Independent travel in Central Asia - Recent Posts

RE: Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Zuriko — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:07:39 +0000

When it comes to SUVs — yes, pretty much.

The only thing is that pricing can be rather chaotic, so make sure to ask several drivers before agreeing on a price.

There are plenty of private drivers in Stepantsminda, especially around the central square. I can't really advise on current prices, though.

There are lots of SUV owners there who take people up into the mountains.

RE: Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Masha — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:07:00 +0000

And how do you find these local drivers? Just stop people on the street? :)

RE: Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Zuriko — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:06:30 +0000

The highway is fine. You can easily drive it in a regular sedan.

I highly recommend visiting the Truso Valley, but for that you'll need an SUV.

RE: Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Siamiza — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:06:00 +0000

But to Arsha or Gveleti, for example, the route follows the E117 highway (the Georgian Military Road), so that should be a decent road, shouldn't it?

RE: Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Zuriko — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:05:37 +0000

Hi! The roads there can be such that it's better to travel with a local driver, preferably in an SUV.

Getting a Taxi in Stepantsminda: Apps or Local Drivers Only?

Siamiza — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:04:34 +0000

Good afternoon!

Could someone tell me whether it's realistically possible to book a taxi in Stepantsminda (for trips to nearby villages, not to Tbilisi) using Yandex Go, Bolt, InDrive, or Maxim? Or should I only count on finding drivers "on the street" or at the local taxi stand?

I've checked Yandex Go — it lets me select a route and even shows a fare, but then says "No cars available."

RE: Getting to Guba and Khinalug Independently from Baku

Aziz — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:59:31 +0000

Take a bus to Guba — the journey takes about 4 hours. From there, you'll need to find a taxi driver willing to take you to Khinalug. It's 50 km from Guba to Khinalug, which is another hour and a half or so on the road.

The taxi will cost around 50 manats. Alternatively, you can wait for the Niva vehicles that collect passengers and charge 20 manats per person.

Another option is to hire a driver-guide, which will cost around 400–500 manats.

Getting to Guba and Khinalug Independently from Baku

SmallJack — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:58:50 +0000

Hi everyone :)

Could you please tell me how long it takes to get from Baku to Guba and Khinalug? And what kind of transport can be used if traveling independently?

RE: Where to buy good wine in Tbilisi?

Saqartour — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:48:11 +0000

@natalis Yes, fav place.

RE: What to See Around Kutaisi in 2–3 Days?

Grigory — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:11:06 +0000

To be honest, I've never really looked into it.

There's a website called Jomardoba.ge. Their phone number is listed at the bottom of the page: 555-59-59-52.

Try contacting them. The website is dedicated specifically to rafting, and they offer rafting tours with prices listed as well.