From Tbilisi we traveled to Kazbegi in the Caucasus Mountains.  The route goes up the Georgian Military Highway, which is the main route north to Russia (Chechnya).  It’s several hours of driving, and we hired a driver to take us there.  There were some fruit stands along the highway, and we asked our driver Gaila to stop.  We first stopped at a watermelon stand on the outskirts of Tbilisi.

Diana looks on while Gaila picks a watermelon.
Diana looks on while Gaila picks out a watermelon for us.

Gaila and the vendor had some discussions in Georgian.

Gaila picks a tasty melon.
Gaila picks a tasty melon.

Ahead were more fruit vendors.  We stopped by a stand and bought cherries and raspberries from an old lady.

Diana looks on while Gaila buys some cherries.
Diana looks on while Gaila buys some cherries.

I wanted to pay for the fruit, but Gaila insisted on paying.  Gaila was a super nice guy, and we got along really well.

Tasty fresh fruit from a roadside stand.
Tasty fresh fruit from a roadside stand.

We stopped at Ananuri Fortress, which overlooks a reservoir.

Ananuri Fortress.
Ananuri Fortress.

In the mountains we came upon a festival.  There were a lot of cars and people around, and traffic ground to a standstill.  This allowed me to get out of the car to take a few pictures.

Festival.
Festival.

Families were gathering for a feast, and roast meat was on the menu.  Shepherds had come down from the mountains with their flocks and they were selling their animals to the festival-goers.

A young man has bought a sheep from a shepherd, and is taking it to be slaughtered.
A young man has bought a sheep from a shepherd, and is taking it to be slaughtered.

In the meadows, sheep and cows were being slaughtered.

Sheep being hung up on poles to be skinned.
Sheep being hung up on poles to be skinned.

There was a festive atmosphere.  People were talking, mingling, and having a nice time.

Slaughtering a cow.
Slaughtering a cow.

We made our way through the traffic jam and continued on.

We stopped at a viewpoint overlooking some huge grassy slopes.  These slopes give the Caucasus Mountains a particular look about them.  Landscapes like this were featured prominently in the movie The Loneliest Planet.  That movie was one reason why I wanted to come see these mountains for myself.

Grassy green mountains.
Grassy green mountains.

Up the road is another viewpoint, at the Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument, a semicircular wall with interesting artwork.

 Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument.
Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument.

There is a nice view overlooking a deep valley, and there are views towards the high Caucasus as well.

At the Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument.
At the Russian-Georgian Friendship Monument.

It was windy, cold, and a bit of rain was coming down.  But still the views were impressive.

Arie on a promontory overlooking the Caucasus Mountains.
Arie on a promontory overlooking the Caucasus Mountains.

We managed to find guesthouse Gogi Alibegashvili, and settled in with a glass of wine.

Cheers to the Caucasus Mountains.
Cheers to the Caucasus Mountains.

The owners of the guesthouse were very kind and friendly.  We didn’t have any languages in common, so we tried to communicate by gesturing.  We tried to give them our watermelon, but they sliced it up and gave the whole thing back to us.  Eventually we succeeded in giving some of the watermelon to our hosts.

The view from our balcony was really nice.  We could see Stepantsminda in the valley, and the mountains above.  Mount Kazbek, however, remained hidden in the clouds.

Stepantsminda.
Stepantsminda.

In the distance we could see Gergeti Trinity Church on top of a grassy knoll across the valley.  This church, and the meadows above it, was going to be the objective of our hike the next day.

Gergeti Church.
Gergeti Trinity Church.

Read about our hikes in Kazbegi here.

Mount Kazbek

Mount Kazbek is one of the tallest peaks in the Caucasus Mountains.  At 5047 m it’s taller than Mont Blanc in the Alps, and far taller than anything in the Rocky Mountains.  Kazbek is a dormant volcano, and has a beautiful conical shape draped by glaciers.

During our two days of hiking Mount Kazbek hid in the clouds.  But, after coming back from our last hike, in the evening, the clouds started to part.

Mount Kazbek.
Mount Kazbek.

We could see Gergeti Trinity Church lit up.

Mount Kazbek.
Mount Kazbek.

Later at night the mountain was bathed in moonlight, but some clouds had rolled back in.

Mount Kazbek at night.
Mount Kazbek at night.

The next morning the mountain was clear again.  We snapped pictures while waiting for our ride to Telavi.

Morning Views towards Mount Kazbek.
Morning Views towards Mount Kazbek.

Logistics

We organized our ride to Kazbegi through our guesthouse in Tbilisi.  We thought it was worth the money.  It is also possible to take a local bus (Marshrutka), which will cost less.  I suppose it’s possible to self-drive, and some tourists do just this.  Be aware that Georgians are kamikaze drivers, and traffic in Tbilisi is very chaotic.  I’m pretty comfortable driving in foreign countries but I’m glad I chose not to drive in Georgia.

Many tourists “do” Kazbegi as a daytrip from Tbilisi.  That’s a lot of driving in one day.  There is just enough time to take a Jeep up to Gergeti Church before one has to go back again.  We were glad we had a few days to explore.  Speaking of exploration: there are a lot of grassy ridges around that would offer very nice hikes with spectacular views.  One would have to ask around locally.

There are a few restaurants in town near the river.  Avoid Shorena’s.  There is a decent place beside it, by the big parking lot.  It has big glass windows.  I think it’s called Stepantsminda Restaurant.  Nearby are also a few basic groceries where you can pick up snacks and supplies for lunch.

Kazbegi is about 150 km north of Tbilisi.

Map of Georgia.
Map of Georgia.

Read about our hikes in Kazbegi here.

The Caucasus Mountains: traveling to Kazbegi, Georgia