Kazbegi National Park

Kazbegi National Park (also know as ყაზბეგის ეროვნული პარკი in Georgian) is a 1,446.2 km² park situated in the north of Georgia, just in the border with Russia (in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania). The park is located in the north of the region Mtskheta-Mtianeti and is a popular touristic destination in Georgia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Georgia_Friendship_Monument

How do I arrive to Kazbegi National Park?

  Kazbegi National Park isn't bad communicated because it's close to the road that connects Georgia and Russia.

• Bus: there are marshrutkas departing from Stepantsminda's bus station to destinations such as Tbilisi (hourly; aprox. 2.5 hours), stopping at Gudari (among others).
• Car: the main entrance to Kazbegi National Park is via Stepantsminda, that can be reached from places such as Gudauri (aprox. 50 minutes), Ananauri (aprox. ), Dusheti (aprox. ), Mtskheta (aprox. 2 hours 15 minutes), Tbilisi (aprox. ), Gori (aprox. ) or Mutso (aprox. ) in Pshav-Khevsureti National Park. Stepantsminda can also be reached from cities in Russia such as Vladikavkaz (aprox. 1 hour 5 minutes) or Beslan (aprox. 1 hour 35 minutes) in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and Nazran (aprox. 1 hour 40 minutes) in the Republic of Ingushetia.

  Once in the Park the best ways to move around the park are the car or simply hiking.

History

According to tradition, Stepantsminda (literally Saint Stephan in Georgian), was named so after a Georgian Orthodox monk Stephan who constructed a hermitage at this location. The area came under the control of a local feudal family, the Chopikashvilis, who were in charge of collecting tolls on travelers in the area in the late 18th century. After the expansion of the Russian Empire to Georgia in the early 19th century, the people of the region revolted against Russian rule but the local lord, Gabriel Chopikashvili, remained loyal to Russia and helped to suppress the revolt (in return, he was promoted to officer in the Russian Army). He adopted the surname Kazbegi (his father was name Kaz-Beg), and the village under his control was also frequently referred to as Kazbegi. The name was officially changed to Kazbegi under Soviet rule in 1925 and Gabriel Chopikashvili-Kazbegi's grandson was born here, the famed Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi.

What can I visit in Kazbegi National Park?

  Kazbegi National Park is a nice place to explore the volcanic Javakheti Plateau and its trails. Now it will be explained what to do in the park according to the town or village where they are or the nearest one:    

• Stepantsminda (სტეფანწმინდა in Georgian, Степанцминда in Russian, formerly Kazbegi): 1,326 inhabitants small town by river Terek in the north of region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, close to border with Russia. The town is the capital of the historical-geographic area of Khevi.
  

  • St. Sarki Armenian Orthodox Church: simple church built in 1884 in dark stones.
    
  • Monument of the Great Patriotic War: monument from Soviet times that conmemorates the victory of the Soviet Union in WW2. The text and its names are written in Armenian.
    
  • Next to Ninotsminda there's Khanchali Managed Reserve, one of the reserves in the park that is located around Khanchali Lake. This wetland designated as Ramsar site provides habitat to many bird in summer (like the long-legged buzzard or the green warbler), and in winter it's covered with ice.
  • Another interesting activity here is taking Tiger Canyon Trail (12.3 km). This trail follows the eastern ridge of the Tiger Canyon and ends with a panoramic view. This place has its name because of the landscape around it, which looks like a tiger stripe. The trail can be extended in the direction of the mountain, where the border of three countries meets (Georgia-Armenia-Turkey).
    
• Going 12 km from Ninotsminda it can be found Gorelovka (გორელოვკა in Georgian, Գորելովկա in Armenian), 1,165 inhabitants. It was founded by Doukhobors, a spiritual Christian religious group of Russian origin (although most of them left Gorelovka in the 1990s). Close to this town it's located Bughdasheni Managed Reserve, a protected area that protects the mostly swampy Bugdasheni Lake. Its ecosystem is undergoing restoration (rich in fish, including trout, and part of the year to many species of migratory birds) and has been designated as a Ramsar site in 2020. It's possible to have a small walk around it, taking Bughdasheni Lake Trail (3 km). Not far from here is Madatapa Managed Reserve around Madatapa Lake. It's one of the most important sites in Georgia for breeding and staging waterbirds (like the Dalmatian pelican).
  
