Truso Valley

The Truso valley runs west from the Georgian Military Highway below Kazbegi, following the young Terek through a gorge that opens into a broad high valley at around two thousand metres, and what makes it strange is the water: carbonated mineral springs rise all along the floor, staining the ground orange and red and building travertine mounds and terraces, with the largest, at Abano, forming a rusty dome beside the river. Stone villages stand along the sides, most of them empty, and the ruined tower of Zakagori sits on a bluff above. It is walked or driven in from the road, roughly fifteen kilometres to the far end, and the valley is a controlled border zone.

What you actually see

• Travertine terraces at Abano - mineral mounds built by the springs.
• Orange and red staining - iron and carbonate along the valley floor.
• Zakagori fortress - the tower on the bluff above the river.
• Abandoned stone villages - the settlements along the valley sides.

When to go

June to September; snow closes the valley for much of the year. A day. Carry identification: this is a border zone with checks, and the far end may be closed.

Honest expectations

It is a border area and access can be restricted or refused; carry a passport. The road in is rough and needs a proper vehicle. Walking the full length and back is a long day. There are no facilities and no shelter if weather turns.

Nearby

Kazbegi is north; the Georgian Military Highway runs past the entrance.