You can absolutely travel Costa Rica without renting a car. I would even recommend it for solo travellers, anyone uncomfortable driving on unfamiliar roads, or visitors who want to spend their journey looking at the rainforest rather than watching for potholes. The trick is to choose the right transport option for each part of your route instead of assuming that buses, shuttles, and domestic flights all work in the same way. 

First: Choose the Right Airport 

Costa Rica has two main international airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José and Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport near Liberia. Your choice should depend on your route. 

San José works best for the Central Valley, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, and the Caribbean. Liberia is the better choice for Guanacaste and north-west beaches; an open-jaw flight can reduce backtracking. 

For an arrival into San José, especially after a late flight, it is sensible to have your first ride arranged before you land. San Jose airport private transportation is a straightforward option for getting to an airport hotel, downtown San José, or your first destination without needing to negotiate taxis while tired. It is also worth considering if you have a lot of luggage or are splitting the cost with another traveller. 

Option 1: Tourist Shuttles Between Major Destinations 

Shared tourist shuttles are one of the most convenient car-free ways to travel between popular stops such as San José, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and Tamarindo. They are more expensive than public buses, but they usually include hotel pick-up and drop-off, which saves a lot of hassle when your accommodation is outside the main town.

This is the best option if: 

* You are short on time and want a direct route. 

* You have a medium-sized suitcase and do not want to change buses. 

* You are travelling alone and do not want the cost of a private driver. 

* You are staying in established tourist areas. 

Option 2: Private Transfers for Long or Awkward Routes 

Private transfers cost more than a shared shuttle, but they can make sense in a few situations: travelling with family or friends, arriving after dark, moving between remote lodges, or connecting a destination that is not well served by public transport. They also give you the flexibility to stop for food, photographs, or a supermarket run on the way. 

The route from Liberia Airport is a good example. If you are staying at a smaller beach hotel, starting a surf trip, or heading straight to a lodge near Rincón de la Vieja, a Liberia airport private shuttle can be more practical than trying to piece together local transport after your flight. It is not the cheapest method, but convenience has value when it saves you an entire day of travel. 

Before booking any transfer, confirm exactly what is included: whether the price is per vehicle or per person, how much luggage is allowed, whether the driver will wait for flight delays, and whether there are extra charges for stops. Keep the company’s contact details available offline in case your data does not work immediately on arrival. 

Option 3: Public Buses for Budget Travel 

Public buses are the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica and can work very well if you have time, flexibility, and a small bag. They are used by locals and connect most towns, but routes often pass through San José. That means travelling from one tourist area to another can involve a return to the capital even when the places seem close geographically. 

Always check departure times locally and ask your accommodation which terminal you need. Do not rely on an old blog post for exact bus schedules. Carry small bills for tickets and snacks, keep valuables with you, and try to travel during daylight hours when possible. 

Option 4: Domestic Flights and Boats for Remote Regions 

Some parts of Costa Rica are better reached by air or water than by road. Tortuguero, for example, is commonly reached by boat from the mainland or by a domestic flight. The Osa Peninsula can involve a long drive, a domestic flight, or a combination of road and boat travel depending on where you are staying.

These are the places where you should plan transport before booking every other detail. It is easy to find a beautiful lodge online and only later realise that the final transfer requires a boat at a set time or that the road becomes difficult in wet weather. Ask the accommodation for precise arrival instructions and build a buffer into the day. 

A Simple Car-Free Costa Rica Route 

For a first trip, I would keep the route to three destinations. A simple plan might be San José or the Central Valley, then La Fortuna, then Manuel Antonio, before returning to San José. Another good option is Liberia, Rincón de la Vieja, and a Guanacaste beach town. You can do both with a mix of airport transfers, shared shuttles, and short local taxis. 

The biggest mistake is treating every day as a sightseeing day. Travel days are real days in Costa Rica. Use them to watch the landscape change, eat lunch somewhere local, and arrive with enough energy to enjoy the place you have chosen. 

Travelling without a car requires a bit of research, but it doesn’t mean giving up independence. In many cases, it gives you more time to experience the country: more time for a coffee in the hills, a swim after a hot journey, or simply watching the rainforest slide past the window on the way to your next stop.

The post How to Travel Around Costa Rica Without Renting a Car: A Practical Guide for Independent Travelers appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

Mangystau sits in the far southwest of Kazakhstan, along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. A long time ago, this entire area was actually the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean, and today those former seabeds have turned into the dramatic white cliffs, colorful canyons, and salt flats you can see there now. Besides the surreal landscapes, the region is also home to sacred underground mosques, ancient necropolises, and important pilgrimage sites, so there’s a good amount of history and spiritual heritage packed in here too.

Up until now, the desert has mostly been visited by photographers and some Italian tourists (surprisingly, I learned that most tourists visiting Mangystau are from Italy), but Mangystau is a dream destination for any adventure traveler who loves beautiful landscapes, so I think that’s about to change.

In this travel guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to visit the Mangystau region and see the iconic landscapes for yourself. I stayed in Aktau both before and after my desert tour, so I’ll also share a few accommodation tips for the city, but this guide focuses mostly on the desert part of the trip, since that’s the main reason to visit. Besides the landscapes, there are other sights to see in the desert as well, such as unique underground mosques declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This place is still pretty unknown to the world, but things are changing fast — they’re building asphalt roads and a visitor center right in the middle of the desert. So if you want to visit Mangystau before it’s completely overrun by tourism, now is your chance. Keep reading to find out how.

And if you are into more unique landscapes in Central Asia, I have plenty of other content on my blog as well, such as Karakol and Issyk-Kul travel guide, Song Kul guide, Seven Lakes guide, and Iskanderkul Lake guide.

Do You Need a Tour to Visit Mangystau?

Yes, for most people a tour is the best option, because you’ll be heading into the middle of the desert. The terrain is rough, there’s no phone service, and the weather can be extreme. In summer it’s extremely hot, in winter extremely cold, and in between there can be stretches of heavy rain where cars get stuck. The tour operators carry radio phones so they can call for help if needed.

There’s no public transportation to reach the most famous desert sights. If you’re a very experienced driver in desert conditions — aware that there’s no phone signal or internet for GPS, that most of the time there are no roads at all and you’ll be off-roading, and that there are no facilities so you’d have to bring everything yourself — you could also rent a 4×4 yourself and head into the desert.

If you do decide to self-drive, make sure you’re well prepared: bring plenty of drinking water, extra fuel, offline navigation, a spare tire, recovery equipment, and enough food to be self-sufficient in case conditions change unexpectedly. But for most people, the best and safest option is to join a tour like I did.

You need a 4×4 to reach most of these places, so I joined a jeep tour. There are no asphalt roads (and in most parts, no roads at all) — though they are currently building some, which I’m honestly a little sad about, since I loved how untouched the nature was.

As someone I met on the tour — another traveler who sat next to me on day two — put it: “More fun, less people.” — that’s what you get when there are no proper roads and you’re off-roading through the desert.

So let’s get into the tour options in the next section before I tell more about my personal experience visiting Mangystau and about the best places to visit there.

What Tour Should You Book for Mangystau?

You can easily book Mangystau tours on GetYourGuide, and the company I used offers these options:

2-day tour  — covers Ybyk Gorge, the Karaman-Ata underground mosque, Tiramisu Canyon, Bokty Mountain, and the Bozjyra Fangs in one overnight trip.
3-day tour — adds Torysh, Sherkala, and a night at the Valley of Castles.
5-day tour — the first tour to include the Tuzbair Salt Flat, plus a night in a traditional yurt camp. 
7-day tour — the full route through the whole region.

So you can choose the itinerary depending on how much time you have. I have longer tour descriptions below.

I was very happy with the tour company I used, and our guide, Azret, was very knowledgeable about the region and also kept the atmosphere up. When you’re spending several days in the middle of the desert exposed to the elements, the choice of tour company matters a lot. The company I used is one of the biggest tour operators in Mangystau, and they’re very professional: 4×4 vehicles in good shape, guides with deep local knowledge, radio phones for safety, and they even arranged vegan food for me when I requested it beforehand. They have very high ratings on GetYourGuide as well.

Here’s a closer look at what each tour actually covers:

2-Day Tour: 7 Wonders of Nature and History

The easiest introduction to the region if your time is limited. Day one covers Ybyk Gorge and the Karaman-Ata Necropolis, the largest underground mosque in Mangystau, before camping overnight near Kyzylkup (Tiramisu) Canyon.

Day two continues to Bokty Mountain and the three Bozjyra viewpoints — the Mars Panorama, the Crest, and the Fangs — before heading back to Aktau. It includes one night of camping, most meals, entrance fees, and accident insurance.

3-Day Tour: Unforgettable 3 Days in Mangystau

A good middle ground if you want more than a quick taste but don’t have a full week. Day one covers the Shakpak Ata underground mosque, Torysh (Valley of Balls), the purple Jurassic clays of Kokala, and a panoramic view of Sherkala Mountain, ending with a night camping at Airakty (Valley of Castles).

Day two passes through Zhanaozen city, Kyzylkup (Tiramisu Canyon), and Bokty Mountain before camping beneath the Bozjyra Fangs.

Day three explores the upper Bozjyra viewpoints, the Mars Panorama, and Dragon Crest Ridge before heading back to Aktau. It includes two nights of camping, all meals, and an English-speaking guide.

5-Day Tour: Bottom of the Ancient Ocean

This tour goes deeper into the region and adds a proper yurt stay. Day one covers Torysh, Kokala, and Sherkala, with a night camping at Airakty.

Day two is dedicated to the Tuzbair Plateau — the upper viewpoint, the salt flats, and the White Arch — followed by a night in a traditional yurt camp.

Day three visits the Karaman-Ata underground mosque, Ybyk Gorge, and the market in Zhanaozen, then camps overnight at Kyzylkup (Tiramisu Canyon).

Day four covers Bokty Mountain and the Bozjyra highlights (Mars Panorama and Dragon Crest), camping beneath the Fangs.

Day five closes with a morning hike up the Bozjyra Fangs, a drive past the Senek Dunes, and a stop at Karagie Hollow — one of the deepest depressions on Earth — before returning to Aktau.

7-Day Tour: Discover the Whole of Mangystau

The full deep dive for anyone who wants to see as much of the region as possible. Day one covers Jygylgan (Fallen Earth), the Shakpak-Ata cave mosque, and Kapamsay Canyon.

Day two adds Akespe Gorge, Torysh, Kokala, and Sherkala, with a night at Airakty and dinner in a traditional yurt at Kogez Ethno Village.

Day three covers Zharmysh village, the Tuzbair upper and lower viewpoints, and the White Arch.

Day four is a rest day with a stop at Zhanaozen Market and a hotel stay in Zhanaozen.

Day five is dedicated to the Bozjyra Panorama, the Fangs, and Lower Bozjyra.

Day six covers the Baisary Plateau, Bokty Mountain, and Kyzylkup (Tiramisu Canyon).

Day seven wraps up with the Karaman-Ata underground mosque and Ybyk Gorge before returning to Aktau. It includes seven nights of camping plus one night in a yurt.

What Are the Best Places to Visit in Mangystau?

During my tour, I got to see lots of beautiful places, and here are some of my favorites that I highly recommend you check are included in your tour.

Tuzbair Salt Flat

The salt flats reminded me a little of the ones I’d seen earlier in Uyuni, Bolivia. The salt flats extend for approximately 15 km and are surrounded by beautiful white limestone canyons. Depending on the season, parts of Tuzbair can hold a thin layer of water, which turns the salt crust into a mirror and reflects the sky and surrounding cliffs, similar to what makes Uyuni so famous.

During our tour, we could see water on the salt flats, but it was far away. Apparently, cars can easily get stuck here in the mud, but experienced drivers know where it’s safe to drive. 

It truly felt like another planet already at this point, as I climbed up one of the huge white boulders. Tuzbair is included only in the longer tours — the 5-day and 7-day itineraries.

Valley of Castles, Airakty

The Valley of Castles is known for its castle-shaped rock formations. I watched the sunset from here, and it was absolutely spectacular.

As the sun went down, the moon rose from the other side behind the mountains, horses grazed by the side of the road, and a camel appeared at the top of one of the mountains. It was all amazingly beautiful. Airakty is included in the 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day tours.

Tiramisu Canyon (Kyzylkup)

Tiramisu Canyon is one of the most iconic places in Mangystau, with cliffs that look exactly like the dessert because of their multilayered colors.

I even climbed up here to get a better view of the place, and it was so stunning from up there. Most tours include stops at several different viewpoints to get the most out of this place. It’s included in all four tours — 2-day, 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day.

Bokty Mountain

This is the famous mountain that’s also tiramisu-colored. I tried to photograph it with a drone, but it was so huge that it was hard to get far enough back to capture the whole thing. Truly impressive. Like Tiramisu Canyon, Bokty Mountain is included in all four tours.

Bozjyra National Park

Bozjyra National Park is one of the most iconic sights in all of Mangystau, and its most famous feature is the Fangs (pictured above) — a row of sharp, jagged white limestone peaks that jut up from the canyon floor and really do look like a set of teeth or claws.

Besides the Fangs, there are other named viewpoints here too, like the Dragon’s Crest (also called Dragon Crest Ridge), a rocky ridge that resembles a dragon’s spine.

We saw the beautiful rock formations from several different viewpoints and ended the day watching the sunset over them, right near the spot where they’re currently building Bozjyra’s new visitor center, on the plateau above the canyon. Bozjyra is included in all four tours, though which specific viewpoints you get to depends on how many days you book.

Sherkala Mountain

Sherkala is a solitary, 308-meter chalk mountain that rises straight out of a flat plain, and it’s one of the most recognizable landmarks in the region. From a distance, it’s often compared to the ancient Roman pantheons, and up close, huge stone balls are scattered around its base.

There’s also a cave at the foot of the mountain that leads up to the top. According to local legend, it looks like a giant yurt, said to have been put up by mythical nomadic giants. Today, it’s considered one of the natural symbols of Mangystau. Sherkala is included in the 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day tours.

