What is Kazbegi?
Kazbegi is a mountain town in the Greater Caucasus of north-east Georgia, below Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church. It stands at 1,740 metres on the Georgian Military Highway, about 155 km north of Tbilisi and about 11 km south of the Russian border at Upper Lars. It is the centre of Kazbegi Municipality, and Kazbegi National Park surrounds it.
- 1,740 mthe height of the town; Gergeti Trinity Church stands above it at 2,170 metres
- About 3 hoursfrom Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway, about 155 km, before any stop
- One nightthe least for a clear morning at Gergeti; two or three nights add Juta and Truso
- Cashfor guesthouses and small cafes; the town has cash machines, Juta has none
Is Kazbegi worth visiting?
Yes. Kazbegi puts a 14th-century church at 2,170 metres under the 5,054-metre summit of Mount Kazbek about 3 hours from Tbilisi, and the side valleys of Juta and Truso give two or three more days of walking. Plan for cloud, because Kazbek hides behind it more often than not, and mornings are usually clearer than afternoons.
What to do in Kazbegi
The best things to do in Kazbegi are Gergeti Trinity Church, a day in the Juta or Truso valley, and the short trips to the Gveleti waterfall and the stone heads at Sno, with Ananuri and Gudauri on the drive up.
Gergeti Trinity Church
Kazbegi’s best-known sight, and worth an early start.
- What A 14th-century church and bell tower on the ridge above the town at 2,170 metres, with Mount Kazbek behind.
- Getting up 1 to 2 hours on foot from the town, or a 4x4 or taxi up the paved road.
- When Before 10:00, while the grounds are still quiet.
Juta and the Chaukhi lake
One of the two classic day hikes here, from June to October.
- What A high village 20 to 24 km from the town, under the jagged Chaukhi massif.
- The walk About 13 km and 4.5 to 5 hours there and back from the barricade to the Chaukhi lake, or about 8 km from the village; with stops, allow at least 6.5 hours from the barricade.
- The road The last 2.6 km is closed to cars; the road collapsed on 17 June 2025, and it was still closed in September 2026. Walk about 40 minutes from the barricade to the village, or take one of the local taxis waiting on the far side for about $15 (40 GEL), and agree the price first.
Truso valley
Mineral springs, travertine terraces and empty villages along the Terek.
- What The upper Terek valley, with travertines, the Abano mineral lake and Zakagori fortress farther up the valley.
- Getting there About 12 km of the road from Kobi is dirt, so go by taxi or on a 4x4 day, then walk about 3 hours there and back to the travertines and the lake.
- Bring Your passport, because the valley is a border area with a checkpoint below Zakagori.
Gergeti glacier
A long, hard day for fit walkers, early June to October.
- The walk About 8 hours there and back from the town, 5 up and 3 down, past the church to the foot of the glacier at about 3,200 metres.
- Beyond The old meteo station at about 3,650 metres lies across the glacier, and the Kazbek summit is a snow and ice climb; both are beyond a day walk.
Gveleti waterfall
An easy hour off the highway north of the town.
- Where In the Dariali gorge, about 7 km north of Stepantsminda.
- The walk About an hour there and back, on a short trail from the highway.
Sno and its stone heads
A ten-minute drive to a field of giant carved heads.
- What Stone heads of Georgian writers, among them Rustaveli, Ilia Chavchavadze and Vazha-Pshavela, and of St George, carved by Merab Piranishvili, who was born in Sno.
- Nearby Sno Castle, a fortification across the small river, on the road towards Juta.
Dariali monastery
A new monastery in the gorge, on the road to the border.
- What A monastery begun in 2005 in the Dariali gorge, past the Gveleti waterfalls, at about 1,300 metres, whose first church opened in 2011.
- Stop for The monks’ cafe, which sells their own cheese and wine.
Ananuri and Gudauri
Two stops worth asking a driver for.
- Ananuri A castle complex on the Aragvi River, about 72 km from Tbilisi, whose larger church was built in 1689.
- Gudauri The ski resort on the highway just south of the Jvari pass, the road’s highest point at 2,379 metres.
