We meet at 9:00 AM near 300 Aragveli metro station and hit the road.
The drive takes about an hour.

The hike kicks off in the scenic Armazizkhevi River gorge — a right tributary of the Mtkvari (Kura). A narrow trail leads us right between the gorge's stone walls.

Then, the path eases into a beautiful forest, where we'll climb toward the fortress through green meadows. The forest stretch is pure joy: plenty of shade, soft ground, wild herbs, and sunlight peeking through the trees.

Just before the fortress, there's a short but steeper climb. It won't take long, but it'll definitely give you that real hiking pulse — trekking poles will come in handy here.

The ruins of Armazi Fortress sit on a rocky cliff — back in the day, this was a key lookout point controlling the mountain passes. That’s why the panoramic views from here are absolutely killer.

Right by the fortress, there's a grotto carved into the rock. You can climb up and look out over the valley through an ancient "stone frame."

And for the cherry on top: if we're lucky, after the monastery we'll check out the suspension bridge over the Kura. It's located on restaurant grounds, and if it's open, we'll walk across to see the valley from a whole new height.

We'll be back home around 5:00–6:00 PM