After five months under lockdown in Tbilisi, by summer it was time to see a bit more of the country that became my unexpected long-term home. And where better to start than the mighty Caucasus Mountains which were what summoned me to visit Georgia in the first place. This is my experience of travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi during the pandemic.
My partner and I flew to Georgia from Bali in February, right as the coronavirus started gaining traction. Three weeks after we arrived, the pandemic was declared and Georgia announced a state of emergency. Thus, the balconied streets of Tbilisi became home and we put our plans to frolic in Georgia’s mountains and wine regions on hold until it was safe to travel again.
By July lockdown was over and domestic tourism was back in swing only with a social-distance friendly makeover. Craving mountain air and rural solitude (as opposed to the holed-up-at-home solitude of the past five months) we headed north to the alpine town of Kazbegi. Or, Stepantsminda, if you can figure out how to pronounce it. This little hill station is the gateway to the Caucasus Mountains.
But wait, why does it have two names? Originally christened Stepantsminda, the town was rebranded Kazbegi during the Soviet days, before being switched back to its original name. Fortunately for those of us who can’t get our tongues around ‘Stepantsminda,’ it’s still more commonly known as Kazbegi.
Anyway, Kazbegi or Stepantsminda, this mountain town totally stole my heart.
If you’re planning on travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi for yourself scroll quickly to the bottom for some more practical details. If you’re here for a waffle about befriending soldiers and street dogs, chacha and cheese, scroll more slowly.
Table of Contents
Travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi (during the pandemic)
We were able to access Kazbegi via marshrutka, once Georgian public transport reopened. This is the most affordable and most exhilarating way to visit most places in Georgia. Marshrutka drivers put F1 drivers to shame.
Travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi means following the Georgian Military Highway which connects the city to the Russian border. This winding, mountainous route afforded stunning panoramas of the Caucasus Mountains as our marshrutka trundled its way up into the wilderness. The 150-kilometre journey took us past verdant green valleys, sky blue lakes, ancient fortresses, and the Georgian-Russian Friendship Monument. Unfortunately the marshrutkas do not stop for passengers to take a closer look at this so we made do with pressing our noses against the glass and twisting our necks.
As we stepped off the bus into a drizzly Kazbegi, I welcomed the sharp drop in temperature. Come July, Tbilisi turns into a sauna with temperatures wafting around 40 degrees (day and night). By contrast, Kazbegi’s altitude means the town is cool and crisp. With rain poised in the sky we hot-footed it to our guest house so we could get our laptops to safety before the heavens opened. Kazbegi sees its fair share of rain throughout the year and as a result it’s splendidly green.
Exploring Kazbegi
Due to the pandemic, Kazbegi was exceptionally quiet. I saw very few people in the street during the couple of weeks I spent in the town. Most restaurants were open but it was rare to see more than a few occupied tables. Local staff commented that by July the town is typically heaving with visitors travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi to take advantage of the local hiking.
While it was neat to have the town (and the trails) exclusively to ourselves it was sad to think about the impact that the lockdown and closures will have on the local businesses.
Hiking to Gergeti Church
Gergeti Trinity Church is one of the main draws of visiting Kazbegi. This humble 14th-century church sits beneath Mount Kazbek at an elevation of 2,170 metres and overlooks the town. Back in the day it was used as storage for precious treasures that were at risk of getting plundered elsewhere in Georgia. After hiking up, I can confirm it would take a highly motivated (and super fit) thief to rob the gold from the church.
From our guest house in the small hamlet of Gergeti we walked in the direction of the church. Wandering upwards through the streets we couldn’t actually tell where the route up to the church officially started.
Whilst we stopped to scratch our heads and pet a cat, a friendly French man came out of his house to see if we needed help. Which we did, because at this point we couldn’t even see the church and were flummoxed about which of the many overgrown paths would take us there. He told us that there are two routes; one very steep, and one a bit less steep, and pointed each out to us.
