Georgian Military Highway
The Georgian Military Highway is one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever driven.
The exact length of the Georgian Military Highway is known – 208 km, and it connects Vladikavkaz city in Russia and Tbilisi. In Russia, it is the A161 highway: Vladikavkaz – Nizhny Lars (border zone). From there, the road continues through the Darial Gorge, crossing two border checkpoints: Verkhniy Lars – Russia and Dariali – Georgia.
The first few kilometers after crossing the border, the Georgian Military Highway runs along the valley of the Terek River, passes through Stepantsminda, clings to steep cliffs, winds through gorges, and climbs higher and higher toward the Jvari Pass (2395 m) and the ski resort of Gudauri. From there begins the zigzagging Mleta descent, where the loops of the road hang over the silver valley of the Aragvi. Then the road widens. Villages, orchards, and gardens start to appear. Following the right bank of the Kura River, through Mtskheta – the ancient capital of Georgia – we arrive in Tbilisi.
Regular traffic along this road was opened as early as 1799. It was initially proposed to name it “Alexander’s Route.” However, since the road was maintained by the military department, it became known as the “Georgian Military Highway,” and that name has remained ever since.
Today, there is nothing military about this road. The surface is good along the entire route, with one lane in each direction.
When to go
The best time to travel along the Georgian Military Highway is from May to October. In winter, parts of the road can be closed due to snowdrifts and avalanches. There’s a risk of getting stuck in Stepantsminda for a week or being unable to return to Tbilisi and having to hitch a ride to Vladikavkaz instead.
How to explore the Georgian Military Highway
From Tbilisi, there are several options: public transport, car rental, guided tours, or taxi.
By public transport
The least practical option. You can’t really see much from the window of a minibus, and it doesn’t stop anywhere. It’s simply a cheap way to get from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda in about three hours.
Minibuses (marshrutka) depart from the bus station at Didube metro station every hour from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and until 6 p.m. in winter.
Tours be Local
It’s better to take a group or private tour. For example: Tbilisi: Jinvali, Ananuri, Gudauri, Kazbegi, & Gergeti Tour.
By taxi
A Tbilisi taxi driver will gladly take you along the Georgian Military Highway and back. The price depends on your bargaining skills, the season, mood, and other factors.
For those who don’t enjoy bargaining, there’s a civilized and reliable option – booking a car with a driver on GoTrip.ge. I genuinely like this Georgian service. There’s no need to haggle – a fair price is shown right away, you plan your route like in a constructor, and see the total cost of the trip. It’s like renting a car with a driver.
By rental car
That’s the option I’d choose. You don’t need a car in Tbilisi, but it’s very useful for exploring the surroundings. There’s nothing scary or unusual about driving in Georgia. All those horror stories about dangerous roads and reckless drivers are mostly spread by guides. You can rent a car even for a short period – 1, 2, or 3 days. On the first day, you can visit Mtskheta and Uplistsikhe – they’re very close. On the second, drive along the Georgian Military Highway. On the third, take a short trip around Kakheti.
I recommend renting a car through – LocalRent. Why – I explained in detail in my article about car rentals and driving in Georgia.
Car rental in Georgia – where it’s best + everything you need to know about driving and road conditions.
Points of interest along the Georgian Military Highway
I drove the classic route – the same one that famous Russian writers Griboyedov and Pushkin once took – from north to south. That’s why in my post the list of points goes from north to south, and for those traveling from Tbilisi, it will be in reverse order.
If you go from Tbilisi the main attraction in the end of the Georgian Military Highway is the village – Stepantsminda (Kazbegi). If you come on a tour, the most you’ll see is the Gergeti Church.
If you come by car, I recommend staying in Stepantsminda for a full day – that way you’ll have time to visit the church, take a short hike to the Gveleti Waterfall, and walk around the area. If you have two days and an SUV (or are willing to pay the locals), you can drive into the Sno Valley, which has some stunning spots for hiking.
- What to see around Stepantsminda – read it before driving.
So, we’re heading from northern Georgia toward Tbilisi.
In my opinion, the stretch of road from Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) to Gudauri is the most beautiful. You could stop every ten minutes – ruined old towers and remnants of fortresses, churches, small villages surrounded by mountains – it all looks incredible.
As you approach the highest point of the Jvari Pass, you’ll see a mineral spring on the right. You can’t miss it. There are always many cars, and everyone stops to take photos. Across the road from the spring, there’s a small souvenir market selling churchkhela (georgian sweet), magnets, and woolen socks.
Georgians call this spring a “narzan” – it has beneficial mineral water.
Some people don’t just take photos, they drink the water and even fill bottles to take with them. But it’s pointless. Mineral water should be drunk on site; in a bottle, it quickly oxidizes and loses its properties. For those who want to try natural mineral water, a warning – it can cause diarrhea.
We continue toward the Jvari Pass. At the very top, there’s an amazing viewpoint and the Friendship of Peoples Arch. The sculptor is the well-known monumental artist Zurab Tsereteli. The arch was installed in 1983 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Treaty of Georgievsk – an agreement between the Russian Empire and Georgia on protectorate status.
An interesting fact – after this, a “counter” monument called Friendship Forever was installed in Moscow, Russia. The sculptor was the same.
Naturally, near the arch there’s another souvenir market and a shashlik (grill meat) stand. In summer, on a nice day, adventure seekers can go paragliding – flying with an instructor together on one parachute.
I’m not a fan of that, so from the arch, enjoying the fantastic views, we head to Gudauri.
In winter, Gudauri is a popular ski resort. In summer, the lifts are running, and you can go up to the summit.
Set aside an hour for Gudauri and the lift ride. The views are mesmerizing. Be sure to bring a warm sweater, even in summer.
We continue along the Georgian Military Highway toward Tbilisi.
The next stop, 55 km ahead on the left, is the Ananuri Fortress. Near the fortress, there’s a souvenir market and plenty of tourists. Unfortunately, I can’t show those spots, because when I saw the horse, the hat, and the wooden stick with a metal pipe, I completely forgot about my camera.
The photoshoot had no limit on the number of pictures and cost only 5 lari – for feeding the horse.
Next, 9 km along the route, is the Jinvali Reservoir. To reach it, you need to turn off the main road. Google Maps recognizes this spot. You can stop for about 15-30 minutes to see the large lake with its beautifully colored water.
After that, villages and roadside cafes and restaurants begin to appear. And it’s just 60 km to Tbilisi.
