Kazbegi

On foot from Stepantsminda – 1–1.5 hrs uphill (430 m elevation gain). By taxi/4WD – 50 GEL one way. The road is paved. In winter and rain, the walking trail is slippery.

For Stepantsminda and Gergeti Church – no, a regular car or marshrutka works. For the Juta and Truso valleys – a 4WD is strongly recommended as roads are unpaved. You can rent a jeep or hire a local driver.

Season runs June–September. Summer daytime temps are 20–25°C; nights can drop to 5°C. Snow on the pass is possible from October to May. The Cross Pass periodically closes in winter. In peak season (July–August) Gergeti Church gets crowded – go early morning.

Stepantsminda has dozens of guesthouses (60–120 GEL/night with breakfast) and several pricier hotels (300+ GEL). Book ahead for July–August. You can find accommodation on Booking or directly.

One Liberty Bank ATM on the main street. Cards are accepted at hotels and a few cafés; everything else is cash. Mobile internet works in the village but is patchy in the mountains. Get an eSIM or a SIM card before the trip.

The trail is non-technical but steep. You need trekking shoes, water, and sun protection. The path gets muddy in rain. Insurance is mandatory for entering Georgia and strongly recommended with trekking coverage above 2,000 m – standard policies often exclude this.

Gveleti Waterfalls – 30 min from the village by taxi + 20 min walk. Stone Heads in Sno Village – along the road. Truso Valley – mineral lakes and abandoned villages (half-day). Dariali Monastery – near the Russian border.

Yes. By car or with a driver: Mtskheta + Ananuri + Friendship Monument + Kazbegi is the classic 1–2 day route.

Return marshrutkas depart in the morning, usually until 3:00–4:00 PM. Check with your guesthouse. Alternatively, arrange a driver in advance or flag down a passing marshrutka on the highway. Bolt works unreliably in Kazbegi.