Stepantsminda - Stepancminda

	Stepancminda;
	Arms
	Information
Country	Georgia
Postal Code

Stepancminda

Holy Trinity Church in the fog

Stepancminda (Georgian სტეფანწმინდა, former Kazbegi Georgian ყაზბეგი) - an urban-type housing estate in the north-east Georgia located in the mountains Caucasus on the route Georgian Military Road.

Characteristic

The city of Kazbegi - officially named Stepantsminda (სტეფანწმინდა, but better known by the old name Kazbegi) - is a mountain city on the Georgian Military Road. The city is 10 km south of the border with Russiawhich is re-open to some nationalities. On the west side of the river, the city is known as Gergeti (გერგეტი), but for all the intentions and purposes of the visitor, it is one city.

This pretty city is gaining more and more attention it deserves, so there is a growing number of guesthouses, restaurants and tourist facilities, but prices are on the high side compared to the rest of the country.

Drive

Marshrutkas leave Didube's bus station in Tbilisi several times a day. From Didube metro station, go down, turn right, cross the road, cross the first parking lot (full of marshrutkas) and the marshrutkas to Kazbegi are in the second parking lot. Tariff: 10 lari. Driving time: 2h45.

If you have a group of people on your trip, you can almost always find a driver hanging around the marshrutka who is going there anyway and hitchhiking for less than what the group would pay for the marshrutka.

Note that these marshrutkas do not tend to stop and cram over 20 people into them. Note, it's worth taking a look around the bus station at Didube station as many drivers will take you in a much smaller group (8 people) with 2 stops en route at Our Lady of Ananuri Church and Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument for 15 years lari (5 more than the standard rate - and it's worth considering for convenience!) (2018).

To get to the Sno Valley take a jeep from Kazbegi. It's a long and scary way, but it's really worth it.

Communication

The city is easy to get to on foot.

Worth seeing

St. Gergeti Trinity (ეკლესია სამების ეკლესია, also known as Tsminda Sameba). It towers over the town at an altitude of 2,170 m. Free entrance. No smoking, no photography allowed in the monastery. Decent clothes required. It can get very busy as crowds of people flock there in 4x4 taxis.
Alexander Kazbegi Museum. Tue-Sun 10: 00-18: 00.
Jute, Sno Valley.

It is worth a try

Holy Trinity Church

Climbing

Hiking is the best option to enjoy the views. This can be done all year round. It takes 1 to 2 hours each way and the difficulty depends on the path. While the easiest route is very simple, keep in mind that the climb is over 400 meters. All four paths are easy to follow.

Following the road: after the bridge, turn left and follow the road to the end about 6 km on. Duration: approximately 2 hours.
Via a (relatively) easy trail: after the bridge, turn left and follow the road for about a kilometer, almost at the end of a small village. You will see a sign for cars to turn right; do not turn right but walk to the end of your street about 100 meters. Then turn right, walk 10 meters, turn left and walk about 500 meters. Then you will meet the way again; turn left, walk the road for about 2 km until the trees suddenly disappear (and you will have a great view of the Kazbeg mountain). You will see a path on the left side; it is quite steep, although not difficult. In winter, avoid this part (continue your journey). After 5 minutes on this path, you will reach the "summit" and see the church. Go to the end. There are green / blue signs at each intersection so the path is very easy to find. Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes.
On a steep path. After the sign for cars to turn right, don't turn right but walk to the end of your street about 100 meters. Then turn left and walk! This path is very steep and cannot be used in winter. Duration: 1 hour.
On the left side of the "(relatively) easy trail" along the river is the fourth path. This seems counterintuitive as there is no slope to begin with, but you can move up the hill, slowly making your way up the hill, following the beautiful stream and helpful arrows painted on the rocks. Looking up you will see the other 2 non-road paths and feel like you did it wrong but when finished you will have a great view of the church from a distance with a mountain backdrop and you will be able to easily join the other 2 paths and feel glad you didn't you have to navigate too many steep hills compared to all the others.

Taxi

Many taxis (mostly in the main square) offer a return trip to Gergeti Trinity Church from Kazbegi for 40 lari. This is almost a scam as it is 6km from the city and a lot more fun to climb (see above). But if you are unable to walk that distance or in a hurry why not. Try to bargain as much as possible!

Other activities

Continue up the mountain along the path that begins behind the ridge to the beginning of the Gergeti Glacier (3,000 m).

