📅 Sep 8, 2019

I went out early in the morning to buy Marshrutka ticket to Tbilisi, as I forgotten to buy them yesterday. Luckily seats are still available, but a couple who came 10 minutes before departure couldn't get the tickets. The bus station isn't very obvious if you didn't look close enough.

Our Marshrutka stop at the Navtlugi Bus Station west of Tbilisi, where we took the Metro to Station Square to stock up at Deserter Bazaar. We took the metro again to Didube Bus Station for our transport to Kazbegi.

We were planning to take a Marshrutka from Didube Bus Station, Tbilisi to Kazbegi and skip the sightseeing along the way due to the drizzling weather, but someone we got "convinced" to take the private car with sightseeing included (20 GEL per person, 4 person per car). The first stop is Panaroma view of Zhinvali Reservoir.

This place is a Fortress with a Monestry, and good view of the Reservoir. Definitely worth the stop.

The place looks absolutely majestic, with the beautiful monument wall and balcony surrounded by the mountains. It is very very windy as well, so we couldn't last long out here.

Clean professional guesthouse (so you don't get the warm welcome of small guesthouse), breakfast available for 15 GEL per person, but no dinner.

I believe the Town where most people stay is called Stepantsminda, but most people refer it as Kazbegi (which is the area name).

Here you can get a local delicacies: pig sausage with some intestines (can't say I really enjoy it, but worth a try). The mushroom + potato Khinkali (dumpling) is extremely filling, the Lobio (beans) is pretty good and the usual eggplant with walnut sauce, and some fruity beer.