UNESCO World Heritage Underground Mosques

There are several underground mosques scattered around the area, and most of the tours include at least one. In July 2026, Beket-Ata, Shopan-Ata, Karaman-Ata, Shakpak-Ata, and Sultan-Epe — were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name “Rock Mosques and Associated Sacred Sites of Mangystau.” They’re centuries-old underground mosques, carved into the rock and still used as active places of worship and pilgrimage today.

I had the chance to visit one of them and got a proper tour of the place, as we were invited to join the prayer. I’ve traveled to plenty of Muslim countries — having visited around 150 countries — and visited lots of mosques, but this was the first time I was invited to actually take part: the washing and the whole process. A local woman showed the women in our group how to wash ourselves three times before praying.

After washing, we walked quite a way to the mosque itself, where we first prayed in the main room, with men and women together, and then I was led deeper underground by local women to a dark underground room for a second prayer. It was such an interesting experience, and I’m so glad I was invited. Keep in mind that you’re not allowed to take photos inside the mosque, so I don’t have any photos from the inside, but I did take some outside.

The mosque we visited was Shopan-Ata, which wasn’t part of our original itinerary — but a few of us in the group, myself included, were curious to see it, so we asked to add it. It hadn’t traditionally been part of most tour itineraries, but now that it’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, interest in visiting it has grown, and it may well become an official stop on more tours going forward.

The Karaman-Ata Necropolis appears on the 2-day, 5-day, and 7-day tours; the Shakpak Ata underground mosque appears on the 3-day and 7-day tours.

Camels (Not a Place, But Still a Highlight)

I wasn’t surprised to see so many camels here — after all, I’d already seen plenty of them on the Turkmenistan side. If you’re interested in seeing more of Turkmenistan, I have a whole series on my YouTube channel, by the way.

But it was so much fun watching the camels roam around and taking photos of them. I loved spotting them while we were driving across the desert.

My Experience Exploring Mangystau

I spent several days road-tripping through the desert on the jeep tour. The distances here are huge and the days were long, but it was definitely worth it. Most of the time we were off-roading through the desert, since there are no asphalt roads, and the landscape felt so vast and so remote. There was no cell service most of the time, so you were truly completely off the grid here. There were just endless plateaus, vast deserts, salt flats, and canyons.

This is my kind of travel, as I love to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations. Besides our group, we also hardly saw other people there, and we actually saw more camels than people. It had been quite dry when I visited, so there was a lot of dust as we drove the dusty off-road desert roads.

Our guide had a lot of knowledge about the desert, and since I’m always curious to know everything about the places I visit, I asked him a lot of questions to learn more about the region.

The tours here really know how to take you to the best places, where you can see the most beautiful landscapes, and we were driven to so many different viewpoints (some of the best ones are listed above, but we visited other places too). I had my drone with me, so the most fun I had was flying it and filming the landscape. We were always taken to really nice sunset spots as well, and watching the sun set over the desert was absolutely magical.

There were several places where you could also climb up the rock formations, and of course I did that for some incredible views of the desert. By climbing up and sitting on the boulders, though, I got my clothes incredibly dirty and dusty. A little tip: black is not your friend here — if you look at the first photo on this post, you can see how awfully dirty my bottom looks. I had no idea until I saw the photos.

We had lunch on the road, and the drivers and guides put together a proper lunch setup every time. They also prepared some vegan options for me, such as delicious hummus, so I was very happy about that. The weather conditions were sometimes a bit harsh, with extreme wind, since there are of course no trees in the desert, but the drivers parked the cars close together to get some protection from the elements and put a sun cover on top of that.

If you visit during the summer, be prepared for extreme temperatures. I visited in early autumn, and it was still very hot — sometimes it felt like I was melting. A hat is a good thing to have to protect you from the sun, and don’t forget sunscreen!

Besides the desert landscapes, we also visited the Shopan Ata underground mosque. It was such an interesting experience to see this place and take part in the prayer as well.

I loved my time exploring the Mangystau desert, and I’ll remember these extraordinary landscapes forever. Definitely worth the effort to get here!

Where to Stay in the Desert

For the tours, accommodation is mostly camping, since you’ll be in the middle of the desert most of the time. There’s one town, Shetpe, where you’ll find other accommodation options as well.

I stayed one night at Qazaq Camp Shetpe, where I had my own private yurt. I’ve stayed in plenty of traditional yurts all over Central Asia, and usually the facilities are pretty bare bones — no running water and very cold nights. Here, it’s not like that: the rooms have AC/heating, and there are shared bathrooms with hot water and flushing toilets.

How to Get to Aktau (Where the Tours Start)

All of the tours start in Aktau, and the most convenient way to get there is by flying, if you’re coming from other parts of Kazakhstan such as Almaty or Astana — Kazakhstan is a big country, and the distances are huge. From Almaty, it apparently takes three days to travel there overland.

You can book domestic flights with local airlines Scat Airlines, Air Astana, or FlyArystan.

Aktau is also a port town where cargo ships from Azerbaijan arrive. A lot of people doing a bigger overland trip — for example, with their own car, arriving from the Caucasus or all the way from Europe — make this crossing. I’ve also crossed the Caspian Sea by cargo ship before, so if you’d like detailed information on how to do this, read my post on How to Take the Caspian Sea Ferry (Cargo Ship) from Azerbaijan and I also have a YouTube video about it.

Where to Stay in Aktau

Aktau actually has a nice variety of hotels, and it’s also a popular holiday destination for Kazakh people. So there’s everything you could want, from resorts to mid-range hotels and budget options.

I stayed at the Dostyk Hotel, a nice 4-star hotel with clean, quiet rooms and a nice breakfast included.

I also visited the Rixos Water World Resort, the only five-star Caspian Sea resort in Kazakhstan. This is a massive property with several swimming pools, including a beautiful infinity pool with Caspian Sea views. There are also plenty of food options, and the buffet caters to all diets, including vegan. This resort is located a bit further from the city center, so it’s more the kind of place where you just stay and don’t need to leave.

If you’d like a nice 4-star hotel in the Aktau city center, there’s also Caspian Riviera. It’s located along the seaside promenade and has nice views of the Caspian Sea.

For budget options, you could check out Three Dolphins Hotel, for example.

What Is the Best Season to Visit Mangystau?

Mangystau has extreme seasons: summers are extremely hot, with temperatures rising up to 50°C (122°F), and winters are cold, dropping as low as -30°C (-22°F).

During spring, it can rain a bit, and cars can get stuck if the road conditions get too rough. That’s why it’s important to book a reputable, experienced tour company — I highly recommend the ones linked above.

The best times to visit Mangystau are typically April to May and September to October. These are the months when it’s not too hot or too cold, but tours run year-round, so if you don’t mind extreme temperatures, you could visit at other times too.

Is Mangystau Worth Visiting?

Absolutely.

Out of everywhere I’ve traveled in Central Asia, Mangystau is genuinely one of the strangest and most beautiful places I’ve seen — and I don’t say that lightly, having visited around 150 countries. The landscapes really do feel like another planet, and the fact that it’s still so unknown to most travelers only makes it more special.

Up until now, the desert has been mostly visited by Italian tourists, but it’s just now starting to get recognized by more people. I was completely blown away by the beauty of the desert every day I was there, and it was such a nice way to be completely off the grid for a few days, since most of the time you don’t have any phone signal. Mangystau is also a dream for photographers like me, and I loved taking photos there and flying my drone as well.

If you love off-the-beaten-path destinations, surreal landscapes, and a bit of adventure to get there, Mangystau is one of the best places you can visit in Kazakhstan, if not all of Central Asia. If you’re interested in visiting, now is your time — before the place gets completely overrun by tourism. It was still pretty untouched while I was there, and other than our group, we hardly saw other people.

If you have any questions about visiting Mangystau, leave a comment below or feel free to reach out to me on Instagram!

Liked this post? You might also enjoy my other Central Asia content:

Tajikistan

• How to Visit the Seven Lakes in Tajikistan
• Best Day Trips from Dushanbe
• How to Visit Iskanderkul Lake in Tajikistan

Uzbekistan

• The Most Beautiful Places in Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan

• How to Visit Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan
• Karakol and Issyk-Kul Area Travel Guide

Turkmenistan / Kazakhstan / Caspian Sea

• Taking the Caspian Sea Ferry (Cargo Ship) from Azerbaijan

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The post How to Visit Mangystau, Kazakhstan appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

To get to Kazbegi from Tbilisi, you have four ways to do it: book a tour, book shared transport, or go independently by marshrutka or rental car. Here’s how each one actually works.

I drove to Kazbegi myself, but I compared other travel options too when I visited. I ended up going with my own rental car so that I could stay overnight in Kazbegi and then continue driving to the next destinations, but in this post I’ll compare other options too, such as different tours.

If you are interested in traveling more all over Georgia, also check out my Georgia road trip itinerary post that includes Kazbegi, but also the wine country, Mestia, and other interesting sights along the way.

How to Visit Kazbegi in Georgia

Here’s a closer look at each of the four ways to get there, starting with the easiest:

Option 1: Take a Tour

For most people, especially if you are planning to visit only Kazbegi, a tour is the easiest way to see everything in one day without worrying about logistics. Even if you’d otherwise like to rent a car and travel around the country, Kazbegi can easily be organized separately as a day trip from Tbilisi.

Affordable Day Tour to Kazbegi

This is the most booked Kazbegi tour on GetYourGuide, and it covers the full route: Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, a wine and honey tasting, Gudauri viewpoint, and a transfer up to Gergeti Trinity Church.

Pros of this day tour:

• Very cheap for a full day covering four major stops
• No logistics to plan — pickup and drop-off from central Tbilisi
• Live guide included, English and Russian
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Cons of this day tour:

• It’s a big group tour, so expect a full bus and a fixed schedule
• 10.5 hours is a long day, and a lot of it is driving

3-Day Tour to Kazbegi

This is the better option if you don’t want Kazbegi to be a rushed single day.

Day one covers Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri, and Gudauri on the way in, with drop-off at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi by the evening.

Day two is a free day to arrange your own hiking, rafting, or paragliding.

Day three is another free day before the transfer back to Tbilisi in the evening.

Pros:

• Actually gives you time in Kazbegi instead of just passing through
• Room to add optional activities (hiking, paragliding) at your own pace
• Transport and hotel pickup from Tbilisi included

Cons:

• Accommodation isn’t included in the price — you book and pay for that separately. Compare options on Booking.com.
• The “free days” mean you’re on your own for planning once you arrive, so it suits independent travelers more than people who want everything handled (which can also be a plus, depending on your style!)
• Reviews mention it’s worth double-checking hotel and pickup arrangements directly with the operator in advance

2-Day Tour to Kazbegi

This is the shorter middle ground between the rushed one-day tour and the 3-day version — you still get an overnight in Kazbegi, but without committing a third day.

Day one hits Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, and Gudauri Ski Resort, with an optional sunset 4WD ride up to Gergeti Trinity Church, before dropping you at Rooms Hotel Kazbegi or Hotel Carpe Diem Gudauri in the evening.

Day two is flexible: stick with the standard free day, or add on a guided hike to Gveleti Waterfall, horseback riding, or both, before the transfer back to Tbilisi in the evening.

Pros:

• Overnight in Kazbegi without needing a full third day
• Optional add-ons (waterfall hike, horseback riding) if you want a more structured day two instead of planning your own
• Hotel pickup and transport included both days

Cons:

• Accommodation isn’t included in the price — you book and pay for that separately. Compare options on Booking.com.
• Gergeti Trinity Church is still an optional extra, not part of the base tour
• In winter, road closures can mean the overnight shifts from Kazbegi to Gudauri instead

Option 2: Take a Shared Transport

This one is a hybrid: it’s a real guided tour on the way in, with stops at Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri Fortress, and the Gudauri viewpoint (plus honey and cacha tasting and lunch), but instead of a fixed round trip, it drops you and your luggage off in Kazbegi and lets you pick your own return date later. Good if you want the sightseeing stops covered without having to plan them yourself, but don’t want to be locked into a same-day or fixed-length itinerary.

Pros:

• Covers the main stops (Zhinvali, Ananuri, Gudauri) with a live guide, so you’re not just staring out a van window
• Luggage travels with you, so you can go straight from the tour into your Kazbegi stay
• Flexible return — you contact the operator and pick your own date to head back to Tbilisi
• Cheaper than a private transfer for what is essentially a guided ride plus flexibility

Cons:

• Gergeti Trinity Church is an optional add-on with an extra fee, not included in the base stops
• Return pickup times in Kazbegi are limited to a set window (around 3:30–4pm), so you’ll need to work around that
• You have to coordinate your return date directly with the operator rather than it being fixed in advance

Option 3: Go Independently by Rental Car

If you’d rather skip the group and go at your own pace, Kazbegi is easy enough to reach on your own. Two main ways are marshrutka or renting a car.

Renting a car gives you the most freedom — stop wherever you want along the Georgian Military Highway, spend as long as you like at each place, and set your own pace between Tbilisi and Kazbegi.

For comparing car rental options, I use Localrent, which pulls together prices from local rental companies rather than just the big international chains, so it’s usually cheaper, and the fleet includes SUVs that are better suited to the mountain roads.

I rented a car in Tbilisi and set off for a longer road trip around the country, using this itinerary I had planned, which you can read on my Georgia Road Trip Itinerary post.

I recommend starting the drive in the morning. I actually left Tbilisi late at night after work, and by the time I hit the switchbacks near Kazbegi, it was pitch dark. Not something I’d repeat, but I didn’t have any other option because of my work schedule.

Start early instead, both for the driving and for the stops along the way, like Jvari Monastery (about 30 minutes out, perched above the river confluence) and Zhinvali Reservoir a bit further on. The drive itself takes around 3.5 hours without stops, longer with them.

Because I had been based in Tbilisi for a bit longer and was driving around on my road trip as well, I had already visited these stops I recommend:

• Jvari Monastery: about 30 minutes out, perched above the river confluence.
• Zhinvali Reservoir and Ananuri Fortress: a bit further on.

