Mountains of Georgia
The mountains of Georgia fill the north of the country, where the Greater Caucasus runs from the Black Sea to the Caspian, and a private driver can take you into most of them.
Up the Georgian Military Highway from Tbilisi are Kazbegi and Gergeti church under Mount Kazbek, the Truso valley with its mineral springs, Juta under the jagged Chaukhi peaks, and Gudauri for skiing. Further east, the fortress village of Shatili in Khevsureti and the towers of Omalo in Tusheti sit at the end of long mountain roads. In the west, Upper Svaneti keeps its medieval towers in Mestia and Ushguli. Gentler and lower are Bakuriani above Borjomi, Goderdzi and Beshumi in mountain Adjara, and Bakhmaro in Guria, above a sea of clouds.
Summer opens everything. The roads to Tusheti and Khevsureti are open only from about June to October, and winter belongs to the ski resorts.
Kazbegi, Truso and Gudauri are day trips from Tbilisi. Khevsureti takes two days and Tusheti three, and Svaneti is usually reached from Kutaisi. Several of these roads are unpaved or rough, so we send a car suited to the road and the season. Before you book, you see your driver, the car and one fixed price for the whole car.
Day trips from 230 ₾ per carTransfers from 100 ₾ per car
Places to go
3–5 daysSvaneti
Mestia
Upper Svaneti: medieval towers, glacier valleys and the Ushguli villages, the highest in Europe.
8 h 50 min from TbilisiViewfrom545 ₾
2–4 daysSamtskhe-Javakheti
Bakuriani
The family ski resort in a pine forest, gentler and lower than Gudauri.
3 h 10 min from TbilisiViewfrom255 ₾
2–4 daysKhevi and Mtiuleti
Gudauri
Georgia's biggest ski resort, two hours from Tbilisi on the Military Highway.
2 h 40 min from TbilisiViewfrom215 ₾
1–2 daysKhevi and Mtiuleti
Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)
The Gergeti Trinity Church under Mount Kazbek (5,054 m), up the Military Highway.
3 h 25 min from TbilisiViewfrom245 ₾
2–3 daysAdjara
Goderdzi
Adjara's pass at 2,025 m — a young ski resort in winter, alpine meadow in summer.
5 h from TbilisiView
3–4 daysTusheti
Tusheti
Slate towers at Omalo, over the Abano pass, a rough mountain road open roughly June to October.
5 h 45 min from TbilisiView
2–3 daysKhevsureti
Khevsureti
Shatili's fortress village on the Chechen border, reached by a single mountain road.
4 h 45 min from TbilisiView
1 dayKhevi and Mtiuleti
Truso Valley
A wild valley of mineral springs, travertine terraces and empty stone villages beyond Kobi.
3 h 45 min from TbilisiView
1–2 daysKhevi and Mtiuleti
Juta
One of Georgia's highest villages, under the jagged Chaukhi peaks, up a dirt road off the Military Highway.
4 h from TbilisiViewfrom250 ₾
2–3 daysGuria
Bakhmaro
Guria's high mountain resort at 1,900 m — alpine meadows above a sea of clouds.
5 h 35 min from TbilisiView
2–3 daysAdjara
Beshumi
Adjara's summer resort at 1,850 m — fir forest, alpine meadows and cool mountain air.
7 h 20 min from TbilisiView
Tours that go there
Goderdzi ski day
A day at the Goderdzi resort near the pass at about 2,000 metres in mountain Adjara, known for heavy snow and good freeride.
From Batumi216 km · 5 h 20 min drivingViewfrom230 ₾
Gudauri ski day
A winter day at Georgia's largest ski resort, up the Georgian Military Highway past Ananuri, with lifts reaching around 3,300 metres.
From Tbilisi243 km · 4 h 40 min drivingViewfrom235 ₾
Truso valley
A day into the Truso valley near Kobi, past mineral springs, travertine and abandoned villages to the ruined Zakagori fortress.
From Tbilisi289 km · 6 h 30 min drivingViewfrom240 ₾
Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) & Gergeti Day Trip
The Georgian Military Highway past Ananuri and the Jvari Pass to Stepantsminda, and a church at 2,170 metres below Mount Kazbek.
From Tbilisi326 km · 7 h drivingViewfrom250 ₾
Bakuriani day trip
A mountain resort at about 1,700 metres above Borjomi, with gentle family slopes in winter and quiet forest walks in summer.
From Tbilisi369 km · 6 h 10 min drivingViewfrom260 ₾
Khevsureti and Shatili in two days
Over the Datvisjvari pass to Shatili, a fortified stone village near the Chechnya border, with a night in a Khevsureti guesthouse.
From Tbilisi306 km · 8 h 40 min drivingViewfrom410 ₾
Hatsvali ski, two days
Drive up to Mestia on day one, ski at Hatsvali above the town on day two with Mount Ushba in view, then back to Kutaisi.
From Kutaisi443 km · 14 h 10 min drivingViewfrom405 ₾
Tusheti in three days
Over the Abano pass, one of the most dramatic roads in the Caucasus, to the towers of Omalo and the stone village of Dartlo.
From Tbilisi504 km · 20 h 50 min drivingViewfrom630 ₾
Upper Svaneti: Mestia and Ushguli in three days
Svan tower houses in Mestia, then Ushguli at about 2,100 metres under Mount Shkhara, from Kutaisi over three days.
From Kutaisi523 km · 16 h 50 min drivingViewfrom575 ₾
Transfers there
From the airports
From Tbilisi
- Tbilisi → Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)from 245 ₾
- Tbilisi → Gudaurifrom 215 ₾
- Tbilisi → Mestiafrom 545 ₾
- Tbilisi → Bakurianifrom 255 ₾
- Tbilisi → Jutafrom 250 ₾
From Kutaisi
- Kutaisi → Mestiafrom 240 ₾
From other places
- Zugdidi → Mestiafrom 250 ₾
Show all 21 transfers
From the airports
- Kutaisi International Airport → Mestiafrom 245 ₾
- Batumi International Airport → Goderdzifrom 220 ₾
- Batumi International Airport → Mestiafrom 360 ₾
From Kutaisi
- Kutaisi → Bakurianifrom 215 ₾
From Batumi
- Batumi → Goderdzifrom 220 ₾
- Batumi → Mestiafrom 355 ₾
From other places
- Borjomi → Bakurianifrom 100 ₾
- Gudauri → Kazbegi (Stepantsminda)from 245 ₾
- Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) → Gudaurifrom 245 ₾
Questions
- Which mountain areas need a 4x4?
- You don't have to choose one yourself: we send a car suited to the road and the season. The roads to Tusheti, Khevsureti, Truso and Juta are rough or unpaved, while Kazbegi, Gudauri and Mestia are reached on paved mountain roads.
- When is the Tusheti road open?
- The road over the Abano pass is open roughly from June to October, depending on the snow. Outside those months Tusheti can't be reached by car.
- Can I do Kazbegi in a day?
- Yes. The Kazbegi and Gergeti day trip goes from Tbilisi up the Military Highway past Ananuri and brings you back the same evening. In heavy snow the road can close at short notice; if it does, we move the trip or refund it.
- Can we spend several days in the mountains?
- Yes. There are longer trips: Khevsureti in two days and Tusheti in three from Tbilisi, and Hatsvali and Upper Svaneti from Kutaisi. Each tour page says what is and isn't included.
- Can I go straight from the airport to the mountains?
- Yes. There are transfers from Tbilisi airport to Kazbegi and Gudauri, and from Kutaisi airport to Mestia. Give your flight number when you book: your driver checks the landing time, and a late flight is never a no-show.