Truso Travertines Natural Monument

IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)

Truso Travertines are situated in Truso Valley, within the Khevi region of Kazbegi Municipality in the north-eastern part of Georgia bordering North Ossetia (Russian Federation). Positioned between the Greater Caucasus and Khokhi mountain ranges, the calcareous sinter extends from Truso Pass to the village of Kobi.

When traveling along the Georgian Military Highway, look for the signboard indicating the turn to Kobi village. Follow the gravel road, and after a short drive, you will arrive at Truso Canyon. Navigate through the narrow single pass on the Tergi riverside, leading to the bubbling Abano mineral lake. The Truso Valley opens up, revealing a lunar-like landscape with colorful depository and shelved mineral springs.

The valley, spanning 25 kilometers and situated at an altitude of 2093-2200 meters, boasts rich mineral waters. Limestone is formed as carbonate minerals precipitate out of ambient temperature water. Travertine in some areas is covered with a thin layer of transparent water on the white slopes where an ongoing development process is evident. The area is part of the Kazbegi Protected Areas, featuring sub alpine and alpine meadows. Presently, most villages in Truso Valley are abandoned.

The nearest settlement is 2 kilometers away and is populated only during the summer. The historical name of the area is Dvaleti. Truso Valley is home to attractions such as Abano mineral lake, the ruins of the 17th-18th-century ZakaGori Fortress, Truso Nunnery, and the 19th-century basilica - the Church of the Assumption.

Keterisi, and the adjacent village of Abano in Kazbegi Municipality, are reachable via a gravel road from the village of Kobi - a 30-minute drive, covering 12 kilometers from the natural monument. The village of Keterisi to Truso Travertines is 2 kilometers, taking about 10 minutes.

The driving distance from Tbilisi to the village of Kobi is 138 kilometers (3 hours);

Stepantsminda Borough to Truso Travertines Natural Monument is 32 kilometers, with 20 kilometers paved and 12 kilometers of dirt road. The trip takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The Gudauri to Kobi road, known as the Georgian Military Highway, passes through Jvari Pass, covering a distance of 15.2 kilometers (30 minutes) by car. Alternatively, there is the Gudauri to Kobi ropeway through Kobi Pass, which takes 7 minutes. This 10-seat gondola starts at an altitude of 2700 meters, offering a fantastic experience with a vertical drop of 300 meters and a cableway length of 1560 meters.

Book 4-day private tour Khevi Mountains or check the dates for small group tour Kazbegi Trekking.