From the village of Stepantsminda, in northern Georgia, Kazbek seems to hang in the sky: a white pyramid of 5,054 metres rising almost 3,500 metres above the rooftops, with the Gergeti Trinity Church silhouetted in front. It is one of the great 5,000-metre peaks of the Caucasus, and one of those mountains that stays with you once you have seen it.
Climbing it is a real high-mountain ascent, with glacier, crampons and rope, but within reach of any fit mountaineer who has already walked above 4,000 metres. In this guide we cover the route, how hard it is, when to go and how to prepare.
At a glance: 5,054 m · graded PD (moderately easy) · season June to September · 7 to 8 days with acclimatisation · starts from Stepantsminda, about three hours from Tbilisi.
Kazbek is a dormant stratovolcano on the border between Georgia and Russia, and the third-highest mountain in the country. Georgians call it Mkinvartsveri, “the ice peak”. Legend says that Amirani, the Georgian Prometheus, was chained here by the gods for giving fire to humankind. On its slopes there is also a cave, Betlemi, once a hermitage and the subject of all kinds of stories.
The first recorded ascent was in 1868, by a British party led by Douglas Freshfield. Today it is one of the most climbed summits in the Caucasus, mostly from the Georgian side.
The classic route starts at the Gergeti Trinity Church (2,170 m), climbs over the Sabertse Pass and reaches the Altihut (3,014 m), a modern mountain hotel that has become the comfortable base camp for the mountain. A little higher is the Bethlemi hut, a former Soviet weather station at around 3,680 metres, from where you leave in the early hours for the summit.
On summit day you cross the crevassed Gergeti Glacier to a high plateau and the saddle below the summit. Then comes the most technical part: about a hundred metres of snow and ice up to around 40 degrees, climbed with crampons, ice axe and rope. The round trip takes around 11 to 12 hours.
Technically, the normal route is graded PD (moderately easy): most of it is glacier, and the final section is short but steep. You don’t need to be an alpinist, but you do need to move confidently in crampons and with an ice axe, which is why a training day before the summit matters.
What really counts is fitness and acclimatisation. It is a very long summit day above 5,000 metres. Ideally you have been at altitude before, for example on Kilimanjaro or a 4,000 m peak, and you train with plenty of ascent in the months before. See how to train for an expedition and our guide to altitude sickness.
The season runs from June to September, with July and August the most stable months. Early summer often leaves more snow up high, which can make the glacier easier but colder; by late August and September the ice can be more exposed. Even in summer, afternoon storms are common and the weather changes fast, so you set off at night and reserve days are important.
The gateway is Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, with flights from many cities in Europe and the Middle East. From there, about three hours along the Georgian Military Road take you to Stepantsminda, the village at the foot of Kazbek.
Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US and many other countries can enter Georgia visa-free. Always check the current rules for your passport before you travel.
They are the two most popular 5,000-metre peaks in the Caucasus and are less alike than they seem. Elbrus is higher (5,642 m) but its slopes are more straightforward. Kazbek is lower but more technical, with a crevassed glacier and a steeper final slope, and you climb it from Georgia. If you want a 5,000er with a bit more mountaineering, Kazbek is a great choice.
We have a departure from 4 to 11 July 2027, with more dates from June to September on request: eight days from Tbilisi, with acclimatisation at the Altihut, a snow and ice skills day, a night at the Bethlemi hut, two reserve days for the weather and a last night in Mtskheta. From $1,680.
How high is Mount Kazbek?
5,054 metres. It is a dormant volcano on the Georgia–Russia border and one of the great 5,000-metre peaks of the Caucasus.
Is Kazbek hard to climb?
The normal route is graded PD: a crevassed glacier and a final section of about a hundred metres of snow and ice up to 40 degrees. You need to use crampons and an ice axe and be very fit, as summit day lasts around 11 to 12 hours.
When is the best time to climb Kazbek?
June to September, with July and August the most stable months.
How many days do you need?
Seven to eight days from Tbilisi, including acclimatisation, a training day and reserve days for the weather.