Kazbegi Day Trip from Tbilisi: Mountain Monastery & Medieval Fortress

The monastery sits on a high hill, ringed by snow-capped peaks and reachable only by jeep.

A full-day guided tour from Tbilisi through the Caucasus mountains to Kazbegi, Ananuri fortress and Gudauri, with a qualified English or Russian-speaking guide, wine and cognac tasting, and a lunch stop at a mountain restaurant. The route passes the Zhinvali reservoir, the confluence of two rivers, a mineral spring, and the Friendship Arch before jeeps carry you uphill to Gergeti Church at the foot of Mount Kazbek. Winter snow may redirect the route to lower elevations, but the day holds its structure and stops. Children from age 1 are welcome. The tour suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kazbegi and surrounding landmarks

• Pass through Zhinvali reservoir
• Visit Ananuri fortress and Assumption Church
• See confluence of White and Black Aragvi rivers
• Enjoy lunch with traditional mountain dishes
• Visit Gudauri ski resort
• Stop at Friendship Arch near Gudauri
• Travel to Stepantsminda village
• Jeep ride to Gergeti Church and Fortress
• Return to Tbilisi Maidan Square

The experience

You start from one of two meeting points in Tbilisi and spend the morning driving north through the Zhinvali reservoir valley toward the high Caucasus. The first real stop is Ananuri fortress on the Aragvi River. A medieval defense complex that has survived in its original form, with a 17th-century Assumption Church whose stone facade carries bas-reliefs layered with hidden meaning. Walking the fortress grounds, you move through centuries of Georgian history without the usual museum glass between you and the stones.

The route then follows the river gorge to the confluence of the White and Black Aragvi, where an unusual mineral spring runs gold-colored through the landscape. This is where you stop for lunch at a mountain restaurant: 80 minutes to eat khinkali, khachapuri and other traditional dishes while the gorge walls rise around you. After lunch comes the Friendship Arch, a stone gateway at the highest point of the pass near Gudauri, built to mark Soviet-Russian friendship and now a vantage point where the mountains fill every direction.

The final climb is by jeep. From the village of Stepantsminda at Kazbek's foot, a 4x4 carries you uphill to Gergeti Church: the monastery Pushkin wrote about, standing alone on a hilltop against the peak. The jeep ride costs 20 GEL per person and is not included in the tour price. You return to Tbilisi by 8 or 9 pm. If heavy winter snow closes the high road, the guide redirects the day to lower elevations and the Georgian chronicle instead, keeping the structure and the stops intact.

What’s included

• Comfortable air-conditioned transport throughout the day.
• a qualified guide in English or Russian.
• free wine and cognac tasting.
• a 15-minute stop at the mineral spring and river confluence.
• entry to Ananuri fortress.
• and 24-hour online support before and after your tour.

Options for this experience

2 options

Meeting Point #1Guide in English or Russian · 09:00

Meeting Point #2Guide in English or Russian · 09:00Departure point: Galt & Taggart, 3 Aleksandr Pushkin St, Tbilisi, Georgia

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (1 to 10 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Russian

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.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by ushba travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want mountains, medieval fortresses, and Kazbeg monastery in a single day: the full-day pace and jeep ascent mean you'll experience high-altitude landscapes but need to commit to a long vehicle journey.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 10 years).

What is Ananuri fortress and why does it matter?

Ananuri is a medieval defense complex on the Aragvi River that has survived in its original form. The only Georgian fortress to do so. Built by the Aragva eristavi (regional heads), it contains a 17th-century Assumption Church whose stone facade carries bas-reliefs, each decorative element holding symbolic meaning from Georgia's past.

Can I reach Gergeti Church without taking the jeep?

No. Gergeti Church sits on a hilltop at the foot of Mount Kazbek, and the only way up is by 4x4 jeep from the village of Stepantsminda. The jeep ride costs 20 GEL per person and is separate from the tour price.

What happens if snow closes the mountain road in winter?

If heavy snow blocks access to Kazbegi, the route stays in lower elevations and the guide spends the extra time on Georgian history and culture instead. The tour structure and stops remain, just redirected to accessible areas.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. The tour stops for 80 minutes at a mountain restaurant in the Aragvi gorge where you order and pay for your own meal: khinkali, khachapuri and traditional mountain dishes are available.