The walk along the Mtkvari (Kura) River below the cave complex is one of the most atmospheric parts of a visit to Vardzia. The river has carved a deep gorge through dark volcanic rock, and the path that runs along the bank gives you a ground-level view of the cliff face that is completely different from the view inside the caves.
The full walk from the ticket area to Vanis Kvabebi and back takes about two hours at an easy pace. The path is rough in places but not technical. In late spring and early summer the gorge walls are dotted with wildflowers and the river runs fast with snowmelt from the mountains upstream. In autumn the colours in the small orchards along the bank are worth the trip on their own.