Things to do in

Stepantsminda

Explore Kazbegi, the mountainous region of Georgia. Feel the Caucasian Georgian spirit in the Caucasus Mountains. Take many beautiful pictures, hear exciting parts of the history, try the traditional Georgian dish Khinkali (Dumpling), discover the most beautiful part of Georgia, and get unforgettable memories. Your first stop is Zhinvali Water Reservoir on the Georgian Military Highway. The Soviets constructed the dam in the 1980s—a wonderful place to take amazing pictures. Visit Ananuri Fortress, the seat of the Eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty that ruled the area around the 13th century. See stunning views of the fortress and Zhinvali Reservoir. Have lunch in Pasanauri, the homeland of one of Georgia’s traditional foods: Khinkali. Admire the Friendship Monument of Georgian and Russian people in Gudauri, on the Georgian Military Highway. Contemplate the history of this fascinating monument overlooking Devil's Valley in the Caucasus Mountains. Explore one of the most beautiful places in Georgia, Gergeti Trinity Church in Kazbegi. Get a panoramic view of the whole valley from the church, which is one of Georgia’s most iconic attractions. Be impressed with the view of Mount Kazbegi, standing 5047 meters tall.Go to a local luxury hotel and have a cup of coffee in the stylish restaurant while you relax with stunning mountain views.

Start your tour at Jvari Monastery, a 6th-century orthodox monastery near Mtskheta. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the monastery stands on a rocky mountain above the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers, overlooking Mtskheta, the old capital of Georgia. Continue to Zhinvali Water Reservoir, located on the Georgian Military Highway. Learn the history of this Soviet dam, constructed in the 1980s. Then, arrive at the Ananuri Fortress, the seat of the Eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi. Discover the intriguing plots of this feudal dynasty that ruled the area from the 13th century. Explore the site of numerous historic battles and take in the magnificent scenery — ideal for landscape photography. After Ananuri Fortress, have lunch in Pasanauri, the homeland of the most famous traditional Georgian food, Khinkali. Admire the Friendship Monument of Georgian and Russian people in Gudauri. Located on the Georgian Military Highway between Gudauri ski resort and the Jvari Pass, the memorial consists of a large round stone arch and concrete structure overlooking the Devil's Valley in the Caucasus Mountains. Then, arrive at Kazbegi, and explore one of the most beautiful places in Georgia: Gergeti Trinity Church. The church is located under Kazbegi Mountain, 2170 meters above sea level, and offers spectacular panoramic views of the entire valley. Enjoy the serene natural beauty of this isolated marvel. Finish your tour at the Rooms Hotel Kazbegi. Relax with a cup of coffee in their stylish restaurant and soak up the stunning views of Kazbegi.

You will depart from Tbilisi early in the morning, in the direction of Kazbegi. On the way, there will be some very interesting places to visit. Ananuri Fortified Castle Ensemble is a sixteenth-century castle complex on the Aragvi River. The fortress stands beside the famous Georgian Military Highway, overlooking the large Jinvali Lake. Its high, turreted stone walls protect two churches, a watchtower, and a reservoir. The main church facade is beautifully carved with animal, floral and Celtic style patterns. Next stop on the way is Gudauri, a remarkable ski resort in Georgia. The resort is at the altitude of 7,217 feet (2,200 meters) above sea level. The first lower lift station is at 6528 feet (1,990 meters ) above sea level and the last, or top, the station is at a 3,306-meter called summit Sadzele. The resort offers high-quality skiing opportunities, with the ski season lasting from December through April. From Gudauri, you'll continue your trip to Gergeti Trinity Church. At an altitude of 7,119 feet (2,170 meters), the twelfth or thirteenth-century monument was erected on the southern slopes of Mkinvarcveri. Gergeti Trinity Church is an important temple, remarkable for its beautiful scenery. The Gergeti Trinity Church is set poignantly on a hill directly below the towering white massif of Mount Kazbek, which sits at 5,033 meters. On top of all this, you will also have the opportunity to partake in the best tandem paragliding in Georgia. The spectacular views and stable weather conditions put it right up there. From the perfect take-off sites close to the spots around Gudauri, your flight will take you over the ridges with a birds-eye view of the places above Jvari pass or Aragvi Valley. After a 20 to 25 minute flight, you will smoothly land close to the takeoff area or near the road in the valley after your exhilarating cross-country flight.

