Kazbegi day trip from Tbilisi: Jvari, Ananuri & Gergeti Church

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (10 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/10

Duration10h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Gergeti Trinity Church perched 2,170 meters above the Georgian Military Highway, with Mount Kazbek rising behind it.

A private day trip from Tbilisi to Kazbegi and Gudauri with an English-speaking guide covers four major stops across ten hours: Jvari Monastery, built on the site of a 4th-century cross; the turquoise Zhinvali reservoir and Ananuri Fortress overlooking it; Gudauri ski resort at 2,200 meters; and Gergeti Trinity Church at 2,170 meters on the slopes below Mount Kazbek. Air-conditioned 4x4 transport, bottled water and fuel are included; lunch and dinner are not.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kazbegi and Surroundings

Visit Jvari Monastery
View Zhinvali Dam and reservoir
Tour Ananuri Fortress
See Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument in Gudauri
Visit Gergeti Trinity Church

The Experience

You're picked up from your Tbilisi hotel and driven north on the Georgian Military Highway toward the Caucasus. The route climbs steadily, and the first stop is Jvari Monastery, 24 kilometers from the city—a 4th-century site built where Saint Nino erected a wooden cross in the early 300s. From there, the road follows the Aragvi River valley to Zhinvali, where a hydroelectric dam has created a turquoise reservoir that sits oddly beautiful against the mountain slopes. The Ananuri Fortress overlooks this lake from a ridge, its high stone walls and two churches carved with animal and floral patterns; you can descend to the shore and see the ruins of a church from an older settlement that was relocated when the water rose.

The drive continues higher into Gudauri, a ski resort at 2,200 meters with its top station at 3,306 meters. The landscape opens into alpine terrain, and the Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument marks the road. The final and most photographed stop is Gergeti Trinity Church, standing at 2,170 meters on a hillside directly below the white mass of Mount Kazbek (5,033 meters). The church dates to the 12th–14th centuries and has weathered centuries of weather and conflict; the setting—the stone building against the mountain backdrop—is why photographers return to this spot. The ten-hour tour gives you time at each site without rushing, though the drive itself takes up most of the day.

Your guide speaks English throughout and travels with you in a private air-conditioned 4x4, which is essential for the mountain sections. Bottled water is provided. The tour does not include lunch or dinner, so plan to eat before you leave Tbilisi or bring food with you; there are limited options at altitude. The itinerary suits all fitness levels, though the stops involve walking on uneven ground and climbing to viewpoints—nothing technical, but the altitude and terrain mean a steady pace.

What’s included

Private 4x4 transport with an English-speaking guide.
air-conditioned vehicle.
bottled water.
fuel surcharge.
hotel pickup in Tbilisi.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Kartutours

Is this one for you?At ten hours, this tour fills most of a day and leaves little room for other activities in Tbilisi—book it if you have a full day free and want to see the high Caucasus and its major monasteries without renting a car or navigating the mountain highway yourself.