Georgia is not a small country and with just 5 days there, I obviously couldn’t see it all. So, I booked three day trips to see the some of the most famous and picturesque places in the country. Our first day trip was a private tour to visit the north of the country, to see the Kazbegi Mountains, Gergeti Trinity Church, Ananuri Fortress and the Russian Georgian Friendship monument.
TIP: Thinking of renting a car for this drive? I don’t recommend it!
The journey is quite precarious, with the longest back-to-back line of trucks I’ve seen. The drive is along the Georgian military highway, and it’s along this route that trucks transport goods to and from Russia. It’s only one lane each way, and unless you are familiar with it, how to navigate it and when to overtake, you could be stuck for hours!
I read all about this before we booked, so immediately took the self drive option off the table. Even with our private driver we were stuck in traffic for over an hour as there are certain areas where they only allow traffic on one direction. But don’t let this put you off. The beauty of this area is truly majestic. Our first stop on our trip was the Zhinvali Reservoir.
Zhinvali Reservoir
Located about 70km from Tbilisi is this picturesque artificial lake, that was created primarily for hydroelectric power, as well as water supply for Tbilisi and flood control. Just off the road, there’s a great spot to take some beautiful photos of the lake with the snowcapped Caucasus mountins in the background. Locals have also created some purpose made Instagram props, so be on the lookout if you want some great photo opportunities.
A quick stop here and we decided to make the long drive to Stepantsminda. It’s only 63km, but with all the traffic and the winding narrow rounds up the mountains it takes around 2+hours. The bonus is that the drive through the snowcapped Caucasus Mountains is beautiful.


Gergeti Trinity Church
We arrived in Stepantsminda and had to transfer from our car to a 4-wheel drive vehicle in order to get to the Gergeti Trinity Church. You will need cash to pay for this extra drive which was about £15. These are experienced drivers that make this journey multiple times a day.
The drive is not for the faint hearted, as it’s a steep drive up a narrow snow covered and icy road that snakes up the side of a mountain. We went in late April and the climb from the parking lot up to the church was still snow covered. Ill-prepared with only a light jacket and wearing our inappropriate footwear too (trainers) we had to carefully climb our way up to the top. No joke there were people literally sliding down as we walked up.
The church is located 2170 m (7120ft) up on the slopes of Mount Kazbek and is not only one of the top tourist attractions in Georgia but also one of the most photographed. Once you get here you will understand why. Standing beneath the towering Mount Kazbek with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes – it is truly a dramatic setting.
This 14th century church standing in the midst of the Caucasus Mountains has led to its recognition as one of the most beautiful churches in the world.
TIPS: Plan for appropriate footwear and outer layers; bring cash for the required extra driver to reach the top (unless you are prepared to trek it). As of now you are allowed to fly drones, but as it’s very windy this high up, you just have to be extra careful your drone doesn’t fly away forever.



Stepantsminda and Rooms Kazbegi
Stepantsminda was historically a key stop on the ancient Silk Road and a strategic point between Europe and Asia. Today it is a small mountain town in northeastern Georgia, best known as the gateway to Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church.
Our stop in this town was a quick visit to the only 5 star hotel, called Rooms Kazbegi for lunch. Not only was the food here delicious, the view of Mount Kazbek and the church was epic! The hotel has a beautiful outside terrace which is the perfect place to sit, relax and soak in the surrounding beauty.

Russian Georgian Friendship Monument
It’s hard to miss this monument which almost seems out of place stuck in the middle of nowhere along the Georgian Military Highway between the ski resort town of Gudauri and the Jvari Pass. It’s striking, extremely colorful and features seven towering concrete columns and an expansive tile mural that spans the entire inner circumference.
The murals depict scenes which highlight significant events and figures from Georgian and Russian history. It’s situated on an elevated position that provides some incredible panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including the Devil’s Valley below. The monument was completed in 1983 to commemorate the bicentennial of the 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk, which was symbolic of the alliance between the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, which later became part of Soviet Georgia.
TIPS: There is no entrance fee to visit and the site is open 24 hours.
We also brought our drone and were able to get some pretty incredible footage of not only the monument, but the surrounding mountains and valley below.


Ananuri Fortress
Out last stop on the tour was to the Ananuri Fortress, which is located on the shores of the Zhinvali Reservoir. The fortress dates back to the 16th–17th centuries. It was the seat of the Aragvi Eristavi dynasty that controlled the valley and protected the main trade and military route between Georgia and Russia.
The complex is not too large, but does include two churches, a watchtower, and residential buildings, all surrounded by fortified walls. The history of this place includes many battles, however, despite the bloodshed, the fortress remained a strategic and symbolic stronghold until it was eventually absorbed into the expanding Russian Empire.
There are beautiful views from the fortress looking out on to the turquoise waters of the reservoir, and as a bonus we were the only visitors there. It’s free to enter and there are a few buildings you can go inside, but at this stage in the day we were pretty exhausted, so we didn’t venture in them all. However just walking around the complex itself was pretty incredible.
We were able to use our drone here too and were rewarded with some pretty epic views of the fortress and surrounding area.


Wrap up
I really enjoyed this day trip and highly recommend it. Despite it being a very long day with some frustrations and challenges with traffic, the sites we visited were truly majestic and made it all worth it.
Seeing the snowcapped Caucasus mountains and the towering Mount Kazbek was amazing! I would advise to check the weather before you go, wear some layers, hiking shoes or at least shoes with good grip, have some cash, and be prepared for some unexpected and possibly frustrating traffic.
Interested in doing the same tour? Check out the day trip on ViaTour.