Mount Kazbek (Mkinvartsveri)
A 5,054 m dormant volcano — the mountain of the Amirani myth, whose view above Gergeti Trinity Church is Georgia's calling card.
- Time needed
- 4 h
- From Tbilisi
- 160 km · 3:15
- Road
- Paved
- Car needed
- Economy class
- Season
- May–October
- Entry
- free
Kazbek is the mountain people come to Georgia for. The 5,054 m dormant stratovolcano rears up directly west of Stepantsminda, and on a clear morning its white dome fills the whole sky over Khevi — with Gergeti Trinity Church on its rocky spur in front, probably the most photographed frame in the country.
To geologists it is a double trachyte cone that last erupted around 750 BC, its slopes draped with the Gergeti, Devdaraki and other glaciers. In Georgian mythology it is the mountain of Amirani, the hero chained to the rock for stealing fire from the gods — Georgia's own Prometheus. At about 4,000 m sits the Betlemi cave, a medieval monks' hermitage carved into the cliff.
This card is about seeing and approaching the mountain, not summiting it:
- The view from Stepantsminda and Gergeti church — the road up to the church is now fully paved
- The hike to Altihut (3,014 m) — about 3 hours and 7 km up from Gergeti
- Betlemi Hut / the old Meteo Station (3,650 m) — for experienced hikers, ideally with a guide
The summit shows itself most reliably at dawn; by midday it almost always wears a cloud cap. From October to May the upper trails are under snow.
Practical advice
Your best odds of seeing the summit are at first light — sleep in Stepantsminda and check the sky at dawn. You can drive to Gergeti church, but the trail toward Altihut needs proper boots, water and a windproof layer; weather deteriorates within hours. Never walk onto the glacier without a guide and gear. Even in August, nights above 3,000 m drop below freezing. Dress rules apply at the church.
How to get there from Tbilisi
From Tbilisi take the Georgian Military Highway (E117) to Stepantsminda — 157 km, about three hours — then a further 6 km of paved switchbacks from town up to the Gergeti church car park. Refuel in Pasanauri or Gudauri. In summer an economy car makes it all the way; in winter you need chains over the Jvari Pass, and the Gergeti road ices over after snowfall, so a high-clearance car or a local taxi is the smarter choice. The best roadside viewpoints are in the town itself.
Click a marker for details. Coloured lines are ready-made road trips.
Nearby places
Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)
The mountain town at the foot of Mount Kazbek — base camp for the whole Kazbegi area and home to Georgia's most famous view.
Gergeti Trinity Church
A 14th-century church at 2,170 m with Mount Kazbek behind it — the single most recognisable view in Georgia.
Sno Valley and Tower
A broad treeless valley south of Kazbegi with a restored medieval tower and a field of carved stone portraits.
Truso Valley
A wild valley of mineral springs, travertine terraces and abandoned towers south of Kazbegi.
Best car for this trip
Guides
- The Best Time to Visit Georgia, Counted Month by Month Georgia does not have one season. It has two countries: a 60% country from November to April and a 99% country
- Driving in Georgia: What the Distances Actually Cost You Georgia is a small country with slow roads. Here is what 267 measured drives from Tbilisi say about how long y
Pickup locations
Car Rental in Tbilisi — 114 km (straight line)
Booking and enquiries
The easiest way to reach these places is by car — you pick the route and the stops.