From tbilisi to kazbegi on their own. Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) and the Gergeti temple on the mountain: where to stay. Weather conditions in Stepantsminda

In the central part of the Greater Caucasus Range at the base extinct volcano Kazbek (height 5033 meters). Distance to Tbilisi - 165 km, to the border with Russia - 11 km. The main settlement and center of the district is the village of Stepantsminda.

How to get to Kazbegi

Most convenient option- air or bus tour to Georgia with arrival in Tbilisi, from where you can order an excursion to Kazbegi (travel time is about 4 hours, as there are landslides on the road), or live in Stepantsminda in one of the guest houses or book Rooms Hotel Kazbegi 4 *.

What to see in Kazbegi

Stepantsminda is a place with perfect views of the snowy peak of Kazbek. But in addition to the mountains, there are ancient monuments and natural attractions.

Trinity Church in Gergeti (Tsminda Sameba) was built by the X century at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level - now people come here to admire the opening landscapes and consider the contrast between the external and internal decoration. There is an iconostasis of the 4th century with the icon of the Mother of God, which survived a fire in the 20th century. The path to the church is not easy, but you can book a jeep ride on site.

Another popular historical site and tourist route is Georgian Military Road, passing through the Darial Gorge. On the road there is a monument to friendship between Russia and Georgia, the ancient castle of Tamara and the temple of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.

In Stepantsminda, lovers of local history and literature can go to local history house-museum of Alexander Kazbegi- a Georgian writer who devoted his work to the life and life of the highlanders.

The natural attractions of Kazbegi are Kel volcanic plateau and Gveleti waterfall, the drying system of the three lakes Kelistba, Archvebistba and Kelitsad - trekking paths are laid to them, but without appropriate preparation it is difficult to overcome them. Trained tourists conquer Kazbek.

Active rest in Stepantsminda:

horseback riding,
paragliding flights,
bike rental,
hiking to waterfalls, churches and watchtowers,
mineral springs
rafting on mountain rivers.

You can visit mineral waters ah in Pansheti, where Kazbegi is bottled.

Because of the calm and even ascetic atmosphere, Stepantsminda is called "Georgian Siberia" and is compared with Tibet, therefore rest in Kazbegi will be meditative and measured.

What else to do in Kazbegi:

Stop by a liquor store, taste the pearls of Georgia and take home a delicious reminder of your Kazbegi holiday.
Have a snack at Georgian fast food - sahinkle - khinkalnaya in the center of Stepantsminda.
Arrive in Stepantsminda on July 16 for the traditional Gergetobu holiday - “The Day of Spiritual Love”.
Visit tourist route Georgian Military Road and see the beauty of nature combined with Georgian architecture.
Even if you don't stop at the very beautiful hotel Georgia Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, then at least dine on the terrace with a gorgeous view of Kazbek and take beautiful photos.

Latest update: Mar 18, 2019

Stepantsminda (Kazbegi, Georgia) is an urban-type settlement, the administrative center of the Kazbegi region. As of 2014, its population is 1326 people.

Kazbegi is located 165 km north of Tbilisi and 43 km south of Vladikavkaz. It stretches on a mountain plateau, at the foot of Kazbek, the height above sea level is 1744 m. Approximately 10 km from Kazbegi there is a border with Russia, and through the city itself there is the famous Georgian Military Highway connecting Georgia and Russia.

From 1921 to 2007 this town was called Kazbegi. This name was given in honor of the writer Alexander Kazbegi, who was born here, and not in honor of Mount Kazbek standing here, as many think. Stepantsminda and Kazbegi - these names are confused even now, even on maps and in the navigator the city can be marked in different ways.

How to get from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda

There are several options for how you can get to this small, hidden among the mountains, settlement.

By minibus

The cheapest and most popular way is the minibus "Tbilisi - Kazbegi". It runs every hour from 07:00 to 18:00, the point of departure is the Okriba bus station next to the Didube metro station. Travel time is 3 hours. In 2016, the ticket cost 10 GEL.

At the same bus station, there are many taxis that can take you to Stepantsminda. Of course, given how many km from Tbilisi to Kazbegi (156 km), it becomes clear that a taxi ride will cost much more than a minibus: if the car is on gas, 130-150 GEL, and if the car runs on gas, 230-250 GEL. By the way, a well-prepared car can be ordered in advance, using those working all over the world.