And besides these, there are also beautiful mountain views as you get closer to Kazbegi.

Pros of renting a car:

• Total flexibility — stop at Ananuri, Zhinvali, Gudauri (around here are also beautiful views), or anywhere else for as long as you want
• Skip the group entirely, go at your own pace
• Easy to combine with other stops in the Kazbegi area, or extend the trip
• Localrent often turns up better prices than international booking sites since it compares local operators directly

Cons of renting a car:

• Driving in Georgia, especially on mountain roads leading to Kazbegi, isn’t for everyone — expect aggressive overtaking and unpredictable trucks. I didn’t personally have any problems, but if you have only driven in Europe or the USA, for example, you might find driving here different.
• Winter driving on this route can be genuinely dangerous, with snow and closures on the pass
• Because Kazbegi is close to the border, there is often a long line of trucks. At least when I visited there were lots of Russian trucks!

Option 4: Take a Local Marshrutka

The marshrutka is the budget way to get to Kazbegi, and it’s what most backpackers use. Marshrutka vans leave from Didube Bus Terminal in Tbilisi. Tickets cost around 20 GEL per person, paid in cash directly to the driver.

Vans run frequently in high season, roughly every hour from 8am to 7pm, less frequently outside of summer. There’s no way to book ahead — you just show up, ask around for “Kazbegi,” and get pointed toward the right van. It leaves once it’s full, not strictly on a fixed schedule, though the popularity of the route means you hopefully won’t have to wait long.

The government is planning new regulations to ban minivans from journeys longer than 150 km. As of 2026, the minibuses still run regularly, but in 2027 there might be some changes, and minibuses might be replaced with big buses. Kazbegi is a bit of a borderline case, though, as the distance is just a little over 150 km. If you’re taking this route in 2027, let me know in the comments how it went and what kind of bus it was!

Pros:

• By far the cheapest option
• Frequent departures, especially May–September
• Authentic way to travel, and you’ll share the ride with locals

Cons:

• No stops along the way — you go straight to Kazbegi, so you’ll want to arrange separate transport to see Ananuri or Gudauri
• Can be a rough ride: cramped seating, fast driving, mountain roads
• No schedule or advance booking, and departures can thin out outside peak season
• Doesn’t take you directly to Gergeti Church or your hotel

Where to Stay in Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)

Stepantsminda has grown a lot as a tourist base over the past few years, so the range now goes well beyond the old handful of guesthouses — you’ve got everything from family-run spots with home-cooked breakfast to design hotels with Mount Kazbek right outside the window. Here’s a quick-pick list to match whatever you’re after, starting with where I actually stayed.

Hotel options in Kazbegi:

• Intourist Kazbegi ★ — my pick, the mountain views from the hotel were beautiful.
• ELSADA — a small guesthouse with a garden and terrace, with mountain views right from the property, for a budget option.
• Rooms Hotel Kazbegi — the area’s design-hotel pick, with an indoor pool and a terrace looking straight out at Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church, for a splurge.

Things to Do in Kazbegi

Beyond just admiring Mount Kazbek from town, Stepantsminda has enough around it to fill a few days if you don’t want it to be a rush-in, rush-out day trip. Here’s what’s worth prioritizing.

• Gergeti Trinity Church — the top sight in Stepantsminda, and worth budgeting real time for, not just a quick photo stop. You can reach it by day tour, by car, or by hiking up yourself, and the landscape around the church is as much a reason to go as the church itself. One thing to know before you go: women need a long skirt and to cover their hair, and men can’t enter in shorts. I showed up in long pants and was still handed a skirt to wrap around me at the entrance.
• Dariali Monastery — set in a dramatic gorge close to the Russian border, with a striking, remote feel to it. You could visit this monastery on the same day as Gergeti Trinity Church, and you can book a tour that combines the two.

• Gveleti Waterfalls — an easy, low-effort hike close to town if you want a beautiful payoff without much climbing. It’s commonly combined with Gergeti Trinity Church and Sno Valley on a single tour.
• Gergeti Glacier — for anyone who wants to keep going past the church, a trail continues on toward the glacier itself.
• Sno Valley — a small village on the way to Juta, best known for its collection of giant stone heads carved by local artist Merab Piranishvili, each one depicting a well-known Georgian writer, poet, or historical figure. Like Gveleti, it’s often bundled with Gergeti Trinity Church on a combined tour.

FAQ

How long is the drive from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
Around 3.5 hours without stops, longer once you factor in Ananuri, Gudauri, or Jvari Monastery along the way.

Is Kazbegi better as a day trip or an overnight stay?
A day tour covers the main sights, but an overnight (or longer) gives you time to actually hike, see Gergeti Trinity Church without rushing, and explore other sights beyond that.

Is it safe to drive to Kazbegi yourself?
Generally yes, but expect mountainous roads, aggressive overtaking, truck traffic near the border, and — in winter — genuinely dangerous conditions with snow and pass closures. I was fine and didn’t have any issues driving.

What’s the cheapest way to get to Kazbegi?
The marshrutka, at around 20 GEL per person, though it comes with no schedule, no stops, and a rougher ride.

Want to visit other places in Georgia? Check out my Georgia Road Trip Itinerary post for more inspiration.

Planning a trip to Georgia? Pin or save the post!

The post How to Visit Kazbegi, Georgia: Tour vs. Independent Travel appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

And to give you some context: this travel blog isn’t my full-time job. I actually work full-time remotely while running this blog (and now also a YouTube channel) on the side, so I have a lot on my plate at all times, and I need good wifi to take meetings and get my job done.

Digital Nomad Guide to Sri Lanka

WiFi and Mobile Data in Sri Lanka

I’m not going to sugarcoat it here: I struggled with the wifi and mobile data connection a lot more than I had expected. The wifi in most places is very slow — in some places almost non-existent, like in the accommodation I stayed at in Unawatuna. I’ll go into the accommodation options below, tell you where I stayed, give you my honest review, and point you toward places where you can actually get good wifi.

What I learned is that to get at least decent wifi for working in Sri Lanka, you need to do a lot of research beforehand and be willing to either stay in areas with co-working spaces or pay a little extra for pricier accommodation to have a more guaranteed connection. If your work is more flexible, you might be fine, but if you have to take meetings, do data-heavy work with deadlines, and keep set work hours, take this into account.

And it’s not just the wifi connection that’s unreliable — I noticed that sometimes even the mobile data stopped working completely. This happened especially during peak hours in some places — I think there just wasn’t enough capacity to handle all the users. And I wasn’t the only one with this problem: other people had it too, and their mobile data stopped working at the same time as mine. I tested this with three different mobile carriers, and with both eSIMs and regular SIMs. This might be a seasonal thing and could change depending on weather and capacity — this is just my experience of how it was when I visited in 2026.

There are also frequent power cuts, so take this into account and always keep your laptop fully charged.

• eSIM before you land: grab an Airalo eSIM so you have data the second you touch down and you don’t need to hunt for a SIM counter at the airport.
• Local SIM: Dialog and Mobitel are the two main carriers if you’d rather buy a local SIM card.
• Wifi as a booking filter: Compare hotels on Booking.com, read the reviews, and specifically search for what people said about wifi. I did this for every place I booked where I was planning to stay longer.

Cost of Living for Digital Nomads in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is noticeably cheaper than Bali, for example, if you stay outside of Colombo. Colombo is more expensive when it comes to accommodation, but it’s easier to find cheap local restaurants there than in more touristy areas.

• Budget nomad: ~$600–900/month — hostel or shared room, mostly local food, minimal transport
• Mid-range nomad: ~$1,000–1,800/month — private room, some co-working, mix of local and Western food, scooter or tuk-tuks
• Luxury nomad: $2,000+/month — private villa, fine dining, private transport

Where to Stay in Sri Lanka as a Digital Nomad

A lot of digital nomads tend to gravitate towards the south coast along the beautiful beaches. And that’s where I ended up staying the majority of the time too — not because other digital nomads stayed there, but because the wifi was so unstable elsewhere that I needed to be somewhere with several co-working options as backup.

The most popular places among digital nomads in Sri Lanka are Weligama, Mirissa, Ahangama, and Hiriketiya, but I visited other places too, and I’ll give you a review of them all here. I ended up staying the longest stretch in Weligama, since it had the most reliable co-working options of anywhere I stayed.

Colombo — Best for WiFi Reliability, but Expensive Accommodation

The capital has the most reliable wifi, plenty of cafés and restaurants with good connections, and co-working spaces — the most popular being Hatch Works. It’s not scenic, but if you need stable days to actually grind through work, it’s the safest bet. I was based in Colombo twice and was mostly just focused on working while I was there. If you’re interested in seeing how my first day in Colombo and Sri Lanka went, I have a video on my YouTube channel.

Taprobane House — My Pick ★: Check rates on Booking.com

My favorite place I stayed in Colombo. It’s a gorgeous boutique hotel with real character, great service, and modern, well-kept rooms since it’s a newer property. There’s a lovely rooftop swimming pool too. Book early — it’s a small property and sells out fast. My room had strong wifi and a desk and chair for working.

Cinnamon Red: Check rates on Booking.com

A stylish, design-forward hotel with a fantastic rooftop infinity pool and great views over the city and ocean. The rooms are a touch more dated than at Taprobane House, but it’s a solid, reliable option in a good location. I’d especially recommend it if you’re arriving late at night — they arrange airport pickups through professional, trustworthy drivers, which is exactly why I booked it for my own middle-of-the-night arrival. My room had strong wifi and a desk and a proper office chair for working.

I stayed at Taprobane House and Cinnamon Red while working from Colombo. Both were more expensive than my usual hotel budget, but I physically walked around to several hotels in the city to test their wifi, and the cheaper options just didn’t have a strong enough connection.

Read my other post: Is Colombo Worth Visiting?

Weligama — Best for Co-Working Spaces + Surf

This is the place where I stayed the longest, mainly because there were several co-working spaces I ended up frequenting almost every day — the wifi connections were quite unreliable otherwise. The two co-working spaces I visited the most were:

The Best Co-Working Spaces in Weligama

Outpost — The best co-working space for serious work: unlimited, fast wifi included with the day pass, a backup generator, and two separate rooms (a quiet room and a room for taking meetings), plus rentable phone booths. They also have a lovely rooftop with sea views where you can work, and you can use the swimming pool too. A day pass costs $11.

You can also book a stay here through Booking.com and live at their coliving space, so you can use the co-working space whenever you like — I’d recommend this option, since the facilities look really nice.

Fun fact: I’d actually visited their co-working space in Bali a long time ago as well.

Plan B — This is the second co-working space I visited, and it’s noticeably cheaper than Outpost: the day pass is 5,000 LKR, but it includes a 2,500 LKR food and beverage credit, so I always ended up eating something here too.

They have just one fairly small, air-conditioned room, so there’s nowhere to take meetings in peace. Do note that the day pass only includes 40GB of data — I was fine the first time I visited, but the second time I was doing something data-heavy and ran out very fast.

How My Typical Day Looked Like as a Digital Nomad Based in Weligama:

Since I ended up staying in Weligama the longest out of everywhere I based myself in Sri Lanka, I figured it’s worth walking you through what a normal day actually looked like there — work, running errands, gym, co-working spaces, food, all of it. I filmed a full day in my life there, so here’s what a typical day looked like for me in Weligama as a digital nomad of 10 years:

Day Trips from Weligama:

From Weligama, it’s also easy to do day trips to nearby spots like Galle, Mirissa, and plenty of other beaches. Weligama is also the best place on the coast to learn to surf if you’re a beginner, and there’s no shortage of surf schools if you want to give it a try.

Where to Stay in Weligama:

I stayed at Sanu Surfing Villa, where I had an apartment-type place with my own kitchen, bathroom, and large table for working. I booked this place for two weeks and loved my time there. The owners live on the property as well, so it feels very local, and they were so kind and helpful and helped me with lots of stuff. The owner even messaged me after I had left their place to make sure I had made it alright to my next destination.

The only downside was the wifi. When it worked, it was fast, but they only had a certain amount of data available for each day before it ran out. The owner was really kind about this, however, and bought a bigger package when I asked about it. However, it still ran out almost every day, and I never really knew how much data was left, as it was shared with other guests too. Just something to keep in mind.

 You can check rates and book Sanu Surfing Villa on Booking.com.

Other accommodation options for digital nomads:

• Outpost Weligama — a beachfront coliving space with a dedicated co-working space, fast WiFi, backup generator, rooftop with sea views, and a swimming pool — Check rates and book on Booking.com.
• Wake N Flow Coliving & Coworking — I visited this place several times to work remotely and the wifi was really fast. You can check rates and book on Booking.com.
• Hangtime Hostel — right across from the surf beach, with a rooftop café and dedicated co-working area, both with sea views; probably the most popular pick with backpackers and nomads alike. I used their restaurant’s wifi and it was surprisingly fast.

Ahangama — Best for a Quieter Base Close to the Action

Ahangama is just down the road from Weligama, so I visited a few times without staying there long-term. It has a strong surf scene and some lovely sunset spots along the coast — the local stilt fishermen are also worth seeing if you catch them out. Ahangama is also getting very popular with digital nomads, and there are several co-living and co-working places here too.

Next time, I would definitely stay here, because I saw these amazing-looking accommodations with co-working spaces on Booking.com:

Accommodation Options in Ahangama:

• Colive Ahangama — a coliving space with free bikes, a pool, and a desk in every room, plus a shared co-working area. You can check rates and book on Booking.com.
• Nets Cowork & Colive — geared specifically towards professionals, with neat, well-kept rooms and a swimming pool. Their on-site co-working space has private booths for meetings, plus Starlink and an off-grid solar installation. If I were coming back to Ahangama, this is where I’d book. You can check rates and book on Booking.com.

Mirissa — Best for Surf + Nightlife

Also close to Weligama, so I did day trips here. The beach is smaller than Weligama’s, but I think it’s more beautiful, with some nice rocky areas you can walk along and the famous Coconut Tree Hill viewpoint. There are good restaurants here (a lot of them more Western-style), and Mirissa is also known for its nightlife. It’s a good place for surfing too, and it’s also one of the main spots on the south coast for whale watching if you’re visiting during the season.

