Georgia is one of my dream country
In 2019 I had a dream of visiting Georgia, one of the reasons was that I saw very beautiful photos of the Kazbegi area, an area not too far from Tbilisi. At that time, I started saving my money so that in 2020 I could go to Georgia. But unfortunately, in 2020 there was a pandemic for two years and I had to postpone the trip. After the pandemic is over, I intend to go to Georgia in 2023, but again my plan failed because at that time I had to carry out the Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and of course my budget was not enough if I had to go to Georgia that year.
Fortunately, at the beginning of 2024, precisely in February, I had the opportunity to go to Georgia. At that time I took a plane from Istanbul to Tbilisi, the reason was because tickets flight from Indonesia were cheaper if I went to Turkey first rather than directly to Georgia. Long story short, at that time I flew from Istanbul using Turkish Airlines, leaving at around 11 pm and then arriving in Tbilisi the next day at 2 am. Arriving at Tbilisi International Airport, and of course had to go through Tbilisi immigration who asked lots of questions. As an Indonesian passport holder I need show them :
- Georgian E-visa
- Proof of plane ticket
- Proof of hotel booking
- Cash
- Must also show the amount of money in my digital savings
After that, the immigration staff welcomed me to Tbilisi, Georgia. However, because I arrived at 2 in the morning, I didn't go straight to the hotel. I stayed at the airport, first to exchange money from US dollar to Georgian Lari (GEL) , then bought a sim card around 10 USD that included unlimited internet and phone all for two weeks and relaxed in a cafe to enjoy Americano coffee while waiting for 7 am. why did I wait until 7 am, because at that time I planned to take the bus from the airport to Tbilisi city center. Of course there many option that we can take to city center, such as airport taxi which is more expensive, Bolt, and the cheapest one is bus. It was only costed me around 10 USD using bus and we can use our debit card.
My plan changed
After arriving in Tbilisi, I initially decided to stay here for only two days. Previously I had booked a hotel in Kazbegi for 3 days, because I planned to stay in Kazbegi for a few days so that I would be more satisfied exploring the city of Kazbegi. However, everything changed, when I felt exhausted, perhaps due to jet lag and long journey from Indonesia to Turkey previously which was certainly very draining.
Finally I decided to stay in Tbilisi. While in Tbilisi, I stayed at the Ibis Hotel Stadium Tbilisi, the location of this hotel is a bit far from tourist attractions but the hotel is comfortable, and it looks like the building is still new. Firstly I planned to here for two nights, but because my plans changed I ended up extending my hotel for the next 3 days. I got this hotel for around USD 40 per night and breakfast included.
For me, the room is so cute, not too big but really comfortable. Besides, you also can see the view through the window. One thing I like most about this hotel is the good lighting in the room. I really like a room with good lighting because it makes me more comfortable, not
However, because Kazbegi was the only place I wanted to visit in Georgia, I finally started looking for information on a one day tour to Kazbegi from Tbilisi. I used Klook, an apps which provide tours in many countries, actually it was first time using Klook. I know this apps from Indonesian traveler who always booked tours on this apps, and based on my experience this apps helped a to find a tour that I wanted, a one day tour to Kazbegi from Tbilisi. This Klook connected me to the tour company that would organize the trip to Kazbegi, it’s called Gamartoba Georgia. This tour costed me around USD 45, included minibus and guide tour, not included meals and personal expenses.
My adventure to Kazbegi begins
After booking and paying, the tour contacted me via WhatsApp number. They sent information regarding the meeting point and what things I should prepare. At that time, I was asked to gather in front of the Avlabari Metro Station, which turned out to be very close to the tour office. At that time I gathered at 8 am then headed to the tour office to get ready to leave. There were around 10 participants who took part, and they came from various countries, from Hong Kong, America, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.In this tour, we actually not only visited Kazbegi, but also several places, namely Blue Lake, Annauri, then had lunch at a place whose name I forgot, then went to Kazbegi.
1. Zhinvali Water Reservoir
Zhinvali Reservoir was the first place we stopped. This reservoir is located in the Mtskheta-Mthaineti area. This place is one of the places that attracts many tourists to visit, because of its beauty, especially during the winter. During winter, we can see the white color at the top of the mountains that surround this reservoir. Apart from that, there is a historical complex close to this reservoir (which of course I also visited after visiting this reservoir) namely Ananuri Complex. This reservoir is very suitable as a place to relax, even have a picnic with the family.
In this area, there are also many stalls selling various kinds of knick-knacks and food. Because when I went to this place it was winter, so during the trip I had to wear a jacket to stay warm. At the Zhinvali reservoir, it is very suitable for drinking hot tea or coffee with cool air and beautiful blue views of the reservoir.
