We booked a trip with Ushba Travel which is located near the Metekhi Bridge and set off on our day trip visiting the Caucasus Mountains at 9am. The cost of the trip was £30 for the both of us which was a great price. It didn’t include lunch but we came prepared with our own food and drink and set off in our minibus for our tour, excited for the day ahead. Interestingly, It was falsely believed in the 18th century that Europeans came from the Caucasus Mountains. If you were born north and west of here, you were likely to be white skinned, or caucasian, South and East, your origins and facial features were more likely to be Asian.
Ananuri Fortress Complex
The first stop on our tour was the Ananuri Fortress Complex which was about an hour outside of Tbilisi and 45km. Located on the Aragvi River in the Dusheti region of Georgia. Our stop here was quite brief but enough to get a few pictures.
Wine Tasting at Restaurant Gorda
The next stop was for wine tasting, always one of our favourite pastimes. We were excited to sample some traditional Georgian wine and whilst the tour appeared somewhat rushed we did enjoy it. Unfortunately travelling with just hand luggage does not allow for transportation of bottles over 100ml.
Some people chose to eat lunch here but we didn’t instead we sat outside and took in the views. After lunch it was time to head further up and into the Caucasus mountains.
Gergeti Trinity Church
The next stop was at the high altitude Gergeti Trinity Church. The views were fantastic and it was getting colder and snowier. The church is at an elevation of 2,170 metres and located near the village of Stepantsminda and under Mount Kazbek. It was thought to have been built in the 14th century and is a way point for serious hikers up the mountain. There was horse riding available but we didn’t partake.
Gudauri View Point
For the instagrammers amongst you or just the lovebirds, there is the ideal photo opportunity here, a love heart you can have your picture taken in with the stunning snowy mountainous background – when in Rome!
A quite difficult walk a short distance uphill in the snow led to the Friendship Arch which was build in 1983 to celebrate the friendship between Soviet Russia and Soviet Georgia. This arch is a heady 2,380 metres above sea level and the views of the Caucasus Mountains were just breathtaking!
Zhinvali Reservoir
Our time in the mountains was now over and it was time to head back to Tbilisi, however we had one final stop to make at the Zhinvali Reservoir. The reservoir is an artificial lake located 70 km from Tbilisi. It is fed from a dam from Zhinvali Reservoir is created by a dam at the confluence of Pshavi’s Aragvi and Mtiuleti’s Aragvi (White Aragvi). It’s a really pretty place surrounded by mountains and forests and was a perfect end to our trip.
Final Thoughts
For the price we paid and the absolutely amazing scenery this was great value for money and highly recommended. We liked the fact like a lot of tours you weren’t forced into eating at their chosen restaurant and there was plenty of time to wander around by ourselves and take photos of the beautiful scenery. If you have the time to spend a day visiting the Caucasus Mountains do it! You won’t be disappointed!
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Carol & Nigel x
April 2024
