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Are you traveling to Georgia in the near future? Then you will probably want to visit the Caucasus Mountains! Hiking in the Caucasus Mountains might seem like too big of an adventure if you believe you don’t have the fitness to conquer these great mountains. But, there are places in the Caucasus Mountains where you don’t have to have the most incredible fitness level to enjoy its outstanding beauty. There are plenty of hiking trails in the Caucasus that are suitable for easy to moderate day hikes and a few of them are to be found around the cute townlet of Kazbegi. In this Kazbegi hiking guide, I will tell you about five easy to moderate day hikes to enjoy on your future trip!
Hiking Kazbegi, Georgia.
Kazbegi, which also goes by the name “Stepantsminda”, is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Kazbegi is accessible year-round. The best time to visit Kazbegi for hiking is from late spring to early fall. It is also possible to visit Kazbegi in the wintertime but do be aware that it won’t be possible to hike along most of the trails. Some of the access roads will be closed due to snowfall and bad weather conditions. It is possible though to ski in nearby Gudauri.
Hiking around Kazbegi, Georgia.
Kazbegi lies within easy reach of the main capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, and is, therefore, the main town people tend to head to if they want to visit the Caucasus Mountains. Kazbegi is located along the Georgian Military highway, a very scenic road, connecting Tbilisi in Georgia with the city of Vladikavkaz in Russia.
The road is dotted with interesting attractions, both natural as well as some towns and monuments, so it’s advisable to think well about which transport option you prefer to make this trip.
I’ll make a quick overview below of the different transport options you can choose from, however, for a more comprehensive overview, I advise you to take a look at my Tbilisi to Kazbegi transport guide.
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air..
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Kazbegi is located near the Russian- Georgian border in the region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti in the North-East of Georgia. The town lies in the Valley of the Terek river and is surrounded by the mountains of the Greater Caucasus. It is known for the gorgeous natural scenery inside the Kazbegi National Park and is a hub for mountaineers, hikers, and weekend tourists who want to enjoy some fresh air.
Ananuri fortress, Georgian Military Highway, Georgia.
Approximately 70 kilometers from Tbilisi lies the castle complex called the Ananuri Fortress. It is a well-preserved medieval castle that was home to the dukes of Aragvi from the 13th to the 18th century.
It also includes two churches, one of which holds the graves of some of the dukes of Aragvi. Behind the Ananuri Fortress, you can see the artificial Zhinvali Lake.
Russian- Georgian Friendship Monument on the Georgian Military Highway
Around 120 kilometers from Tbilisi, just after the ski resort town of Gudauri, you can find the Russia-Georgia friendship monument. It was built in 1983, to celebrate the 200-year anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Gorgievs, in which the Russian emperor back then swore to protect and support the Georgian dynasty from foreign invaders.
It is needless to say that the monument was erected during the Soviet Period and that it actually represents something that never really existed. But it does make for an interesting stop along the way.
Kazbegi hiking trails up to Mount Kazbek, Georgia.
There are countless hiking trails in and around Kazbegi and giving an overview of all of them here would be an impossible task. I will focus here on five of the best hikes in Kazbegi that are suitable for people with an average fitness level and won’t take up more than one day.
There are plenty of other multi-day trips to be done in and around Kazbegi. If that is what you want to engage in it is best to contact the crew at Mountain Freaks to explore possibilities in the area. Two examples of popular multi-day hikes are the Juta to Roshka hike via the Abudelauri Lakes and the three-day Kelitsadi Lake trekking.
It is very hard to find a decent map of the hiking trails around Kazbegi. There are very detailed maps hanging on the walls inside the office of Mountain Freaks. It’s a good idea to take some photos of them before leaving on your Kazbegi hike. Also, be sure to download Maps.me on your phone. It gives a pretty decent overview of the hiking trails in and around Kazbegi.
Without further ado, here are the most scenic one-day hikes in and around Kazbegi!
The main attraction in Kazbegi is the Holy Gergeti Trinity Church. While not that much is known about the history of the church or its relevance, at present, it is an active formation of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Visiting the church itself is nothing special. What makes this an exciting experience is watching the church from the center of Kazbegi and then making your way up there to enjoy the view of Kazbegi town.