So we took the less steep option, which winds its way along a stream and approaches the church from the rear. The steep option cuts through the forest and deposits you in front of the church. As we peered down the track from the top of the hill, I can say it looked basically vertical. After five months of quarantine we huffed and puffed our way up the less steep path but it wasn’t too challenging overall. A friendly stray dog joined us as our official guide and we even passed a herd of wild horses.
If you don’t fancy bursting a lung, you can take a taxi to the Gergeti Church. The cost of the round-trip is usually around 40 GEL per taxi. You’ll find plenty of drivers milling around the square in town who will happily run you up the mountain, wait for you, then bring you back down once you’re done sightseeing.
Whichever way you you do it, the view from the top is, obviously, gorgeous. Especially on a clear day when you can peer down at the town and ogle the surrounding mountains. We did alright with the weather although Mount Kazbek was obscured by clouds that day, as so often is the case.
Hiking in the Truso Valley
Another day, another hike. After all those months of lockdown and eating khachapuri our limbs (and arteries) were crying out for a work-out so this 22-kilometre hike was exactly what we needed. We decided to explore the Truso Valley because it gave us the chance to peer over the border and into Russia.
Under usual circumstances, the Truso Valley trailhead is accessible via a shuttle bus operated by the local tour agency, Mountain Freaks. Due to COVID-19 and the lack of tourists, the shuttle bus to Kazbegi was cancelled so we arranged with a local taxi driver, Vasili, to take us. Oh Vasili…
Getting to the Truso Valley
Vasili had clocked us one morning jogging around the town and pounced. He offered to take us to and from the trailhead for 80 GEL. During non-pandemic times, taxis usually charge 100 GEL. They’ll drive you out there, send you on your way, and collect you at an agreed time. Generally, you need six hours, give or take, to complete the loop.
We piled into his Lada, myself sharing the backseat with a rogue litre bottle of vodka. Vasili fished some fruits out of his glove compartment for us and away we sped. We weren’t too far out of Kazbegi before we hit some traffic: a shoal of bleating sheep floating down the Military Highway. Georgian drivers aren’t known for their patience, so rather than riding the congestion out, Vasili slammed his foot down and hurtled along the verge.
The turn off for the Truso Valley is about twenty minutes south of Kazbegi, right at the Kobi cable car. Once we left the tarmacked glory of the Georgian Military Highway the road became a sludge of mud, wet and squelchy from last night’s downpour. This was my first experience in a Lada, a sort of Soviet land rover found all over Georgia. They’re crazy powerful and Vasili proved himself a skilled driver at slicing through the giant potholes and trenches, barely batting an eyelid and asking us our opinions on Georgian food.
Vasili dropped us off at the tiny hamlet of Kvemo Okrokana, which is where the track begins, right beside the river. He thrust some more pieces fruit into our hands and shooed us over the river before vanishing into a barn where we saw him meet a buddy. The recipient of that litre of vodka I reckoned, which was long gone by the time we got picked up.
Hiking the Truso Valley
The Truso Valley track is a doddle to follow. It cuts its way along a cliff which slopes down to meet the river. Although flat and easy to navigate, this is a long hike, 22 kilometres in total. It’s a linear route which culminates at the Russian border where you can turn around and follow the exact same trail back. A picnic, sunscreen, and a decent sunhat are essential as the track is completely exposed to the Caucasian sun.
Being July, the weather was warm and wildflowers of every colour under the sun sprouted amidst the greenery. We couldn’t have picked a better day to plan this hike, having woken up to a bluebird sky without a single cloud. A rare sight in Kazbegi.
The route took us past grazing sheep and cattle. We stopped to pet some amiable mountain dogs and pose for photos with equally amiable Georgian tourists. We topped up our water bottles from a spring in the grounds of an old farmhouse, picnicked outside a church, and passed through a seemingly abandoned hamlet.
