We used the town Stepantsminda as a base for some day hikes.  Read about our trip out to the Kazbegi region here.

Hiking to Gergeti Trinity Church

We spent a day hiking to Gergeti Trinity Church and the alpine meadows above it.  Most tourists have themselves driven up in Lada 4x4s on a rutted, rocky road.  We almost got carsick just looking at the cars bouncing in the track, and decided to hike up instead.

From our guesthouse we walked down into town, crossed the river on the bridge, and then hiked through a meadow to meet up with the dirt track.  The road switchbacks up a hillside with ever-expanding views.

On the dirt road heading up to Gergeti Church.
On the dirt road heading up to Gergeti Trinity Church.

We didn’t actually go to the church.  Rather, we hiked the meadows above the church which gives this classic view.

Gergeti Trinity Church.
Gergeti Trinity Church.

A trail continues upward.  This is the climbers trail that heads to Mount Kazbek.  We didn’t go nearly as far, though.  We hiked a loop through the meadows.

In the meadows above the church.
In the meadows above the church.

There were some pretty alpine flowers in the meadows.

Alpine wildflowers.
Alpine wildflowers.

We hiked up to a ridge hoping to get views of Mount Kazbek.  At 5047 m, it’s a very tall mountain.

Rolling alpine meadows.
Rolling alpine meadows.

From the top of the ridge we should have had a spectacular view of Kazbek, but sadly it was hidden in the clouds.

Looking towards Kazbek. The summit block is somewhere in the clouds, above the glacier.
Looking towards Kazbek. The summit block is somewhere in the clouds, above the glacier.

We pondered what to do.  We noticed dark clouds coming in from the north, and I was concerned about lightning.  We decided to head down.

Dark clouds had us going down.
Dark clouds had us going down.

When we got back down to the church it started to rain.

Sheets of rain drift down the valley.
Sheets of rain drift down the valley.

People at the church all jumped into their 4x4s and headed down.  We had the place all to ourselves, except for this mysterious figure walking around with an umbrella.

Lone figure in the rain.
Lone figure in the rain.

We slogged back down the road in the rain, back to town.

Hiking the Terek River Valley

The next day we decided to walk down the main valley.  We started by hiking into town, we crossed the bridge, and then followed a track on the river bank.  This muddy road meets up with a Jeep track that traverses some gravel flats heads toward an artesian well.

Diana at the artesian well.
Diana at the artesian well.

From the gravel flats there were some nice views of the surrounding countryside.

Hiking the gravel flats.
Hiking the gravel flats.

Views across the gravel flats

River valley.
River valley.

A small shrine stood beside the track.

Shrine.
Shrine.

We continued on to a meadow with horses.

Horses.
Horses.

It was drizzling a bit off and on, but that didn’t matter.

Hiking down the valley.
Hiking down the valley.

We passed a paddock with sheep.

Sheep.
Sheep.

Along the way is the ramshackle village of Pansheti.  Here, just like in Stepantsminda, natural gas lines are mounted above ground.

Old Soviet truck.
Old Soviet truck.

Above the village are some defensive towers.  These towers served as refuges for the locals when invaders were passing through.  Considering Georgia’s geographic position, this happened quite often throughout history.  The Macedonian Alexander the Great, the Mongols, Persians, Ottoman Turks, Russians, and other invaders have repeatedly come through here.

Village.
Village.

The defensive towers are quite formidable looking.  Note the second tower and two other tower bases higher up the slope.

Defensive towers.
Defensive towers.

We turned around at the outskirts of Arsha, and we hiked back the way we came.

Defensive tower.
Defensive tower.

Logistics

We visited Kazbegi in June 2016.  We stayed at the wonderful Gogi Alibegashvili Guesthouse in Stepantsminda.

Stepantsminda is the main town in the Kazbegi region, just south of the Russian border (Chechnya).

Google Maps perspective view, looking west.
Google Maps perspective view, looking towards the west.

 

 

 

The Caucasus Mountains: hiking Kazbegi, Georgia