Visiting Kazbegi in Georgia - our top tips

What is it like to visit Kazbegi in Georgia? This is a stunningly beautiful place filled with high mountain peaks and dramatic nature. You can come here to hike or just relax. We offer you our top tips!

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Kazbegi in Georgia

Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) is a Georgian town, dramatically surrounded by high mountain peaks. This is a place to truly experience the Caucasus!

Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) is located in the Mtscheta-Mtianeti region, in the north-eastern part of Georgia. 

Is it Kazbegi or Stepantsminda?

Both the name "Kazbegi" and the name "Stepantsminda" are used, and this can be a bit confusing. In fact, the official name of the municipality today is Stepantsminda, and this is also the name you will find on Google Maps and other maps. In practice, however, it seems that most Georgians use the name Kazbegi when talking about the town and the surrounding area, and so we do too.

Stepantsminda, the original name, means 'St Stephen' and refers to an Orthodox monk who built a hermitage here in the Middle Ages. The name Kazbegi was coined during the Russian period, and refers to the influential Kazbegi family, or Chopikashvili, as they were originally called. In the centre is a statue of the Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi.

Mount Kazbek

Mount Kazbek, which can also be called Kazbegi or Mkinvartsveri, is the third highest mountain in Georgia and the eighth highest mountain in the Caucasus. The area around the mountain is at an altitude of around 1,800 metres, and the highest peak is usually given as around 5,054 metres.

The mountain is known, among other things, from Greek mythology, which tells us that Prometheus was chained here, while an eagle constantly pecked out his liver. According to legend, Heracles shot the eagle with his arrow, thus freeing Prometheus from his chains.

What is the best time of year to visit Kazbegi?

You can visit Kazbegi at any time of the year, but winter is the low season. In winter there is often snow, and sometimes the roads need to be closed. In winter, it is more common to visit nearby Gudauri, which is a popular ski resort.

Summer is the high season, with mild weather, bright days and blooming nature. We were here at the end of October and then it was relatively cold, with minus degrees at night and a few plus degrees during the day, but we were lucky enough to enjoy sunshine and beautiful weather. Most things were open and only in the smaller mountain village of Juta did we find that the restaurants were closed for the season.

Getting to Kazbegi

So, how do you travel when you want to visit Kazbegi? There is a road from Tbilisi to Kazbegi called the "Georgian Military Road", which is famous for its dramatically beautiful views. We drove ourselves by hire car, which was a great experience, but only recommended if you are an experienced driver, as it can be quite challenging driving a car in Georgia.

The route takes about 3 hours to drive, but it's good to allow for more time, as you'll probably want to stop a bunch of times to take photos. If you don't want to drive yourself, there are buses and mini-vans (marshrutka) that you can share with others. It is also possible to book a car with a driver.

From Tbilisi to Kazbegi - stops on the way

The car journey from Tbilisi to Kazbegi offers beautiful views, but it is even more pleasant to drive if you make some stops along the way. These stops, which we made, we can recommend:

Ananuri Fortress is a medieval fort located by the Zhinvali Dam. The fort is beautiful to look at, and you are welcome to take a look around the area and look into both the tower and the church.

Gudauri is a popular ski resort, with several different hotels. Here we were especially looking at the beautiful view.

Georgia-Russia Friendship Monument is an imposing monument, even more imposingly placed in the mountains. The views are incredible, and there is also music and the opportunity to buy snacks and drinks. We were here twice (on the way to and from Kazbegi) and these two visits offered two completely different weather conditions ...

Visiting Kazbegi

The town of Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) cannot be described as particularly charming, but it is the location, between the high mountain ridges, that is fascinating. Apart from extremely bumpy roads, you will find some shops, restaurants, an old church and a tourist office. And of course, this being Georgia, many stray dogs.

Visiting Gergeti Trinity Church

If there's one thing you don't want to miss seeing in Kazbegi, it's the Gergeti Trinity Church. This church is beautifully situated at an altitude of 2,170 metres, just below Mount Kazbek.

The church was built in the 14th century, by an unknown architect. Its special location on top of a steep mountain, surrounded by even higher peaks, has made the church a symbol of Georgia, often seen in pictures.

We got to the church with our hire car. It is also popular to hike to the church, which takes about 1.5 hours uphill. Please note that in winter the road can become impassable for ordinary cars.

Making an excursion to Juta

Another destination near Kazbegi is the mountain village of Juta, which is one of the highest residential areas in Europe, located at 2,200 metres above sea level, and home to hotels and restaurants.

When we were here, the road was closed about 3 kilometres before the village, due to it becoming impassable for all vehicles except four-wheel drive jeeps. We chose to walk the last few kilometres, but there were also taxis offering rides for a fee.

The hike up to Juta was really beautiful, but unfortunately we couldn't order food or beer in the village, as it was too late in the season for the restaurants to stay open.

Hiking in the area around Kazbegi

People choose to visit Kazbegi for the beautiful views, and to relax or hike. We did not find a hiking map, but you can ask for suitable trails either at the hotel where you stay or at the tourist office in the centre. We received the following hiking suggestions:

• Gergeti Trinity Church - From Kazbegi, 1.5 hours walk in each direction.
• Bethlemi Hut - From Gergeti Trinity Church, 4 hours walk in each direction.
• Gveleti waterfall - Approximately 15 minutes drive from Kazbegi, and then 20 minutes walk in each direction.
• Truso Gorge - Approximately 40 minutes drive from Kazbegi (on partly very bumpy road), and then 3 hours hiking in each direction.

Restaurants in Kazbegi

Although Kazbegi is a smaller town, there are a bunch of different restaurants and eateries to choose from. We were able to try two different restaurants and we can recommend both:

Rooms Hotel Kazbegi has a restaurant with a nice relaxed atmosphere, great views and good food. You can eat traditional Georgian food, but also order standard European dishes such as hamburgers.

Tiba Restaurant also offers great views from its balcony and windows. You can order traditional Georgian food here, in a stylish way.

Where to stay in Kazbegi?

So, where to stay when visiting Kazbegi? In fact, there are several different hotels, in different price ranges, to choose from. We stayed at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, which is perhaps the finest hotel in the city.

We can recommend this place without hesitation. The view is one of the best from a hotel that we have experienced ever. The decor, in a kind of old-fashioned moorish style, feels modern, stylish and cosy at the same time. When you are a guest at the hotel, you have free access to the gym and pool. We don't need to tell you about the view from there, do we?

More to see and do in Georgia

There is of course more to see and do around Georgia. We can recommend visits to the capital Tbilisi, the historic and sacred small town of Mtscheta, the wine region of Kakhetia, the spa town of Bordzjomi and Batumi, which offers a holiday feeling on the Black Sea.

Are you curious about visiting Kazbegi?

Are you curious to visit Kazbegi in Georgia? Or maybe you have already been here? Is this a destination to your taste?

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