A winter day-trip from Tbilisi to Kazbegi, hour by hour
The realistic schedule, including the Jvari Pass photo stop and how long Gergeti actually takes in snow.
A winter day-trip to Kazbegi works if you leave Tbilisi by 07:00 and accept that the final hike up to Gergeti Trinity Church takes longer in snow. Here is the schedule that actually fits a day: 07:00 depart Tbilisi, 09:30 photo stop at the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument, 11:00 arrive Stepantsminda, 11:30 start the Gergeti walk-up.
In deep snow the walk up from Gergeti village takes 90 minutes rather than the summer 60. A 4x4 taxi to the final switchbacks saves an hour; the drivers wait at the lower square and charge 60 GEL round trip.
Lunch back in Stepantsminda at 14:30, Dariali Gorge quick stop at 15:30, Tbilisi by 19:00 with a buffer for the pass. If you want to split it over two days, book a night at a Stepantsminda guesthouse and come back fresh.
By georgiawinter editorial
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