Summer flowers near the Gergeti Glacier

Climb Kazbeg (5033 m) with a guide.
Walk in the wonderful Juta valley.
Kazbegi Marathon
Hire a mountain bike (Mountain Travel Agency - 995 55 64 92 91) and cycle towards the castle on the Russian border and visit the little valleys south of the city.

Shopping

There is now a new ATM at the Liberty Bank branch. It is 200 m from the main square and next to mini markets. The bank also exchanges money and opens around Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:30 also on Saturdays, but a bit shorter. The money changers in the main square have terrible rates.

Gastronomy

There are several restaurants in the city, it is easier and cheaper to get food in your guesthouse. Hotel Stepantsminda has a restaurant and a hotel next door.

There are only small shops just off the main square towards the "center" (big sign on the side of the square).

Bar - Karaoke - Kazbegi's COZY CORNER restaurant makes excellent grilled skewers (the veggie ones are amazing so there are vegetarian options!) And of course karaoke for later.

The hotel's cafe and restaurant, Shorena (just off the main square) offers decent food and drink prices and free Wi-Fi. English and French speaking staff. Update: The place is rather nice but the prices are unexpectedly high and the portions are very small (but the food itself is good as usual). For example - a chicken shish kebab costs 9 lari, but only contains 4 small pieces of chicken.

Accommodation

View of Kazbegi

Lots of families with old ladies flock to the arriving marshrutkas. Expect to pay 15 lari / person / night for a bed, 30 lari for dinner and breakfast. Most of the cheaper guesthouses and hostels are on the other side of the river. Walk a few hundred meters north, cross the bridge to the left, then turn left and then left after three hundred meters.

Hotel Stepantsminda on the main square.
B & B Iago Arabuli in Juta (nice apartment in Juta in the Sno valley, 40 lari per person with delicious Georgian food, tel. 593422951). A great starting point for hiking.
Anano's Guesthouse: newly added top floor with several rooms, private and shared bathroom. Less than 5 minutes walk from the main square. The family offers breakfast and dinner and even packs lunch for outings. 40 lari per person. email: [email protected] phone: 995 593 34 42 74.
Rooms Hotel Kazbegi, 1 V.gorgasali, Stepantsminda 4700, ☏ 995 32 240 00 99. Beautiful, luxurious hotel with a beautiful terrace overlooking the Caucasus Mountains. The hotel has a swimming pool, sauna, massage parlor and a mixed menu of European and Georgian cuisine. It also offers tours of nearby places. $ 150. Keep an eye out for discount codes ..
Rhezo Guest House, Gergeti, ☏ 995 599404090. Pension Rhezo - very good location and exceptionally tasty food. Solo Kazbek climbers' choice! 35 lari.
Kazbegi Mountain Hut, Gergeti, ☏ 995 99 180806, 995 99 497764. Accommodation for climbers; can organize guides, horses, porters, etc.
Ketino's Guesthouse, Qvemo Gergeti. 995 571 032439, 995 571 032439. One of the best guesthouses in Georgia. The older rooms are spacious with nice artwork. The value, however, is in food and Ketino itself. A stay can include a huge breakfast and a Georgian Supra (dinner) which includes flowing wine and chacha and fun amounts of food. Ketino is like a Georgian granny you never had who is concerned about the lack of socks and speaks good English. Tip: discuss the prices and what's included in Ketino before your arrival. $ 15-25.
Alpenhaus (at the back of town), 995 571 032439, 995 571 032439. A very peaceful bed and breakfast with mountain views and balconies to enjoy and the sounds of cows that will put you to sleep when you look out the window from your bed on a starry night. $ 70.

Security

Stepantsminda Medical Center is located behind several inactive buildings in the main building (opposite the Mountain Freaks agency). You can get essential medical services here, but they speak very little English. There is open Wi-Fi so you can use the translator app to describe the symptoms.

contact

Wifi is generally available and good.

Where next

Kazbek looms over the church

Russia - make sure your nationality allows you to cross the border before trying
Tbilisi - marshrutkas leave the main square. A few departures in the morning. In the afternoon, departures at 1.30 PM, 3.30 PM and 5.00 PM (last one). Price: 10 lari.

This website uses content from the website: [1] published on Wikitravel; authors: w editing history; Copyright: under license CC-BY-SA 1.0