Besides Gergeti Church, the second major highlight when travelling to Khevi is without a doubt the Dariali Gorge, which follows the Tergi River all the way down to the border with Russia. It shall be mentioned that in the last decade after constructing hydropower stations the flow of water has been significantly diminished and the area changed its original look. Despite this fact views on cliffs and flowing Tergi River is awestriking.
The toponym Dariali originates from the Persian Dar-i Alān meaning "Gate of the Alans". The gorge has been fortified by the Romans, Persians, Arabs and Russians at various points in time. In 1801, after the Russian Empire annexed the Georgian Kingdom, the Russians embarked on the construction of a road that would ultimately lead to Constantinople.
During the first independent Georgian Republic In 1921, it was here (as well as from other points) that Russians, under the command of the Georgian-born Communist General Gegechkori, attempted to invade the country. Due to the gorge’s geographic location and well-built fortifications, the numerically inferior Georgians successfully defended their positions and thwarted several attacks, thus precluding the Russian army from entering. Only weeks later, after the fall of the Central Government in Tbilisi, the defenders of the gorge realized that there was no point in protecting Dariali and control was ceded to the Communists.
Getting There: Taxis available at Central Square in Stepantsminda will readily take visitors to Dariali. A roundtrip with a short break costs EUR 5-8. The best idea would be to combine Dariali Gorge with a hike to Gveleti Waterfall or a visit to Devdoraki Gorge. In this case, EUR 8-12 shall suffice.
