19-26 July 2025 | A Top Class Private Expedition to Mt Kazbek (Mqinvartsveri)
With its legendary beauty, the Caucasus is one of the most unique mountainous regions on the planet. This special mountainous geography, with its distinct climate, cultures, and peaks, has always managed to captivate us. The lush mountain meadows turn into glaciers as altitude increases, and the great mountains rise up to the sky! In summary, the Caucasus Mountains are just like that…
Our acquaintance with these mountains began a long time ago as a team. Once again, we have prepared an unforgettable climbing program with the excitement of reuniting with a dear friend. Our Mount Kazbek climbing tour is a carefully designed program that includes everything from moving camping equipment to the base camp, food and drink services, and experienced guiding services, to free of charge technical equipment support.
Mount Kazbek is located in one of the most beautiful regions of Georgia. The mountain overlooks deep valleys that have embraced the Gergeti glacier along with several other mountains, with proud views of the unusual mountainous geography of the Caucasus. It is a peak that also hosts the legend of Prometheus, who was chained to the summit of this mountain, called Amirani by the Georgians. We are going to a mountain that is the host of this mythological story as well as many stories belonging to the local culture of the Caucasus.
We have also allocated an acclimatization day during our climb. On this day, we will also conduct a training to refresh our basic technical knowledge and skills. We will be crossing glaciers during our Mount Kazbek climb, so it is important to update our information. The climb itself will be a mountaineering practice that is almost never done in our country. These crossings, which will be carried out with the guidance of our experienced mountain leaders and local guide, are very useful experiences and trainings for those who are preparing for great mountains.
We recommend this climb to participants who have the skill of using an ice axe and crampons, and have experienced basic level rope techniques. This climb is also suitable for participants who want to increase their experience by participating in mountains in our country. Preparing in the mountains between 3000-3700m before the climb will help with the acclimatization process and your training. As always, good physical fitness will make things much easier on this mountain.
Itinerary Outline
Day 1: Meeting at Tbilisi airport and transportation to Stephansminda – AccommodationDay 2: Transfer to Tsiminda Sameba Church – Walk to Bethlemi Mountain House and campingDay 3: Acclimatization climbDay 4: Reserve dayDay 5: Bethlemi Mountain House – Climb to Mount Kazbek summit – Return to Bethlemi Mountain HouseDay 6: Descent to Tsiminda Sameba Church and transfer to our hotel in StephansmindaDay 7: Transfer to Tbilisi Airport. City tour in Tbilisi according to flight schedule.
Day 1: Meet at Tbilisi Airport and Transportation to Stephansminda – Check in the hotel
Welcome to our exciting tour! We’ll be waiting to greet you at Tbilisi Airport when you arrive on the flights specified in our information below. However, feel free to choose alternative flights as well. From the airport, we’ll set off on a journey to Stephansminda town, which serves as the starting point for climbing Kazbek Mountain. We’ll spend the night here to get acclimated and prepare for the climb. Once we’ve settled into our hotel, we’ll spend the day relaxing and soaking up the charm of this beautiful mountain settlement. You can leave any items you won’t need on the mountain at the hotel.
Included Meals: BreakfastApproximate Altitude: 1740m above sea levelApproximate Transfer Time: 3 hours
Day 2: Vehicle Transfer to Tsiminda Sameba Church – Hike to Bethlemi Mountain Hut and Camp
After a delicious breakfast, we’ll hop in our waiting vehicle and leave our hotel. We’ll drive for approximately 20 minutes to Tsiminda Sameba Church, where we’ll stop for a quick preparation and photo break. Then, we’ll start hiking towards the lush green slopes, where our pack animals will carry our gear to the main camp. Today’s destination is the Bethlemi Mountain Hut, located at an altitude of 3653m. We’ll start on green pastures and enter the Gergeti Glacier before ascending to the main campsite in a spacious alpine meadow in front of the hut. Now, it’s time to relax in the main camp, as tomorrow we’ll aim to complete our acclimatization climb.
Included Meals: Breakfast – Packed Lunch – DinnerApproximate Altitude: Kazbegi Town, 1740m – Tsiminda Sameba Church, 2170m – Bethlemi Mountain Hut Main Camp, 3653mApproximate Transfer Time: 20 minApproximate Activity Time: 7 hours
Day 3: Acclimatization Climb
After an early wake-up call and breakfast, we’ll begin our activity for the day. Our goal is to climb to elevations of 4100-4200 meters along the classic route of Kazbek Mountain. Afterward, we’ll have a short training session to refresh our skills. We’ll then relax and chat before retiring to our tents for some rest.
