Ski Touring & Mountaineering in Georgia –
Mkinvartsveri / Kazbek (5054 m)

8 days of ski touring in the High Caucasus

Mkinvartsveri (5054 m) – better known as Mount Kazbek – is Georgia’s third-highest mountain and one of the most iconic peaks in the Caucasus. The mountain has fascinated me ever since my first trip to Georgia in 2006. Over the years, I’ve returned many times to explore its ski routes and surrounding peaks. You can view some of these adventures in the photo gallery at ︎ ps-photo.net. The region offers a unique combination of challenging ski mountaineering and breathtaking high alpine scenery. Whether you're an intermediate or expert ski tourer, the Kazbek area provides a wide variety of routes and terrain.

This 8-day ski touring adventure in the High Caucasus offers moderate to challenging routes, allowing participants to summit multiple peaks exceeding 3000 and 4000 meters. While Kazbek may be the main goal for many, our experience in the area allows us to offer a touring program that goes far beyond just this summit. Our base is the AltiHut, a modern and sustainable mountain hut offering full board, comfort, and stunning alpine views.

Highlights

A certified ski guide with local expertise
Comfortable full-board accommodation at 3014 m (AltiHut)
Legendary Georgian hospitality
Ski adventures on iconic peaks like Mkinvartsveri (5054 m), Ortsveri (4222 m), and Maili-Khok (4600 m)

Mid-April to May is the ideal period for ski touring and ski mountaineering. Temperatures are milder, and snow coverage is typically at its best. Since the snowline is usually too high for valley skiing, we head directly to AltiHut and base ourselves there for the entire trip. The hut’s comfort and full board ensure proper acclimatisation and rest between tours. After exploring the terrain last season, I can confidently say the mountains around AltiHut offer enough quality ski routes to fill an entire week.

AltiHut – Our Base in the Georgian Mountains

Opened in 2018, AltiHut is the first modern mountain hut in Georgia, built with sustainability in mind. Located at 3014 m, it’s reached via a 4-hour ski tour from the village of Kazbegi/Gergeti (Stepantsminda, 1800 m). The hut provides direct access to ski lines on and around Mkinvartsveri, including multiple 4000 m glaciated summits.

The hut offers full board in its own restaurant (included in the package), with a great selection of drinks to round off your days. You’ll also find a music system, a well-stocked library, and historic photos—some of which I’ve taken myself!

Group Size & Skill Level

This trip is designed for small groups (max 5 participants). To join, you should have:

Solid background in ski touring
Confident off-piste skiing on slopes over 35°
Good fitness for 800–2000 m of vertical per day
Experience with glacier travel; crampon and ice axe familiarity recommended.

Logistics & Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival & Ascent to AltiHut

We meet in the morning at MPlus (Tbilisi) for a gear check. Equipment rental available. Then we drive to Kazbegi and ascend to AltiHut (4 hours).

Days 2–3 – Acclimatisation

We ski moderate lines around AltiHut to acclimatise and enjoy the surroundings.

Days 4–6 – High Summits

Depending on weather and group, we aim for:

Ortsveri (4222 m)
Spartak (4517 m)
Maili-Khok (4600 m)

We may also attempt Mount Kazbek (5054 m), with a demanding summit day involving 2000 m of ascent and a final 100–150 m pitch up to 40°, potentially requiring crampons and an ice axe.