There is another option, how to get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi - you can rent a car and drive yourself. The main advantage of a rented car is that you don't need to depend on anyone, you can stop anywhere along the way. But you need to take into account that the road is quite difficult - almost all of it passes through the mountains, there are many sharp turns and long climbs. The shortest travel time is 2.5 hours.

Compare accommodation prices using this form

Infrastructure of Kazbegi

Stepantsminda is a very small town, where everything valuable for tourists is located on the main street. A little to the west of this street there is a cliff, under which the Terek flows, and on the mountain slope located to the east, there are urban outskirts, because of the shaggy mountain cows evoking associations with Tibet.

The development of infrastructure in Kazbegi is largely due to tourism, especially noticeable changes took place here in 2014-2015.

Money exchange, SIM cards

On central square An exchanger has been installed in Stefantsminda, money can also be changed at Liberty Bank. True, the course in Tbilisi and Kazbegi is slightly different - in the capital it is more profitable.

A center for the sale of Beeline SIM cards has been opened on the square, although they can also be bought in ordinary stores.

The shops

There are several grocery stores in Kazbegi, where you can always find everything you need.

In 2015, the Dom Vina store was opened in Stepantsminda, right on the main city square. And this is not a banal retail outlet, but a really good shopping center! They offer wines of various brands, you can always get professional advice and conduct product tasting. Thereby shopping center the level of the village as a place for recreation in Georgia has significantly increased.

Restaurants

On main square Kazbegi is home to the most prestigious local establishments - Khevi and Stepantsminda restaurants. In "Stepantsminda" the prices are higher, but the quality of the food is better, there is also Wi-Fi. There is a restaurant and bar open until 1 am in the Kazbegi hotel. Cafe "5047" is notable for the fact that visitors, sitting on an open veranda on a cool evening, will definitely be given blankets.

It must be said that the prices for food in all Kazbegi establishments are on average 15-20% higher than in Tbilisi. And wine, if taken by the glass, will be almost 50% more expensive.

Cozy khinkali, which offer simple, but very tasty and always fresh homemade food: khachapuri, khinkali, tea, have become very popular among vacationers.

Hotels, guest houses

"Soul of Kazbegi"

Having figured out how to get to Kazbegi, you need to take care of where to stay.

There are many guest houses in Stepantsminda, and the conditions in them are approximately the same, that is, without any special frills. Such housing can be found on the spot on your own, simply by asking local residents, or wandering around the village in search of signs “Rooms for rent”. If you don't want to waste time looking, then it makes sense to rent a room in advance - most of houses are presented in popular online booking systems.

"Leo"

V guest house"Dusha Kazbegi" (prices from $ 16), located in the center of the village, you can choose a room with a private bathroom.
Red Stone (prices from $ 16) has parking and free Wi-Fi, delicious homemade breakfasts.
In the Leo hostel (prices from $ 23 per room) the rooms have a shower, very comfortable new beds.

"Kazbegi"

Well, then the cost of living only grows: for a room in a 4 * hotel "Kazbegi" you will have to pay 400 GEL per day - there is only one such comfortable and luxurious institution in Stepantsminda. You can rent a mountain bike here, but this service is only available to hotel guests. From its terrace you can observe wonderful views: Gergeti Church, Kazbegi mountains and even the majestic Kazbek. And even without being a guest of the hotel, you can always drink coffee on its terrace and admire the mountainous landscapes of Georgia opening from here.

Find out the PRICES or book any accommodation using this form

Tourist Information Center

In 2016, the center opened in Kazbegi tourist information... It is housed in a modest one-story house on the main street, not far from the central square.

With the opening of this center, travel has become much easier. The main thing is to take care of how to get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi on your own, and already on the spot you can rent a wide variety of equipment for climbing the mountains: helmets, sleeping bags, carbines. You can also buy gas cylinders - a half-liter threaded one costs 30 GEL.

Guide services

As the guides working here joke, all you need to take when heading to Stepantsminda is money.