Reaching the climax of the track, the ruined Zakagori Fortress, at the same time marked the end of Georgian soil. Guarded by the Georgian military, the ruins tumble atop a small hill. Apparently, you can sometimes see the tents of Russian soldiers across the plain, so I’ve heard.
Zakagori Fortress
When we reached the fortress, we saw no sign of soldiers so we wandered around the perimeter taking photos of the scenery. Next thing we heard some angry shouting and turned to see an unarmed soldier walking towards us waving his arms. Realising we didn’t speak Georgian or Russian, he jabbed his finger angrily at our feet and said, ‘Russia’. He then pointed at his own feet equally angrily and said ‘Georgia. Come back.’
Once we walked back into Georgia the soldier relaxed and gestured that we could clamber around the fortress. It’s fairly dilapidated, but we enjoyed prowling around the ruins and taking in the scenery over Russia (under the shrewd surveillance of our soldier pal from way below).
Ambling back down the slope, we noticed our soldier friend was now fully dressed in his army gear, a rifle slung over his shoulder. Now, he was joined by several other armed soldiers, all spread out around the perimeter. Our friend gave us a cheery wave farewell as we started the walk back along the track. Clearly, all was forgiven after we intruded on their lunch break.
There and back again
Heading back, we were weary and peckish after eating all our hiking snacks. We’d arranged to meet Vasili at 3 pm back at the barn. However, at 2 pm sharp my phone rang. Vasili asking where we were. I explained that we were on track to meet him at 3 pm.
At 2.30 pm, he called back for another update. Then, right on cue, the white Lada appeared around the bend. Vasili hustled us in and then off we trundled down an exceptionally bumpy track, with a sharp drop down to the river. It turned out he’d made a booking with some other hikers, and was eager to get us shipped off home and out of the way.
Cocktails with a view
When we weren’t out exploring the beautiful surroundings, we did what every other normal human being does when in Georgia. Filled our bellies with cheesy breads and knocked back chacha.
If you want to splash out when you visit Kazbegi, you can stay in the fancy Rooms Hotel. It’s located on the eastern slope of the town, facing Mount Kazbek. So if you book a mountain view room, you get to wake up to an eyeful of one of Georgia’s highest peaks. We didn’t stay in the hotel because why pay £100 per night when you can pay £5, right?
But, we did schlep up the hill to enjoy a cocktail on the terrace. The hotel bar and restaurant are open to the public and grants a panorama of Mount Kazbek, Gergeti Church, and the surrounding mountains. Prices aren’t actually that bad either. Obviously, it’s more expensive than eateries in town but they’re not ridiculous for such a fancy place. We visited on a Saturday evening during the pandemic, and it was still busy so I’d suggest arriving early or reserving a table.
We were lucky the evening we visited Rooms. The clouds drifted apart to give us a full view of Mount Kazbek whilst we sipped our chacha cocktails.
chacha Time
Don’t want to spend 18 GEL plus 17% tax on a cocktail? In that case, you can drink a litre of chacha in town instead (10 GEL!). I really liked the restaurants in Kazbegi. Prices are higher than in Tbilisi, but that’s to be expected from a tourist town. These were my personal favourites.
Good Food Kazbegi
My boyfriend and I absolutely loved this place. The restaurant has three tables indoors plus a scattering outside. Lovely in summer, but if you’re headed north during winter – you’ll want to book a seat inside. All food is home-cooked by the owner and his wife who are two of the nicest people I met in Georgia yet (although, this list is long).
Expect typical Georgian dishes: Adjarian khachapuri, khinkali, ajapsandali, chikhirtma, and so on. They also sell homemade wine and oaky, honeyed chacha. The chacha is so delicious we even bought a litre to take onwards to West Georgia.
Cafe 5047m
With its gorgeous terrace, and cosy interiors, this cafe became my favourite place to work whilst I was based in Kazbegi.
They serve great coffee, wines and beers as well as a mix of Georgian and western food. In addition to the views of Gergeti Church and Mount Kazbek, my favourite thing about Cafe 5047m is that it seems to be a meeting place for all the local street dogs.
