A short trek over the town of Stepantsminda in Georgia

A relaxing trip in the Stepantsmindy area below Mount Kazbeg

Starting point

The town of Stepantsminda in the northern part of Georgia. From Tbilisi it is possible to arrive by marshrutka.
 

Description of the hike

After a more difficult crossing of the Chauchi saddle we decided to take a short trip around the town of Stepantsminda. Even the weather forecast called for heavy thunderstorms after lunch, which was another reason for just a short trip. So the ideal destination is the church above the town.

From the square in Stepantsminda we walked through the dug up streets to its outskirts. Even this road already leads uphill. We continued along a wide path that took us into a beautiful pine forest. We continued to climb up the forest path to the foot of the mountains. We crossed the road and followed the path up to the little church. It is newer, but still has its charm. From the church we climbed further up the meadow to a gully created by soil erosion. The views from this point are of the entire Stepantsmindy valley. In good weather, Mount Kazbeg would also be beautiful to see. After a short rest we returned to Stepantsminda. The first part of the route was the same as the climb, we did a little walk in the pine forest to the edge of the ravine and along it we reached the town where we had a good lunch and some beer.
 

Difficulty

We had this trip as a relaxing one and it fulfilled its purpose. The route is short. There is some climbing, but it is not difficult. It is on wide forest paths or footpaths.
 

Water availability

The route is short, only 0.5 litres of water per person. In the town of Stepantsminda there are several pubs where you can refill your fluids:-)
 

Sleeping options

The town of Stepantsminda offers a large variety of private accommodation.
 

Mountain peaks

There is no peak on the route. The view of the Stepantsminda valley is still beautiful, and in good weather you can see the Kazbeg mountain with the Holy Trinity Church in Gergeti above the valley.
 

Danger

This is a simple hike along forest trails or mountain paths. The only danger is the edges of the cracks, where there is a risk of breaking off due to soil erosion.
 

Food

The route is short, just a small snack. Restaurants and shops are in Stepantsminda.