Accommodation Options in Mirissa:

• Asaya Sands Mirissa — a beachfront hotel with a co-working space, outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, and comfortable air-conditioned rooms — Check rates on Booking.com

Hiriketiya — Best for Beach + Surf

Hiriketiya has a growing nomad scene but still feels less touristy and more peaceful than Weligama or Mirissa. It’s a small horseshoe-shaped bay known for its good beginner-to-intermediate surf and a handful of cafés with a jungle-meets-beach vibe. I didn’t base myself here long-term, but it’s worth considering if you’re after more of a work-life balance pace. Do keep in mind, though, that the beach is smaller than Weligama’s, for example, so it can get crowded during high season.

Accommodation Options in Hiriketiya:

• Slow Life Coliving — a laid-back coliving space with both private rooms and dorms, a shared kitchen, lounge, workspaces, and a garden. Check rates on Booking.com.

Ella — Best for Scenery, Worst for Connectivity

Ella is stunning — you can catch a glimpse of it on YouTube in my Little Adam’s Peak sunrise hike video, and you can read more about the hike in my post here — but wifi in the hill country was the least reliable anywhere I worked from in Sri Lanka. I had considered staying in Ella for a while and working from there, but I ended up keeping it to a weekend trip while I tested out the connections.

There is, however, one hotel advertising a Starlink connection — I’d messaged them ahead of time to ask about wifi, but unfortunately they were fully booked while I was there. If you’re interested in visiting and working from Ella, consider this place: Ella Inn Hotel.

Definitely don’t skip Ella, though! It was one of the most beautiful places I visited on this trip.

Book a hotel with Starlink connection: Ella Inn Hotel

Read more: Little Adam’s Peak sunrise hike guide

Besides these places, I also visited Unawatuna and Tangalle, but the wifi connections in both were quite unreliable, and neither had co-working spaces as a backup, so I didn’t include them in this list as there are other beach areas you can choose from.

I also considered traveling north to Kandy and Jaffna, but ended up not doing so, because it was rainy season and the wifi connections in Kandy sounded even more so-so. That’ll unfortunately have to wait for another time. I’ll be back, though, because I loved Sri Lanka so much!

Is Sri Lanka Safe for a Solo Female Traveler?

I wasn’t quite sure before I arrived whether I’d feel safe as a solo female traveler and was afraid of getting harassed, but Sri Lanka felt safe for solo female travelers, and I felt like I could relax there.

Although everywhere else in the country I dressed quite conservatively (covering my shoulders and knees), in the beach areas I felt fine wearing a top and shorts, and I didn’t get harassed. I definitely did see other tourists wearing whatever they liked in other parts too — I just tend to overthink this a lot, since I want to minimize harassment. But in Sri Lanka, not once did I feel threatened or harassed. All the locals I met were very warm and welcoming.

Digital Nomad Travel Insurance for Sri Lanka

Get travel/health insurance sorted before you land, in case anything happens — I use SafetyWing for exactly this kind of long, multi-country remote-work trip. SafetyWing is geared toward digital nomads, you can even purchase coverage while you’re already on the road, and it covers surfing and other activities standard insurance skips.

Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka actually has two separate monsoon seasons, which catches a lot of people out because it means the “best” time to visit depends on which part of the country you’re in:

• South and west coast (Colombo, Weligama, Mirissa, Ahangama, Hiriketiya): best from November to April. The monsoon hits this side of the island from May to September.
• East coast (Arugam Bay and around): it’s the opposite — best from around May to September, with the wet season running roughly November to April.
• Hill country (Ella): can be unpredictable and rainy at various points of the year regardless of coastal season, which lines up with my own experience of unreliable wifi and afternoon rains there.

Book your accommodation early on Booking.com if you’re visiting during peak season (roughly December to February on the south coast especially) — co-living and coworking-adjacent guesthouses in Weligama, Ahangama, and Hiriketiya fill up well in advance during these months. Outside of peak season, you can generally get away with booking just a day or two ahead.

Final Thoughts

To sum up my thoughts on my stay in Sri Lanka: the nature was amazing, the local people were incredibly friendly, the food was delicious and affordable at local restaurants, and there was so much to see that a month wasn’t enough to do it all. I’ll need to return. However, wifi and connectivity were a huge issue for me throughout the trip, so your accommodation choice matters a lot more here than in most places.

Read all my Sri Lanka posts:

Planning to head to Ella next? Check out my guide to hiking Little Adam’s Peak.

Want to know if Colombo is worth visiting and what to see there? Check out my Is Colombo Worth Visiting post.

Visiting Sri Lanka later? Save or pin this post!

The post Digital Nomad Guide to Sri Lanka: One Month Working Remotely (2026) appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

Here are your three main options for getting from Sucre to Uyuni, or vice versa, from Uyuni to Sucre (for options 1 and 2) — and if you haven’t yet read my Sucre travel guide, check it out as well for a city guide.

Option 1: Minibus to Potosí, Then Bus to Uyuni

This is the route I did myself, and it’s the one I’d recommend if you want to travel during the daytime.

Start with a shared taxi from Sucre to Potosí. I took just a regular car shared with locals, which is the cheapest way to go (private taxis are available too, but cost more). The shared taxis leave outside of the main bus station — just ask around and you’ll be pointed in the right direction.

I was first offered a private taxi, but I said I wanted to take a shared one, and I then found another car that was ready to leave and waiting for one more passenger, so I got a seat and we were immediately on our way. For the shared taxi you have to wait for the car to fill up.

I was squeezed into the backseat with two other passengers and we started our way to Potosí. The drive is beautiful: high-altitude landscape with llamas and vicuñas grazing by the roadside. As you climb toward Potosí (sitting at 4,090 m), you’ll start to feel the altitude — my driver handed me some coca leaves to chew, which was my first time trying them and they did help. I could compare them a bit to khat I chewed in Somaliland with some locals.

The shared taxi drops you right at the Potosí bus station, where you can buy a ticket for the next direct bus to Uyuni. There are frequent big buses leaving for Uyuni, so you don’t have to worry about not getting a seat. I bought myself a ticket and had a little bit of time to eat before continuing to Uyuni in the big bus.

I made it to my hotel, Casa De Sal (which I highly recommend by the way — it’s a cool salt hotel), just before sunset and was ready to start my Uyuni salt flats tour the next day. If you haven’t booked a Uyuni tour yet, you can easily book a tour online. There are several tour options on GetYourGuide — the most popular are a 3-day tour ending in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile (this is what I did), a 1-day tour out from Uyuni, or a 3-day tour ending back in Uyuni.

Duration: Count all day for this journey to get from Sucre to Uyuni. I started in the morning and got to Uyuni just before sunset.

If you have more time to spend, consider spending a night or two in Potosí to see the sights, most importantly the mines. It has a genuinely fascinating (if heavy) history as the silver-mining capital of the Spanish empire, so it’s worth breaking up the trip with a couple of days here if you have the time.

Tour option ideas for Potosí:

Keep in mind Potosí sits at 4,090 m, higher than both Sucre and even La Paz, so nights are cold and the altitude is no joke — take it easy, especially right after arriving.

Where to Stay in Potosí

• Budget: Eucalyptus Potosí — central guesthouse with a rooftop terrace overlooking the city, heated rooms, and breakfast included
• Mid-range: Colonial Hotel Boutique — beautiful old colonial building with courtyards, right in the heart of the historic center

Option 2: Direct Overnight Bus from Sucre to Uyuni

If you’d rather take a direct bus and start your Uyuni salt flats tour right after you arrive in Uyuni, there’s also a direct overnight bus from Sucre straight to Uyuni that you can book online. This way you don’t lose one day for traveling.

I personally didn’t want to do this, as I don’t really sleep at all on overnight buses (you would guess that after 16 years of travel I would sleep anywhere, but sadly no), so I would have just missed the next day completely because I would have been too tired to do anything.

Option 3: Book a Tour That Includes the Bus

Since you’ll need to book a tour to actually visit the salt flats anyway, this is the simplest option — it bundles the overnight bus from Sucre together with the full Uyuni salt flats experience, so you don’t have to manage transportation and tour logistics separately. If you want to take the overnight bus, I’d recommend this option so you don’t have to worry about the schedule so much.

My Take (What Option to Choose):

If you have the time, go with Option 1. It’s the cheapest, the scenery is unbeatable so you don’t miss it, you have the chance to visit Potosí, and traveling during the day just feels safer. But if you’re short on time, the direct overnight bus bundled with a tour will get you there without the hassle.

Where to Stay in Sucre

Sucre is small enough that location barely matters as long as you’re staying in the historic center. Check out my Sucre travel guide for more information.

• Budget: CasArte Takubamba B&B — beautiful building, rooftop terrace, breakfast included
• Mid-range: El Jardin de Su Merced B&B — beautiful courtyards, terraces, breakfast included
• Luxury: Parador Santa Maria La Real — stunning colonial mansion, sauna, hot tub, restaurant

Where to Stay in Uyuni

Uyuni itself is a pretty barebones town — most people are only there to launch their salt flats tour, so don’t expect the charm of Sucre. Still, there are a few solid options depending on your budget. Uyuni is also home to a handful of salt hotels, and I decided to stay in one as well for the experience.

• Budget: Hostal Jerian — one of the best-rated budget options in Uyuni, with good private rooms
• Mid-range: My pick ★ Casa De Sal — I stayed here and highly recommend it. It’s a cool salt hotel with good breakfast — they even offered coca leaves at the breakfast table, hah
• Luxury: Hotel Boutique Andina — a more luxurious boutique hotel with beautiful rooms and a nice sun terrace

How to Book a Uyuni Salt Flat Tour

To visit Uyuni Salt Flats, you need to book a tour. This 3-day tour ending in Chile is the classic choice, but if you only have one day, you can also book this 1-day tour from Uyuni. If you are planning to cross the border to Chile (as I did), the easiest way is to book a 3-day tour that includes a drop-off in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, like this one.

I had great luck sharing the tour with really nice Bolivians, and my driver was very professional as well. Overall a 10/10 experience.

Tours options:

• 1-day tour — covers the main salt flat, Incahuasi Island (cactus island), and the train cemetery. Good if you’re short on time. Book here.
• Multi-day tours (2–3 days or more) — extend into the surrounding altiplano: colored lagoons, flamingos, geysers, and desert landscapes near the Chilean border. This is the better option if you have the time, since the salt flats themselves are only part of what makes this region special. 3-day tours also have options for a Chile border drop-off. Book a 3-day tour to Chile here.

If you’d rather book once you’re already in Uyuni, tour agencies line the streets around the town center and plaza and will most likely hassle you as soon as you get off the bus — but it’s worth comparing the companies online, checking recent reviews, and confirming exactly what’s included. Booking online on GetYourGuide for example gives you the security of reading other people’s reviews.

If you want to know how my Uyuni tour went, you can check out my Bolivia Instagram story highlights.

Visiting Bolivia soon? Pin this guide for later.

The post How to Get from Sucre to Uyuni (or Vice Versa) appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

This route goes first from Tbilisi to the mountains in Kazbegi, then to the wine region of Imereti, and up to the mountains again in Mestia.

This is a self-drive itinerary — I did the whole loop independently, no guides, starting and ending in Tbilisi. Below is exactly where I went, where I stayed, and what I’d do differently.

Georgia Road Trip Itinerary

Trip Planning

How Many Days Do You Need for This Itinerary ?

For this itinerary you’ll need a minimum of five days, but that’s a very rushed schedule. I’d recommend more, with at least two nights in each place, since the driving distances add up. The written schedule here is for 8 days, but if you have more time I would add more days in Mestia because there is so much to see.

If you don’t have a lot of time, you could do one night in Kazbegi and one night in the wine region, then choose between the Secret Pool, Katskhi Pillar, Prometheus Cave, and other sights in the region rather than trying to fit in all of them — but expect to spend most of your time driving.

If you have more time and want to see more, you could easily add Batumi, a popular city on the Black Sea. I’d already experienced the Black Sea from the Romanian side, so a beach stop wasn’t high on my list this time, and I skipped it to focus more on the nature and mountain side of the country.

How to Rent a Car in Georgia

When searching for a rental, I highly recommend checking out Localrent. I’ve used this site in many countries and usually find the cheapest rentals there — it compares cars from local rental companies and lets you book directly on the site.

A normal sedan will get you to most of this route (that’s what I had), but there were a few points along the way — mostly around the wine region and on the way to Mestia — where I wished I’d rented a 4×4 (more on that below).

What Driving in Georgia Is Like

I’ve rented cars in plenty of countries and experienced a range of driving conditions. My honest take on Georgia: locals drive quite wildly at times, overtaking in dangerous spots, and Tbilisi traffic especially can feel chaotic — though you don’t actually need a rental car in the city of Tbilisi itself, since it’s easy to get around by public transport, taxi, or on foot.

Outside the capital, expect curvy mountain roads, some gravel stretches in questionable condition, and potholes. Drive carefully and you should be fine — I’m a fairly confident driver and didn’t have any problems driving myself, but I did witness an inexperienced tourist with too much speed crashing their car in the potholes. Common sense goes a long way here.

Also make sure to check road and weather conditions, especially in the mountain areas — landslides, road closures, and sudden weather changes can make the roads dangerous quickly.

Best Time to Visit Georgia

May through October is the easiest window for this whole loop — outside that, some of the mountain roads get genuinely risky even if they technically stay open. The road to Mestia is open year-round, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re not experienced driving in harsh winter conditions. The mountain passes see more avalanche and rockfall risk in winter and spring. The same goes for the road to Kazbegi, where road closures are also possible during winter.

If wine is a priority, September–October lines up with the grape harvest in most regions. July–September is best for hiking around Kazbegi and Mestia if trails are part of your trip.

