There is one road north out of Tbilisi that matters, and almost every visitor to Georgia drives some of it. It runs up through a reservoir valley, along a river gorge, over a pass at the top of a ski resort and down into a bowl of mountains where a small town sits under a peak of over five thousand metres with a fourteenth century church on the hill above it. It is also the main freight route to the Russian border, which is the single fact that explains most of its character.
The stops, in order
Ananuri, a fortified church complex on the edge of the reservoir, an hour or so out of Tbilisi.
The reservoir viewpoints, where the water is an improbable turquoise in summer.
Pasanauri, where the road follows the river and the lunch stops are.
Gudauri, at altitude, the ski resort and the best of the long views.
The friendship monument, a circular Soviet mosaic structure on a cliff edge just past Gudauri.
Stepantsminda, the town, in the bowl below Kazbek.
The road itself
Three to four hours without stops, most of a day with them.
Heavy lorry traffic, because this is the route to the Russian border.
Overtaking on bends, routinely, by everybody.
Tunnels and roadworks, in stretches, which change year to year.
A pass above Gudauri that closes at short notice in winter.
Poor lighting and no barriers in places; not a road to drive after dark.
Doing it without a car
Marshrutka from a Tbilisi bus station to Stepantsminda, daily, cheap, and it stops for nothing.
Shared transfers, arranged through guesthouses, more comfortable and only slightly more expensive.
Day tours, which include the roadside stops and are the reason to take one.
Taxis in Stepantsminda, which run up to the church for an agreed price.
Hitching is common among Georgians and works, with the usual caveats.
Practical notes
Fuel is available along the route but thins out past Gudauri.
Altitude at the pass is high enough to feel; the temperature drops sharply.
Warm layers in any season, because the town is far colder than Tbilisi.
Cash for guesthouses and small cafes.
Signal is good along most of the road and patchy in the side valleys.
Do not drive it at night, in either direction.
Where this fits in a Georgia trip
Two nights in Stepantsminda with the drive as one of the days, rather than a day return.
For the town, the church and the walking once you arrive, our guide to Kazbegi and Gergeti covers what to do.
For getting the right vehicle and agreement for a mountain road, our guide to car rental in Georgia covers the small print.
And for the resort at the top of the pass in the season it exists for, our Gudauri and Bakuriani comparison covers the skiing.
The short version
Leave Tbilisi at seven and check the official road status before you go, in any season. Stop at Ananuri, the reservoir, Pasanauri for lunch, Gudauri for the view and the friendship monument for the mosaic. Allow most of a day rather than three hours. Stay two nights in Stepantsminda rather than turning round. Take a car or a tour rather than the marshrutka, because the bus passes every reason to make the drive. And do not attempt any of it after dark.
