Казбеги и ущелье Трусо на внедорожнике: экскурсия из Тбилиси

Возвышаясь над рекой Арагви, Ананури — укреплённый комплекс, служивший цитаделью герцогов Арагви, феодальной династии, чьи войны определили судьбу этого уголка Грузии. В его стенах стоят две церкви и оборонительная башня, украшенные тонкой резьбой и фресками, характерными для грузинского сакрального искусства. С бастионов открывается вид на бирюзовое Жинвальское водохранилище и окрестные горы, что делает это место одной из самых впечатляющих исторических остановок в стране.

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.