Juta, or What to Do in Kazbegi in Warm Weather

Juta, or What to Do in Kazbegi in Warm Weather

Kazbegi, now Stepantsminda, and its surroundings are a treasure trove for travelers. There are numerous hiking trails, opportunities to venture into off-road terrain, and more.

Here, we invite you to explore a brief itinerary that happened to us during a couple of warm summer days.

Day One

On the first day, we traveled along the Military Georgian Road to Kazbegi, and I must say, this journey is worth attention. The road was established long ago, but it was renovated after the signing of the Georgievsk Treaty in 1783: they widened the road and set up postal stations. In honor of the 200th anniversary of this event, Zurab Tsereteli even created a memorial arch, which also serves as an observation platform. In 2018, repairs were made near it, and now it's convenient to approach the arch, and there is a suitable parking space for cars.

On the road, it is recommended to stop at the Zhinvali Reservoir - the water there is azure blue. It used to be a quarry that eventually turned into a lake. The water from it supplies Tbilisi.

Certainly, the medieval fortress of Ananuri is worth attention. It belonged to the Aragvi eristavis - princes who ruled the Aragvi River valley.

The road itself is picturesque, so you won't be bored. It's a scenic drive.

After the aforementioned arch, we reached the highest point of the Cross Pass, 2356 meters, and started descending into the Kobi Valley. Another good stopping point is the mountain where mineral springs flow down. They are rich in iron, giving the slope an orange-rusty color. You can see it when the snow has melted or hasn't fallen yet. In winter, this section is covered with snow, and cars pass through special tunnels.

In the end, we arrived in Kazbegi, Stepantsminda. From here, if you're lucky, Mount Kazbek is perfectly visible. If you're lucky - because this mountain is often referred to as "bashful," its peak is frequently hidden under a cap of clouds.

We stayed in the hotel after the journey. By the way, this is a separate topic.

There is a hotel called Rooms Kazbegi, which you must visit, even if only for coffee. It has a huge terrace with a view of the mountains and Mount Kazbek itself. You can see the Holy Trinity Church in Gergeti. The price is above average, with an additional 18% added to the bill, but you can buy a coffee for 6-7 lari (2-3$) or a teapot of tea. The menu includes a dessert called "Soviet Honey Cake Medok," which is quite amusing.

There are hotels slightly more budget-friendly but still with excellent quality; the views will be no less breathtaking: Green Sheep, Alpine Kazbegi, and others.

Everything else consists of guesthouses, starting from $15 and above. You might find ones that include breakfast, which will typically be standard - eggs, khachapuri, coffee. Often, foreign trekkers prefer this option.

It's important to remember that during the summer season, everything gets booked up quickly, so it's essential to arrange accommodation in advance.

 

Day Two

On the second day, we headed to the mountain: above the village of Gergeti stands the Holy Trinity Church at an altitude of 2170 meters. It's a male monastery with a church and a bell tower. The monastery itself is fenced off with a sign that says "do not enter."

Even if Mount Kazbek is hidden, the views are breathtaking: below, there's the large village, and beyond it, a range of mountains. To the left, it stretches towards the Daryal Gorge. You can hike up to the church or take a car. In 2019, they opened a new road, which can be accessed even with a regular car. There are steep slopes on the ascent, but overall, it's manageable. If you're in a group, you can approach the guys at the bottom of the village who operate off-road vehicles - they can take you up for a reasonable price, 70 lari for a car of 7 people (25$ for everyone).

After that, we headed to the village of Juta with the intention of climbing the mountain and reaching the plateau. You need to drive towards the Sno Valley, which is a 10-minute drive from Kazbegi. Then, continue along the road for about 20-30 minutes. The views are wonderful. We made stops along the way for photos. Below, there's a gorge, and opposite, a waterfall flows.

We arrived in Juta, parked the car, and started climbing the mountain. At some point, you begin to get frustrated with yourself for what seems like a foolish endeavor. Your legs slip, and you risk stumbling into the dense vegetation. But when you reach the top, you forget about everything. Huge expanses, incredibly clean air, slopes, and mountains in the distance.

We reached the plateau at an altitude of about 2200 meters, found a cafe where the second floor was a hostel. On their territory, you could pitch a tent, and if you paid, you could use the shower and toilet. The prices were more than reasonable. There was also a separate hotel with five rooms, featuring panoramic windows overlooking the valley.

We changed into comfortable clothes and settled down to drink wine and enjoy "mkhlovani" – khachapuri with herbs.

We didn't venture further. However, there is a trail right across the plateau leading to Mount Chaukhi. They say that further, about 4 km away, there are lakes. Locals on horses are available to take you to those beautiful places. So, staying there for a couple of days to relax and unwind is definitely worth it!

We stayed on the plateau for 2 hours, and the entire trip to Juta took us around 4 hours.

 

Day Three

On the third day, we headed to the Daryal Gorge and the Gveleti Waterfalls.

The gorge itself is picturesque, and there's a spot where you can reach an observation point. Here, the road also leads to the border with Russia.

Near the border, they've built a temple complex not so long ago, which also houses a library. All of this is associated with the residence of Patriarch Ilia II.

To reach the waterfalls, we turned back a bit from the Gveleti sign and went uphill. The road is only suitable for off-road vehicles. Even they stay at the parking lot, and we climbed up the trail marked with signs. You can go to the small waterfalls or the big ones. We went to the big one. The trail is decent, although it involves climbing over rocks, etc. The height of the waterfall is 25 meters. It's cool near the waterfall, so if it's not hot, it's better to bring raincoats and dress warmly. And, of course, wear suitable hiking shoes.

And one more interesting place we didn't mention is the Truso Gorge! We headed there. To reach it, you need to drive to the village of Kobi, turn right, and head towards South Ossetia. The road here is only accessible by off-road vehicles, so if you arrived in your regular car, it's better to ask for help from the local residents with jeeps and Delicas.

After that, we returned to Tbilisi. If you drive without stops, the journey takes 2.5 hours.

That was our story. Below, there is a bonus in the form of video materials. 🙂

 

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A day trip to Kazbegi is also available.

 

Have a pleasant journey!