Kazbegi Georgia

The Caucasus Mountains is a range of mountains stretching through Eurasia, and one of the easiest ways to visit part of the mountains is through the town of Stepantsminda in Georgia, more commonly known as Kazbegi.

Respite in glorious mountain scenery

Just about 3+hours northeast from Tbilisi, Kazbegi sits at an altitude of about 1750m, and is an excellent mountain getaway. Most prominently, Mt Kazbek rises beautifully west of town, and together with Gergeti Trinity Church, perched atop the surrounding mountain at 2000+m, forms an almost iconic image of Kazbegi and Georgia.

Tsminda Samebis Church, with Mt Kazbek as backdrop

Gergeti Trinity Church, also known as Tsminda Samebis Church, can be easily visited by jeeps from town, but the best way is probably taking a hike up. In fact, many travelers come here for the wonderful trekking opportunities, and even the short hike up provided a glimpse of the scenic potential. And for the slightly more hardy, you can even trek further into the mountains to the Gergeti Glacier. For multi-day treks, make sure you are properly equipped.

Trekking in awesome mountain country

Summer wildflowers and snowcapped mountains

Reaching the Gergeti Trinity Church

View of the town of Kazbegi, surrounded by mountains!

The town itself is small and easily covered by foot. There are two museums in town, one of which is dedicated to the man who the town is named after - Alexander Kazbegi, a famed Georgian writer. However, the magic of the place is still the mountain scenery, and so hiking and trekking would be the best activities I would think. To make a mountain town stay complete, stay in one of the many homestays and guesthouses available. Most come with great homecooked food, and I enjoyed staying in these locals' homes. The moment you stepped off the marshrutka, you would be accosted by the owners, so no worries about finding them.

By public transport, reaching Kazbegi from Tbilisi is via marshrutkas from Didube station. For a group of you, perhaps it is better to charter your own vehicle as the journey there goes through the spectacular Georgian Military Highway, and you can have your own photo stops. Whichever the case, a trip to Kazbegi is highly recommended for visitors to Georgia/Tbilisi, and for the matter, a daytrip would probably not do the place justice. Do yourself a favor and enjoy Kazbegi!

Svaneti, Georgia

The Caucasus mountain region of Svaneti in Georgia was raved about, both in guidebooks as well as by travelers. It is not difficult to see why. Boasting high mountain peaks, unspoilt trekking opportunities, and villages steeped in ancient traditions, it is an out-of-the-beaten-path destination that time had passed it by.

The town of Mestia is the tourism hub of Svaneti, with transport links to the rest of Georgia. But there are smaller villages in the region that could provide an even more authentic stay. I was referred to a homestay in the village of Becho, where indeed I had the experience of traditional living with a Svan family. Unfortunately, it was so "non-touristy" that no English was spoken, and I could not find out more information about their life. But I was treated to a small little "performance" by the little boy in the family, which I believe is a form of their traditional polyphonic singing in the Svaneti region - an art inscribed into UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists!

 

Friendly villagers

Baking Khachapuri the traditional way!

However, what is famous in the Svaneti region is their architectural monuments inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site - the defensive watch towers of the Svans. The Svans, a sub-group of Georgians with their own language, are a fiercely independent people, and during the old days, warring between villages and tribes are common. Thus these towers are built and usually connected to a family's house, and integrated for their protection. Now, these towers are found scattered around Mestia, and can be easily visited.

And of course, there is the trekking. Fabulous mountain country to trek in, although in summer, the weather is surprisingly humid hot. Even if you can't do the popular 4-day trek between Mestia and Ushguli, reputed to be the prettiest village in Svaneti, simple day treks around Mestia would easily let you appreciate the natural scenery around. 

Transport in Georgia is basically run by marshrutkas or mini-vans. Direct from Tbilisi, it takes 12-13 hours (usually more) and there is only 1 per day early in the morning. What I did was to stop at Kutaisi, where the town itself has several interesting sights. There are then slightly more marshrutkas from Kutaisi to Mestia. 

Check out Svaneti when in Georgia! 

Sighnaghi, Georgia

The Kakheti region in eastern Georgia is well-known as a wine producing region, and in fact, some say that it is the cradle of the world's wine production! And one of the more popular destinations within the Kakheti region is the hilltop town of Sighnaghi.

In fact, after some heavy reconstruction efforts from the government, it has become a very popular and important attraction for both locals and foreign tourists alike. And it is hard not to like the small town. Beautiful houses with ornate balconies built between neat pictureque cobbled streets, and surrounded by breathtaking Caucasus mountain ranges, it was holiday-picture-perfect. Add to it the wonderful Georgian cuisine, complete with its famous wines, all at affordable prices, really, it was one of the best places to relax and unwind.

Churches, monastery and monuments form most of its attractions, all within easy reach from town. The most famous is its 18th century town wall that stretches 4.5km, one of the longest in the world. Sighnaghi was a fortified town during its time, and the wall contains 35 towers each named after a nearby village, and each offering refuge for the villagers during times of war. The churches and monastery, like most in Georgia, all all worth a visit, though at that time (Kakheti was the last region I visit in Georgia), I may already had an overdose... :p

While the town have fancy hotels and restaurants, and even pretty boutique hotels, I stayed in a beautiful family-run guesthouse (Nato & Lado) that suited my budget. Aside from their amazing hospitality, their homecooked dinner with free-flow homemade wine were phenomenal! Truly one of my best stays in Georgia!

Sighnaghi is easily accessible from Tbilisi by mashrutkhas like everywhere else in Georgia. Just about 2 hours of journey, and you'll be transported to a wonderfully refreshing destination....

City in a Cave

Situated near Akhaltsikhe in southern Georgia, Vardzia ranks as one of the country's most interesting sights. Dug out of solid rock, comprising 13 stories of apartments (some say 6000!), complete with a throne room, a church and even a bell tower, the cave city of Vardzia is making a definite claim into UNESCO's list.

Built as early as the 12th century during the reign of their beloved ruler Queen Tamar, it was a bastion against the Mongol horde. However, it was not the Mongols, but an earthquake that destroyed part of the city years after the invasion. Today, it is a major tourist attraction in Georgia, though only part of the complex is open for sightseeing. In fact, a portion of the place are occupied by monks and it is a fully working monastery. There are some really awesome frescoes in there (but then, there're many awesome frescoes all around Georgia!), and there are also some mazy tunnels which you could wander in. No worries though as you would eventually come out into the open! (though not really advisable for those who are claustrophobic) The scenery around are also quite spectacular!

There are only a few marshrutkas a day plying the beautiful route from Akhaltsikhe to Vardzia and I believe I took the last one at close to 4pm. It's 2+hours of journey, and there a few guesthouses around the area where you could spend the night (the Lonely Planet guide lists a few). For those in a group, there will be many taxi drivers in Akhaltsikhe which you could hire for the trip and may be a better alternative. There are also many marshrutkas between Akhaltsikhe and Tbilisi, and Akhaltsikhe is also the start/end point of the Posof border crossing into Turkey.


For visitors to Georgia who have a bit of time, Vardzia can be an excellent option besides the popular Kazbegi/Svaneti and/or Kalkheti regions. Check it out!