A two-day tour, during which an ascent to the Gergeti church and a trip to the Gveleti waterfall is carried out, will cost $ 85. This amount includes payment for guide services and transfer from Tbilisi, as well as travel around the area by car. If we add more costs for accommodation, food and gasoline, then two day trip per person will cost at least $ 130.

You can find a guide for excursions to the sights in the village itself. In Kazbegi, for 60-80 GEL, you can rent a car for a trip to the Gergeti church, you can go to the Gveleti waterfall for 100-120 GEL. Meteorological station on Kazbek

By car, you can go to the village of Juta or to the Trusov Gorge - such routes will cost about 100 GEL.

Weather conditions in Stepantsminda

Despite the small distance between Tbilisi and Kazbegi, their climate is completely different. It is best to go to the mountain village in August to escape from the Tbilisi heat. The rest of the time it is rather cold here, it is not for nothing that this area is called Georgian Siberia and people come here in search of peace and loneliness.

Stepantsminda is characterized by mild winters with a stable snow cover (in January the temperature is kept within -5 ° C) and a relatively warm summer (in August the average temperature is + 14 ° C). During the year, about 800 mm of precipitation falls, in summer the relative humidity is 72%.

Variability can be called a feature of the climate in Stepantsminda. The weather in this region of Georgia often changes even during the day: a warm summer day can be replaced by night when the temperature drops to 0 ° C.

In general, Kazbegi (Georgia) is a cold town blown by mountain winds. Therefore, when planning to visit it, even in summer you need to take warm clothes and raincoats with you.

Related entries:

Stepantsminda (Kazbegi, 1744m above sea level) is a legendary village at the very foot of Mount Kazbek (5033m). This small village lies exclusively scenic location, in the valley of the Terek river. It is literally sandwiched between the spurs of Kazbek and the steep walls of Mount Shan (4451m). In many houses, the sky is not even visible from the windows. From any point of the village, the ice peak of Kazbek is perfectly visible.

How to get to Kazbegi from Georgia

Nearest Big City with a well-functioning system of getting there - Tbilisi. It is located 165 km away from where minibuses, buses, transfers and taxis go.

All transport to Kazbegi departs from Didube bus station. There are no signposts, charts, platforms or ticket sales points here. Didube is a cross between a spontaneous bus station and a market. However, do not despair - it is quite easy to find the right transport:

Barkers prowl everywhere, shouting "Kazbegi!" At the sight of a tourist;

A megaphone is working near the start point of minibuses, you need to be guided by it.

An easy way to get to Didube

Near the bus station there is an overground metro station "Didube" (with one exit - you can't go wrong :). Immediately after the exit, a staircase begins into the tunnel, which bifurcates - you are on the right.

Tbilisi metro operates from 6:00 to 24:00 and is very convenient to use. You buy a metro card (at the ticket office at any metro or funicular station) and immediately top up it with a few GEL. This card gives you the right to travel in all types public transport Tbilisi: metro (0.5 GEL), trolleybuses, minibuses, buses and funicular (2.5 GEL). Save your receipt to the metro card. You can return it and get your money back if you show your check and passport.

Metro station names are announced in Georgian and English.

Cost of moving to Kazbegi

A regular minibus costs 10 lari (about $ 4). These run from 7 am to 7 pm with an average interval of 1 hour. However, drivers may not depart on schedule, but as the minibuses fill up - you need to be prepared for irregular departures. Travel time is 3 - 4 hours.

A taxi will cost 80 GEL (34 $) per car or 20 GEL (8.3 $) per person. There are many people who want to take a taxi, so the cars are completed quickly. If this is your first time in these parts, it is better to take a taxi one way, because the drivers make 15-minute stops near the most popular attractions of the Georgian Military Highway: the Ananuri fortress, the Zhinvali reservoir and the Arch of Friendship of Peoples. Taxis can be found here from 6 am to 11-12 am (while the metro is running).

Checkpoint "Kazbegi" (border with Russia) is located 12 km from the village. It is only 31 km from Vladikavkaz.

In Soviet times, the village was called Kazbegi, and Georgians still use this name in everyday life. This is how minibuses and taxis are signed. However, on all road signs you will see "Stepancminda" - this is the same Kazbegi.

What to see in Kazbegi

The village itself, its surroundings and the road leading to these parts are already serious attractions. But, of course, not the main ones.

