To get a good glimpse of the Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, Kazbegi is your place, only a few hours drive from Tbilisi. The trip along the Georgian Military Highway alone is an attraction, the closer to Stepansminda, the windier the road got. Stepandsminda is the tourist hub, where everything starts and ends. The mountains around Kabezi are majestic, lots of grassy slopes, but also a lot of barren landscape. The road is packed with trucks going to Russia, via Vladikavkas and even further on to Turkey.
Kazbegi
Georgian Military Highway to Stepandsminda
From Tbilisi the city of Stepandsminda (to confuse tourists it is also called Kazbegi) can easily reached by marshrutkas, which cost next to nothing. But we invested 300 GEL (100€) in a taxi, because we wanted to stop at various places on the way from Tbilisi to Stepandsminda. How to find such a taxi, just keep asking taxi-drivers in Tbilisi. The first stop on the trip to Stepansminda was Ananuri Fortress, a fortress of the feudal era (XVI-XVIII centuries) on the Aragvi River.
Ananuri Fortress on Aragvi River
Souvenirs shops at a view point of Ananuri Fortress selling typical sheepskin “papkha” hats
Crawling up to Stepansminda behind trucks heading to Russia
Chinese companies dig tunnels into the mountain to create a second road – the current two lane road forces cars to crawl behind overloaded trucks up the mountain
During the winter cars travel through this tunnels that protect them from avalances
Stepandsminda- tourist hub high up in the Caucasus
Small town Stepansminada is where all the tourists flock together. Only 2000 people live there permanently, it felt like a lot more tourists were milling around. I did not find Stepandsminda proper an attractive place, the surrounding scenery is breathtaking but the city itself is a wild mix. City planing is something that Stepansminda obviously never experienced, the architecture is free-whelling, anything goes.
Downtown Stepandsminda
Downtown Stepandsminda
Baker in Stepansminda – one of the few authentic places I came across
super market in Stepansminda- do tourists buy up most fresh food?
Halal signs are all over the place, since most tourists are from Pakistan, India or the Golf States.
Even “halal” rafting is advertised
Stepandsminda
The center of Stepandminda suffers from an incredible amount of traffic rushing through, mainly trucks from Russia, Turkey etc. When I was there the sidewalks were under construction and it was really unpleasant to hop away from the traffic.
Vladikavkas is right across the vordere in Russia- I visited 2018 and loved it
https://www.travelaficionados.com/north-ossetia-birthplace-of-mystical-alania/
Our home in Stepansminda – Guesthouse Oxygen
Through booking.com we found this place, the owner Thea was the perfect host. As soon as we arrived we were invited into the family living room where three generations where having dinner. The focus was on drinking, dancing and having fun.
Guesthouse Oxygen
Family of our host Thea
Family of our host Thea
Looking at the stars from the balcony of my room
Hiking up to Gergeti Trinity Church
I know that I would not be able to keep up with my friends Claudia and Elisabeth and chose my own speed from the beginning. Elisabeth predicted masses of hikers heading to Gergeti Trinity Church – well I felt pretty lonely.
Elisabeth – walking to to Gergeti Trinity Church
The walk takes you first through a village, most of the houses built from stone were abandoned. Even then hardly any people could be seem. On the entire walk I met maybe 10 people. Once I arrived at the top I realized why – most people arrived by car, via the newly built road.
Hiking up to Gergeti Trinity Church
Hiking up to Gergeti Trinity Church
Almost there – like up to Gergeti Trinity Church
Tourism at it worst – Gergeti Trinitiy Church
Literally every tourist who arrives in Stepansminda pays tribute to Gergeti Trinity Church, an 2 hour hike from the city center. For those not fit enough or too lazy to walk, until recently the only way up was by a 4-wheel drive. Driver took advantages of this and charged random sums. These times over over, a smooth two-lane concrete road runs all the way up to the church, bringing thousands of tourists up the mountain. Funnily, most online information still sticks to the legend of drivers ripping you off. Maybe out of ignorance or because it sounds dramatic and adventurous.
Access to Gergeti Trinity Church
The parking lot near the church cannot hold the masses of cars, so they park in the grass, I watched one Indian family drive ALL the way up to the church. Many tourists are from India and the Golf States, countries not really known for having a tradition of hiking up mountains.
Inside Gergeti Trinity Church
Tourists from Golf States enjoying the scenery
Gergiti Trinity Chruch – backdrop Caucasus Mountains
Georgian Russian Friendship Memorial
A few kilometers from Stepandminda the Georgian Military Highway passes the Georgia Russian Friendship Memorial. Everybody stops to take photos, since the view of the surrounding mountain is breathtaking. Knowing about the current relationship between Russia and Georgia, the name seems like a joke.
View from Georgian Russian Friendship Memorial
Georgian Russian Friendship Memorial
Georgian Russian Friendship Memorial
Ski resorts along Georgian Military Highway
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