Where to Stay in Tbilisi

Since this itinerary starts and ends in Tbilisi, you’ll likely want a place to stay in the city before or after the loop — maybe both. I stayed in Tbilisi for a while, which gave me time to try out a few different hotels:

• Amante Narikala by Old Tbilisi Hospitality — tucked right at the foot of Narikala Fortress in the Old Town, a short (steep, cobblestone) walk from where taxis can drop you. Book a suite with the bathtub — the views from the tub over the city are worth it.
• History of Tbilisi — my favorite of the three as it offers the best value and is a good base if you’re working remotely like I was. I had a two-story room with a desk for working and a small balcony.
• Ornament Hotel — a solid budget option with a good location in the Old Town.

If you’d rather stay at a luxury property, Tbilisi has some excellent options too:

• Stamba Hotel — a design hotel set in a converted Soviet-era publishing house, known for its dramatic atrium and rooftop pool; probably the most talked-about hotel opening in the city in recent years.
• Artizan Design Hotel — a locally-owned 5-star hotel in the Old Town with bold, art-forward interiors (it even has its own in-house gallery), plus a restaurant with vegan and gluten-free options on the menu.
• Swissôtel Tbilisi — a more conventional 5-star hotel right by the Dry Bridge Market, with a rooftop bar and terrace looking out over the river and the old city, plus a full spa and indoor pool.

The best area to stay for tourists is definitely the Old Town, as it’s close to most sights and easy to get around on foot.

Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)

I left Tbilisi late at night after work and drove straight to Stepantsminda. I wouldn’t recommend doing it this way — toward the end of the drive the road turns into curvy mountain switchbacks, and doing that stretch in the dark isn’t pleasant. Start early instead — partly for the driving itself, and partly because there are some nice stops along the way that are worth the daylight.

My last workday before leaving happened to be packed with meetings right up until later afternoon, so an early start wasn’t an option for me, but don’t make the same mistake. I’d already visited some of the stops below during earlier trips out of Tbilisi, but you should leave early and visit these spots along the way:

About 30 minutes outside Tbilisi, break up the drive at Jvari Monastery, perched above the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. It’s a beautiful spot — give yourself some time here rather than rushing through. Jvari dates to the late 6th century and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list back in 1994. I found this such a peaceful place and the views from the top overlooking the crossroads of two rivers were magnificent.

A bit further along, stop at the Zhinvali Reservoir — the turquoise water against the hills is worth a quick stop, though it won’t take nearly as long as the monastery. The dam was built in the mid-1980s across the Aragvi River and now supplies part of Tbilisi’s drinking water. The reservoir actually sits on top of a medieval town of the same name, which was flooded when the dam went in — on years when water levels drop, remains of old buildings are sometimes visible again.

The drive from Tbilisi to Kazbegi takes around 3,5 hours without stops — longer with them.

Where to stay in Stepantsminda (Kazbegi):

• Intourist Kazbegi ★ (My pick — the mountain views from the hotel were beautiful.)
• Kazbegi 4U — a small, family-run guesthouse with a garden and good homemade breakfast, for a budget option.
• Rooms Hotel Kazbegi — the area’s design-hotel pick, with an indoor pool and a terrace looking straight out at Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church, for a splurge.

By the way, if you would rather visit Kazbegi as a separate day trip from Tbilisi and not drive there yourself, that’s totally possible as well and there are really affordable tours you can book online such as this one. I have written a full guide on how to get to Kazbegi, so read my How to Get to Kazbegi guide for information about driving vs. tour options.

Day 2: Stepantsminda/Kazbegi

Budget a minimum of two nights here — one full day is genuinely tight if you want to see more than one sight, so extend your stay if you can.

Gergeti Trinity Church

This is the number one sight in Stepantsminda. You have three options: book a day tour, hike all the way up, or drive there.

Note that when you visit the church, women will need to wear a long skirt and cover their hair, and men can’t enter with shorts. I was wearing long pants and I was handed a skirt to wrap around me when I entered.

It’s not just the monastery, but the surrounding areas are also beautiful with mountain views and stunning landscape so I would budget properly time to visit this place.

Other things to do in Kazbegi:

• Dariali Monastery — the monastery complex sits in a dramatic gorge close to the Russian border and offers stunning mountain views and a unique spiritual atmosphere. You can combine visiting this monastery with Gergeti Trinity Church with this tour.
• Gveleti Waterfalls — a short, easy hike close to town if you want something low-effort and beautiful waterfalls. You can book a tour online that combines Gergeti Trinity Church, Gveleti Waterfalls, and Sno Valley.
• Gergeti Glacier — for those who want to keep going past Gergeti Trinity Church, you can continue on a trail to the glacier.
• Sno Valley — a small village on the way to Juta, known for its collection of giant stone heads carved by local artist Merab Piranishvili, each one depicting a famous Georgian writer, poet, or historical figure. You can book a tour online that combines Gergeti Trinity Church, Gveleti Waterfalls, and Sno Valley.

Where to stay in Stepantsminda:

• Intourist Kazbegi ★ (My pick — the mountain views from the hotel were beautiful.)
• Kazbegi 4U — a small, family-run guesthouse with a garden and good homemade breakfast, for a budget option.
• Rooms Hotel Kazbegi — the area’s design-hotel pick, with an indoor pool and a terrace looking straight out at Mount Kazbek and Gergeti Trinity Church, for a splurge.

Day 3: Drive to the Wine Region — Ethno Sazano Wine Estate

From Stepantsminda, I drove to the wine region of Imereti. I stayed close to Kutaisi at Ethno Sazano wine estate hotel to taste local wine and relax. Georgia’s most popular travel destination for wine is actually Kakheti, but that’s in the opposite direction of this loop, and I still wanted to fit in some wine tasting — so I picked this area instead, conveniently placed between Stepantsminda and Mestia.

This region is actually one of the top five main wine-growing regions in the country, so there are lots of wine estates where you can stay. I chose to stay at Ethno Sazano Wine Estate, a boutique wine hotel with decades of history.

The road got a bit bumpier as I got closer to the property. A normal car will get you there fine, but a 4×4 would be more comfortable if you have the option. If you start early, you’ll also have time to visit a few sights along the way, like the Katskhi Pillar, which is close by.

Ethno Sazano had excellent wine straight from their own winery, which I got to taste, and delicious homemade meals, and the rooms were very comfortable with rustic charm to them. 

It’s not the only good hotel option around here. If you want to break up the long drive from Kazbegi to Mestia somewhere well-placed for the next day’s sights, here are a few other wine estate hotels in the area:

• Gonadze Vineyards Hotel — in Ambrolauri with its own vineyard, an outdoor pool, and homemade meals, including wine made on-site from the local Khvanchkara and Tvishi grapes.
• Wine Hotel Korenishuli Veranda — a small, family-run wine hotel in Korenishi village with home-cooked meals and the option to join in on winemaking during harvest season.
• Baias Wine — a family-run winery, farmhouse, and guesthouse near Kutaisi in Imereti. It’s a traditional 1970s Imeretian farmhouse in the village of Obcha, with home-cooked meals, genuinely rural surroundings, and the chance to walk the vineyards and taste wine from the family’s qvevri cellar.

Day 4: Secret Pool in Lailashi + Katskhi Pillar + Prometheus Cave

The next day, you can drive out to see the surrounding sights, including the Katskhi Pillar (if you haven’t already seen it the day before), Prometheus Cave, Secret Pool, and other sights — I specifically chose the wine estate for how conveniently it’s located to all of these.

The Katskhi Pillar is a natural limestone monolith about 40 meters tall, topped with a small monastery that only monks are permitted to climb up to — one lived there alone for two decades, coming down only a couple of times a week. It’s free to visit the base and small museum. 

Prometheus Cave, about an hour away near Kutaisi, is a stalactite cave with several illuminated chambers open to the public (entry ticket needed, with an optional underground boat ride); plan on one to two hours to walk through it.

I also visited the “Secret Pool” in Lailashi — a hidden mountain infinity pool tucked into a remote village. It’s fed by natural mountain springs, so the water is very cold, and it looks out over sweeping panoramic views of the gorge below. Worth noting: this isn’t really a tourist spot and it can be hard to find.

Also worth doing nearby:

• Sairme Pillars — a striking limestone rock formation close to Lailashi and the secret pool, with the ruins of a medieval church near the top. Reaching them takes a short 4×4 stretch followed by a walk of about 2.5 km (roughly 3 hours round trip), so it pairs naturally with the same day as the pool if you’re up for the extra hike.
• Sataplia Nature Reserve — dinosaur footprints and a karst cave, close to Kutaisi if you’re passing through. The footprints (from a local dinosaur species called Satapliazaurus) are original, not replicas, and the reserve also has a glass viewing platform over the forest; plan on about two hours.
• Motsameta Monastery — a short detour near Kutaisi with a dramatic gorge-top setting. It’s built on the spot where two 8th-century Georgian noblemen, David and Constantine, are said to have been martyred, and their relics are still kept inside; entry is free.
• Okatse Canyon or Martvili Canyon — if you have an extra day before heading to Mestia, either canyon walk is a popular add-on in this part of Imereti. Martvili is the boat-ride option, floating through a narrow turquoise gorge; Okatse is the vertigo option, with a hanging metal walkway running about 780 meters along a cliff face 140 meters up. Many day tours combine both.

There’s genuinely a lot to do in this area — next time, I’d spend longer here to see more of it.

Day 5–7: Mestia

From the wine estate area, I continued on to Mestia. It’s another full day of driving, so start early. When I left the wine estate, I first turned left following Google Maps’ directions, but the road quickly got narrow and rough enough that I turned back and took a longer route instead — worth keeping in mind, since Google Maps doesn’t always know which road is actually the better one to take.

The road closer to Mestia can also be rough in bad weather, with potholes or even landslides possible, so check conditions before you go. But the road is wide and mostly paved the whole way, so you don’t need to be a particularly skilled driver or have a 4×4 — just drive carefully and don’t overestimate your skills or speed.

I’d recommend staying a bit longer in Mestia. The drive there is long, and there’s enough to see in the area that a longer stay pays off. I stayed at Hotel Old House Mestia and would genuinely recommend it — the rooms were cozy and clean, and the best part was the terrace restaurant, which served delicious Georgian food with plenty of vegan options (Georgian cuisine naturally has lots of vegan options).

Things to do in Mestia:

• Koruldi Lakes — beautiful alpine lakes at an altitude of 2,700 meters. You can hike up or take a jeep. I took a jeep up and hiked only the upper part. There are also tours you can book on GetYourGuide.
• Cable car viewpoint — there’s a nice viewpoint up by the cable car.
• Glacier tour — if you’d rather do Chalaadi Glacier and Koruldi Lakes as a guided day trip instead of arranging it yourself, there’s a tour you can book online on GetYourGuide.
• Ushguli — one of the highest permanently inhabited villages in Europe, usually done as a full-day trip from Mestia; the road can be rough and is sometimes closed outside of summer, so it’s worth checking conditions before planning around it. The easiest way to visit is to book a tour online. This tour takes you to Ushguli from Mestia.
• Mestia History and Ethnography Museum — a smaller, indoor option for a rest day or bad weather.
• The Svan towers — I climbed up one — not for the faint-hearted, as the structure seemed a bit shaky, to say the least. Several towers are open to visitors and you can climb up for the view. Most of the roughly 175 surviving towers in the region date from the 9th to 12th centuries and were built as family refuges — part fortress, part storehouse. Mestia and Ushguli have the highest concentration, and Upper Svaneti’s towers have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Where to stay in Mestia:

• Hotel Old House Mestia ★ (My pick — delicious food with lots of vegan options, plus a terrace with nice views)
• Hotel Ushba in Mestia — a newer hotel right in the town center, with balconies and mountain views in every room and a hot tub on the terrace.
• Cottage TowerView in Mestia — a one-bedroom villa/cottage with its own kitchen and a terrace looking out at Mestia’s Svan towers, a good pick if you want more space and privacy than a hotel room.
• Ecohouse Svaneti — a budget guesthouse in a village just outside Mestia, family-run with home-cooked meals; a solid pick if you don’t mind being a short drive from the center.

Day 8: Drive Back to Tbilisi

The drive from Mestia back to Tbilisi in one day is long — the longest of the whole loop. This will take a minimum of 8 hours to finish. If you’d rather break it up, you could stay somewhere along the way, like Kutaisi or the wine region around it mentioned earlier. Alternatively, continue on to Batumi.

Optional extension: Batumi

If you have extra days and want to end the loop on the coast instead of heading straight back, Batumi is a popular add-on from this side of the country — a Black Sea city with a different pace from the mountains and wine country. I skipped it this time since I’d already seen the Black Sea from the Romanian side and wanted to keep this trip focused on the mountains, but if you haven’t been to the Black Sea before, I’d recommend adding it. There are plenty of nice beachside resorts to relax at, such as Le Meridien Batumi and Sheraton Batumi, both right on the Black Sea coast in the city itself.

FAQ

How many days do you need for this Georgia road trip? The minimum is five, but that makes for a very rushed itinerary. I’d recommend at least eight days — more if you want extra time in Mestia or plan to add Batumi.

Do you need a 4×4 to do this route? A normal car will get you through this loop, but there were still several times when I wished I had had a 4×4, so if you have the budget, rent that one.

Is it safe to self-drive in Georgia? Generally yes, but check conditions before mountain legs, especially outside summer. See the “What Driving in Georgia Is Like” section above for more detail.

When is the best time to do this loop? May through October. See the “Best Time to Visit” section above for more detail.

Can vegans eat well on this route? Yes — Georgian cuisine naturally has plenty of vegan options, so I always had plenty to choose from. Lobiani, lobio, pkhali, and ajapsandali are just a few of the vegan local dishes you can try.

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I filmed the whole sunrise hike, running up the stairs and all, so you can watch below everything that happened. For a written Little Adam’s Peak guide, continue reading.

Little Adam’s Peak Sunrise Hike Guide

How to Get to the Little Adam’s Peak Trailhead

Little Adam’s Peak sits just outside Ella town, off the Ella-Passara Road. There are two main ways in:

• Via Beera Ella Pathana Road, which turns off near Ella Flower Garden Resort and passes Chillout Ella (this is where I was coming from).
• Via 98 Acres Resort and Spa, further down the Ella-Passara Road.

