Kazbegi day trips from Tbilisi: private, 4x4 and on foot

What is the best Kazbegi day trip from Tbilisi?

The best Kazbegi day trip from Tbilisi for most travellers is Visit Georgia With George’s private car day to Gergeti Trinity Church; between June and October, take Friendly.ge’s 4x4 day to add the Truso valley off the paved road.

Best for a private car day at your own pace
Private Gergeti day10 hours, privateabout£83a person for 2 guests109.50 USD Book See the day
We may earn a commission. You pay the same.
Best for the Truso valley by 4x4 (June to October)
The 4x4 Truso day12 hours, up to 6about£82a person in the shared 4x4109 USD Book See the day
We may earn a commission. You pay the same.

Gergeti Trinity Church, Kazbegi
Pick 1 of 2Anyone setting their own pace
Private Gergeti day
about£83a person for 2 guests, 109.50 USD
Book with GetYourGuide
We may earn a commission. You pay the same.
Kazbegi private day tour from Tbilisi to Gergeti and Gudauri. Run by Visit Georgia With George, booked through GetYourGuide.
The classic Military Highway day to Gergeti in your own car, with the stops and start time yours.
The paved highway only, with no side valley, and your guide doubles as your driver.
- 10 hourspickup at 07:30 to 10:00, where you stay
- Privateyour own car and driver-guide
- 30 minutesat Gergeti, on a route you can change
- Freecancellation up to 24 hours before
The day
1. 07:30 to 10:00Pickup where you stay in Tbilisi, at the start time you choose
2. First stopZhinvali reservoir, 30 minutes
3. ThenAnanuri fortress, 45 minutes
4. ThenWhere the Black and White Aragvi meet, 10 minutes
5. ThenThe Friendship Monument above Gudauri, 30 minutes
6. Last stopGergeti Trinity Church by car, 30 minutes, then an optional lunch
7. Drive backAbout 2.5 hours to Tbilisi
Show all 7 stops
Why it's great, and who should skip it
Why it's great
- Pickup where you stay in Tbilisi, at a start you pick between 07:30 and 10:00.
- Zhinvali, Ananuri, the Aragvi confluence and the Friendship Monument on the way, then up to Gergeti by car.
- Priced by the car, so it costs about £57 (75 USD) each for four, and it cancels free up to 24 hours before.
- Bookable every day through the winter, when the 4x4 Truso day does not run.
Skip it if
- You want off the paved road and into a side valley: the 4x4 Truso day.
- You travel alone between June and October: a shared seat on the 4x4 Truso day costs less than half as much.
In the price
- Private car with air conditioning
- Local driver-guide
- Fuel, parking and taxes
- Stops at Zhinvali, Ananuri, the Aragvi confluence and the Friendship Monument
- Drive up to Gergeti Trinity Church (weather permitting)
Not in the price
- Lunch (optional, at a restaurant near Gergeti)
CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before
Price checked 29 September 2026.
The Truso travertines, Kazbegi
Pick 2 of 2Anyone who wants off the tarmac
The 4x4 Truso day
about£82a person in the shared 4x4, 109 USD
Book with GetYourGuide
We may earn a commission. You pay the same.
True 4x4 tour: Kazbegi, Truso, Gudauri and Ananuri. Run by Friendly.ge, booked through GetYourGuide.
Gergeti and the Truso valley, off-road where minibuses turn back, with six guests at most.
A 12-hour day on rough tracks in snug shared rows, and only from June to October.
- 12 hoursfrom 08:30 at Europe Square, Tbilisi
- Up to 6in a 7-seat 4x4, shared or private
- 90 minutesin the Truso valley, with a walk
- Freecancellation up to 24 hours before
The day08:30 to about 20:30
1. 08:30Europe Square, Tbilisi (the private 4x4 collects you at 07:00 to 08:00)
2. MorningZhinvali reservoir, 20 minutes, then Ananuri fortress, 30 minutes
3. ThenPasanauri, and lunch at a local restaurant, paid on the day
4. ThenGudauri and the Friendship Monument, 45 minutes in all
5. Off-roadThe Truso valley by 4x4, 1.5 hours with a walk along the Terek
6. ThenGergeti Trinity Church by 4x4, 50 minutes, and Stepantsminda
7. About 20:30Back in Tbilisi, or stay on in Stepantsminda
Show all 7 stops
Why it's great, and who should skip it
Why it's great
- An hour and a half in Truso: travertine terraces, mineral springs and the empty tower village of Ketrisi.
- A walk in the valley along the Terek, with the guide beside you.
- Fifty minutes at Gergeti, against thirty on the Private Gergeti day, after Ananuri and the Friendship Monument.
- Both options can drop you in Stepantsminda instead, if you are staying the night.
Skip it if
- You travel between November and May, when Truso is closed: take the Private Gergeti day.
- You bring children under 12, or anyone prone to motion sickness: the Private Gergeti day keeps to the highway.
In the price
- Guide and driver in a 7-seat 4x4, six guests at most
- Off-road into the Truso valley, with a guided walk
- Up to Gergeti Trinity Church by 4x4
- Water
- Drop-off in Stepantsminda if you are staying on
Not in the price
- Lunch (the operator suggests 20 to 40 GEL)
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Hotel pickup on the shared day (the private 4x4 includes it)
CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before, and you can reserve now and pay later. Friendly.ge sells the same seat direct for about £72 (95 USD), paid in full when you book, with the same 24-hour terms.
Price checked 29 September 2026.

