Georgia 18.-23.08.2022
We took a matrushka from Borjomi to Tiblisi, did food shopping for 13 days (we didn't know that supermarkets in Kazbegi have basically everything) and then took a shared car to Stepantsminda, also called Kazbegi, after the over 5000 m high volcano.
This took nearly a full day, since our ride also did some tourist stops on the way to Kazbegi, so we only checked in into a guest house, got some food and took a shower. The nice thing about our planned next 4 days hiking was, that we were able to leave the food for the next 9 hiking days plus some unnecessary things behind in the guest house - I left my down jacket, which would have been usefull for the first time on this trip....
The next day we tried to hitchhike to Almasiani, where we wanted to start our little loop. As usual on such a touristy route, we paid some money for the ride, but were taken there after hardly any waiting time.
The hike was magnificent, going 3 times over passes of over 3400 m elevation and we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery!
And here are (too many) pictures of the last few days:
After some dirt road walking, we ascended straight up the hill...
... and got a nice view back into Truso valley
We had our first good glimps (of many) on Kazbegi volcano on this loop
We came into a nice little green valley
The terrain got more and more rocky...
... turning into shales at some point!
For the last bit to the pass, colours of the mountains were magnificent!
Looking down from the pass onto Khelitsadi lake. Since the last bit was very steep on loose rocks, it took us a while to get down to the river valley. We camped there at around 3000 m elevation, since it was windy further up and the lake surface was churned up by the wind - one of a series of cold nights....
Mt Sherkhota
Khelitsadi lake
Sadly, it was to cool to go for a swim...
And then we had to walk up to the next pass, which is the one on the left side right next to the volcanic looking mountain. Good we checked the maps, because the slowly ascending pass behind the lake on the left side looked so much more tempting, but would have brought us to South Ossetia with the risk of being arrested for crossing the border!
Some last steep ascend on loose shales...
... and we were up at the pass, with another nice view on snow covered Kazbegi
Incredible steep rocks and beautiful colours
A short chocolate break on top!
And then we descended into the valley
We set up camp very early in the afternoon at a beautiful spot on a wind sheltered meadow
View from our tent
Since we camped high up and the sky was clear, there was some frost in the morning
A cool morning but beautiful colours again
There was even a little canyon and a sinter terrace. Also, the river sometimes smelled like sulphur, there were Red iron springs but sadly no hot spring!
Nearly at the bottom of the valley...
....but then it still took us a few hours since we met Dominik, a German guy who had biked from Munich to Georgia (now he had swoped to hiking). And we met a sheep flock of 1500 sheep!
Dominik is trying to communicate with the Azeri shepherd
We followed the Truso valley a little further up to a fortress and then walked into Suatisi valley (the small lookkng valley going off at the right side). We read that permits are necessary, but decided to risk it and got away with it :)
Looking down from the fortress into the valley
A wide valley with good views on Kazbegi, being closed by some steep rock walls and glaciers at tge end
We camped a little further up the valley in a meadow - and there was frost again the next morning....
Looking back down the valley
After some climbing on grass and then well walkable shales, we were nearly up on Iriston pass
And then we went down on the other side into Mna valley
The pointy stone on tge left is "Mna needle" and on the right is Kazbegi again
We had to ford a small glacier stream, which was still possible at around noon
Then we followed the valley downstream
We didn't get very far, before we had to cross on the other side. But the glacier stream was impassdible at this point, so we set up our tent early again and waited for the morning, assuming the stream would be lower and possible to cross
The next morning we were able to cross the stream, but it was still pretty high!
Some ruins at the end of the valley. We also met some Azeri people living the summer with cows and even chickens in tents in the valley.
The last view back up into Mna Valley, before we hitched back into Stepantsminda
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