Both paths meet at the official trailhead, where a large sign points you up toward Little Adam’s Peak (and the Flying Ravana zipline, if that’s your thing).

If you’re staying in central Ella, it’s a walkable 1.5-2 km from town to the trailhead. For sunrise, most people grab a tuk-tuk to the trailhead since you’ll otherwise be walking in the dark all the way to the trailhead where there is a parking lot — then it’s on foot from there.

If you’d like to take a tuk-tuk to the trailhead, organize it the night before — I didn’t see any tuk-tuks around when I started hiking at 5:30 AM. I’m not sure if there are more available in city center, but they’ll surely charge you a premium at that hour anyway.

Alternatively, you could also book a tour on GetYourGuide that includes tuk-tuk transportation, like this one.

Hotels Close to the Trailhead

If you’d like to walk to Little Adam’s Peak all the way from your accommodation, book a hotel close to the trailhead.

I had booked my hotel so that it was possible to walk all the way from the hotel to Little Adam’s Peak. Yes, it was pitch black when I started walking, but I was fine even as a solo female traveler. Ella is a safe town, although I still felt a little spooked walking in the pitch black when there was literally no one around.

If you’d prefer not to hike alone in the dark, you can book a tour that includes the Little Adam’s Peak hike.

Best Time to Hike Little Adam’s Peak

Sunrise is the classic choice — cooler temperatures, softer light, and you beat both the heat and the crowds arriving later in the morning. Evenings can be cloudy and rainy.

Avoid the rainy season if you can — Ella gets rain year-round, but May-July and October-December are the wetter stretches, and you risk a socked-in view (plus leeches on the grassy sections).

I visited outside of the main rainy season, but it was still very rainy. It usually rains more in the afternoon though, so I recommend doing hikes in the morning. When I did this hike, it didn’t rain in the morning and the weather was beautiful, but in the afternoon it was pouring rain.

What to Pack for the Hike

This is a small hike so you don’t need much, but here are some essentials:

• Headlamp or phone flashlight
• Proper shoes with grip — the last stretch has loose rock and can be slippery, especially if it rained recently
• A light layer — it’s cooler pre-dawn than you’d expect
• Rain jacket (just in case, as it rains a lot in Ella)
• Water
• Some small snacks
• Cash for a tuk-tuk if you don’t want to walk both ways

Don’t Want to Hike Alone? Book a Guided Tour

If you’d rather not navigate the trail solo — or you just want to combine it with Ella’s other big sights in one go — there are guided options that take care of the logistics for you:

Where to Stay Near the Trailhead

When you’re booking your accommodation for Ella, take into account that if you want to do the hike at sunrise and would like to walk there from your hotel, you’ll need to start walking in the pitch black, so you’ll preferably want to stay closer to the trailhead.

The other option is to organize a tuk-tuk or scooter to take you a bit closer to the trailhead (if you watch the vlog, you can see that in the first part I was walking on this paved road where scooters and tuk-tuks were also driving, before there was a parking lot and people were continuing on foot only).

I stayed at Lavender Homestay that was relatively close to the trailhead, but still within walking distance of town and restaurants, and on a quiet street so there was no street noise. So I’d recommend it for that reason.

There are also options that are a lot closer to the trailhead, so if you want to roll straight out of bed and onto the trail, staying close to the trailhead (rather than central Ella) saves you the pre-dawn tuk-tuk ride. Here are solid options right near the two access points:

98 Acres Resort and Spa — Sits directly at one of the two trailhead access points. Tea-estate views, an infinity pool, and you can walk straight onto the trail from the property. Best pick if proximity is your top priority.

The One Ella — A small boutique B&B right at the start of the road up to Little Adam’s Peak. Just a couple of bungalows, sweeping valley views, and a fantastic breakfast on your own patio.

Lavender Homestay — Where I stayed. A 15-minute walk from central Ella, but also close enough to the trailhead. Clean, modern rooms, and warm hosts. Great value, quiet, and comfortable.

Samadhi Nature Resort — A peaceful garden guesthouse an easy walk from both the peak and Nine Arch Bridge. Known for mountain views and genuinely warm hospitality.

There are tons of other hotels close to the trailhead as well, and close to the area where I stayed too. You can search for places in the map below:

My Experience Hiking Little Adam’s Peak

I stayed at Lavender Homestay. If you want to walk all the way from your accommodation to the trailhead, don’t book a hotel that’s too far. Also take into account that it’s pitch black outside when you start walking. My host had told me I needed to start walking at 5 AM to reach the peak for sunrise. I wanted to sleep a bit longer and had checked that it should be fine for me to wake up at 5:00 AM and then start hiking around 5:30 AM.

When I started hiking a little bit after 5:30 AM, it was pitch black outside. There were no people anywhere to be seen, so I felt slightly uncomfortable hiking alone as a solo female traveler. In general, though, Ella felt like a very safe town, so I didn’t worry too much. I walked all the way from my hotel to the trailhead, which took around 20 minutes, and hiking all the way to the Little Adam’s Peak viewpoint took around 40 minutes in total. It was dark and quiet outside when I left, but as I approached the trailhead, I could hear the first sounds of chanting coming from Buddhist temples, and the atmosphere was beautiful.

I think I was just in time with this schedule, but as you can see from the vlog, I was literally running up the steps because I could see some light coming already and I was worried I’d miss the sunrise. I made it just in time, though. The hike wasn’t really challenging up to the official viewpoint, but there were a lot of stairs and they still felt like a lot, especially because I’d had a leg day at the gym the day before and I was running up.

The official trail ends at the main viewpoint, right where the crowds pile up for photos. You can see in the vlog that there are quite a lot of people. I, however, kept going past it, a bit further along the ridge, and that’s where the actual best views were, and where I got my best photos. You can find this on Google Maps as Little Adam’s Peak End Point.

Only a few people made it this far, mostly because it looks very steep when you look at it from the official viewpoint. You first have to go down a hill and then climb up another hill to get there, but it was fine, and the views from there were definitely worth it. You can watch the whole thing in the vlog.

I also ended up making a few friends along the way, including another solo female traveler from India who I ended up chatting with well past sunrise, and who gave me a ride back to town on her scooter.

Other Things to Do in Ella

If you’re already up before sunrise for Little Adam’s Peak, it’s worth stacking a few more of Ella’s highlights into your day:

• Nine Arch Bridge — The most famous bridge in Sri Lanka. A colonial-era railway bridge a short walk or tuk-tuk ride from Little Adam’s Peak. Try to time your visit with a train crossing if you can.
• Ella Rock — A longer, more challenging hike than Little Adam’s Peak, but also a popular sunrise spot if you want more of a workout and fewer crowds.
• Ravana Falls — One of Sri Lanka’s best-known waterfalls, easy to combine with a hike or tour of the other two spots.

How to Get to Ella

Most travelers reach Ella from Colombo, Kandy, or the south coast beaches. The train has traditionally been the classic way in — especially the Kandy to Ella stretch, considered one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world.

As of 2026, though, that route isn’t running the full way. Following major flooding and landslides in late 2025, the line between Kandy and Ella remains suspended, and full restoration isn’t expected until early 2027. The train is still operating if you want to do the scenic train ride, but it’s not from all the way from Kandy. It still covers some of the most scenic stretches of the original route, just not the whole thing.

Traveling from Colombo to Ella, the fastest way is the road transport. You can either take a bus (most of the buses go to Badulla) or you can book a private transfer straight from Colombo (or Colombo Airport) to Ella with a driver-guide who’ll also stop at sights along the way. You can book for example this transfer directly online on GetYourGuide.

If you’re coming from the south coast beaches (Galle, Mirissa, Weligama, and similar), you will first need to travel to Matara, and from there you can take a bus from Matara bus station. Or you could also take a private taxi all the way to Ella.

Once you’re in Ella, the town itself is small enough to get around on foot, by tuk-tuk, or by scooter if you’re comfortable driving one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Little Adam’s Peak hard to hike?
No — it’s one of the easiest hikes in Ella. It’s mostly paved path and stairs, with just one steeper, rockier stretch near the top. If you continue past the official viewpoint like I did, that extra stretch to the End Point is a bit steeper too, with some short ups and downs — but nothing technical. A basic level of fitness is all you need.

How long does it take?
Around 30 minutes to an hour one way from the trailhead or 1.5-2 hours round trip if you’re walking from central Ella. Budget extra time if, like me, you plan to keep going past the official viewpoint and want to take lots of photos.

Do I need a guide?
No — the path is well marked and easy to follow, even in the dark. That said, if you don’t want to walk alone (especially before sunrise), you can book a tour with transportation included.

Is it safe to hike alone, especially for solo female travelers?
I did it solo and was fine, but I won’t pretend the walk to the trailhead in pitch darkness didn’t feel a little unnerving with no one else around. Ella itself is a safe town, but if hiking alone in the dark doesn’t sit right with you, join a sunrise tour or team up with other travelers at your accommodation.

Can I combine it with Nine Arch Bridge?
Yes, easily — both are close by, and it’s a popular combo. I’ve linked a couple of guided tours above that pair Little Adam’s Peak with Nine Arch Bridge if you want to see both in one outing. Or you could just hike from Little Adam’s Peak to Nine Arch Bridge, it’s not too far.

Is there an entrance fee?
No, hiking Little Adam’s Peak is completely free.

When’s the best time to go?
Sunrise, hands down — cooler temperatures, softer light, and fewer people. Just know it gets crowded fast once the sun’s up, especially at the main viewpoint.

Final Thoughts

Little Adam’s Peak is an easy hike that earns its spot on every Ella itinerary for a reason — the view-to-effort ratio is hard to beat. Whether you hike it solo at sunrise or join a guided tour with the rest of Ella’s highlights, it’s one of those short walks that’s genuinely worth setting an early alarm for.

Sri Lanka was my 147th country — kicking off a six-month journey across South Asia while working remotely. So there will be lots more Sri Lanka and South Asia content coming up on my blog and YouTube channel.

Read all my Sri Lanka posts:

Traveling to Colombo as well? Read my post: Is Colombo Worth Visiting? It includes tips for where to stay, things to do, and my experience as a solo female traveler.

And if you want to know more about the different areas I visited and digital nomad life in Sri Lanka, read my Sri Lanka Digital Nomad Guide.

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The post How to Hike Little Adam’s Peak in Ella at Sunrise: A Complete Guide appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

But here’s the thing: I ended up spending quite a bit of time in Colombo across multiple stays, and I really grew to love it.

If you’re trying to figure out whether Colombo is worth your time on a Sri Lanka trip, I’m going to give you my honest take — what I loved, what genuinely annoyed me, where I stayed, and what I actually think you should do here.

Is Colombo Worth Visiting? My Quick Answer

Yes!

Colombo isn’t the kind of city that’s going to knock your socks off the moment you arrive. It’s not going to compete with Ella for nature or the south coast for beautiful beaches. But it’s a city with real character once you give it a chance, and I genuinely think most travelers write it off too quickly.

I’d say Colombo is worth at least two to three days if you’re spending a week or more in Sri Lanka. It’s also very much worth spending your first and last night here, given that the international airport is nearby — so you might as well make the most of it rather than rushing in and out.

If your time is really limited, a single full day is enough to hit the highlights. But don’t just breeze through it on the way to the airport. There’s actually good stuff here.

If you’re tight on time and want to make the most of your time in Colombo, I highly recommend booking this private and very affordable tuk-tuk tour on GetYourGuide — it has a 4.9-star rating and takes you to all the major attractions in the city.

Watch My Colombo Vlog

Before I get into the written review, here’s my full Colombo vlog where you can see exactly what the city looks like and follow my experience as I explore it for the very first time. I cover a lot in this video that complements what I’ve written here.

And if you’re looking for more South Asia content, subscribe to my channel as I’ll be posting my whole 6-month trip across the region there.

What I Loved About Colombo

The Food Scene Is Great

This was the biggest surprise for me. Sri Lankan cuisine more broadly is incredible — rice and curry, roti, coconut chutney, hoppers — and Colombo is where you get to try all of it at its best. I also found it easier to find affordable local meals here than in more touristy parts of the country.

As a vegan, I was really pleasantly surprised by how well I ate here. Sri Lankan cuisine leans heavily on vegetables, lentils, and coconut, which means there are naturally plant-based options pretty much everywhere you go. I never once struggled to find something good to eat.

The Neighborhoods Are More Interesting Than You’d Think

Colombo gets a bad reputation for being characterless and generic, and while parts of it absolutely are, the city is not a monolith. Colombo 3 (Kollupitiya) and Colombo 7 (Cinnamon Gardens) are genuinely pleasant to walk around — wide, tree-lined streets, beautiful colonial architecture, good cafes, and a totally different energy from the chaotic commercial center.

The Pettah district, on the other hand, is one of the most intense bazaar-style markets I’ve ever been to. It’s chaotic and loud and not exactly relaxing, but if you’re into that kind of sensory overload, it’s fascinating.

It’s a Great Base for Day Trips

One of the practical advantages of Colombo that people often overlook: it’s actually well-positioned for day trips. You can even visit places like Sigiriya and Galle as day trips from Colombo. If you’re on a longer Sri Lanka itinerary and planning to use Colombo as a starting or ending point anyway, this makes a lot of sense.

And if you want to make the most of your time in Colombo itself, you can book a private tuk-tuk city tour such as this one on GetYourGuide that takes you to all the major attractions in just one day.

There Are Lots of Nice Hotels with Beautiful Rooftop Pools

Okay, this is a very specific thing to love, but some of the hotels in Colombo have absolutely incredible rooftop pools with views over the city and ocean. After a hot day of exploring, this is genuinely one of the best things about staying here. More on the hotels below, but the two I stayed at that had great rooftop pools were Taprobane House and Cinnamon Red.

The Local People Are Very Friendly

One thing I noticed right when I arrived in Colombo — and in Sri Lanka generally — was the incredible hospitality from locals. If you want to see some of these interactions firsthand, I also have a YouTube video about my first day in the country that captures some of the very kind people I met along the way.