Discover the magic of the mountains on a full-day guided trip from Tbilisi. Visit Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fort, Gudauri, the Cross Pass, Kazbegi National Park, and the famous Gergeti Trinity Church. Admire panoramic views and old forts, and have the chance to sample the local cuisine. Start your tour at your hotel or holiday apartment if you choose the private tour option, or at a central meeting point in Tbilisi if you opt for the shared tour. Then, head northward and enjoy stunning views. Stop at the Zhinvali Reservoir, a calm lake surrounded by green hills. From there, discover the impressive Ananuri Fort. Explore the remains, the yard, and the old tower while your guide tells you the story of this place. Continue along the Georgian Military Highway to see more scenic and interesting spots, including a mineral spring that is believed to have healing powers, before reaching Gudauri and the Cross Pass. Take in the views at the Soviet Monument of Friendship, and marvel at the panoramic views of mountains and gorges from one of the best panoramic platforms in Georgia. Stop at Kazbegi, the center of the region and home to the famous Gergeti Trinity Church. In the summer, you can choose to hike to the church or go there by car. On the way back, your guide will show you the locals' favorite restaurant, where you can try authentic mountain-style khinkali dumplings (included in the shared tour; at your own expense on the private tour) before you return to Tbilisi.

Head north from Tbilisi along the Georgian Military Highway, the only road connecting Georgia to Russia through the high Caucasus Mountains. First you'll visit Zhinvali Dam, a hydroelectric dam on the Aragvi River. Despite its artificial origins, the reservoir blends in with the surrounding environment perfectly and delights visitors with its turquoise waters. As you descend to the shores of the reservoir you will notice the ruins of a church from a settlement that was relocated out of the flooding area of the dam.   Next, visit Ananuri Fortress, known for its stunning panoramic views. It was built by the Dukes of Aragvi and its earliest parts date back to the 13th century. After this, you'll explore Gudauri, a ski resort located in the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. The slopes of Gudauri are completely above the tree line. Discover the Treaty of Georgievsk Monument, built in 1983 to celebrate the bicentennial of the Treaty of Georgievsk and ongoing friendship between Georgia and Russia. Inside the monument is a large tile mural that spans the whole circumference of the structure and depicts scenes from Georgian history. Finally, you'll visit Gergeti Trinity Church. The church is located under Mount Kazbek, and served as a popular waypoint for travellers on the road connecting Russia and Georgia. At the end of the day, return to Tbilisi.

Depart from Tbilisi on a full-day tour where you will hike through the Caucasus Mountain Range and into the picturesque Jutra Village, stopping at the Dariali Gorge and Gveleti Waterfall along the way. Start your journey at The Rooms Hotel in Kazbegi. During this stop, get an opportunity to eat, have coffee, and relax for an hour. The Rooms Kazbegi’s stylish restaurant is decorated with wooden furnishings and serves international cuisine.  Have a drink in the lobby bar, while meals can be enjoyed on the terrace with a spectacular view over Mount Kazbegi and the Gergeti Trinity Church as well as the surrounding forests and woodlands. Continue along the Georgian Military Highway and see the road’s unique sights before a visit to Dariali Gorge. Discover the two hidden waterfalls here and admire the rivers below them. Next, head over to the Gveleti village, located in Kazbegi, and begin a 1 km hike so you can see the scenic views of the Caucasus. Arrive at the Gveleti Waterfall, which can be translated as "the Snake’s Waterfall”, and be amazed by the breathtaking views of one of the most splendid waterfalls in Georgia.  Afterward, visit the village of Juta, located 2,200 m high above sea level. With only 18 locals surrounded by alpine area, it's a great place to escape civilization. The village is situated on the main hill of the Caucasus mountain range at the source of the river Bakurkhevi.  Lastly, enjoy unforgettable views from Fifth Season Hostel. It's a peaceful place where you can grab a drink and take in the stunning landscape of the multiple mountain Chaukhi peaks. Become entranced with the dreamy location, where clouds and mountains appear to ‘dance’ around each in an impressive performance every second.

