Truso Valley

The Truso Valley is the upper valley of the Tergi (Terek) River, which branches west off the Georgian Military Road at Kobi, about 20 km south of Stepantsminda. The valley floor lies at about 2,000 to 2,250 m between steep ridges. It is known for mineral springs that have built orange, white and red travertine terraces, a small carbonated mineral lake near Abano, and the ruins of old Ossetian villages and stone towers. The usual walk follows the river on a dirt track with little climbing.

Most hikers start at Kvemo Okrokana and walk to the ruined Zakagori fortress, then return the same way: about 22 km and 5 to 6 hours in total. A high-clearance vehicle can drive further in and shorten the walk. Zakagori is the limit for visitors. Beyond it the valley approaches the occupation line of the Tskhinvali region and the Russian border, and a Georgian post below the fortress controls access. Carry your passport.

The valley was home to Ossetian communities, and Zakagori fortress guarded its upper end. Most of the villages are now abandoned, leaving towers and stone houses in ruins, while a small nunnery near Ketrisi has been rebuilt. Truso is also the source of the Tergi River, which flows north past Stepantsminda and through the Dariali Gorge into Russia.