How to visit Gergeti Trinity Church
You visit Gergeti Trinity Church by walking up from Stepantsminda in 1 to 2 hours or by riding a 4x4 or taxi up the 5.6 km road, and you get the church at its quietest before 10:00.
| Way up | Time | Cost | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| On foot from the town | 1 to 2 hours up, about 430 metres of climb, about 7 km there and back | No fare | A clear morning and a spare half day |
| 4x4 or taxi from the town | A short drive on the paved road, with about 45 minutes to look round in a hired car, about 30 in a shared one | About $19 to $27 (50 to 70 GEL) a car there and back, or about $6 to $8 (15 to 20 GEL) a seat when the car fills | Little time, small children |
| Your own car | A short drive on the paved road | Fuel only | Drivers; an ordinary car manages the road |
Why is Gergeti Trinity Church important?
Gergeti Trinity Church is important because Georgians kept valuable relics of the Georgian Church here in times of danger, among them the cross of Saint Nino, which now rests in Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi. Services stopped in the Soviet years, the church is again an active place of worship, and its feast, Gergetoba, is held every 16 July.
What to wear, and when is it open?
Cover your shoulders and legs, and go between 09:00 and 17:00.
- Wear Long trousers or a skirt and covered shoulders; women cover their hair. Wrap skirts and scarves are lent at the gate.
- Open The gates are usually open from 09:00 to 17:00 every day.
- Inside No photographs in the church, and signs ban drones.
Kazbegi as a day trip, or stay the night?
Stay the night if you can, because a night in Kazbegi gives you the early, clear morning at Gergeti and time for a proper walk. A day trip means about 3 hours of driving each way before any stops, which leaves a few hours in the mountains, and the UK Foreign Office advises particular care on Georgian roads at night. For a single day, our shortlist of Kazbegi day trips compares two private car days and a 4x4 day into the Truso valley.
How many days do you need in Kazbegi?
One night is the minimum for more than a quick visit to Gergeti, and two or three nights let you add Juta or Truso and the Gergeti glacier walk.
| Nights | What fits |
|---|---|
| One | Gergeti early in the morning, then the Gveleti waterfall outside the snow months, or the heads at Sno |
| Two | Add a full day in Juta or in Truso |
| Three | Both valleys, or one valley and the glacier |
How to get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi
You get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi by road, on the Georgian Military Highway, in about 3 hours without stops. There are four ways up.
| Way | From | Time | Price | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshrutka (shared minibus) | Didube station, Tbilisi | 3 to 3.5 hours | About $8 (20 GEL) a seat, cash | Travellers on their own who will stay the night |
| Shared taxi | Tbilisi | about 3 hours | About $15 to $23 (40 to 60 GEL) a seat | A seat in a car without hiring the whole car |
| Private driver | Your door | about 3 hours, plus stops | from about $73 (190 GEL) a car | Stopping at Ananuri and the pass on your own timetable |
| Self-drive | Your door | about 3 hours, plus stops | Fuel only | Drivers used to mountain roads; winter tyres from 1 December to 1 March |
Minibuses leave Didube about every hour from 08:00 to 19:00 and come back from 07:00 to 18:00. Outside summer there can be fewer, and the last ones of the day can be cut, so take an early one.
Tbilisi to Stepantsminda: about 3 hours, 152 km. Ananuri: castle complex on the Aragvi River. Gudauri: ski resort, last stop before the pass. Jvari Pass: the road's highest point, 2,379 metres. Truso valley: travertines and Zakagori, on a dirt road from Kobi. Sno: the giant stone heads. Juta: road closed to cars 2.6 km short of the village. Gergeti Church: the Trinity Church at 2,170 metres.
Where to stay in Kazbegi
Stay in Stepantsminda for the minibus, the cafes and the cash machines, in Gergeti village at the foot of the church path for an early walk up, or in Juta for the valley walks from June to October. A room for two in a well-reviewed family guesthouse was listed on Booking.com at about $25 to $54 (65 to 140 GEL) a night for Saturday 10 October 2026, and most guesthouses take cash only.
| Where | Good for | Places to know |
|---|---|---|
| Stepantsminda, the town | Buses, cafes and cash machines | Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, a design hotel on the hill; Hotel Stancia Kazbegi; Guest House Tamta |
| Gergeti village | The walk up to the church | Red Stone Guest House; Kazbegi Cabins, chalets |
| Juta | The Chaukhi walks, June to October | Fifth Season, a mountain hut above the village |
Where to eat in Kazbegi
Eat at Maisi in Gergeti village, beside the church path, or in the town at Tiba or Qondari, and look for the mountain dishes of Khevi. Small places often take cash only.
