This is one of those places where the journey really is the destination. It isn’t just the drive out along the Georgian Military Highway to the town of Kazbegi (Stepantsminda), but also the drive up to the church as well. The Gergeti Trinity Church sits high on a ridge west of Kazbegi, silhouetted against the massive bulk of Mount Kazbek, and the sight of it was irresistible to me. I knew I had to get up there…

On the way up, we volunteered to give a couple of Georgians a ride to the top with us. They had driven all the way out from Tbilisi and had wanted to hike up to the church. However, it was getting too late for them to be able to make it, so we made their day by giving them a ride. They had been hanging out around this campfire with some other Georgians they met on the hike up:

The road up is definitely only for 4WD vehicles:

After grinding our way up the mountain, we finally made it to this plateau:

And at the edge of the plateau sits Gergeti Trinity Church:

This fox darted out when we drove up to the base of the church:

The Church of Tsminda Sameba or Holy Trinity was built in the 14th century, with the tower added a century later. It was originally a monastery and, in fact, monks are now living here again. At 2170m, it’s a remarkably large construction for such an isolated location:

A last look back as we left:

Heading back down the mountain as darkness descended: