Stepandsminda
The northern areas of Georgia are a must on a roadtrip. Mountains of over 5000 meters and beautiful scenery are easy to get spellbound.
The road up to Stepandsminda is the infamous Georgian Military Road. Known as a realy bad road. But it was upgraded in 2015 and is now a pleasure to drive. The road is the only connection between Georgia and Russia after Abkhazia was taken from Georgia by Russian help. After Russia also contributed to the secession of South Ossetia, the relationship between Georgia and Russia is not particularly hearty. But Russia is an important trading partner for Armenia, and the traffic between Armenia and Russia goes through this road. So it is likely that Armenia, and possibly also Azarbadsjan, has helped to improve the road.
Into the heart of the Caucasus
Either way, it’s a spectacular road that rolls up into the heart of the Caucasus. Previously considered dangerous to drive, now quite easy for all cars. Stepandsminda is the name of the village which is closest to the dramatic road up to the Gergetic Monastery which is situated on a mountain peak 2300m. If you have first gone up here, it is a must to go up to the monastery.
We arrived at Stephansminda in cloudy and rainy weather, and from our hotel Veranda we could look up at the monastery that appeared on a regular basis in the clouds with its dramatic profile towards the sky behind. If you have a solid travel budget, we can recommend Rooms Hotell a little above Veranda. It is beautifully furnished with outstanding views. The room price starts in the Georgian context at hefty USD 200, but we enjoyed a good dinner there with friends.
Exposed and rough ride up
If you do not have a 4-wheel drive or are afraid of drops, you can take the Land Cruiser taxi up to the monastery. We chose to drive up ourselves. It was quite fine, but a steady stream of meeting cars with subsequent backing on narrow mountain shelves made it an adrenaline-filled experience. Elin is afraid for heights and she cursed on why she (once again) had agreed on this, but rejected Otto’s repeated offer of turning. It’s about being stubborn, and the sight of the monastery as we rounded the top hill made it worth the effort. The monastery thrives majestic on a mountain top, and below it is quite flat, so it would be quite possible to free-camp here. The monastery is from approx. year 400, still in operation, and the monks worked hard outdoors with laying stone slats.
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Svaneti
Svaneti is located north in Georgia, and is the most scenic area in the country. It is a must for anyone who wants to experience the Caucasus. You can drive on good paved roads from the east to Mestia, and it is possible to continue on roads that are not found on Google Maps to get a round-trip. We had a lot of rain and waited for good weather before we started the opposite direction (the bad), up to Ushguli and on to Mestia. One thing is that the view is better in good weather, but it is also advisable to avoid rain on these roads as it is often land-slides and it can be quite dangerous. Parts of the road are pure mud, with the danger of getting stuck, and it was long and partly demanding driving.
One of the cars got stuck, but we was helped by the Georgian taxi drivers who came to get it loose. The car that got stuck was recommended to turn around; because it had not proper four-wheel drive and differential lock. The road passes through narrow slopes with the mountain vertically up one side and down the other side. Fortunately, there was no meeting cars. But the nature along the road is spectacular, especially after you get up in the mountains and the vegetation disappears. Green valley sides that pass over to snowy mountains up to 5000 meters. Even if you just take the good road to Mestia you have to spend a trip to Ushguli.
From Mestia to Ushguli it is only possible to contine with a 4-wheel drive, but the road is undergoing improvement. And Land Cruiser taxis goes there if you can not drive yourself. Ushguli is Europe’s highest-lying village. It has a spectacular location of 2300 meters, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. And it is the home of the famous towers, which are built from the 900’s and forward. Each family built a high tower in defense of intruders. The Caucasus is located in a cultural and geographical intersection, and has been invaded by Mongols and Turks. And the only part of Georgia that was never taken was just Svaneti. Ushguli is on UNESCO’s list of cultural heritage and consists almost exclusively of ancient settlements. It was an experience to free-camp there between cows, horses, loose dogs and pigs, and their left-behinds. Mestia, however, has been attempted to be developed as a tourist destination and appears as a semi-finished city. But it has an old town and a lot of towers.
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