2. Ananuri Komplex
After visiting Zhinvali reservoir, we continued our journey to Ananuri Complex. Ananuri complex is one of the historical places in Georgia, located about 66 KM from the city of Tbilisi. Inside the Ananuri complex there is a church which was built in 1689. Apart from that, this church also has very beautiful and unique architecture and there are several pictures of animals, humans and nature.
Honestly, when I entered the Ananuri complex I was immediately amazed by the beauty of the building and the nature around it. Before exploring this place, our tour guide first explained the history of this place. This is one of the advantages of taking a tour, we can get information about the places we visit, and can stop at several beautiful places before heading to Kazbegi.
Even in this area, we are allowed to take photos, as long as we are not inside the church. Our tour guide even provided information that if we wanted to take good photos, we could climb one of the towers in this area. I certainly did. To go up to the tower, you need to be careful because you have to walk along the small path of the building. then climb some stairs to the top of the tower. Honestly, it's quite tense but the view at the top is very beautiful. But to take photos from above, we can only go through small windows, so we have to be careful when using our cellphone or camera when taking photos.
3. It’s time for lunch!
After visiting the Ananuri complex, the next trip is lunch. Our tour guide took us to a restaurant where we could order typical Georgian food, of course. But if you want other food too, they provide it. One thing that impressed me at lunch was the view around the restaurant. There is a river whose water is very clear and the mountain views are also beautiful. After lunch was finished, I and all the participants decided to enjoy the beauty of the river first.
I am a very shy person, but tried to work up the courage to mingle with the other participants. I opened simple topics like “which country are you from?” but fortunately, from this simple question, we talked about many things. We talked about why we visited Georgia, our work, and the experiences we had while in Georgia.
4. Georgian Russian Friendship Monument
The last location we visited before heading to Kazbegi was the Georgian Russian Friendship Monument. This monument was created in 1983 to commemorate the agreement made between Soviet Georgia and Soviet Russia with the Treaty of Georgievsk. This place is located on the Georgian Military Highway, which is between Gudauari and Jvari Pass. When we arrived at this place, before taking some photos, our tour guide explained the history of the construction of this monument.
This monument is very large and has beautiful acrylic, the pictures on the monument explain the journey the monument was built. Apart from the monument, the surrounding scenery is also very beautiful. Some people use this place during the winter to go on adventures using snow motorbikes.
5. And finally Kazbegi!
Kazbegi or its other name is Stepantsminda is an area in Georgia which is famous for its natural beauty. Kazbegi always feels beautiful in any season, winter, summer or autumn. Kazbegi is around 150 KM from the city of Tbilisi and can be reached by land in 3-4 hours depending on traffic jams on the road. When we visit Kazbegi there is one location that is always sought after by tourists, namely The Gergety Trinity Chruch. Of course, this church was also my main destination when I came to Kazbegi. Before I tell you about the journey from the center of Kazbegi to The Gergeti Trinity Church, I will first discuss how many ways there are to go to Kazbegi from Tbilisi:
Marshrutka Van (Minibus)
Marshrutka van or a kind of minibus, is a public vehicle often used by local residents in Tbilisi to go to Kazbegi. The distance between Kazbegi and Tbilisi is around 154 KM and on average it takes 3-4 hours. To use Marshrutka we have to go first to Didube Station then look for Marshrutka to Kazbegi. If you decide to use Marshrutka there are several things you should know:
- To get to Didube station, I recommend you use Bolt or Yandex. Bolt and Yandex are taxi applications that we can book online, just like Uber. Bolt and Yandex are widely used in Tbilisi. The cost of course depends on the distance.
- The cost of using Marshrutka from Tbilisi to Kazbegi is around GEL 15-20 and payment can only be made using cash. So you have to prepare cash beforehand.
- When we arrive at Didube station, sometimes we will feel confused about finding Marshrutka for Kazbegi, because to be honest, this station is quite confusing in its location, especially for me who is visiting Georgia for the first time. So the solution is that you have to ask the people there. If they don't understand English, my suggestion is to show them your cell phone with Kazbegi written on it
- Marshrutka's departure schedule from Tbilisi to Kazbegi is from 7 am to 7 pm. The Marshrutka will start running when the passengers are full, so you have to be patient if the Marshrutka is not fully loaded.
- Marshrutka is very suitable for those of you who want to experience a local sensation and save money. Because Marshrutka is the cheapest option to get to Kazbegi
Safe trip bang
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