• Another of the reserves within the national park is Sulda Managed Reserve, that protects some marsh wetlands. The visitor can take the nice Sulda Wetlands Trail (5 km), a short hike where observing birds or riding horses that ends at the swamp.
  
• The largest part of the national park is situated around Kartsakhi Lake (Lake Aktaş in Turkish), an alkaline lake that is the 2nd largest lake in Georgia (in the international border between Georgia and Turkey). During the rainy season its excess water discharges to the river Kura. The area around it is protected by Kartsakhi Managed Reserve. To discover a bit more the nature of the lake and all its flora and fauna, it's highly advisable to take Kartsakhi Lake Trail (6.9 km). In the village of Kartsakhi (კარწახი in Georgian, Կարծախ in Armenian), 776 inhabitants, it's located Jivani House-Museum (10:30-17 Tue-Sun), a museum where the Armenian poet Jivani (regarded as the greatest Armenian ashugh of the 19th century) was born. Close to it, Mineskh Forest is located (one of the few forests in the area).
  

Kartsakhi Lake

Pelicans at Madatapa Lake

Ruins of Akhalkalaki Castle

The region of Javakheti was already inhabited by Armenians but in the 19th-20th centuries more came from many sites of the Ottoman Empire. Currently part of the population is looking for some degree of autonomy and linguistic rights (Georgian is barely spoken here). Driving 19 km north from Ninotsminda it can be visited Akhalkalaki (ახალქალაქი in Georgian, Ախալքալաք in Armenian, Ahılkelek in Turkish), a town with 8,295 people that is considered the capital of the Armenians in Georgia and of the region of Javakheti. There aren't many things to do in Akhalkalaki but one of the main sights are the Ruins of Akhalkalaki Castle (free). These remains belongs to an 11th century castle built in the times of the Kingdom of Georgia, alternating then between Georgian and Armenian rule until it finally fell to the Bagrationi dynasty. The town and castle were almost completely destroyed in the 15th century and conquered by the Ottomans in the 17th century.

Kumurdo Cathedral

Apart from the ruins of a castle, it can be seen a the ruins of an Ottoman mosque and a caravanserai too. The town has a nice church too, St. Khaj Armenian Orthodox Church, from the 19th century. To learn a bit more about the town and the history of Javakheti it's a good idea to get into Akhalkalaki Local Museum (10-18 Tue-Sat; 1₾), a small museum with ethnographical collection (containing folk furniture and costumes, rags and also archaeological materials). Going 15 km west the visitor can arrive to Kumurdo Cathedral, a 10th century Georgian Orthodox domed cathedral that was built by the bishop Ioane during the reign of Leon III, king of the Abkhazia. Kumurdo was an important cultural, educational and religious center during the Middle Ages.  It is the first church with features of the 11-13th century Georgian architecture of Georgia. The church is decorated with fine engravings and on its interior there mural paintings with special interest. Also close to Akhalkalaki there's Baraleti Georgian Orthodox Church, a two-nave basilica from the times of king George IV Lasha of Georgia in the 13th century. It has a simple exterior, only having a damaged relief and 13th century inscriptions in Georgian. There are several tombstones scattered around the church like the one of the priest Petre Khmaladze.

Parvani Lake

In the south of the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti there are many sights that are worth a look. Only 20 km far from Akhalkalaki it's located Heshtia (ეშტია in Georgian, Հեշտիա in Armenian). This small town has 1,691 inhabitants whose majority are mostly Catholic Armenians, as it can be seen in St. Astvatsatsin Catholic Church, a church from 1856. Continuing 10 km, the visitor can reach Abuli Fortress, a cyclopean megalithic structure dated to the Bronze Age on the southern slope of Mount Patara Abuli (2,670 m high) that hasn't had any archaeological excavation. In the area it can also be visited Paravani Lake, a volcanic lake that is the largest in Georgia and a popular destination for fishing. Spectral analysis have shown that deep in lake abyss lies mysterious object that appears to be of ancient origin. Around it there's also Shaori Fortress, another cyclopean megalithic structure with many architectural features of Abuli Fortress at Mount Shaori (2,752 m high). Another lake here is Saghamo Lake and on its lakeside there's Saghamo Monastery, a group of nice churches with unusual motifs of bas-reliefs (the oldest one dates back to the 10th century).

Where can I eat in Kazbegi National Park?

The main places to eat in Kazbegi National Park are located in Stepantsminda.

Posted in: Europe,Georgia,National Park