We're visiting Georgia for a week and trying to decide what to do about Kazbegi.
Most organised tours go there from Tbilisi and return the same evening, but several blogs recommend spending the night instead.
Is there really enough to justify staying longer, or is the church and the mountain view pretty much the whole experience?
I'd definitely stay overnight. The biggest surprise wasn't Gergeti Trinity Church—it was everything that happened after most of the tour buses had left. Around five o'clock the village became noticeably quieter. We checked into a small family guesthouse, had dinner overlooking Mount Kazbek and then simply went for a walk with no particular destination. Cows wandered through the lanes, children were riding bicycles and clouds drifted around the mountain so quickly that the view seemed to change every few minutes.
The next morning we woke before sunrise, and Kazbek was completely clear for the first time since we'd arrived. Ironically, the famous photograph we'd hoped to take the previous afternoon ended up being taken from our guesthouse balcony before breakfast.
I'll offer a different perspective. We only had six days in Georgia. For us, the day trip worked perfectly. Yes, it was a long day, but we still saw Ananuri, the Georgian Military Highway, the Friendship Monument and Gergeti Church. If we'd stayed overnight, we would have had to cut a day from Kakheti. No regrets.
I think the answer depends on why you're going. If Gergeti Church is simply another stop on your itinerary, a day trip is probably enough. If you're going because you love mountains, then you're leaving just when Kazbegi starts to reveal itself.
One thing visitors don't realise is how quickly the weather changes. Some guests arrive disappointed because Kazbek is hidden in cloud. The next morning they open the curtains and suddenly the mountain is completely visible. If you're only here for an hour or two, you leave everything to chance.