FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Ideas for ~3 weeks in Iran & The Caucasus
Old Feb 1, 2016, 12:11 am
  #25  
JayhawkCO
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Aurora, CO
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Originally Posted by LAX_Esq
Of course, I don't actually mean 3 days in the city when I say 3 days in Tbilisi. I just had us being based there for that long. I figure one day in the city, and 2 days of day trips.

Is that a good breakdown of time in Tbilisi vs. Kazbegi? Seems people sometimes do Kazbegi as a day trip, or an overnight trip. Don't know if 2 nights is too much and shortchanging Georgia. Also, would it make sense to do Kazbegi before Tbilisi, as in Yerevan directly to Kazbegi, and then back to Tbilisi?

Also don't know about the logistics of this -- both the day trips and, especially, getting between Tbilisi and Kazbegi. Definitely don't want to drive a rental car. Marshrutkas seem difficult if you're on a quick schedule because you can't stop and see things on the day. Day trips from the Envoy Hostel seem good, but it's unreliable since they're not operated every day. A private driver who speaks limited English (don't need a full guide) is an option, but it will add up in cost to do this every day.
Kazbegi is very small. You can see everything in the town itself in about 30 minutes. That said, if you enjoy hiking at all, the areas around the town are amazing. Not only the church (which is a must go to), but the side trip I took to Juta was great.

If you don't mind a homestay, you can PM me for where I stayed there. Georgi, the owner, was also our tour guide to Juta and took my wife and me to Tbilisi for free because he was headed there anyway. On the way up, the marshrutka stopped at the two main places that you would stop anyway: the nice lakeside church whose name escapes me at the moment and an awesome overlook with a somewhat underwhelming Russian monument. Here's some pics:


Lakeside Church


Overlook


Gergeti Church In Kazbegi (from my room with Mt. Kazbeg in the background)


My Wife and I Near Juta


Chris

Last edited by JayhawkCO; Feb 1, 2016 at 12:23 am
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