Dariali Monastery

Dariali Monastery tickets: which one to buy

Dariali Monastery stands in the Dariali Gorge, on the Georgian Military Highway, very close to the Russian border, about fifteen kilometres north of Stepantsminda, also known as Kazbegi, in northern Georgia, and entry is free. It is a new monastery, built in the twenty-first century in a dramatic setting surrounded by steep mountains and the Terek river. Most visitors see it as part of a day trip or a stay in Kazbegi, combining the monastery with the Gergeti Trinity Church below Mount Kazbek, the Gveleti waterfall and the Truso Valley.

A car or taxi from Kazbegi is the easiest way to reach it. The monastery is next to the Upper Lars border crossing, so expect lines of trucks on the road. The monastery is active, and visitors should dress modestly, with women covering their heads. Marshrutkas from Tbilisi's Didube station run to Stepantsminda, and taxis from there go to the monastery.

Visiting Dariali Monastery: what to see

The Dariali Gorge has been an important route through the Caucasus since ancient times, and a fortress guarded the pass in the medieval period. The monastery was built between 2005 and 2011, on the site of an earlier monastery of the eleventh century, and it was designed in the traditional Georgian style, with a large church and a separate bell tower of pinkish-brown stone. The church, dedicated to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, has a dome and carved decoration, and the interior holds icons and frescoes in the Georgian tradition. The monastery complex also includes accommodation for monks and pilgrims.

The setting is the main attraction: the monastery stands on a flat area at the bottom of the gorge, with sheer rock walls rising hundreds of metres on each side, and the Terek river rushing past. Nearby, the ruins of the medieval Dariali fortress can be seen. The monastery's church holds icons painted in traditional Georgian style. The complex's stonework uses local stone that blends with the colours of the gorge. The bell tower stands at the entrance of the complex. The monastery's courtyard has a garden and seating areas. The monks welcome pilgrims and offer meals on some occasions. The site's position near the border makes it a symbol of Georgian identity. The mountains around the gorge rise to more than three thousand metres. The Terek river's roar can be heard from the monastery.

Dariali Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily. The Georgian Military Highway can close in winter because of snow and avalanches, especially at the Jvari Pass, so check the road conditions before travelling. Summer and early autumn are the best seasons, with green mountains and clear skies; late autumn brings colourful foliage. Mornings are often clearer in the mountains. The border crossing makes the road busy with trucks. Allow about half an hour for the monastery, and combine it with the Gveleti waterfall walk and the Gergeti Trinity Church in Kazbegi. The Gergeti Trinity Church, above Stepantsminda, is reached by a steep walk or a four-wheel-drive taxi and offers views of Mount Kazbek.