The route along the Daryal gorge

If you are staying in Tbilisi or Kakheti, then the route along the Daryal Gorge will allow you to see all the beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. This is the only gorge where you can drive through the Main Caucasian Ridge and see the snow-capped peaks of the mountains, very beautiful gorges, the Cross Pass. A tour of the Daryal Gorge will not leave you indifferent.

To visit the Daryal gorge, you need to plan at least two days, and preferably more. You can stay overnight at the hotel in the village of Stepantsminda at the foot of Mount Kazbek. From here you can make several short trips. 

Start your tour of the Daryal Gorge in the Ananuri fortress, and finish at the Daryal Monastery on the border with Russia. The distance of this route: exactly 100 km.

There are a lot of interesting places in the Daryal Gorge, but the Geomerid online guide recommends that you definitely visit 8 of them:
1. Ananuri Fortress
2. The Cross Pass
3. Terek River Valley
4. Monastery of the Holy Trinity Gergetis
5. Mount Kazbek
6. Gveleti Waterfall
7. Daryal Monastery
8. The Castle of Queen Tamara

1.    Ananuri Fortress

The medieval fortress of Ananuri is located at the entrance to the Daryal Gorge on the southern slope of the Caucasian ridge. It is located 70 kilometers north of Tbilisi. Ananuri Fortress is located at the place where the small Vetzathevi River flows into the White Aragvi. There are two Christian temples in the Ananuri Fortress.

In the 18th century, the fortress acquired an appearance that has survived to this day, but now we can only see the upper part of the fortress. The buildings below are destroyed. The ancient city of Zhinvali was located below the fortress, however, in 1985 it was flooded as a result of the construction of the Zhinvali hydroelectric dam.

2. The Cross Pass

Cross Pass is the highest point of the Daryal Gorge above sea level. Its height reaches 2379 meters. Here travelers cross the Main Caucasian Ridge. The Terek River flows to the north of the pass, and the White Aragvi River flows to the south. The road on the pass is a rather complicated serpentine. The main attraction on the pass is the Peoples' Friendship Arch.

The Friendship Arch was created by the Georgian architect Zurab Tsereteli. It is a monument on the edge of a cliff, with mosaic panels in the Georgian style. This arch is also an observation deck of the Cross Pass. It offers a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains, as well as the Valley of the White Aragvi River.

3.    Terek River Valley

The valley of the Terek River in the Daryal gorge is one of the most beautiful places. The river originates in the Trusovsky Gorge and flows from the northern slope of the Caucasian Ridge into the Caspian Sea.

The largest settlement in the Terek River Valley is Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi). It is a mountain resort, where there are many trails for trekking. To the north of Stepantsminda, the Terek riverbed remains wide, and the mountain valley narrows. Then the mountains close into a narrow canyon.

4. Monastery of the Holy Trinity Gergetis

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity Gergeti is located on a mountain above the village of Stepantsminda in the Daryal Gorge. It is clearly visible against the background of Mount Kazbek. Previously, it was possible to get to it only on foot or by SUV, but in 2018 a nice road  was laid to the Gergeti monastery. This place is called one of the most beautiful in Georgia.

The main temple of the Gergeti Monastery is the Trinity Church. In Georgian, it is called Gergetis Tsminda Sameba. It has a traditional cross-domed structure for Georgian Orthodox churches. The church preserved from the 14th century to this day without changes.

5. Mount Kazbek

Mount Kazbek is the second highest peak in Georgia (5033 meters), after Mount Shkhara (5193m), but its beauty impresses all tourists. Many people consider Kazbek one of the symbols of Georgia.

From Trinity Church there are several trails for trekking along the slopes of Mount Kazbek. There are very beautiful places here, but, of course, we are talking about tracking of high complexity. The farthest route is the path from the monastery to the Gergeti glacier.

6. Gveleti Waterfall

Gveleti Waterfall is located near the border crossing between Georgia and Russia. If you have a car, then you can visit it yourself. The height of the Gveleti waterfall reaches 25 meters, at the same time, the path to the waterfall, which goes through a picturesque gorge, is of no less interest.

To visit the Gveleti Waterfall, you need to drive 8 kilometers from Stepantsminda north to the village of Gveleti. Turning left, park directly at the main road, and then go to the Gveleti Waterfall on foot.

7.    Daryal Monastery

The Daryal Monastery of Archangels Michael and Gabriel is located in the narrowest part of the Daryal Gorge. A rock rises above it, where a fortress was built in ancient times, which in the 19th century Mikhail Lermontov called the Castle of Queen Tamara. Now the state border between Russia and Georgia is located here.

The Daryal Monastery is located in the most beautiful place of the Daryal gorge. The mountains close over the Terek River. A canyon no more than 100 meters wide remains between them.

8. The Castle of Queen Tamara

The castle of Queen Tamara towers over the southern exit from the Daryal gorge. This place is referred to in ancient chronicles as the Alan Gate or the Sarmatian Gate. The military fortification made it possible to control a very important trade road between the north and south Caucasus.

The ruins of this castle are now visible from the Daryal Monastery, which in 2005 was built at the exit of the Daryal Gorge at the Upper Lars checkpoint, on the border of Georgia and Russia. It is impossible to approach the ruins of the Castle of Queen Tamara, since it is located on the opposite side of the Terek River from the monastery.