Vanis Kvabebi

Vanis Kvabebi is a monastery cut into a cliff face a few kilometres before Vardzia, and it is older, begun in the eighth century, with caves at several levels linked by passages, stairs cut in the rock and, in one place, a tunnel that climbs inside the cliff to an upper terrace. A defensive wall was thrown across the front in 1204, and two churches stand in the complex. It is far less visited than Vardzia and much less managed, which means clambering, low passages and drops without railings, and it gives a better sense of what these cliff monasteries were like before restoration. The valley below opens out toward the Mtkvari.

What's there

• Caves on several levels - chambers linked by passages and cut stairs.
• The internal climbing tunnel - the passage rising inside the cliff.
• The defensive wall of 1204 - the front thrown across the caves.
• A terrace church - the building on the upper level.

When to go

April to October. Two hours. It is easily combined with Vardzia further up the road. Bring a torch for the tunnels and shoes with grip.

Things to know

Passages are dark, low and awkward, with unfenced drops and loose ground; it is not suitable for small children or anyone unsteady. There is no lighting and little interpretation. The climb from the road is steep.

Nearby

Vardzia is south; Khertvisi lies north down the gorge.

Key facts