Tbilisi – Stepantsminda: A Private Two-Day Tour to Kazbegi

Couples, families and small groups of up to 4 who value comfort, clear logistics and time for stops rather than a box-ticking rush. The two-day format suits both first-time visitors to the mountains and those who want to experience Kazbegi more deeply than a day trip allows.

The base format is 2 days — around 34 hours from departure in Tbilisi to the return. Tbilisi to Stepantsminda along the Georgian Military Highway is roughly 150 km; pure driving time is about 3–3.5 hours each way, but with stops the road fills a whole day — which is exactly the point of the two-day format.

The tour starts in Tbilisi with pickup at your hotel or address. The exact pickup point and start time are agreed via WhatsApp at booking.

Day 1 is the drive from Tbilisi: Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, an optional lunch in Pasanauri, Jvari Pass and the Friendship Arch, short stops in the Kazbegi region as conditions allow, and an overnight in Gudauri. Day 2 covers Stepantsminda, Gergeti Trinity Church with views of Mount Kazbek and the return to Tbilisi. The guide adjusts the order of stops to weather and road conditions.

The overnight is at the mountain resort of Gudauri (with the 3-day extension, the second night is in Stepantsminda). Accommodation is not part of the base price unless it is explicitly included in your confirmed plan — the lodging option and its cost are agreed at booking.

A comfortable private car with driver for your group only, a guide, a carefully planned route with photo stops at viewpoints (when conditions allow), safety-focused organisation with clear timing, and coordination of all details before confirmation.

Meals and drinks (lunch in Pasanauri is optional and at your own expense), accommodation unless it is explicitly included in your confirmed plan, tickets and activities not agreed in advance, plus personal expenses and souvenirs. Add-on activities in Gudauri are booked and paid separately.

1399 GEL per car for 1–2 people and 1699 GEL for 3–4 people; the 3-day extension is +499 GEL. A deposit secures the booking — 450 GEL / 150 EUR per group; the balance is paid in cash on the tour day — to your driver or at Café Bar PILOT, depending on where the tour starts. The deposit can be paid by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer or Bank of Georgia.

The tour is private: only your party of 1–4 guests in the car, no strangers. You travel in a comfortable car with a driver — the route is operated by licensed partner carriers and guides, while SkyAtlantida organises and coordinates the trip.

Dates for any season are agreed at booking. In winter the Georgian Military Highway and Jvari Pass can close because of snowfall and avalanche risk — usually for hours, occasionally a day or two; the guide/carrier makes the safety call, and if the road is closed your booking is moved to another date with no loss of deposit. Access to Gergeti Trinity Church in winter also depends on road conditions.

Layers and a warm jacket even in summer — at the pass (around 2,400 m) and at Gergeti it is noticeably colder and windier than in Tbilisi; comfortable shoes, sun protection, water, your passport, and cash for lunch and small purchases (not every mountain café takes cards). In winter add a hat, gloves and shoes with a good grip. For the church, cover your shoulders and knees.

Yes, children travel with their parents — families often choose this very format. Ask for a child seat when booking. The road is winding: if your child gets car-sick, bring the usual remedies and ask the guide for more frequent breaks — the two-day pace allows for it.

Guiding is available in Russian or English — let us know your preferred language when booking.

Yes. Before confirmation you can discuss the group, pickup point, pace and the basic logic of the route — for example, choose a slower format with more stops. In Gudauri you can add quad bikes, buggies, paragliding, horse riding, rafting (year-round; winter 5 Dec – 1 Apr: 12:00–16:00, 30-min route only) or ski school in winter — all booked and paid separately and subject to season, weather and available time.

Yes — for +499 GEL on top of the tour price you add one more night in the mountains, in Stepantsminda. Day 3 brings hidden viewpoints and lesser-known spots (time and conditions permitting), optional local food and wine, and a peaceful morning with sunrise over the Caucasus.

In bad weather or if the road is closed, the trip is rescheduled to another date free of charge. If rescheduling is impossible, the deposit is refunded minus payment-system fees within 5–10 business days. Individual stops (Gergeti, the Darial Gorge, waterfalls) may drop out of the programme depending on conditions — safety always comes first.

The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel after confirmation, do not show up, or arrive so late that the tour cannot start as scheduled. Exceptions are cancellations due to unsafe weather or for safety/operational reasons — then the deposit is refunded. Full details are in the Terms and Conditions and the Refund Policy on the site.

Message us on WhatsApp with your preferred dates, number of guests, pickup point and your name. The team confirms availability, agrees the structure of the trip and sends deposit instructions; once the deposit is paid, your booking is fixed. We reply daily from 09:00 to 21:00 (GMT+4), usually within about 30 minutes.

The church stands on a hill at around 2,170 m above Stepantsminda; a road leads up, and in normal conditions guests go up by car — access depends on weather and road conditions. Inside, the usual dress code for Georgian churches applies: covered shoulders and knees, a headscarf for women (usually available to borrow at the entrance), and hats off for men.

No, lunch is optional: a stop at a local café serving traditional Georgian food is planned on day one, and you choose and pay for your dishes on the spot. The cost depends on what you order; carry some cash in lari just in case.

The summit (over 5,000 m) is often hidden by clouds, especially in the afternoon; your best chance is early morning in clear weather. The two-day format helps here: on day two you start from the mountains rather than from Tbilisi, so you reach Gergeti ahead of the day-trip groups.

Gudauri and Stepantsminda have mobile coverage and ATMs, though the signal can drop at the pass and in the gorges. Small cafés and guesthouses often take cash only, so it is best to withdraw lari in Tbilisi beforehand.