Caucasus Mountains Tour: Kazbegi, Ananuri, Gergeti Church

Mountain landmarks, a long drive, lunch in the highlands, and a medieval church at high elevation

A 12-hour group tour from Tbilisi following the Georgian Military Highway to the Caucasus peaks, stopping at Jinvali Reservoir, Ananuri fortress (16th–18th century), Gudauri ski resort and the village of Kazbegi, with guide service in English, all entrance fees, lunch with traditional khinkali, and a 4WD ride up to Gergeti Trinity Church. The tour departs at 8:15 AM from Rose Revolution Square and returns by 10 PM the same day, or you can stay overnight in Kazbegi. Winter travel requires warm clothing and may be blocked beyond Gudauri, in which case you spend extra time at the ski resort trying paragliding, ATV bikes or horse riding.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Caucasus Mountains highlights

• Meet at Giant bicycle monument
• Visit Jinvali Reservoir for photos
• Explore Ananuri fortress and views
• Go rafting and have traditional lunch
• Try paragliding or winter activities in Gudauri
• Visit Friendship Monument and Gudauri resort
• Travel to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)
• Ride to Gergeti Trinity Church
• Enjoy panoramic views at the church
• Option to stay at Rooms hotel Kazbegi
• Return drop-off at Rose revolution square

The experience

You meet at the Giant Bicycle monument on Rose Revolution Square at 8:15 AM and travel north on the Georgian Military Highway, a route that climbs steadily into the Greater Caucasus. The drive itself is the spine of the day: long, but your guide fills it with stories about Georgia and the landscape unfolding around you. The groups are international. Solo travelers often find this a natural way to meet other people on the road.

The first stop is Jinvali Reservoir, where the water sits an improbable blue between three mountain ridges: the kind of place where the light changes every few minutes and the photographs almost take themselves. Next is Ananuri fortress, a 16th-century castle that sits on a foreland above the river Aragvi and was the seat of feudal dukes until the 1800s. The fortress and the reservoir frame each other in the same view, which is why landscape photographers often spend time here. Before lunch, you have the option to go rafting on the Aragvi, or you can skip it and move straight to a meal of homemade traditional dishes in the mountains: khinkali (the Georgian dumplings) is the thing to order, since you are eating them in their homeland.

By afternoon you reach Gudauri, a ski resort at 2,200 meters on a south-facing plateau. If the weather holds, paragliding is available here (about $100 extra, arranged separately). In winter, when roads sometimes close beyond this point, you spend the afternoon trying skiing, ATV bikes, horse riding or hiking instead. If the road stays open, you continue to Kazbegi village and take a 4WD car (6–7 USD per person, not included) up the mountain to Gergeti Trinity Church, built in the 14th century and now sitting at 2,170 meters under Mount Kazbegi itself. The church is the most photographed landmark in Georgia: the isolation, the steep terrain, the view of the 5,047-meter peak and the whole valley below it are why. You get time to stand there and take in the panorama before the drive back down. The tour returns you to Rose Revolution Square by 10 PM, or you can arrange to stay overnight in Kazbegi and skip the return journey.

What’s included

• Transportation from Tbilisi and back.
• a live English-speaking guide for the full day.
• all entrance fees to Ananuri fortress, Jinvali Reservoir and Gergeti Trinity Church.
• lunch with traditional Georgian dishes including khinkali.
• honey tasting.
• and 40 kilograms of luggage space per person.

Options for this experience

2 options

For local GeorgiansGuide in English · 08:30Georgian ID is required for this option, and the price is for locals.

For foreign visitors.Guide in English · 08:30The price is for foreign visitors.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDeparts at 08:30

Book up toStart time

AgesUp to age 85

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Budget Friendly Tours FZE LLC

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you have a full day free from your Tbilisi arrival or itinerary and want to see the Caucasus peaks and the most photographed church in Georgia without renting a car or navigating the mountain roads yourself. The long drive is built into the day, so you are not racing between stops. The group format means you travel with other people and your guide handles the route, the timing and the stories. In winter, bring heavy warm clothing and expect the possibility that snow may limit how far north you reach, though the tour still runs with activities at Gudauri instead.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Ananuri fortress and why do people photograph it?

Ananuri is a 16th-century fortress on the Aragvi River that was the seat of feudal dukes ruling the area until the 1800s. It sits on a foreland where it frames the same view as Jinvali Reservoir, making it a landmark for landscape photography because both the fortress and the water appear together in the same shot.

Can I do activities like paragliding or skiing on this tour?

Paragliding is available at Gudauri ski resort if the weather is clear, but it costs about $100 extra and is arranged separately from the tour. In winter, when roads may close beyond Gudauri, you spend extra time at the resort trying skiing, ATV bikes, horse riding or hiking instead.

What happens if the road to Kazbegi is blocked in winter?

If snow closes the road beyond Gudauri, the tour spends more time at Gudauri ski resort, where you can try paragliding, skiing, ATV bikes, horse riding or hiking. The tour still operates. The itinerary shifts to what the weather allows.

Is the 4WD ride to Gergeti Trinity Church included in the tour price?

The ride from Kazbegi village up to Gergeti Trinity Church costs 6–7 USD per person and is not included in the tour price. You arrange it separately when you reach the village.

What is Gergeti Trinity Church and what will I see there?

Gergeti Trinity Church is a 14th-century cross-cupola church built at 2,170 meters on the mountainside under Mount Kazbegi. From the church you get a panoramic view of the entire valley and Mount Kazbegi itself, which rises to 5,047 meters. The isolation and the scale of the landscape are why it is Georgia's most iconic tourist attraction.

How long is the drive and when do I return to Tbilisi?

The tour is 12 hours total, departing at 8:15 AM and returning to Rose Revolution Square by 10 PM. If you prefer not to return the same day, you can stay overnight in Kazbegi instead.