Truso Valley

Truso is the valley where there is almost nobody. It begins near Kobi, south of Kazbegi, and runs west for more than fifteen kilometres towards the headwaters of the Terek, through bare, treeless, almost Central Asian scenery. It is a border zone, and that restriction is largely why it has stayed unchanged.

The defining feature is mineral water. Carbon-dioxide-rich springs rise through the valley floor, depositing calcium carbonate as they cool, and over centuries these have built travertine terraces — orange, yellow and white cascades that from a distance look like frozen waterfalls. The best known are the Abano springs.

Along the track you pass:

• Abano lake, a small pool of vividly coloured mineral water
• Abandoned villages with stone defensive towers: Ketrisi, Abano and Resi
• Zakagori fortress on a rock spur towards the far end of the valley
• Alpine pasture with sheep flocks and temporary shepherds' camps

Truso is not a one-hour stop; it is a full day. Many travellers leave the car at the mouth of the valley and walk ten to twelve kilometres in and back, which is arguably the best way to do it if you have the time and the weather is settled.