Tbilisi to Kazbegi by car: route, stops and tips

Distance and driving time

From Tbilisi to Stepantsminda it is about 155 km, roughly 3 hours without stops. With stops for photos and lunch, plan a full day and leave Tbilisi by 8–9 am, especially in winter, when it gets dark early.

The route is simple: leave Tbilisi to the north past Mtskheta and follow the Georgian Military Road all the way to Stepantsminda.

Stops on the way

• Zhinvali Reservoir: a turquoise lake about an hour from Tbilisi, with viewpoints right by the road.
• Ananuri: a historic fortress with two churches on the shore of the reservoir.
• Pasanauri: a village known for its khinkali and a good place for lunch.
• Gudauri: Georgia’s biggest ski resort, at about 2,200 m.
• The Russia–Georgia Friendship Monument: a large semicircular viewpoint with colourful mosaics, just after Gudauri.
• Jvari Pass: the highest point of the road, 2,379 m.
• Gergeti Trinity Church: it stands above Stepantsminda at about 2,170 m, with Mount Kazbek behind it. A paved road leads up to the church, or you can walk up from the town in about 1–1.5 hours.

Side valleys

Some popular places near Kazbegi, such as the Truso Valley, are reached only by unpaved roads. Off-road driving is not allowed under our rental terms and is not covered by the insurance, so for these places take a local 4x4 tour from Stepantsminda.

Driving in winter

The road to Kazbegi is open all year, but the section between Gudauri and Kobi, over the Jvari Pass, can close for a few hours or days during heavy snow or avalanche risk. During snowfall the authorities may let cars through only with snow chains.

Our cars are fitted with winter tyres in winter. On the day of the trip, check the road status with the Roads Department of Georgia (georoad.ge) and start early, so you drive back in daylight. In winter, an SUV or a 4x4 gives extra confidence on snow: each car’s page shows whether it has four-wheel drive. See our cars.

Practical tips

• Start with a full tank and download offline maps: mobile signal can be weak in the mountains.
• The road is busy with trucks. Overtake only where you can see far ahead.
• Kazbegi is noticeably colder than Tbilisi: take a warm layer even in summer.
• Most people go and come back in a day, but a night in Stepantsminda lets you see Kazbek and the church at sunrise.

New to driving in Georgia? Read our rules and tips for driving in Georgia.