I Felt Safe as a Solo Female Traveler

I traveled around Sri Lanka solo and not once did I feel unsafe. I landed in the country in the middle of the night, which is why I booked a slightly more expensive hotel than I usually go for — specifically so I could organize airport transportation through them and not take any chances with random drivers. This is something I do whenever I arrive in a new country late at night, and I’d highly recommend Cinnamon Red for exactly this purpose. They organized a friendly, professional driver who picked me up from the airport and got me to the hotel safely.

Beyond that first night, I usually got around by Uber or PickMe, and I was completely fine taking them solo. The Uber app has a PIN code feature you share with your driver, which adds an extra layer of security. I also walked around on my own — sometimes even at night — and felt safe, though I’d still recommend sticking to well-populated areas after dark.

Things I Didn’t Like About Colombo

The Traffic Can Sometimes Be Bad

I’ve been to a lot of chaotic Asian capitals, so I’m kind of used to it — but it’s still not always pleasant. The traffic can be brutal, especially during rush hour, and you have to budget extra time when getting around.

Getting around by tuk-tuk is the most practical option and is generally pretty affordable, but traffic affects tuk-tuks just as much as everything else.

It’s Not a Very Walkable City

Unlike a lot of Asian capitals that reward you for wandering on foot, Colombo can be genuinely frustrating to explore that way. The sidewalks are inconsistent, the traffic can sometimes be intimidating, and the distances between interesting areas are further than they look on a map. I found myself taking tuk-tuks for distances I’d normally walk without a second thought in other cities. The areas where I stayed, however, were a lot more walkable than some others.

The Traveler Scene Is Almost Nonexistent

This sounds like a weird negative, but because so many people skip Colombo, there’s much less of a traveler scene here than in places like Kandy or Ella. It can feel slightly harder to get recommendations or meet other solo travelers. I didn’t end up running into many other tourists during my time here — but honestly that wasn’t much of an issue for me, because I ended up meeting a lot of local people instead.

It’s Expensive

While I could still find affordable food and getting around by Uber was cheap, hotels in Colombo are noticeably more expensive than in other parts of the country — especially if you want to stay somewhere with a good location, reliable WiFi, and a comfortable setup for working remotely as a digital nomad.

Where I Stayed in Colombo (Honest Hotel Reviews)

I stayed in Colombo across multiple visits and tried several different hotels, so I can give you a real comparison.

Taprobane House — My Favorite My pick

Check rates & availability on Booking.com →

This was my absolute favorite place I stayed in Colombo. It’s a gorgeous boutique property with a lot of character, great service, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you actually want to spend time at the hotel. It’s also a newer hotel, so the rooms are modern and in great condition.

There’s a lovely rooftop swimming pool too. I loved it and would highly recommend it — though book early, as it’s a small property and sells out fast.

Cinnamon Red — Great Option, Especially for the Pool

Check rates & availability on Booking.com →

Cinnamon Red is a stylish, design-forward hotel with a fantastic rooftop infinity pool. It’s more of a modern boutique-leaning business hotel than a cozy guesthouse, but the pool views over the city and ocean are hard to beat.

The rooms were slightly more dated than at Taprobane House, but nothing to complain about — it’s a solid, reliable option in a good location. I’d also specifically recommend this hotel if you’re arriving late at night, as they arrange airport pickups through professional, trustworthy drivers.

And something quirky about this hotel: it takes the red theme from its name very seriously. I felt like everything was red — from the curtains to the pillows on the bed.

Top Things to Do in Colombo

1. Walk Galle Face Green at Sunset

This is the one thing I’d tell absolutely everyone to do in Colombo. Galle Face Green is a long promenade along the ocean that comes alive in the late afternoon and evening with locals, street food vendors, and families out for a stroll. The vibe is great and the sunset views are beautiful.

2. Visit Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

This is a must-see and probably the most iconic building in Colombo. Worth noting though: the Google Maps opening hours may be incorrect. I arrived around 5 pm when they were supposedly open until 6, but a man working there was already closing the gates for visitors.

This is actually where I got my first taste of local hospitality — he kindly let me in briefly to take some photos, and the people at the mosque even helped me find an Uber ride. You can see this moment in my YouTube vlog.

3. Visit Gangaramaya Temple

One of the most important and interesting temples in Colombo — and worth visiting even if you’ll be seeing a lot of temples elsewhere in Sri Lanka, because this one has a character all of its own.

4. Get Lost in Pettah Market

If you like markets, Pettah is a full sensory experience. It’s chaotic, crowded, and completely disorganized in the best possible way — each street tends to specialize in something different, from electronics and fabric to spices and hardware. Go with no agenda and just wander. You can also see this place in my YouTube vlog.

5. Go to Seema Malaka Temple for Sunset

This Buddhist temple sits in the middle of a lake, and after all the hustle and bustle of the Pettah area, it’s an amazingly quiet and peaceful spot right in the heart of the city. It’s especially beautiful at sunset, and I genuinely loved exploring it after dark too — it was beautifully lit up. I also had a lovely encounter here with a friendly local woman and we ended up chatting for about an hour. A few clips of that conversation made it into my vlog.

6. Find a Good Rooftop Bar or Cafe

Colombo has a surprisingly good cafe culture, and the rooftop spots in particular are excellent. I found some really lovely places to sit with a coffee or fresh juice and watch the city below — a nice contrast to the chaos at street level.

Practical Tips for Visiting Colombo

Getting there: Bandaranaike International Airport is in Negombo, about 30km north of Colombo. A taxi takes around 45–60 minutes depending on traffic. Book a reputable transfer through your hotel rather than just hopping in a random car at arrivals. When I first arrived, I booked Cinnamon Red specifically so they could organize a reliable driver to pick me up in the middle of the night.

Getting around: Tuk-tuks are the most practical way to get around. Use Uber or PickMe (Sri Lanka’s local equivalent) for metered, fair-priced rides without any bargaining. Both were easy to get throughout Colombo.

Stay connected: Get a local SIM card or buy an eSIM before you arrive. An eSIM saves you the time and hassle of hunting down a SIM at the airport.

Best time to visit: The west coast, where Colombo sits, is best from November to April. The monsoon brings heavy rain to this side of the island from May to September.

How long to spend: Two to three nights is the sweet spot. One night is fine if you’re just passing through.

FAQs About Visiting Colombo

Is Colombo safe for solo female travelers?

Yes, Colombo is generally very safe for solo female travelers. Sri Lanka as a whole is one of the more comfortable countries I’ve traveled solo in South Asia. The usual precautions apply — be aware of your surroundings, use Uber or PickMe rather than random taxis, and stick to populated areas at night. I never felt uncomfortable or unsafe during my time here.

How many days do you need in Colombo?

Two to three days is the sweet spot. One day is doable if your time is limited. I wouldn’t plan more than three days here unless you have a specific reason — after that, you’re better off heading to other parts of Sri Lanka.

Is Colombo worth visiting or should I skip it?

Worth visiting, not skipping. If you’re flying into Sri Lanka, you’re likely arriving near Colombo anyway — so make the most of it. It’s not the highlight of Sri Lanka, but it’s more interesting than its reputation suggests.

What’s the best neighborhood to stay in Colombo?

Colombo 3 (Kollupitiya) is the best area for tourists. It has good restaurants and cafes and is much more walkable than other parts of the city. Both hotels I recommended above are in this area.

Is Colombo good for vegans?

Yes! Sri Lankan food naturally incorporates a lot of vegetables, lentils, coconut, and plant-based dishes. I ate really well in Colombo as a vegan, and there are also dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants in the city.

Final Thoughts: Is Colombo Worth It?

Yes — but go in with the right expectations. Colombo isn’t a jaw-dropping, photogenic capital that’s going to compete with the rest of Sri Lanka for wow factor. It’s sometimes messy and traffic-heavy, and it takes a bit of effort to appreciate.

But it rewards that effort. The food is great, the neighborhoods have real character once you get into them, and it’s a genuinely interesting city to spend a couple of days in before or after heading out to see the rest of the island.

Just make sure you book a good hotel — it makes a huge difference here. Taprobane House and Cinnamon Red are both places I personally stayed and would recommend without hesitation.

And if you want to see what my actual experience looked like on the ground, the full vlog is right here on YouTube.

Read all of my Sri Lanka posts:

Planning to head to Ella next? Check out my guide to hiking Little Adam’s Peak.

And if you want to know more about the different areas I visited and digital nomad life in Sri Lanka, read my Sri Lanka Digital Nomad Guide.

Visiting Sri Lanka soon? Pin or share this post for later!

The post Is Colombo Worth Visiting? My Honest Review in 2026 appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

I visited Iskanderkul as part of a longer mountain trip that also included the Seven Lakes, and it completely blew me away. I’ll always remember the deep electric blue of the water, the mountains all around, and the locals who hosted me.

Whether you’re based in Dushanbe or coming from Uzbekistan, visiting Iskanderkul is absolutely worth it — and in this post I’ll walk you through exactly how to get there.

If you’re also visiting the Seven Lakes, make sure to check out my Seven Lakes guide — you can combine both in one incredible multi-day trip. And if you’re based in Dushanbe, I’ve also written a full guide to the best day trips from Dushanbe with more ideas for exploring the region.

Iskanderkul Lake Travel Guide

Do You Need a Tour to Visit Iskanderkul?

For most travelers, a tour or private driver is the most practical option. Public transportation is very limited in this region.

The drive from Dushanbe to Iskanderkul is about 3 hours each way through mountainous terrain. If you’re not renting a car and comfortable navigating independently, a guided tour is the easiest and most reliable choice.

Most travelers visit Iskanderkul by:

• Booking a guided day or multi-day tour from Dushanbe or Uzbekistan
• Hiring a private driver
• Combining it with a multi-day trip to the Seven Lakes

If you are visiting on a budget, you can also take a shared taxi, but there is no direct marshrutka going all the way to Iskanderkul from Dushanbe. The closest town is Sarvoda, and from there you would need to organize another taxi to get to the lake.

How to Travel to Iskanderkul

There are two main starting points for visiting Iskanderkul: Dushanbe in Tajikistan or Uzbekistan via the Samarkand–Panjakent route. Here’s what options you have for visiting Iskanderkul:

1. Day Trip from Dushanbe

This is the most straightforward way to visit if you are already in Tajikistan. Iskanderkul is about 130 km north of Dushanbe — roughly 3 hours by car — and the drive itself is part of the experience. The road winds through mountain passes with some genuinely stunning views.

 Check availability: Day Tour to Iskanderkul from Dushanbe

A full-day tour from Dushanbe includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Return transport in a comfortable vehicle
• English-speaking driver
• A hike to the Fann Niagara waterfall near the lake

The tour runs about 10 hours in total, which makes for a long but very rewarding day.

Iskanderkul Day Trip from Dushanbe:

This option is best if:

• You are based in Dushanbe
• You only have one day to spare
• You want a hassle-free experience with transport sorted

Where to Stay in Dushanbe Before the Trip

Guest House Homely – One of the most highly rated places in Dushanbe with a 9.7 rating on Booking.com. A homestay with friendly hosts.

Vatan Hotel – My personal pick during my stay. Central location, reliable WiFi, and comfortable rooms at a more reasonable price. Worked great as a remote work base.

Crowne Plaza Dushanbe by IHG (5★) – The most comfortable option in the city, with a spa, pool, and solid facilities. Great for treating yourself before or after a mountain excursion.

2. Overnight Stay at Iskanderkul

If you have more time, I highly recommend staying overnight or for several nights, because the area is really beautiful and you’ll get a much better glimpse of local life here. If you are coming without a tour, the best option is to organize a private driver.

If you are on a budget, you can also take a shared taxi — though note that there is no direct marshrutka going all the way to Iskanderkul from Dushanbe. The closest town is Sarvoda, and from there you would need to organize another taxi to get to the lake.

If you want a guided option for an overnight stay, there is also this 2-day tour on Viator that covers exactly that: you spend day one at Iskanderkul with hiking included, stay overnight in a guesthouse in the nearby village of Saratog, and on day two you explore the Fann Mountains before returning to Dushanbe. Dinner and accommodation are included, and it’s a private tour so it’ll just be your group.

Book an Overnight Tour – 2-Day Fann Mountains Adventure & Local Stay:

Where to Stay at Iskanderkul

If you’re staying overnight at the lake — which I highly recommend — there is a guesthouse you can book directly online: Iskanderkul Guest House. It’s a homestay-style accommodation right by the lake, with simple but comfortable rooms and home-cooked meals.

Other than this, the accommodation options you can book online are kind of limited. If you have a private driver sorted out, they can also help you find a homestay.

3. Two-Night Trip from Dushanbe (Iskanderkul + Seven Lakes — My Route)

If you want to go beyond a quick day trip and experience more of the mountains, this is the option I’d recommend — it’s the route I took, and it was the highlight of my entire Tajikistan trip.

 Check availability: 2-Day Iskanderkul & Seven Lakes Tour from Dushanbe

What I did was travel from Dushanbe to Iskanderkul on day one, spent time at the lake, and stayed overnight at a local homestay near the water. On day two I continued through the mountains toward the Seven Lakes, then stayed overnight in Panjakent before driving back to Dushanbe.

This tour follows the same itinerary, except it has two nights in Panjakent instead — I stayed the first night at Iskanderkul and the second at my driver’s home in Panjakent. You can read more about the Seven Lakes experience in my Seven Lakes guide.

2-Day Iskanderkul & Seven Lakes Tour from Dushanbe:

This option is best if:

• You want to combine Iskanderkul with the Seven Lakes
• You are traveling longer in Tajikistan

4. 2-Day Trip from Samarkand (from Uzbekistan)

If you’re traveling in Uzbekistan rather than Tajikistan, you can still visit Iskanderkul — it just takes a bit more logistical planning than the Seven Lakes, which sits right near the Uzbekistan border.

