Dariali Gorge and the Gveleti Waterfalls

Dariali is where the mountains almost close the road. North of Stepantsminda the Terek valley suddenly narrows and squeezes between granite walls three hundred metres high. This is historically the main gateway through the Caucasus, called the Caspian or Caucasian Gates by ancient authors. The gorge runs up to the Russian border, and this is the last point on the route that a rental car can legally reach.

Halfway along, above Gveleti village, are two waterfalls:

• The lower Gveleti falls, about fifteen minutes from the road and manageable for almost anyone
• The upper Gveleti falls, roughly 25 metres high, another twenty to thirty minutes further up over boulders

The trail is short but not flat: loose blocks, tree roots and wet rock in the shaded sections. May and June are the best months, when snowmelt gives the falls their maximum volume; by late August the upper cascade thins noticeably.

Also in the gorge stands the Dariali Monastery, a modern complex built in the 2000s. It is new, but it sits surprisingly well against the cliffs and makes a natural last stop before the frontier zone begins.