Georgia · Mtskheta-Mtianeti · Premium route guide
Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi
Fortress lakes, the Jvari Pass at 2,379 m and Gergeti church under Mount Kazbek.
Tbilisi, Mtskheta, the Zhinvali reservoir, Ananuri fortress, Pasanauri, Gudauri, the Jvari Pass and Stepantsminda, then back the same way. Built from our own track, fully paved.
- Distance
- 311.6 km
- Peak elevation
- 2,392 m
- Elevation gain
- 3,421 m
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Georgia · Mtskheta-Mtianeti
- Out and back
- 100% paved
- Seasonal closure
The route
The classic fully paved ride into the Greater Caucasus. Leave Tbilisi for the old capital Mtskheta, follow the turquoise Zhinvali reservoir to Ananuri fortress, then climb the Aragvi valley through Pasanauri to the ski resort of Gudauri. Above it the Jvari Pass tops out near 2,400 m before the road drops into the Tergi valley at Stepantsminda, with Gergeti Trinity Church and Mount Kazbek above the town. Ride back the same way.
Works with Garmin, TomTom, BMW Navigator, Calimoto, Kurviger, komoot, MyRouteApp. Import as a track to ride the exact line. Road data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL); elevation from SRTM.
Track vs. route, how to load this into your GPS
What you are downloading is a GPX track, a dense, road-snapped breadcrumb of the exact line, with elevation on every point. It is not a GPX route (a short list of turn waypoints your device re-plans between). Tracks preserve our road choice; routes let the device pick its own way and can send you down a boring motorway shortcut.
How to use it on your navigator:
- BMW Navigator / Garmin Zumo / zumo XT: import as a track, then Convert to Route (or Trip Planner, new trip from track) if you want turn by turn prompts. Keep Recalculation off so it stays on our line.
- TomTom Rider: import the GPX in MyDrive, it loads as a track / itinerary. Enable Follow the exact route so it does not re-plan.
- Calimoto: open the GPX and choose Import as tour, Calimoto follows the track line.
- Kurviger / komoot / MyRouteApp: open the GPX and pick Import as track to keep the road choice. Only choose Import as route if you want the app to re-plan for your bike profile.
- Google Maps / Apple Maps: these do not read GPX. Use the map on this page for turn cues, or import the file into a GPX capable app first.
Rule of thumb: if your device asks "track or route?", pick track to ride our exact line, pick route only if you want the device to re-plan.
Elevation profile
From ~395 m at the base to 2,392 m at the top, 3,421 m of total climbing across the route.
Our track is 312 km there and back with about 3,420 m of climbing, roughly 7 to 8 hours of riding. Many riders stay a night in Stepantsminda and ride back the next day. The 8 km climb to Gergeti church is paved and steep.
Why ride it
Ananuri fortress above the reservoir, the Aragvi gorge, the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument viewpoint near Gudauri, the Jvari Pass and the view of Gergeti Trinity Church under Mount Kazbek.
Hazards
Trucks, livestock, potholes after winter, dark avalanche galleries, fast changing mountain weather and fog on the pass.
Fuel
Fuel in Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Pasanauri, Gudauri and Stepantsminda. Fill up in Pasanauri before the pass.
Best months and difficulty
June to September. Difficulty: moderate.
Suggested stops
Overnight in Stepantsminda or Gudauri to ride the pass in morning light both ways.
What to see along the way
- Tbilisi - Capital and start of the route.
- Mtskheta - Old capital, Svetitskhoveli cathedral.
- Zhinvali Reservoir - Turquoise lake beside the highway.
- Ananuri Fortress - 17th century fortress on the reservoir.
- Pasanauri - Village and last easy fuel before the pass.
- Gudauri - Ski resort and Friendship Monument viewpoint.
- Jvari Pass - Highest point, around 2,379 m.
- Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) - End of the route, turn back here.
- Gergeti Trinity Church - 14th century church under Mount Kazbek, paved climb.
Rent a bike
Rent a motorcycle or scooter for Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi
Flying in? Pick up a bike near the start of the route. We've pre-filled the pick-up city with Stepantsminda - change it if you're basing elsewhere.
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