| Place | Where | Food and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Maisi | Gergeti village, by the church path | Small, local and seasonal; 09:00 to 22:00 in season |
| Tiba | On the hill facing the church | Modern Georgian; 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Qondari | The main road in town | Home-style Georgian, with vegetarian dishes; 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Mokhevuri khinkali | The mountain dumplings, with beef or lamb and no pork |
| Khabizgina | A khachapuri filled with cheese and potato |
| Mkhlovani | A pie of wild greens |
What does a trip to Kazbegi cost?
A night in Kazbegi for two costs about $92 (240 GEL) before meals. That is about $31 (80 GEL) for two return minibus seats, about $38 (100 GEL) for a guesthouse room and about $23 (60 GEL) for a 4x4 up to Gergeti.
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Marshrutka from Tbilisi | About $8 (20 GEL) a seat, each way |
| Private driver from Tbilisi | from about $73 (190 GEL) a car |
| 4x4 or taxi to Gergeti and back | About $19 to $27 (50 to 70 GEL) a car |
| Taxi to Truso and back | About $31 to $38 (80 to 100 GEL) a car |
| Taxi to Juta and back | About $38 to $58 (100 to 150 GEL) a car to the barricade, plus about $15 (40 GEL) for the local taxi on to the village |
| Guesthouse room for two | About $25 to $54 (65 to 140 GEL) a night, as listed for 10 October 2026 |
| Rooms Hotel Kazbegi | About $270 (703 GEL) a night, as listed for 15 October 2026 |
Is the road to Kazbegi open?
Yes, on most days, but in winter the stretch over the Jvari pass, from Gudauri to Kobi, closes to all traffic when the avalanche danger is high, for a few hours or for several days.
How to check the road before you set off
Check the official notices on the morning you travel.
- Notices The Roads Department of Georgia’s notices; look for the newest one naming the Gudauri to Kobi section.
- Hotline +995 32 2 31 30 76
- Closed Wait in Tbilisi or Gudauri rather than drive up to the barrier. When the Gudauri lifts are running, the gondola to Kobi can sometimes carry you over the closed stretch.
How often does the Jvari pass close?
At least 12 times between 9 January and 25 April 2026.
- How long Half of the closures with a recorded reopening lasted under a day, the rest from nearly two days to four and a half; the longest ran from 10 to 14 April.
- Lorries Vehicles with trailers were held far more often than cars, and cars are usually let through first, only through the avalanche galleries.
When do you need winter tyres for Kazbegi?
From 1 December to 1 March, by law.
- Where On every wheel, on the Mleta to Kobi section over the pass.
- Chains The police can require them in bad weather.
- Fine about $38 (100 GEL).
When will the tunnel open?
The bypass under the pass is planned to open in 2028.
- What 23 km of new road from Kvesheti to Kobi, with a 9 km tunnel.
- Progress The tunnel has been dug, and the bridges were still being built in October 2026. Until it opens, the road over the Jvari pass is the way in from Tbilisi.
Kazbegi in winter (November to March)
Kazbegi in winter is a snowy town for Gergeti, short walks and quiet nights, not for the side valleys.
| In winter | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Open | The town, most guesthouses and the larger restaurants, and Gergeti, which some drivers reach by 4x4 in the snow months |
| Closed | The Juta and Truso walks, under snow from about November until late May |
| Daylight | About 9 to 10 hours in December and January; in winter take a minibus that leaves by 14:30 at the latest |
| Cold | Around minus 1°C by day and minus 10°C at night in January, on average |
| Skiing | Gudauri’s lifts ran from 27 December 2025 to 19 April 2026; the opening was announced on 17 December 2025 |
Kazbegi or Gudauri?
Kazbegi is the town for Gergeti Trinity Church, the side valleys and summer walking; Gudauri, south of the Jvari pass, is the ski resort. In winter the pass between them can close, so a skiing trip and a Kazbegi stay are better planned as separate nights.
For what to book in winter, see Georgia in winter.
When to visit Kazbegi
The best months to visit Kazbegi are late May to mid June and September, before and after the July and August crowds. The Juta and Truso trails begin to open in late May or early June, depending on the snow, so for both valleys come in June or September.
