Caucasus, Georgia
Mount Kazbek Classic
Route detail
About this route
A classic Kazbek ascent with acclimatisation at the Bethlemi Hut, rope practice and a long summit day over the Gergeti glacier.
Daily activity
4–7 hr/day; summit day 10–13 hr.
Terrain
Moraine, glacier, crevasses, snow slopes and high-altitude ridge terrain.
Best season
June to September
Your guide office
Kazbek Climbing — Mountain Travel Agency
Based in Stepantsminda, Kazbegi, Georgia
What's included
Guide, group equipment, hut support, local transfers and route planning.
Not included
Flights, personal equipment, meals in town, insurance.
Itinerary
- 1
Stepantsminda arrival
Time: 2–3 hrDistance: 6 km
Meet the guide, check gear and walk to Gergeti Trinity Church for acclimatisation.
- 2
Bethlemi Hut
Time: 5–6 hrDistance: 10 km
Hike over moraine to the old meteorological station hut at about 3,650 m.
- 3
Glacier skills
Time: 4–5 hrDistance: 5 km
Practise rope travel and crevasse movement on the lower glacier.
- 4
Acclimatisation ridge
Time: 5–6 hrDistance: 6 km
Climb toward 4,300 m, then return to the hut for another night.
- 5
Summit day
Time: 10–13 hrDistance: 14 km
Cross the glacier before dawn and climb snow slopes to the 5,054 m summit.
- 6
Reserve or descent
Time: 4–5 hrDistance: 10 km
Use a weather buffer or descend to Stepantsminda for debrief.
What to pack
Built for this route's terrain, altitude and number of days. Tick items off as you pack — without the right footwear or hard shell, a guide can refuse to take you up.
0 / 37 packed
Footwear and pack
Broken in before the trip — new boots are the most common cause of an abandoned day.
Clothing layers
Three layers, no cotton. Temperatures can swing 20 °C between valley and summit.
Technical equipment
Your guide office (Kazbek Climbing — Mountain Travel Agency) rents most of this locally — ask when you confirm your dates.
Sun, health and altitude
UV rises roughly 10% every 1,000 m of altitude.
Overnight kit
Keep these in a zipped pocket, not the main compartment.
Boots, crampons, ice axe and harness can usually be rented from Kazbek Climbing — Mountain Travel Agency in Stepantsminda, Kazbegi, Georgia — confirm sizes when you agree your dates.
Traveller feedback
Ratings collected from travellers who completed this route with Kazbek Climbing — Mountain Travel Agency.
4.8
★★★★★67 ratings
Written reviews for this departure are still being collected. Ask us for references from previous groups before you pay — we will forward them from the guide office.
Questions about this route?
Talk to the guides who run it — gear, fitness, weather windows, private dates. We answer within one working day.
€1,100
per person
Guide, group equipment, hut support, local transfers and route planning.
Next departure · 17 July 2027
6 of 6 spots left
Live availability updates daily and after every booking.