min).

  • Jvari Pass and the Friendship Monument

    The 2,379 m pass and the Soviet-era mosaic viewpoint above Gudauri, about 20 km south (30 min).

  • Gudauri

    The ski resort, about 25 km south (35 min).

Location42.5814° N, 44.4647° EView on map

Good to know

Getting there

About 140 km (2.5–3 h) from Tbilisi to Kvemo Okrokana via the Georgian Military Highway and Kobi; the last few kilometres are a rough dirt road, and inside the valley you walk or use a local 4x4.

Best time

May–October

Best time

June to September is the most reliable time, with green meadows and a dry track; in May and October snow and mud are possible, and the valley is usually impassable in winter.

Recommended stay

Half a day–1 day

Documents

Bring your passport; there is a border police post below Zakagori fortress, where visitors turn back.

Walking

From Kvemo Okrokana it is about 22 km return to Zakagori on a mostly flat dirt track (5–6 h); the travertines, about 1.5 hours' walk in, make a shorter walk of about 3 hours return. A local 4x4 can shorten the walk.

Heads-up

Do not go past Zakagori or approach the occupation line, and follow the border police's directions.

What to bring

Sun protection, water, a warm layer and waterproof shoes; the track crosses streams and the valley floor is at about 2,000–2,250 m.

History & culture

History

The Truso valley was home to Ossetian and Georgian highland villages, guarded by towers and the Zakagori fortress on the route toward the upper Terek. Most villages emptied during the 20th century, and after the war of 2008 the head of the valley became part of the occupation line of the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia). Today only a few families and shepherds live here in summer, next to the ruined towers of Ketrisi and Abano.

Accommodation

Most travellers stay in Stepantsminda or Gudauri and visit Truso for the day; there are a few simple seasonal cafés in the valley, but no reliable place to stay.