- Best months: Late May: May; Best months: June; Best months: September.
- Gergeti and the town: Snow months: January to March; Open: April to May; Best: June; Open: July to August; Best: September; Open: October to November; Snow months: December.
- Juta and Truso walks: Late May: May; Best: June; Open: July to August; Best: September; Open: October.
- Road over the Jvari pass: Can close: January to April; Open: May to November; Can close: December.
- Gudauri lifts, 2025 to 2026: Lifts open: January to March; Part month: April; Part month: December.
Sources
Best months: Late May to mid June and September: the Juta and Truso trails usually open in the last weeks of May or the first weeks of June, and the summer crowds have not arrived or have gone. (wander-lush.org Georgian Military Highway and Kazbegi guides, 2026) Gergeti and the town: (wander-lush.org Kazbegi guide, 2026; 4x4 to Gergeti December to March, Karlo-Georgia, read 5 October 2026) Juta and Truso walks: (wander-lush.org Kazbegi and Juta guides, 2026; Fifth Season, June to the end of October, georgia.travel) Road over the Jvari pass: Winter tyres are compulsory from 1 December to 1 March. In 2025 to 2026 the full closures came between 9 January and 25 April. (Roads Department of Georgia notices, January to April 2026; wander-lush.org, December to early April; Government Resolution 526) Gudauri lifts, 2025 to 2026: Lifts ran from 27 December 2025 to 19 April 2026. (mta.ski, the Gudauri lift operator's press centre, 17 December 2025 and 25 March 2026) Checked 20 October 2026.
- Spring (April to May) Rockslides are the risk on the road, the pass can still close in April, and the Juta and Truso trails usually open in late May or June.
- Summer (June to August) July and August are the high season for hiking, with all the trails open.
Bookable picks in Kazbegi
Our picks for a single day, two private car days and a 4x4 day into the Truso valley, are on the Kazbegi day trips shortlist. For several days of walking, or a guide of your own, start below.
Kazbegi day trips from Tbilisi
Kazbegi in a day from Tbilisi: a private car day or a 4x4 day into Truso, and how each spends the hours at the top.
Guided trekking tours
Guided hiking and trekking tours in Svaneti and Kazbegi compared on price, stages, group and how hard the walking is.
A private guide for the day
Three private ways to see Georgia compared: a four-day trip, one guide for your whole trip, and a driver-guide by the day.
Questions people ask about Kazbegi
How high is Kazbegi?
Kazbegi stands at 1,740 metres. Gergeti Trinity Church above it is at 2,170 metres, and the summit of Mount Kazbek is at 5,054 metres.
How far is Kazbegi from Tbilisi?
Kazbegi is about 155 km north of Tbilisi on the Georgian Military Highway, about 3 hours by road without stops.
How far is Kazbegi from the Russian border?
Kazbegi is about 11 km from the Russian border at Upper Lars. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia.
Can I take a one-day tour to Kazbegi?
Yes. Kazbegi can be done in one long day from Tbilisi by private car, 4x4 or group tour, though a night in the town gives you far more time in the mountains.
Do you need a 4x4 in Kazbegi?
No, not for the highway or the paved road up to Gergeti, which an ordinary car manages. The Truso road is dirt for about 12 km and the Juta road is dirt too, so a 4x4 or SUV suits both, and in the snow months some drivers switch to a 4x4 for the church road.
Is there a cash machine in Kazbegi?
Yes. Stepantsminda has a Liberty Bank cash machine on the main street, and TBC and Bank of Georgia machines in the lobby of Rooms Hotel. Juta has none, and many guesthouses and small restaurants take cash only.
Why is Kazbegi called Stepantsminda?
Kazbegi is called Stepantsminda because that is the town’s original name, restored in 2006. Stepantsminda is named after a monk called Stephan, who built a hermitage here. Under Soviet rule the town was renamed Kazbegi in 1925, after the local family of that name, whose most famous member is the writer Alexander Kazbegi, born here in 1848. Both names are in everyday use.
What is the best time to visit Kazbegi?
The best time to visit Kazbegi is late May to mid June or September. July and August are the high season for hiking, and from mid November to early May the Jvari pass can close for a few hours or several days.