Shorenas
This alpine bar is basically the lovechild of The Shire’s Green Dragon pub and an après ski bar. They have a great selection of wines and beers and serve some of the most delicious khinkali I’ve tasted in Georgia. I feel like I write this a lot, but, I have eaten a lot of khinkali in Georgia and Shorenas really stood out.
How to get to Kazbegi from Tbilisi
So if you just came here for the deets, here they are! All you need to know about travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi.
Marshrutka to Kazbegi
You can reach Kazbegi via marshrutka from Tbilisi’s Didube Bus Station. Didube Station is on the Akhmeteli–Varketili Metro line. If you take a taxi to Didube, the driver will usually ask you where you’re headed and he will drop you right by the appropriate marshrutka. Another reason to love the Georgians.
If you travel there by Metro, you can follow the signs from the station to the bus station. You’ll need to weave your way through the market stalls to find the Kazbegi-bound marshrutka. As Didube Station is a conundrum if you don’t speak Georgian or Russian, find a friendly face to point you in the right direction. Many taxi drivers will try to bundle you into their cars, but, if you’re firm, they’ll let you go unharmed.
The marshrutka takes 3-4 hours and costs 10 GEL per person. The vehicles leave once they are full – and during high season that can be as frequently as every hour. Officially the schedule is 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. But in Georgia, always afford some wriggle room.
The route follows the winding Georgian Military Highway. There are a couple of sights along the way, such as the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument. Unfortunately, the marshrutka does not stop at any of these. If you want to stop off, you’ll need to hire a car or organise a private taxi – either in advance or on-the-spot at Didube.
For my fellow small-bladdered travellers, there is a bathroom break a little over halfway into the journey.
Travelling back to Tbilisi from Kazbegi; you take the marshrutka from the town square outside Cafe 5047m.
Where to stay in Kazbegi
There is an abundance of family-ran guest houses in Kazbegi and Gergeti, where rates vary from 25 – 75 GEL per night. These are like the homestays in South East Asia and are simple lodgings that are well-stocked with blankets and homemade wine decanted into Coca Cola bottles.
We stayed at the Maia Guest House in Gergeti. Usually, the kitchen is open to guests but during our stay, it was closed – COVID-19 strikes again. However, Maia gave us some crockery and a kettle and we made our own little makeshift meals to reduce our food costs. We ate a lot of couscous with raw veggies these weeks.
You can find Maia Guest House alongside plenty of other options on Booking.com.
For something fancier, check out Rooms Hotel or the Alpine Lounge.
When to visit Kazbegi
Kazbegi’s high season is summer, when the trails are free from snow and wildflowers are in bloom. However, late spring and early autumn are also great for hiking and other outdoor pursuits – and the town will be quieter.
Kazbegi thrives off the summer tourist season. Back in the pre-global pandemic days, you would need to book accommodation in advance and even probably book tables for dinner (the horror).
During winter, the peaks receive snowfall and the area becomes a winter wonderland. I returned in January to see the snow so stay tuned for a second blog.
Getting around Kazbegi
You shouldn’t need to worry about transport for mooching around the town. It’s small enough to walk around on foot.
For getting around on a budget further afield, your best bet would be Mountain Freaks. This is an agency based in town who operate both expedition hikes and a shuttle bus service. The shuttle is great if you want to explore independently but need a ride to the trailheads. It only operates in summer and times are scheduled, but it’s only 30 GEL for a return. The business was closed during my time in Kazbegi due to COVID-19, but hopefully, they’ll reopen in time for the next season.
Alternatively, there are lots of taxi drivers in town – they will drop you off and bring you back after your hike. Prices for a return journey tend to linger around the 100 GEL mark – that’s per car, not per person.
If you’ve read this and are planning on travelling to Kazbegi from Tbilisi for yourself, feel free to message me if you want any more tips.
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