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The Caucasus Big Traverse                                                 Email for detailed information
Maximum Altitude: 4500 metres
Trek Grade: D
Duration: 28 days
Season: July-Mid September

This holiday combines The Eastern Caucasus Trek and a high mountain trekking itinerary in Mount Kazbek region.
The route includes all famous areas of the eastern part of the Great Caucasus.

After two week's spectacular trekking in the highland provinces of Tusheti and Khevsureti, our rout takes us to another mountainous areas of the Eastern Caucasus; The second stage of our holiday provides delightful trekking with  mountaineering adventure. This trek in Mount Kazbek (5047m.) region has become very popular, allowing you to discover the southern slopes of Mt. Kazbek visit uninhabited Kuro /Khde/ Valley, Chaukhi Mountains, cross glaciers and passes and ascend trekking peaks up to 4000 metres.

From the village-fortress Shatili we get to Gudauri ski-resort, situated on the Main Caucasian Ridge. Here we allow time to relax and prepare for the following itinerary to experience some of the best sites of the Caucasian Mountains.
We will start our trek across the alpine pastures leading us to the Gergeti Glacier. From the campsite we pass a moraine and continue our trek crossing the glacier. We reach the high mountain refuge-Meteostation (3675m), situated on the south slopes of Mount Kazbek, one of the famous and popular 5000 metre peaks of the Caucasus. There we will base during the following days. We do not make the summit, although we plan to trek in the area and to the Maili Plateau, 4500m.

We descend to a small town of Kazbegi and drive to the Dariali Canyon from where we  make an easy walking up to a forested, rocky and steep Kuro Valley. The route leads us along a mountain river to the more open valley and a nice meadow, surrounded by 4000 metre summits. We camp at 2750m. and trek in the area. After crossing the Juta Pass (3400m), we establish our camp in the Chaukhi Mountains. Here we enjoy splended views of an 500-metre face of Mt.Chaukhi (3842m) and ascend at least one of the trekking peaks. We finish our expedition by descending to the village of Juta and driving back to Tbilisi.

Trip Grade
This is a long and hard trekking holiday. A good level of fitness is required.
The first stage of the itinerary, "The Eastern Caucasus Trek",  will involve 4 to 7 hours' walking a day on normal trails, but some days may be demanding. When crossing the Atsunta Pass /3430m/ we will come across quite steep scree slopes. The second part of the programme in Kazbegi region is more difficult and some days may total 8 hours. The trek also involves crossing glaciers where we may use ropes and basic mountaineering techniques.  The summits we intend to climb are graded as "trekking peaks" and no advance mountaineering experience is required. Climbing of these peaks will take 7 to 9 hours.

Outline Itinerary 
Day 1.  Arrive Tbilisi. Hotel.
Day 2- 12. The Eastern Caucasus Trek programme.
Day 13-14 Drive to Gudauri ski-resort. 2 nights at a 4 star "Gudauri Sport Hotel" /2000m/.
Day 15. Drive to town Kazbegi /1700m/. Trek to Camp1 (2950m).
Day 16-18. Trek to Meteostation-mountain refuge (3675m). Trekking in the area (Max. altitude 4500m). Descend to Kazbegi town.
Day 19. Trek to "Kuro Lodgings" in  the Kuro Valley. Camp (2750m).
Day 20-21. Cross the Juta Pass (3350m) to Juta Valley. Camp.
Days: 22-24. Trek to Chaukhi Mountains. Camp (2500m). Walk in the area. Ascent of one of the summits.
Day 25. Trek down to village Juta. Drive to Tbilisi. Hotel.
Day 26-27. Tbilisi. Relax. A half-day trip around Tbilisi.
Day 28. Departure from Tbilisi.