The center of the village is small, this is where you will come. Many shops cafes and restaurants of Georgian cuisine with reasonable prices. Each cafe owner makes his own unique homemade wine, which is definitely worth trying. In the local area, it is better to take white dry;).
5 kilometers from Kazbegi there is a small beautiful waterfall ... Another, larger, 15 km away, taxis go here (50 GEL per car). A route map can be obtained from the Visitor Center near the bus stop.
Sources of healing mineral waters are located 2 km from Kazbek, in the village of Pasheti.
Very popular in this area paragliding... The most daring can fly alone or together with an instructor.
Visitors are offered a huge selection of various means of transportation in the mountains: horses, bicycles, motorcycles, ATVs ... You can find this stuff for rent near a familiar stop or at a tourist assistance center. Remember that it is worth checking the presence of a saddle on a horse - the locals prefer not to bother themselves with harness.
Wherever you go, in the vicinity of Kazbegi you will meet stone watchtowers reminiscent of Svan. They stand on steep slopes and look extremely mysterious and picturesque ...

Where to spend the night in Kazbegi

There are many hotels, hostels and homestays in the village. Accommodation cost - from $ 8 (20 GEL per bed in a hostel) to $ 250 (hotel room). All of them are easily searched and booked on the Internet. If you haven't made your reservation in time, don't worry. Chances are, you will be offered several options along the way. You can ask the driver. Georgians are a friendly people, everyone communicates with each other and helps. The driver will immediately start calling his acquaintances and will arrange for you in a couple of minutes.

If you are traveling in Georgia, be sure to visit Kazbegi. Wonderful panoramas of the Greater Caucasus, various entertainment and hospitable people will leave an indelible impression on your soul;).

Coming to new country How exactly do we determine for ourselves which cities we want to visit, which villages to walk through, which museums to visit, next to which monuments to take pictures? The ones about which the most is written in the guidebooks? The ones you've heard the most on TV or seen in the movies? Those whose photos are full of the Internet? Most often, this is how we choose them, but sometimes the choice is different, coming not from outside, but from within us. This is what happened with my Georgian the village of Kazbegi... Now it is called Stepantsminda, but for some reason I like the old name better.

The preconditions that out of dozens and hundreds of the most interesting places in Georgia I will choose exactly this are rooted in childhood. When I was ten years old, I first heard from my dad the word "Kazbek" - that is what he called our watchdog, who for everyone else was just Rex. It turned out that this was the name of the mountain, which my father had never seen in his life, but which Pushkin sang so colorfully and temptingly. Many people know the lines "High above the family of mountains, Kazbek, your royal tent shines with eternal rays ...", but they do not even know where this miracle of nature is located.

So it was decided to go to see Mount Kazbek, so that dad knew where it was and what it was, so that he knew himself whose proud name my long-dead dog bore.

We went to Stepantsminda from Tbilisi by minibus. They did not go into the details of the path and sights of those regions, Kazbek was the main thing, and what to read about the mountain, you must see it. Due to our ignorance, the road to the village became a complete surprise, because it was not an ordinary one, but Military Georgian... The Georgian military road is the road that passes through the Main Caucasian ridge and connects Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi. Such beauty, perhaps, we had never seen before, even the dream that had begun to prevail, vanished as if by hand. Snowy peaks of mountains, a road meandering like a snake, flocks of sheep, creeping gorges - what kind of dream could there be?

Three hours on the way flew by unnoticed, while we gasped and groaned, pointing our fingers at the window, drove up to Stepantsminda. At the bus stop, we were immediately surrounded by local aunts, vying with each other to offer accommodation in which we did not need, but if we decided to spend the night or spend a few days in Kazbegi, there would definitely not be any problems.

The village is located in the very heart of the Caucasus Mountains, so you can imagine what panoramas open to your eyes, you may not only want to spend a few days here, but your whole life.

However, Stepantsminda met with not the clearest weather, which is why we were a little upset, as the alarming prospect of not seeing the top of Kazbek loomed.

There is even a legend that the mountain does not show it to everyone. If a person is good, he will see Kazbek in all its glory, if he is bad, the mountain will hide the peak in the clouds and will not see it as one's own ears.

