Gergeti glacier trek guide

The Gergeti Glacier trek is one of the best day hikes in Georgia. Located near Kazbegi (also known as Stepantsminda), it’s an unforgettable experience. In this post, I will provide some information about this hike.

About the Gergeti Glacier Trek

The trek takes you to the base of Mount Kazbek, where the Gergeti Glacier begins. The climb involves a significant altitude gain of 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) from Kazbegi—quite a challenge! Personally, I’ve experienced something similar during the Everest Base Camp trek.

Unlike the Everest Base Camp trek, though, this is just a day hike. That said, it is a challenging hike.

When to Start the Trek

It’s best to start early in the morning. Mount Kazbek is notorious for bad weather by noon, and late starts might rob you of the views. We began our trek at 6:30 a.m. from Kazbegi.

Weather here can be unpredictable and change quickly. Luckily, we had clear skies during our hike.

How Long Does It Take?

The trek takes about 5–6 hours to ascend and 3–4 hours to descend. If you drive to Gergeti Trinity Church (the first leg of the trek), you can save 1–1.5 hours.

Is It Dangerous?

The trail often follows a ridge, but it’s wide and generally safe.

Food and Water

We packed lunch and water for the trek. There are a few spots to rest and grab refreshments, such as Café 360 and Altihut.

Best Time to Trek

The ideal time for this hike is between June and August. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are also good options. Trekking in winter can be very challenging due to snow.

The Trek, Step by Step

Phase 1) Kazbegi to Gergeti Trinity Church

• • Duration: 1.5 hours on foot or a 20-minute drive
    Many visitors to Kazbegi stop at Gergeti Trinity Church. You can either hike or take a car. We chose to hire a vehicle to save time (50 Lari, booked through the visitor center). The driver picked us up at 6:30 a.m., and we reached the church parking lot in 20 minutes.
    On the way back, we decided to walk down to Kazbegi via the trekking trail.

Phase 2) Gergeti Trinity Church to Café 360

• • Duration: 2–3 hours on foot
    From the parking lot, a small trail climbs steeply at first. The view of Gergeti Trinity Church was stunning as we ascended.

 

Soon, the trail split into two: one path through the valley and another along a ridge. The ridge trail is a bit longer but offers incredible views, so we chose that route.

 

Mount Kazbek looked majestic as we hiked. The climb is continuous but has occasional easier stretches. It took us 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach Café 360, though it might take longer for some.

Phase 3) Café 360 to Altihut

• • Duration: 45 minutes
    From the café, the glacier becomes visible. Our next destination, Altihut, was located on the other side. The trail descends slightly, crosses a stream, and then climbs again to reach Altihut, a cozy lodge in a beautiful setting.

Phase 4) Altihut to Gergeti Glacier

1. • Duration: 1 hour
     Above Altihut, the trail becomes rocky. At over 3,000 meters, the thin air made progress slow. We crossed a few streams and even spotted a waterfall from glacial meltwater.

Finally, the glacier came into view—a breathtaking sight.

At Gergeti Glacier

We reached the base of the glacier at 11:50 a.m., after 4 hours of hiking. For most trekkers, this is the logical endpoint. I tried climbing further onto the glacier but couldn’t without crampons for grip.

 

We watched mountaineers climbing up and down the glacier. Bethlemi Hut, on the other side, serves as a base camp for those attempting to summit Mount Kazbek (5,054 meters).

For us, the base of the glacier was perfect. We spent over an hour here, soaking in the beauty.

Climbing Down

The descent was uneventful but hard on our knees. It took us just over 3 hours to return to our homestay in Kazbegi.

Final Words

This trek is one of the best we’ve ever done. It was intense, and we had sore legs by the end of the day, but we were thrilled with our performance!

If you’re in Georgia, don’t miss the Gergeti Glacier trek. The views are absolutely stunning, and the experience is unforgettable.