Start the day with pickup from your hotel in Tbilisi and then head to Jinali, the largest reservoir of eastern Georgia. Marvel at the stunning landscape of the scene and then travel to the fortress of Ananuri, which is one of the best monuments of late feudal Georgia. The impressive fortress provides and interesting insight into how the people lived in that long-ago time, and from your guide, learn about how this period of history influenced the country. The Ananurian structures at the fortress are perfectly preserved, unlike other similar historic structures. This feature evokes interest in the fortress of both tourists and historians, and since 2012 the fortress has held the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the fortress, enjoy a lunch break at a nearby restaurant, or opt for a tasting of the traditional Georgian Khinkali. Following lunch, head to Gudauri, a ski resort situated on a south-facing plateau of the greater Caucasus Mountain. After wandering around the resort, discover the People's Friendship Arch, a creation of the famous sculptor Tsereteli. The Arch was built at an altitude of 2,384 meters in the Kazbegi district, on the cross pass near the Military Georgian Road. Next, visit the Stepantsminda Trinity Church in Gergeti, built on the slopes of the majestic Kazbek Mountain, among the snow-covered ranges. The church is located at an altitude of 2,170 meters near the town of Stepantsminda and the village of Gergeti and provides stunning views across the snow. Towards the end of your tour, enjoy dinner in a Gudauri restaurant before heading back to your accommodation in Tbilisi.

After meeting your driver, take an exciting drive north along the Georgian Military Highway into the high Caucasus Mountains. This spectacular highway winds its way through sheer mountains on a route that runs for 220 km from Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz in Russia and dates back to the 1st century BC. Pass by the Zhinvali Dam hydroelectric dam and reservoir on the Aragvi River which blends in with the surrounding environment perfectly. Enjoy the view of the turquoise waters from Ananuri Fortress, a popular tourist sight with stunning, panoramic views. Descend to the shores of the reservoir until you reach Ananuri fortress, built by the Dukes of Aragvi and eith parts dating back to the 13th century. Admire the two fortifications joined by a crenelated curtain wall and the well-preserved, large square tower, known as the Sheupovari. Continue along the highway towards the Gudauri ski resort situated in the Stepantsminda District at an elevation of 2,200 meters above sea level. Visit the Georgievsk Monument which was built in 1983 to celebrate the ongoing friendship between Georgia and Soviet Russia. Peek inside the monument to see a large tile mural that spans the whole circumference of the structure and depicts scenes of Georgian history. Travel onward to the 14th-century Gergeti Trinity Church, located under Mount Kazbek above the town of Stepantsminda and which has for a long time served as a popular way-point for travelers on the road connecting Russia and Georgia.

Benefit from pick-up at your hotel in Tbilisi, and then drive by air-conditioned minivan to the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Iberia in Mtskheta. Visit the beautiful 6th-century Jvari Monastery to experience one of the most important monuments in Georgia. Next, head to Zhinvali to see the largest reservoir in eastern Georgia. Continue to the castle complex of Ananuri on the Aragvi River and learn about the feudal dynasty that ruled the area from the 13th century. Get back to nature in the Caucasus Mountains and visit the ski resort of Gudauri. See an impressive example of public art at the Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument on the Georgian Military Highway. Head to the Gergeti Trinity Church perched 2,170 meters above sea level. Get 2.5 hours of free time in the town of Kazbegi (also known as Stepantsminda) before the return trip to Tbilisi in the late evening.

Take off from Tbilisi to the Zhinvali reservoir, Kazbegi National Park, Gudauri, and more on this multi-stop guided trip. Take in unbeatable views of local spots, village landscapes, and Mount Kazbegi. The trip starts with a 40-minute drive from Tbilisi to the Zhinvali reservoir. The huge lake around the forest-rich hills offers beautiful landscapes at any time of the year. From here you can already smell the mountains. Not far from the lake, visit the historical sights of Ananuri Fortress. Built in the Middle Ages, this fortress complex served the most important defensive function in the region. This is the only complex in Georgia that has survived to this day and is almost in its original form. Stop near the friendship monument in Gudauri next and get some free time to explore. You can join paragliding with local instructors (costs not included) or just relax and take photos. Enjoy panoramic views of beautiful mountain systems in several directions around. The road continues in the direction of Kazbegi through a pass with a maximum altitude of 2,379 meters above sea level. There, you'll see only high mountains and small villages around. Finally, visit Stepantsminda, the administrative center of the municipality. Choose to visit Gergeti Church, which is not only an important religious place but also a place with scenic views of Kazbegi. Before returning to Tbilisi, you can have a relaxing time on the veranda of a hotel, drink coffee or tea, and see the Mkinvartsveri (Mount Kazbegi).