Hike to the Trinity Church in Gergeti

It is worth noting that the mountain can be seen quite well from the village, but I think that almost all travelers who come to Stepantsminda tend to visit Trinity Church in Gergeti(Gergetis Tsminda Sameba), admiring the views along the way, and Kazbek, of course. We rushed there too.

Gergeti Sameba is located high in the mountains. To get to it, you need to go through the village of Gergeti, which flows smoothly from Stepantsminda.

It is very interesting to observe the local way of life: what kind of people are there, what they do, what houses they live in, because their life is completely different, far from civilization. Maybe they lived the same way ten, twenty, and fifty years ago. It seems that in such places time flows more slowly and there is nowhere, and there is no need to rush. Someone may show the village boring and miserable, someone original and romantic. The second option is closer to me.

After the village, the ascent begins along a dirt road passing through a beautiful forest. The path becomes more and more winding, as if covering up the tracks. In some places, the road can be cut, but for this you have to climb the slopes and be prepared for a sharp rise.

Those who are lazy, do not want or cannot walk, have the opportunity to get to the Trinity Church by their own car or taxi, while the rest can and should take an exciting walk. The ascent takes about two hours (if, as we take photos every 10 steps), it is a little tiring, but on the way there are landscapes of amazing beauty, worthy of the brush and pen of the greatest masters - they, of course, make you forget about fatigue and other adversities. Ay yes Pushkin, he knew what places should be sung))

At the foot of the mountains, the village of Stepantsminda curled up like a cat warming itself in the sun.

How long or short it took to reach the finish line, a surprisingly unusual Tsminda Sameba appeared in the distance. It is undoubtedly interesting in itself, especially for religious people, but we were more impressed by how organically it fits into the surrounding landscapes. I heard that once it was not only a church, but also a fortress; Georgian shrines were hidden here more than once, protecting them during the times of enemy invasions.

It was to this temple and monastery that Pushkin once dedicated his poem "Monastery on Kazbek":

High above the family of mountains
Kazbek, your royal tent
Shines with eternal rays.
Your monastery behind the clouds
Like a flying ark in the sky
Soars, barely visible, over the mountains.

Distant, longed-for breg!
There b, saying forgive the gorge,
Climb to the free heights!
There b, in a transcendental cell,
I hide in the neighborhood of God!

In the meantime, we were all waiting for what Kazbek would decide - we are good or evil, worthy to contemplate its summit, or we will leave with nothing. The wind is getting stronger, giving hope that he will be able to deal with the clouds.

There were a lot of visitors around the church and inside. Tsminda Sameba is considered a very strong, prayerful place, people come here to ask for relief from ailments and, they say, helps. The church is old, it has stood here since the XIV century, it is difficult to imagine how many suffering it has already helped.

You cannot take pictures inside, and there is nothing especially, the decoration is quite modest, it is immediately clear that they are not guided by external manifestations. Several monks live in the church and conduct services.

Near the church there is a source with holy water, everyone can drink water, wash their face and continue to admire the surroundings. The serene landscapes are complemented by the same serenely grazing cows.

A wonderful view of Stepantsminda, sandwiched between the mountains, opens from the site next to the temple. Here you also feel yourself, in the arms of the Caucasian ridges, the sensations are simply fantastic.

Finally, it cleared up a bit and managed to see the top of the handsome Kazbek, which means that everything is in order with karma))

Having admired the mountains, valleys, and open spaces, we set off on the return journey along the same road.

It was easy and fun to go down, impressions and emotions were overflowing, and then nature threw another little present.

Eh, it was necessary to plan to spend several days here in order to have time to enjoy the local nature, its grandeur, tranquility and tranquility.

I can confidently say that the place is just fabulous! I really liked Stepantsminda, Gergeti, Tsminda Sameba and Kazbek. Highly! I did not expect anything from this trip, because it was spontaneous, I simply did not have time to formulate my expectations. Maybe that's why the impressions turned out to be so clean, not blurred by tons of read information about other people's emotions about this place. Anyway, I love nature and everything related to walking: the feeling of freedom, falling out of time, the infinity of space. I can only recommend to visit here to everyone and everyone who has the same opinion!