How much does a Kazbegi day trip cost?

A private Kazbegi day from Tbilisi costs about £83 (109.50 USD) a person for two and about £57 (75 USD) each for four, while a seat on the shared 4x4 Truso day costs about £82 (109 USD) whatever your group.

The jagged Chaukhi massif above a pond in the Juta valley, Kazbegi, in June — What one person pays on each Kazbegi day by the size of your group, on October 2026 dates, prices checked on GetYourGuide on 29 September 2026.

Private, small-group coach or on your own?

Private suits a family or a group who want to set the pace, a shared seat suits one or two travellers happy with a fixed route, and going on your own by marshrutka suits travellers who plan to stay the night. Our other hand-picked experiences in Georgia cover more days out of Tbilisi.

Six questions to ask any operator before you pay

Is the vehicle a real 4x4, and does the day leave the paved highway?
How long do you stay at Gergeti Trinity Church?
Is hotel pickup included, and what time does the day start?
Does the guide drive, or is there a separate driver?
What happens if the Jvari pass is closed on the day?
Until when can you cancel with a full refund?

Can you do Kazbegi in one day?

Yes, Kazbegi can be done in one long day from Tbilisi, with a few hours in the mountains after the drive, enough for Gergeti Trinity Church and one short walk or one 4x4 road but not for the longer hikes. For less time on the road, there are shorter days out of Tbilisi that stay much closer to the city, such as Mtskheta, about 20 km away.

3 to 3.5 hourseach way on the Georgian Military Highway, before any stop
GergetiTrinity Church under Mount Kazbek, the end of both daysPrivate Gergeti day: 30 minutesThe 4x4 Truso day: 50 minutes
Trusothe side valley past the end of the paved road, by 4x4 onlyPrivate Gergeti day: noThe 4x4 Truso day: 1.5 hours
10 or 12 hoursdoor to door, so plan nothing for the eveningPrivate Gergeti day: 10 hoursThe 4x4 Truso day: 12 hours

How far is Kazbegi from Tbilisi?

Kazbegi, officially Stepantsminda, is about 152 km north of Tbilisi by road, on the Georgian Military Highway. The town stands at 1,740 metres, about 10 km south of the Dariali Gorge.

What you see on the way: Ananuri, Gudauri, the Jvari pass

On the way to Kazbegi you pass the Zhinvali reservoir, the fortress of Ananuri, the ski resort of Gudauri and the Jvari pass, the highest point of the road at 2,379 metres. Both picks stop at Zhinvali, Ananuri and the Friendship Monument.

Show the route ofPick 1Zhinvali, Ananuri, Friendship Monument, Gergeti Church3 to 3.5 hoursTbilisi to Stepantsminda, 152 kmPick 2Zhinvali, Ananuri, Pasanauri, Friendship Monument, Truso valley, Gergeti Church

Pick 1: Zhinvali, reservoir, the first stop. Ananuri, fortress above the reservoir. Friendship Monument, viewpoint over the Devil's Valley. Gergeti Church, church at 2,170 metres.

