Kazbegi National Park is located on the northern slopes of the mighty Caucasus range, and its protected area covers a total of over 8.700 hectares. At 5.047 metres above sea level, Kazbegi Mountain (or Mkinvartsveri) is the third highest mountain in Georgia, and is surrounded with myths and religious stories.

According to the Greek myth, as punishment for teaching mankind how to make fire, the Titan Prometheus was chained to a mountainside in the Caucasus for all eternity. According to Georgian stories, it was the icy slopes of Kazbegi to which he was chained. Prometheus (known as Amirani in Georgia) was apparently imprisoned in a cave 4.000 meters up. The cave, now called Betlemi (Bethlehem), later served as a dwelling for orthodox monks, and was said to contain many sacred relics, including Abraham’s tent and Christ’s manger.

Hot springs, acidic and carbonated lakes surround the mountain, and earth tremors are fairly frequent. Covered with 135 square kilometres of glacier, Kazbegi is a great place for ice climbing and mountaineering. The Darial Gorge is an almost impossibly steep cleft in the mountains connecting Russia and Georgia, running for 18km from Stepantsminda to the Russian border at Zemo Larsi.

For millennia, this mountain passage has been strategically crucial, and has been fortified since at least 150 BC. In places, the cliff faces are more than 1,000m high, and medieval watchtowers, waterfalls and wildlife make this one of the most incredible roads in the world. The steep valleys either side of the gorge are great places for bird watching. Eagles, hawks and the massive griffon vultures all nest among the rocky outcrops.

1. Stephantsminda Historic Museum
The Museum is located in the memorial house of the Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi (1848-1890). Together with the library and personal belongings of the writer, the museum houses ethnographical artefacts typical for the region; archaeological exhibits; religious relics; books and various works of the local artists.
Address: Aleksandre Kazbegi str. 2

2. Gergeti Trinity Church
The architectural complex of the XIV century is located in Gergeti village, 6 km from the town of Stepantsminda, at a height of 2200 m. The complex includes Holy Trinity Cathedral, constructed in the XIV century, the bell tower built in the XIV century and the clergy houses of the XV century.

3. Gveleti Waterfall
The waterfall is located in Gveleti, 7 km from the town of Stepantsminda. Upon your arrival, you’ll have to pass through Dariali Gorge, from which a narrow footpath leads the way to the Gveleti waterfall.

4. Devdoraki Glacier

A hiking trail leading to the glacier, starts in Stephantsminda and follows the Dariali Gorge. Along the way you will see the Gveleti waterfall, as well as a birch forest and wide variety of plants typical for the Alpine zone.

5. Dariali Gorge

The gorge begins at the confluence of the river Chkheri (close to Stepantsminda) and ends near upper Lars. The Gorge itself is 11 km long. The confluence of Kabakhi and Khda rivers is the most narrow and rocky part of the gorge. You will also have an opportunity to see the Georgian Orthodox Cathedral, which is located within the gorge.

6. Upper Truso Gorge
You will encounter plenty of historic and cultural monuments on the territory of the Gorge; abandoned
villages, deposited sediments from mineral waters, glacial and river deposits. Truso Gorge is rich in carbonated mineral waters. You can also find birch forests throughout.

7. Gorge of Khdi

The Gorge is located in the northern part of Georgia, near the border of Lars. This area is mostly visited by Mountain climbers. To get to the place you’ll have to pass through the Dariali Gorge, where a hiking trail passes a newly built monastery complex and leads through the riverbed of Brolistskali. The distance from Stepantsminda to the monastery is about 11 km and the length of the footpath is approximately 17 km.

8. Gorge of Artkhmo
The gorge begins at the village of Akhaltsikhe (The Sno Gorge) and stretches along a riverbed of Artkhmostsqali.
Here you can visit ancient abandoned villages: Miguda and Artkhmo, also see beautiful waterfalls.
Akhaltsikhe is a small town located 10 km away from Stepantsminda.

9. Village Sno
The settlement is located about 5 km from Stepantsminda, this is the place where the Patriarchy residence
is located. There is also a church in the courtyard of the residence.

10. Juta
The village of Juta is one of the highest settlements (2200 m) in the municipality of Kazbegi and is located 24 km from Stephantsminda (8 km – paved road, while the rest 16 km is a dirt road). The mountain range of Chaukhi, located nearby the village, is situated on the main ridge of the Caucasus mountain range, at the source of the river Bakurkhevi.