Mountain · Juta, Kazbegi Municipality, Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Chaukhi Pass
ჭაუხის უღელტეხილი · Chiukhi Pass
A high walking pass below the rock towers of the Chaukhi massif, climbed from Juta village near Stepantsminda and looking down on the Abudelauri lakes on the Khevsureti side.
Where it is
42.5555, 44.8171
Why go
From Juta, at about 2,100 metres, the path climbs beneath Chaukhi's spires — GNTA counts nine kilometres and roughly three hours to the pass — and the reward at the top is the view over the watershed into Khevsureti, where the white, blue and green Abudelauri lakes lie below. Day walkers from Stepantsminda turn back here; GNTA's trekking guide gives six to eight hours for the round trip. Those with two days carry on past the lakes to Roshka. GNTA rates the route intermediate and names June and July as the best months.
Near Chaukhi Pass
Lake
Abudelauri Lakes
Three small glacial lakes — white, blue and green — in the Abudelauri valley of Khevsureti beneath the Chaukhi massif, reached on foot from Roshka where the paved road ends.
2 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Mountain
Datvisjvari Pass
A 2,676-metre road pass between the Aragvi and Arghuni gorges of Khevsureti, crossed on the drive towards Shatili and Mutso.
20 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Church
Gergeti Trinity Church
A walled 14th-century church on the hill above Stepantsminda, standing in front of Mount Kazbek, which rises to 5,054 metres behind it.
20 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Waterfall
Gveleti Waterfall
The larger of two waterfalls above Gveleti village near the Dariali gorge, a thirty-metre fall reached on foot after a short drive north from Stepantsminda.
23 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