But there is this one 2-day tour you can book online that easily combines both of these famous sights:

This option is best if:

• You are already traveling in Uzbekistan
• You want to combine both the Seven Lakes and Iskanderkul in one trip

If you are traveling independently, the most practical approach from Uzbekistan is to travel from Samarkand to Panjakent first (the nearest town in Tajikistan), cross the border, and then arrange a driver from Panjakent to the lake. Panjakent is about 2–2.5 hours from Iskanderkul.

And if you are traveling in Uzbekistan too, make sure to check out my guide to the most beautiful places to visit in Uzbekistan.

My Experience Visiting Iskanderkul Late in the Season (Snowfall & Completely Alone)

When I visited Iskanderkul, it was late October — well past the main tourist season — and the mountains were already showing it. I had hired a local driver to take me to Iskanderkul Lake and the Seven Lakes on a 2-night, 3-day trip from Dushanbe on my days off work. I was working remotely throughout my time in Central Asia, so I had to use my free days effectively, and hiring a private driver was the best option.

The drive up from Dushanbe was beautiful and the autumn colors made it even more special. The leaves on the trees along the road had turned gold and orange, and as we gained elevation, the peaks above us were dusted with fresh snow. There were barely any other vehicles on the road. As we drove to Iskanderkul, our tyre went flat in the middle of the mountains, but luckily my driver had a spare that he changed and we were off again.

We arrived at the lake in the late afternoon, just as the light was starting to fade. Even then, in that soft end-of-day glow, the color of the water was something else — this deep, vivid blue that almost looked artificial against the sky and the snow-capped mountains surrounding it. I stood there for a while and just looked.

That night it snowed properly, but luckily most of it had already melted by morning. I was staying at a small local homestay near the lake, and instead of any kind of tourist experience, I spent the evening inside with the host family — eating dinner, drinking tea, and watching videos of their daughters’ weddings on an old TV.

The next morning I woke up to still patches of snow on the ground and a completely still lake. We went back down to the water before continuing toward the Seven Lakes, and the morning light had transformed everything.

The water was an electric, luminous blue — brighter and more vivid than the afternoon before — with the orange and gold of the autumn trees reflected perfectly in the surface. The snow on the peaks around the lake made the whole scene feel a bit unreal.

I was the only tourist there. There were no groups and no noise. Just the lake, the mountains, and the sound of nothing.

Visiting late in the season comes with trade-offs — the weather is unpredictable, some facilities are closed, and the days are shorter. But if you’re okay with that, the off-season Iskanderkul is incredibly beautiful and incredibly peaceful in a way that’s hard to find in peak summer. From Iskanderkul, I continued to the Seven Lakes and you can read more about that experience in this post.

Practical Tips for Visiting Iskanderkul

• The drive from Dushanbe is about 3 hours each way — it’s a long day trip, so start early
• If you visit late in the season, bring warm layers — temperatures drop significantly and snow is possible from October onward
• The lake is at 2,195 meters elevation — take it easy if you’re not acclimatized
• There is a small waterfall nearby called Fann Niagara (also called Fan Waterfall) that’s worth a short walk
• There’s also a small Snake Lake nearby — named for the warm waters that apparently attract snakes
• Accommodation near the lake is limited — book in advance if you want to stay overnight; you can book the Iskanderkul Guest House online
• Pack cash — there are no ATMs near the lake
• Get an eSIM before you go — I used Airalo

Is Iskanderkul Worth Visiting?

Absolutely.

Iskanderkul is one of those places that doesn’t need much selling. The lake is genuinely, simply beautiful — and if you combine it with the Seven Lakes the following day, it becomes part of one of the best mountain experiences you can have in all of Central Asia.

If you love nature, mountains, and destinations that still feel quiet and off the beaten path, Iskanderkul deserves a spot on your Tajikistan itinerary.

If you’re also planning to visit the Seven Lakes, make sure to read my full Seven Lakes guide — and for more ideas around the capital, check out my guide to the best day trips from Dushanbe.

Liked this post? You might also enjoy my other Central Asia content:

Kazakhstan

• How to Visit Mangystau, Kazakhstan

Tajikistan

• How to Visit the Seven Lakes in Tajikistan
• Best Day Trips from Dushanbe

Uzbekistan

• The Most Beautiful Places in Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan

• How to Visit Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan
• Karakol and Issyk-Kul Area Travel Guide

Turkmenistan / Kazakhstan / Caspian Sea

• Taking the Caspian Sea Ferry (Cargo Ship) from Azerbaijan

Visiting Tajikistan soon? Pin this guide for later.

The post How to Visit Iskanderkul Lake in Tajikistan (from Dushanbe or Uzbekistan) appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.

I visited Tajikistan as a digital nomad, which meant that I spent most of my time in Dushanbe working remotely — but I was determined to make the most of every free evening, day, and weekend I had. I did a lot of research into what was possible from the capital, and the list turned out to be longer and better than I expected. Here’s everything I found about the best day trips you can do from Dushanbe.

Quick Overview: Best Day Trips from Dushanbe

1. Hisor Fortress

If you only have time for one historical site near Dushanbe, make it Hisor Fortress. Located just 30 km west of the capital, this is one of the most important ancient monuments in all of Tajikistan — and it’s a surprisingly easy half-day trip.

The fortress dates back around 2,500 years, and for centuries it served as the residence of the governor of the Emir of Bukhara and the base for state troops. Most of what you see today — the two impressive cylindrical towers flanking the main gate — was constructed in the 16th century, with the caravanserai added in the early 19th century. Everything is built from burnt brick, giving it a distinctive warm color that looks spectacular especially during sunset.

The grounds cover 86 hectares of open-air museum space and include two madrassas, a caravanserai, and the mausoleum of Makhdumi Azam (The Greatest Lord), built in the 16th century.

I visited Hisor as an easy half-day trip from Dushanbe, and honestly it was more impressive than I’d expected. I think because it’s so close to the city and relatively easy to reach, I hadn’t built it up in my mind — but once I was actually wandering around the grounds, I was genuinely impressed. I also visited quite late in the evening, so I even got to experience a sunset from there.

The easiest way to visit is by booking a guided tour from Dushanbe on GetYourGuide. The tour includes round-trip transportation, an English-speaking guide, and entrance fees. When booking you can choose between public taxi or a private transfer if you prefer to select your own departure time.

I used my negotiation skills and made a deal with a local taxi driver to take me here. You can also take a public bus if you have plenty of time.

Book a Hisor Fortress Tour from Dushanbe:

2. Iskanderkul Lake

Iskanderkul Lake is another must-visit in Tajikistan. The lake sits at around 2,200 meters elevation in the Fann Mountains, about 130 km north of Dushanbe, and the drive there is half the experience — the views of the mountain peaks along the way are absolutely wild.

I visited Iskanderkul as part of a 2-night trip that also included the Seven Lakes — you can read more about that experience in this post — but it’s absolutely possible to do as a day trip from Dushanbe too. The drive is about 3 hours each way, which makes for a long day, but the lake is genuinely worth it.

The first time I saw Iskanderkul was in the late afternoon as we drove in on day one, and even in the fading light, the deep blue color of the lake was stunning. I stayed at a local homestay near the lake that night — it snowed, and I ended up spending the evening inside with the host family watching their daughters’ wedding videos and sharing dinner over tea.

The next morning we went back down to the lake before continuing toward the Seven Lakes, and it was even more beautiful — the water had turned a vivid electric blue in the morning light, with autumn-orange trees reflected in the surface.

There’s also a 40-meter waterfall nearby called Fann Niagara that’s worth the short hike, plus a small Snake Lake named for the unusually warm waters that attract snakes.

If you want to combine Iskanderkul with the Seven Lakes — which I highly recommend — this 2-day tour from Dushanbe covers exactly that itinerary. You can also visit Iskanderkul as a standalone day trip and book this tour on GetYourGuide.

Book an Iskanderkul Tour from Dushanbe

Where to Stay near Iskanderkul

If you want to stay overnight at the lake rather than rushing back to Dushanbe, there are a few local homestays and guesthouses in the area. Accommodation is simple but comfortable homesteads with home-cooked meals, mountain views, and genuine Tajik hospitality. Your tour operator can usually help arrange accommodation or there is one homestay you can book on Booking.com: Iskanderkul Guest House (a homestay by the lake).

3. Varzob Valley

If you want to get out into nature without going too far, the Varzob Valley is a great option. The Varzob River runs north from Dushanbe through a gorge lined with rocky mountains.

It’s one of those places that Dushanbe locals escape to on weekends, and you can easily see why. The valley has a few small resorts and recreation areas, and it’s a popular spot for hiking, picnics by the river, and general mountain air therapy. There’s no major single attraction here — it’s more about the scenery and the escape from the city. That said, the drive alone through the gorge is worth it.

Varzob is easy enough to visit independently — a taxi or shared ride from Dushanbe will get you there — and you can also combine it as a stop on the way to or from Iskanderkul. If you’re a hiker, there are trails heading up into the hills from various points in the valley.

4. Alauddin Lake

Less visited than Iskanderkul but equally stunning, Alauddin Lake sits deep in the Fann Mountains at a higher elevation — and getting there means a proper alpine hike through some really beautiful terrain. This one is for people who want more of an adventure.

I didn’t get to visit this lake during my time in Tajikistan, but I came across this tour on GetYourGuide and, going by the photos alone, it’s already on my list for my next trip.

The lake is known for its intense turquoise color, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, glacial streams, juniper trees, and mountain meadows. The drive from Dushanbe takes around 4 hours each way, and once you arrive you’ll hike through alpine terrain to reach the shore. The hike is easy to moderate difficulty — suitable for anyone with basic fitness — with regular stops for photos and rest along the way. Once at the lake you’ll have time to relax by the water, enjoy a light picnic, and absorb the mountain silence.

Book the Alauddin Lake Day Trip from Dushanbe

5. Sangtuda Reservoir & Dam

For something completely different, the Sangtuda day trip is a great option if you want to experience the Vakhsh River valley and see a side of Tajikistan that most travelers skip entirely.

Sangtuda is located in southern Tajikistan, about 2 hours from Dushanbe along the Vakhsh River. The main draw is the Sangtuda Dam, a major hydropower station that plays an important role in Tajikistan’s energy supply. The views over the reservoir and valley from the dam are panoramic and dramatic — deep canyon walls, mountains, and the river winding below. From the dam you can take a boat out on the reservoir, which is a genuinely lovely and peaceful experience.

The tour also stops in local villages along the way, giving you a real glimpse into rural Tajik life away from the capital, and lunch is included. It’s suitable for all ages and doesn’t involve any hiking — just scenic drives, fresh mountain air, and a boat ride. If you want a more relaxed day trip without strenuous activity, this is a great pick.

Book the Sangtuda Day Trip from Dushanbe

Where to Stay in Dushanbe

Dushanbe is a good base for all of these day trips. It’s a small, navigable city with decent hotels, good food options — I even found plenty of vegan-friendly restaurants, which wasn’t the case everywhere else in Tajikistan — and everything you need to rest and recharge between excursions.

 Crowne Plaza Dushanbe by IHG ★★★★★ — The most comfortable upscale option in the city, with a spa, pool, and solid facilities. Great for travelers who want a comfortable base while exploring the region.

 Vatan Hotel — My personal pick during my stay. Central location, reliable WiFi, and comfortable rooms at a more reasonable price point. Worked great as a remote work base.

Practical Tips for Day Trips from Dushanbe

Tours vs. independent travel: For the mountain destinations (Iskanderkul, Alauddin, Sangtuda), a guided tour or private driver is the easiest and safest option. Roads can be rough and signage is limited. For Hisor Fortress, you can get there independently by taxi if you prefer.

Best time to visit: May through October is the main travel season. Summer (July–August) is peak season for the lakes, though the mountains are accessible from May onward. I visited in late October and it was beautiful — golden trees, fewer crowds — but the weather was sometimes unpredictable and it was already snowing in some places.

What to wear: Pack layers regardless of season — temperatures drop significantly at altitude. For hiking trips, proper shoes are essential.

Currency & payments: Cash (Tajik somoni) is king outside Dushanbe. Bring enough for tips and snacks.

eSIM: I used Airalo for connectivity in Tajikistan — well worth it if you want to stay connected while out exploring.

What Multi-Day Trips Can You Do from Dushanbe?

If you have more time and want to go beyond day trips, here are two multi-day options that are absolutely worth adding to your Tajikistan itinerary:

The Seven Lakes (Haft Kul) — My favorite experience in all of Tajikistan. A chain of seven stunning alpine lakes in the Fann Mountains near Panjakent, each a different shade of blue. You can visit as a day trip from Samarkand in Uzbekistan, or as a multi-day trip from Dushanbe combined with Iskanderkul — which is the route I took and highly recommend. Read my full Seven Lakes guide for everything you need to know.

The Pamir Highway — One of the most legendary road trips in the world, running through the roof of the world at elevations above 4,000 meters with views of the Hindu Kush and Karakoram ranges across the border. Unfortunately the season was already over when I visited Tajikistan, so I missed it — but if you’re there during the summer months, it’s an absolute must. You can join a tour like this one to experience the Pamir Highway from Dushanbe.

Final Thoughts

Tajikistan is in my opinion one of the most underrated countries in Central Asia. There are so many beautiful places to visit, and Dushanbe makes a great base to explore them all. I hope this post gave you some inspiration of different options. I’m already hoping to return one day to see more.

Have you visited any of these spots? Let me know in the comments!

Liked this post? You might also enjoy my other Central Asia content:

Kazakhstan

• How to Visit Mangystau, Kazakhstan

Tajikistan

• How to Visit the Seven Lakes in Tajikistan
• How to Visit Iskanderkul Lake

Uzbekistan

• The Most Beautiful Places in Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan

• How to Visit Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan
• Karakol and Issyk-Kul Area Travel Guide

Turkmenistan / Kazakhstan / Caspian Sea

• Taking the Caspian Sea Ferry (Cargo Ship) from Azerbaijan

Visiting Tajikistan soon? Pin this guide for later.

The post Best Day Trips from Dushanbe, Tajikistan  appeared first on Gabriela Here and There.