Kazbegi – one hike and two nights in the mountains

Kazbegi is the mountainous area most accessible from Tbilisi and it was genuinely breathtaking. Huge, epic mountains only 13km from the border with Russia.

It was only a 2.5 hour matrushky, which cost a mere £3, so well worth the adventure out of Tbilisi.

I hiked to the Gergeti Trinity Church and part of the glacier hike (but the clouds looked too ominous) and otherwise took it easy, read a book, and enjoyed the glorious views from my window.

I’m now in Azerbaijan for six nights or so, but I will be back in Georgia for a more thorough adventure at the end of the month (as well as a stopover before heading to Armenia!)

TTFN, x

Tblisi Day Trip – Davit Gareja

Hello! After a week break back home (to pick up my China visa) I am now back on the road and in the Causcasus region for the next 6 weeks. I hit the ground running with a day trip today from Tblisi to Davit Gareja!

This is a small complex of monasteries, up in the mountains by the Georgian and Azerbaijani border (border police sit on the trail – but they looked so relaxed I initially thought they were first aiders for snake bites! Despite the warnings – which are justified – I thankfully didn’t see any snakes. I think most sightings of A, snakes and B, aggressive snakes is during mating season but take the usual care).

A short but rewarding hike will take you up onto the ridge to see the Udabno churches and the spectacular view. Definitely up there with my top five favourite hikes!

TTFN, x

Cardaklije – three nights on a farm, 53km on a bike and one waterfall

My final few days in Bosnia and Herzegovina were spent on Cardaklije, a little farm-cross-ecovillage on the edges of Una National Park. It’s a little bit touristy (a lot of tourists staying in Bihac drive here for lunch) but it has eight wonderfully glossy horses roaming free, along with some chickens, ducks and geese. Plus, most of the food – from the cheese to the raki to the vegetables to the prosciutto – is homemade on the farm.

I hired their bicycle on one of the days to cycle to Una’s most famous waterfall. I’m so pleased I did it as the waterfall was beautiful, but it was a hard going 53km.

The length was ok, the hills were manageable, but the quality of the “road” meant it felt more like off trail mountain biking at times. To give you an idea of how bumpy it was, today my arms hurt more than my quads…!