It is possible to visit the Gergeti Trinity Church by car or taxi. If your health doesn’t allow it, it is possible to get up there and enjoy the wonderful views. A paved road goes all the way up to the church.
Gergeti Trinity Church, Kazbegi, Georgia.
But, the fun part is to visit Gergeti Trinity Church doing a one-and-a-half-hour hike up to the mountain. There are various ways to get there; you can take the paved road but this is a long stroll and is not scenic at all.
For the most attractive walk up to the church, cross the bridge to the village of Gergeti, and make your way up to the village. Go straight on until you arrive at a T-crossing and turn left. The trail up to Gergeti Triniti Church starts at Gergeti Café.
The trail will get quite steep sometimes but is easy to navigate. After a while, you will see the Gergeti Trinity Church on your right hand. From there, it takes about five to ten minutes to walk up to the entrance.
Hiking up to the Gergeti glacier to Mount Kazbek.
From the Gergeti Trinity Church, you can extend your hike up to Mount Kazbek. With its 5033 meters, Mount Kazbek is the third highest peak in Georgia. While you can’t decide to climb Mount Kazbek on a hunch (it takes preparation to climb Mount Kazbek) it is possible though to make your way up to a small campground a few hundred meters before the basecamp near Mount Kazbek. You can see this campground on Maps.me.
At this location, you can enjoy some magnificent views. Looking down at where you came from, you can see the Gergeti Trinity Church and Kazbegi town behind it in the distance. It’s a good place to enjoy a picnic, get some rest, and take some photos before making your way back down to the center of Kazbegi.
Stepantsminda hiking, Georgia.
To get back to the center of Kazbegi you don’t necessarily have to take back the trail you came from. Near Gergeti Trinity Church, you will see a staircase on the road that leads to the parking lot. These stairs will turn into a dirt road leading you all the way back to Gergeti village through forest scenery.
Taking this route, you will have to cross the paved road up to Gergeti Trinity Church several times. Check Maps.me if you are not sure which direction you should go. The walking trails are marked but sometimes not easily visible to the eye.
This hike takes up half a day if you only hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church. It takes around eight hours if you hike up to the glacier and include time for a picnic.
Pansheti Mineral Pool, Kazbegi, Georgia.
The shortest hike we did, starting in the center of Kazbegi is the one to the Pansheti Mineral pool. While it is also possible to get there by car, this little walk is the perfect introduction to all the beauty the area has to offer and to get used to the high altitude if you are sensitive to that.
The location of this pure and magical natural pool is magnificent, offering great views of Kazbegi town. The water is cold but it was doable to swim in it during the time of our visit at the end of May.
There is a spring on site where you can fill up your water bottle. The water is tasty and slightly sparkling and a lot of locals drove up the road to fill up big bottles of water when we were there.
Hiking Kazbegi: the road from Kazbegi to Pansheti Mineral Pool.
There are no facilities on the site and this is pure nature at its best. To get to the Pansheti Mineral Pool, walk from the center of Kazbegi to the Georgian Military Highway. Take a right and then turn left right after crossing the bridge. don’t take the main road into the town of Gergeti but look for a pathway on the left right next to the river. The path will lead you all the way to the Pansheti Mineral Pool.
At the time of our visit, there seemed to be construction going on on the road. When we took a closer look and tried to talk with the local workers they acted a bit mysterious about what they were doing. We are pretty sure they were doing some illegal oil drilling.
Pansheti Mineral Pool is located only two and a half kilometers from the center of Kazbegi. Take the same road to get back to the city center. Allow two to three hours for this hike including time for a swim.
Alternatively, you can continue your hike from Pansheti Mineral Pool to the town of Pansheti which is located three kilometers away. From there, you can cross the bridge and circle back to Kazbegi walking the Georgian Military Highway.
Day hikes Kazbegi: Truso Valley, Kazbegi National Park, Georgia.
Another easy but rather long day hike is the Truso Valley hike. This 21-kilometer-long hike passes through a largely deserted valley passing by abandoned villages, monasteries, and a fortress all the way to the South-Ossetian border.
