The Mountains

The soul of Georgia is in its mountains; they have protected us, haunted us and given us solace. It is no surprise that we build most of our churches on mountain peaks. It is always where our heart is. Even before Christianity, mountains were sacred places and the center of worship.

Our alpine lakes and valleys have long been our summer homes for noble and Shepard alike, a refuge from the buzz and hum of daily life below. We have always sought peace in our mountains, and now you can as well.

Georgia is an extremely mountainous country, certainly the most so in Europe. The rugged Caucasus Mountains stretch across the northern third, while central and south, the Lesser Caucasus Mountains dominate the landscape. Europe's highest point, (Mt. Elbrus) is located in the north of Georgia's reaching 18,841 ft. (5,633m).

Kazbegi is known for its extremely scenic church of the Holy Trinity, springing from the rock like a test of tenacity and faith. Svaneti is one of the most remote regions in Georgia and has the highest occupied village in Europe. Tusheti is known as a nature lovers dream, completely untouched by the modern world.

"To the natural beauties, the snowy peaks, the flowers and forests of the Svanetian landscape, man has added something. It is a land where every man's house is his castle. The meadows and the cultivated valleys are strewn with high white towers. In one spot a single tower stands isolated, in another they cluster in groups of fifty to eighty" Douglas W. Freshfield, The Exploration of the Caucasus, 1896.

Kazbegi is Georgia's most famous and picturesque mountain. It is the second tallest in Europe, with its peak at 5033 metres. Its white peak, known as the bride because it resembles a wedding veil, can be seen for hundreds of kilometres in either direction. Kazbegi is so huge it has fully seven different large glaciers descending down from its summit. Eagles and vultures constantly circle in the sky around it and in one hike it is possible to see all three of Georgia's endemic birds.

The magical town of Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi) sits at the base of Mt Kazbek. Perched above it like a fairytale castle, is the Sameba ("holy trinity") monastery and bell-tower that date back to the 14th century.

Walk up to the church and experience one of Georgia's classic day hikes, switch-backing from Gergeti village, drawing ever closer to the massive extinct volcano cone of Mt Kazbek living in eternal snows above.

Around Kazbegi you can also see:
Truso Gorge - a spectacular gorge opening up to a high altitude valley dotted with towers and springs, including a small, naturally carbonated lake.
Jutta - the high Khevsuretian village, entrance point for the spectacular rock-climbers haven, Chaukhi mountain.
Devdoraki - a dramatic gorge-walk leading up to one of Georgia's lower glacier tongues (at about 2500 metres).
Gergeti Trinity Church - This church complex is beautifully situated on the top of the hill nearby the township of Kazbegi, is the main chapel of the region. The bell-tower standing nearby is contemporary with the cross-domed Church of the Mother of God and creates a uniform complex together with it. Its impressive location, set before the stunning backdrop of the snow capped, 5033m high Mt. Kazbek (Mkinvartsveri), makes it a must see.