We provide Kazbek climbing tours from the territory of Georgia.
Mt. Kazbek was summited for the first time in 19th century (in 1868) by D. Freshfild. This mountain is the subject of many tales and legends. At an elevation of about 3800 m, in an 80-meter high rock there is a cave with an ancient Betlemi (Bethlehem) monastery in it. This monastery was said to be a storage area of relics and church treasuries. As another legend has it, the rock to which Premetheus was chained, was on Mt. Kazbek.
Mt Kazbek is double-headed, featuring two summits –Eastern Kazbek (5033m) and Western Kazbek (5015m). Stretching over its slopes are massive and strongly torn glaciers. On its south-eastern slopes there is the Getget glacier, and on the south-western part streaming with a beautiful torrent from Maili plateau to Genaldon gorge is the Maili glacier that is broader than any ice cascade in the Caucasus. On the northern part there is the Chach glacier; on the north-eastern slope – the Devdorak glacier, and on the eastern slope – the Abano glacier.
Opening from Mt. Kazbek’s summit is an awesome view of the Central and Eastern Caucasus. To the west, in clear weather, one can see another famous Caucasus volcano – Mount Elbrus (5642m). In the Main Caucasus range, closer to Mt. Kazbek, one can distinguish the 5000m high summits of Bezengi, beautiful tops of Tsey that surround the Karaugom Plateau. One can enjoy also the views of the grey Tepli pyramid, and right underneath Kazbek’s summit – the rock-and-icy ridges of Mt. Jimara with dominating icy peaks of Jimara, Mailihoh, Shauhoh and Sautisi.