Aside from the gorgeous mountains surrounding you, what makes this hike special is the presence of some beautiful limestone travertines caused by the water of a few mineral springs in the area. Another point of interest is the small but cute Abano Mineral Lake.
Kazbegi hiking: Zakagori Fortress near the South Ossetian border in Truso Valley.
It is not possible to start this hike in Kazbegi. The starting point of this hike is located in the small town of Kvemo Okrokana which is 23 kilometers away from the center of Kazbegi. The best way to get to the start of the Truso Valley hike is by private taxi or with the shuttle operated by Mountain Freaks.
The walk starts at Kvemo Okrokana and passes through a gorge first before it opens up to the Truso valley. This hike mainly goes over flat terrain. The only point where you really need to climb is if you want to explore the ruins of the Zakagori fortress near the South-Ossetian border. Check my Truso Valley travel guide for more detailed information.
Juta Valley, View from Fifth Season hotel, Kazbegi National Park, Georgia.
Juta Valley is another valley that lies in the proximity of Kazbegi. I have to say that this was my favorite walk in the area. Be sure to arrive early though in Juta Valley. We started our walk around 10h30 A.M. and when we returned in the afternoon hordes of tourists, probably on a day tour from Tbilisi, started to overcrowd the pathways, taking away the peacefulness of doing this hike.
Giant head sculptures @ Sno village, Georgia.
To get to Juta, you can take a taxi or reserve a seat in the shuttle vans operated by Mountain Freaks for 45 GEL. The Mountain Freak vans also make a small stop in Sno village on the way to Juta. Here, you can admire the large stone head sculptures created by local artist Merab Piranishvili. Afterward, it’s a half-an-hour drive to Juta village where you will be dropped off. You will then have to make your way up to the Fifth Season Hotel to get to the start of the trail.
The Juta Valley hike is an eight-kilometer round trip that takes you from the Fifth Season hotel all the way to the Chaukhi pass and Chaukhi Lake. It takes about two to six hours to complete this walk depending on how many stop you make and if you include a picnic at Chaukhi Lake.
Read my comprehensive Juta Valley travel guide to find out everything you need to know about this amazing hike.
Dariali Gorge, Georgia.
Another easy activity for the day is making your way up to The Gveleti Waterfalls, Gveleti Lake, and The Dariali gorge. You will need a car or a taxi to do this trip. Mountain Freaks offers transport to the waterfalls and the gorge for 45 GEL per person. Hitchhiking is also an option.
Right after the village of Tsdo, about seven kilometers north of Kazbegi, you will see a parking lot on the left where a dirt road starts. This is the way to the small and big Gveleti waterfall. After walking the path for a while, it will split in two. One path will lead to the big waterfall. The other one leads to the small waterfall. The whole hike takes approximately one hour.
For Gveleti Lake, walk back to the start of the dirt road and take a path north. It takes about four and a half kilometers to reach Gveleti Lake. Allow at least two hours to get to and back from Gveleti Lake.
The Georgian Military Highway passes straight through the Dariali Gorge. On the road, you can check out many fabulous lookout points to snap some beautiful photos. For the most scenic one, type in “Viewpoint Terek Valley” in Google Maps. You can end your trip with a visit to the Dariali Monastery complex.
Kazbegi day hikes, Georgia.
There are plenty of accommodation options to be found in Kazbegi. A lot of locals from Tbilisi own a guesthouse in Kazbegi and open it up from around the end of April to October. Kazbegi has something to suit every kind of traveler, whether you’re looking for a basic hostel or a high-end hotel.
As a conscious traveler, I like to stay in accommodation that is at least locally owned and if possible sustainably operated. Here are my recommendations on where to stay in Kazbegi:
The hikes in this Kazbegi hiking guide are not that hard to do but you should always be prepared for anything when you are hiking on rugged mountain terrain even if there are easy-to-follow trails. Here is what I packed for hiking in Kazbegi:
Before you leave for your hike:
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this Kazbegi hiking guide. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions and please update me if any of the information in this guide isn’t up to date anymore. Have a good hike and happy travels!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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