Included Meals: Breakfast – Packed Lunch – DinnerApproximate Altitude: Bethlemi Mountain Hut Main Camp, 3653m – Acclimatization, 4200mApproximate Activity Time: 3-4 hours
Day 4: Reserve Day
To increase our chances of reaching the summit, we’ve set aside an extra day for our international climbs. We can use this day for unexpected adverse weather conditions, rest, additional acclimatization, or practical training. If we don’t use this day on the mountain, we can descend early and stay overnight in Kazbegi or Tbilisi for an additional fee.
Included Meals: Breakfast – Packed Lunch – Dinner
Day 5: Climbing to the Summit of Mount Kazbek from Betlemi Mountain Hut and Return
We will start our climb before sunrise after a light breakfast and plenty of hot beverages. It’s time to conquer the ”big boy” of these mountains, Kazbek. We will ascend slowly along the Gergeti Glacier, first to the plateau at 4,500 meters below the summit massif, and then climb to the pass just below the Saddle. From there, we have a challenging climb up to the peak cone. We will use fixed lines to make our way up. After a well-deserved celebration and a photo break at the summit, we will descend by rappelling along the same route and return to the main camp at the mountain hut. We have earned a small summit celebration for the thrill of climbing this magnificent peak in the Caucasus. Now it’s time to get some well-deserved rest.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch, DinnerApproximate Altitude: Betlemi Mountain Hut Base Camp, 3653m – Plateau, 4500m – Saddle, 4900m – Summit of Mount Kazbek, 5054mApproximate Activity Time: 11-12 hours (7 hours ascent, 4 hours descent)
Day 6: Descent to Tsiminda Sameba Church and Transfer to Our Hotel in Stephansminda
We will wake up at a leisurely pace this morning and enjoy a lovely breakfast before packing up our camp and descending to the Tsiminda Sameba Church. We will take our time to appreciate the beautiful scenery on our way down, and our gear will be carried by pack animals. After a short rest and photo break at the end of our trek, we will take a vehicle to Kazbegi Village, Stephansminda. Once we settle into our hotel, we will celebrate with a cold drink in the village square while enjoying the view of Mount Kazbek. We have some enjoyable downtime ahead of us, and we will take the time to organize our bags and make the most of our hotel and the area.
Included Meals: BreakfastApproximate Altitude: Betlemi Mountain Hut Base Camp, 3653m – Tsiminda Sameba Church, 2170m – Kazbegi Village, 1740mApproximate Activity Time: 5 hoursApproximate Transfer Duration: 20 minutes
Day 7: Transfer to Tbilisi Airport. City Tour in Tbilisi Depending on Flight Time
We will return to Tbilisi Airport based on our flight schedule. Depending on the flight time, our tour leader will organize a special itinerary for you to explore Tbilisi. Contact us for extra transfers and tours
Kazbek Mountain Climb / Kazbegi: During this tour, we stay at boutique hotels in Kazbegi. Our hotels are located in the town center or within a short walking distance. The town center has cafes, restaurants, bars, and shopping facilities. Each room has an en-suite bathroom and hot water.
Deka Hut Camp:
Mt. Kazbeg Base Camp / Bethlemi Hut: The old meteorological station is now used as a base for main camp services. In this main camp, the meals are eaten in the dining room and the participants are staying in tents for two.
Istanbul Airport (Turkish Airlines)Arrival Flight: 19 July 2025, TK376, IST-TBS, 02.05-05.25 Departure Flight: 26 July 2025, TK383, TBS-IST, 17.35-19.15
Sabiha Gökçen Havaalanı (AJET)Arrival Flight: 19 July 2025, VF229, SAW-TBS, 01.00-04.25Departure Flight: 27 July 2025*, VF230, TBS-SAW, 06.35-08.10*1 gece ekstra konaklama gerektirir ya da 26 Temmuz 2025, PC317 no’lu Pegasus dönüş uçuşu tercih edilebilir.
Sabiha Gökçen Havaalanı (Pegasus)Arrival Flight: 18 July 2025, PC318, SAW-TBS, 22.55-02.10*Departure Flight: 26 July 2025, PC317, TBS-SAW, 18.10-19.40Please note that the group transfer waiting time at Tbilisi Airport may be lengthy.
The transfer from Tbilisi Airport to Kazbegi will take place on the morning of July 19, 2025, at 07:00. A flexible and sufficient plan has been made to accommodate potential delays, passport procedures, and tasks such as purchasing a SIM card or exchanging currency at the airport.
The itinerary and transfers for our tour have been prepared based on the above flight information. It is also possible to participate in our tour with different airline options. Please consult us for your extra transfer and accommodation needs. We are not responsible for any changes made by airlines. The program may vary depending on changes in flights. Please consult our office before purchasing your ticket. You can inform us during the reservation process if you need an airplane ticket for our tour and send an e-mail to info@montis.com.tr.