Enjoy your walks along the foot of Kazbek, dear readers!

Useful information on Stepantsminda (as of May 2013)

How to get to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) from Tbilisi and back

You can get from Tbilisi to Stepandtsminda by minibus from the bus station near Didube metro station. The first leaves at 9:00. The journey takes 3-3.5 hours, the fare is 10 GEL. We also received an offer to take us to Kazbegi for 15 GEL per person with stops at Ananuri, Zhinval and mines. water. The last minibus in Tbilisi leaves Stepantsminda at 18:00, it costs the same.

On minibuses, most likely, the name of the terminal point "Kazbegi" will be indicated, since the village was renamed in Stepantsminda relatively recently (in 2007), apparently, hands do not reach to change the signs.

Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)- the first large settlement after the Russian-Georgian border on the way to Tbilisi. And I recommend staying here for at least a couple of days. And if you love mountains, then five days will not be enough! It is here that the famous Mount Kazbek and the Troitskaya Church are located. This is the Georgia we fell in love with.

In this post, I tell you about the sights of Kazbegi and recommend interesting places around, where else you can go or go. Read here useful information about where to live, where to eat and how to get to Kazbegi from Tbilisi or Vladikavkaz. It turned out to be a great guide!

Strictly speaking, Kazbegi is a municipality (district), and Stepantsminda is the main administrative center of this district, in the past it had the same name, but out of habit some call it by the old name, and on minibuses they still write “Kazbegi”.

The village is quite large for these places, with a population of 1400 people. It is only 10 km from the border to Stepantsminda, and 160 km to Tbilisi, and you will never pass it by moving from Russia.

These are harsh alpine places, it is always colder here in comparison with Tbilisi. The best time to visit - July and August. The rest of the time it is snowing, then rain, then piercing winds, although in autumn it also looks very impressive.

The highway to Tbilisi passes right through the village, forming a square in the center - all the most important things are located here: restaurants, the "House of Wine", a minibus stop, and more importantly, from here you can see Mount Kazbek and the Trinity Church in Gergeti. Now Kazbegi is at the peak of popularity, during the season there are a lot of people, both climbers planning to climb the surrounding peaks, and ordinary travelers who have come just to walk to the church and back.

In the village, roads are gradually being repaired, replacing ordinary dirt roads with cobbled streets, and in the southern part of Stepantsminda there is a tourist office where you can rent mountain equipment, get maps of the area and get detailed information about everything. They also offer excursions around the area.

Tourist office

Sights of Kazbegi and its surroundings

To many interesting places Kazbegi can only be reached on foot, but a car will not hurt to get to the starting point.

Trinity Church in Gergeti

The most popular attractions in Kazbegi and business card all over Georgia. Some tourists just go up and back and immediately go further to Tbilisi or Vladikavkaz.

The temple is located high on a mountain near the village of Gergeti at an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level. From here open simply unreal and breathtaking views of Kazbek and all the surrounding mountains and glaciers. An incredible sight!

Gergeti Church

You can get there on foot (quite exhausting if you are not in very good physical shape) or by jeeps and four-wheel drive minibuses. Locals they earn money as such a cab, it seems that everyone has such cars to carry tourists. For the way back and forth, they ask 40-45 GEL.

Kazbegi Hotels

Kazbegi has a huge selection of accommodations from simple village houses and guesthouses with basic amenities to luxury hotels.

Kazbegi Rooms Hotel

One of the most luxurious hotels not only in Kazbegi, but throughout Georgia. Its main advantage is not so much comfortable rooms, but a magnificent view of the glaciers and Mount Kazbek. Rooms hotel is located far from the road on the side of a mountain, it can be seen from afar - this is a five-storey building with a wide terrace.

It is a very cozy place with wooden floors and a kind of homey atmosphere, with large panoramic windows. Room rates start at $ 100 per night. Be sure to book a room with a mountain view! Because there are rooms with a view and in the opposite direction.

From Vladikavkaz. There is a minibus from Vladikavkaz to Tbilisi and back, passing buses Yerevan-Moscow, basically everyone drives their cars or hitchhikers. Read more about crossing the border and all the nuances here:

Kazbegi on the map

Marked all important and useful places in Kazbegi on the map: