Kazbegi: a guide

When to go to Kazbegi, how to get there, and what it costs.

Kazbegi, officially Stepantsminda, is the best known mountain town in Georgia. It is three hours from Tbilisi, and the view people come for is the Gergeti Trinity Church against the mountain behind it.

When to go

·June to September is the best of it. The trails are open, the weather is clearer and the mountain is actually visible. September is quieter than July.
·October and November are cold and beautiful, and hotels are cheaper. The first snow arrives late October.
·December to March the road over the Jvari pass closes from time to time. Check before you set off.
·April and May the snow is melting and the trails are mud, but you will have the place to yourself.

Getting there

·A marshrutka from Didube station in Tbilisi. About 15 GEL, three hours, leaves when it fills up.
·A taxi from Tbilisi. 200 to 250 GEL for the car, much more comfortable, and you can stop at Ananuri on the way.
·Driving yourself. Winter tyres are required in the cold months and you should carry chains.

What it costs

A night in a guesthouse60 to 120 GEL

A night in a hotel150 to 350 GEL

A meal out25 to 45 GEL

A 4x4 up to Gergeti50 to 70 GEL

Rough figures. They move with the season and the place.

Worth doing

·The Gergeti Trinity Church. An hour and a half on foot, twenty minutes by 4x4.
·Juta and the Chaukhi massif. A day walk, June to October.
·The Gveleti waterfall. A short walk from the road.
·Dariali monastery, on the road towards the Russian border.

One thing worth knowing

The mountain spends a lot of its time in cloud. If you are going for the view, book two nights rather than one; on a single day the odds are about even.