Pick 2: Zhinvali, reservoir, the first stop. Ananuri, fortress above the reservoir. Pasanauri, lunch stop. Friendship Monument, viewpoint over the Devil's Valley. Truso valley, travertines and Ketrisi, 20 minutes from Kobi by 4x4. Gergeti Church, church at 2,170 metres.

Both days take the Georgian Military Road over the Jvari pass to Gergeti; the 4x4 day turns off at Kobi into the Truso valley. Drive times from thegeorgianguide.com (GoTrip's route, 152 km), updated September 2026; wander-lush.org, updated 15 September 2026. Map: district outlines from geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0), rivers, reservoir and roads © OpenStreetMap contributors, relief from SRTM elevation data.

Ananuri is a castle complex above the Aragvi River, about 72 km from Tbilisi. Its larger church was built in 1689.
Gudauri is a ski resort on the highway, just south of the pass.
The Russia and Georgia Friendship Monument, a mosaic viewpoint built in 1983, stands between Gudauri and the pass.
The Jvari pass is where the road crosses the main ridge, and the stretch between Gudauri and Kazbegi is prone to avalanches in winter.

Walking in Kazbegi on a day trip

A day trip leaves time for one walk in Kazbegi, either the climb from the town to Gergeti Trinity Church or the short guided walk in Truso that comes with the 4x4 day. We found no dedicated guided hiking day from Tbilisi, so to go further, such as crossing the Chaukhi pass from Juta or walking for several days between valleys, you need a multi-day hiking tour with nights in the mountains.

Can you walk up to Gergeti Trinity Church?

Yes, the walk from Stepantsminda to Gergeti Trinity Church takes about 1.5 hours up. The church was built in the 14th century and stands at 2,170 metres under Mount Kazbek. A road climbs to it too, so you can be driven up and walk down, and both picks drive you to the church.

Juta, Truso or the Gergeti glacier: which walk?

The Gergeti glacier walk is the longest of the three and the hardest to fit into a day from Tbilisi, climbing from the town past the church to the foot of the glacier at about 3,200 metres. Juta is a village in a side valley below the Chaukhi massif, and Truso is the high valley where the Terek River rises, inside Kazbegi National Park. The Juta and Truso trails do not usually open until the end of May, and Truso is closed to visitors in winter, when the border guards move their checkpoint close to the valley entrance.

When can you go? Seasons and road closures

You can reach Kazbegi in most months, and late May to mid June and September are the best months for a day trip; the 4x4 Truso day runs only from June to October.

Months each Kazbegi day trip runs, and the best months to go, checked 29 September 2026

Is the road to Kazbegi open in winter?

Yes, usually, but the Jvari pass between Gudauri and Kazbegi often closes for short periods between December and early April after snow or when avalanche risk is high. The Roads Department of Georgia then restricts traffic on the Gudauri to Kobi section, and it has let cars through while lorries and trailers stayed held, as it did in January 2026. The same road is the lorry route to the Upper Lars border with Russia, so long queues of trucks can line the highway. Check the Roads Department’s road updates on the morning you leave.

Kazbegi day trip questions

Is a private Kazbegi tour worth it?

Yes, if you want to decide where the day goes, and more so the bigger your group. A private car lets you reach Gergeti early, stop at Ananuri or the Jvari pass for as long as you like and turn back before dark, and because it is priced by the car, four people pay about £57 (75 USD) each against about £165 (219 USD) for one traveller alone.

Do I need a 4x4 in Kazbegi?

No, not for the highway, which is fully sealed. A 4x4 is the practical choice for the unpaved side roads to Juta and Truso.

Can children go on a Kazbegi day trip?

Yes, on the Private Gergeti day, whose listing sets no age limit. The 4x4 Truso day does not take children under 12.

Where should you stay, Gudauri or Kazbegi?

Gudauri is the ski resort south of the Jvari pass and suits a winter trip for the slopes; Kazbegi is the town under Mount Kazbek and suits a stay for Gergeti Trinity Church and the walks.

How we picked

We compared the Kazbegi days sold from Tbilisi on GetYourGuide with those local operators sell direct, read each operator’s review record, and checked every price by group size, the stops, start times and cancellation terms on 29 September 2026. We judged each day on the time it gives you in the mountains for the money, how many people share the car, and whether it leaves the paved highway.

Kazbegi day trips from Tbilisi: by 4x4, on foot, private