Experience the best of Gudauri

Gudauri sits on the high road north from Tbilisi towards the Russian border, the Georgian Military Road, in the Greater Caucasus. At about 2,200 metres, it is one of Georgia's main ski areas, with open treeless slopes above the Aragvi valley. The Jvari Pass, at 2,379 metres, lies just beyond, and a Soviet-era circular monument with a colourful mural stands on the cliff edge nearby.

North of the pass, the road drops to Stepantsminda, also called Kazbegi, beneath Mount Kazbek, which reaches 5,054 metres, with the Gergeti Trinity Church on a ridge above the town. South of Gudauri, the road passes Pasanauri, where the White and Black Aragvi rivers meet, and the fortress of Ananuri on the Zhinvali reservoir. Paragliders drift over the slopes in summer.

Khinkali, dumplings twisted at the top and filled with spiced meat, are the mountain staple, along with khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread, and grilled skewers of meat. Georgian wine and chacha, a grape spirit, warm cold evenings. Snow covers the slopes from December to April, and July and August bring wildflowers.