Georgia 8-day Escorted Small Group Tour

Arrival in Tbilisi

Arrival in Tbilisi International Airport. Hotel accommodation and overnight stay in Tbilisi. (Optional: Transfer to the hotel) (-/-/-)

Tbilisi - Mtskheta - Tbilisi (50 km)

Today, we visit Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, built in the 5th century. We start our day with the medieval church of Metekhi (13th century), and then we go up by cable car to the Narikala fortress, which majestically overlooks the old quarter of the city. We continue the discovery of the old city: the district of sulfur baths (17th century). The name of the capital is precisely inspired by these hot sulfurous springs, "Tbili" means hot in Georgian. Then we visit the Sioni Cathedral (16th century) and Anchiskhati (6th century), the oldest church in the city. Walk on Rustaveli Avenue - the main avenue of the city.

Later, we take the road to the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, located at the intersection of the Military Road and the Silk Road. Here we visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Jvari Monastery (6th century) with its splendid view of the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century), considered one of the most sacred places in Georgia because it is here that the tunic that is said to have belonged to Christ is kept. Return to the capital.

Overnight at the hotel in Tbilisi. (B/L/-)

Tbilisi – Stepantsminda – Ananuri – Tbilisi (310 km)

This morning, we follow the Georgian Military Road to the north. We pass through Gudauri (2,200m), a winter sports resort on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. We cross the Cross Pass (2,395 meters above sea level) and arrive at the village of Stepantsminda, located at the foot of the impressive Mount Kazbek (5,047 meters above sea level), which marks the border with Russia. We reach the 14th-century Trinity Monastery of Gergeti by 4X4. Perched at an altitude of 2,170m on a promontory, it is the most spectacular image of the Greater Caucasus. Lunch in Stepantsminda. On the way back to Tbilisi, we visit the fortified complex of Ananuri (17th century), one of the major sites of the country, next to the blue lake of Jinvali. In the evening, return to Tbilisi.

Overnight at the hotel. (B/L/-)

Tbilisi – David Garedja – Kakabeti – Tbilisi (235 km)

A day dedicated to discovering the Kakheti wine region, located in the east of the country and renowned for its hospitality. We head south-east, to the desert steppe, David Garedja, recognized by National Geographic as one of the 17 most beautiful places in the world. Visit the monastic complex founded in the 6th century by the Assyrian father David, who settled in a cave in the desert. The place is characterized by a unique combination of architecture. Then stop at a traditional Georgian wine cellar for organic wine tasting in the village of Kakabeti. The tasting will be followed by a typical lunch. Return to Tbilisi.

Overnight at the hotel. (B/L/-)

Tbilisi – Gori – Uplistsikhe – Kutaisi (290 km)

After breakfast, we drive to Gori, the birthplace of Joseph Stalin. Photo stop in front of the Stalin Museum and House. The museum gardens still house the armored train carriage that Stalin used to travel to the conferences in Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam. Continue to one of the oldest Georgian cave cities, Uplistsikhe (1st millennium BC), “the city of God” with 150 caves and tunnels: an ancient theater, a pharmacy, wine cellars, palaces, etc. We drive to Western Georgia, including Kutaisi, the oldest city in Georgia and the former capital of the Kingdom of Colchis, dating back 3500 years. Dinner at the local restaurant.

Overnight at the hotel in Kutaisi. (B/L/-)

Kutaisi – Gelati – Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe (230 km)

We stroll through the city center in the morning and visit the local farmers' market. Visit the Bagrati Cathedral (11th century), a jewel of Georgian medieval architecture. We take the road to the 12th-century Gelati monastery complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Golden Age, it was for a long time one of the cultural and intellectual centers of Georgia, the seat of an academy bringing together many of the country's most eminent scientists, theologians, and philosophers. Gelati is superbly located halfway up a green hill. Head towards the south of Georgia and visit Borjomi, known throughout the former USSR for its mineral water. Walk in the thermal park and taste the sparkling water of Borjomi. Then continue the road to Akhaltsikhe, a central city of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Akhaltsikhe. (B/-/D)

Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia – Tsalka – Tbilisi (280 km)

After breakfast, we set off to explore Vardzia - the richest of Georgia's cave settlements (12th century). Here stood one of the largest urban centers of Georgia's Golden Age: 50,000 people lived there. The city developed over 13 inhabited floors, with the Church of the Assumption at its center. Tunnels and underground passages connected the various structures of the city in a rather complex way. It is a glorious spectacle, one of the highlights of a visit to the country. For lunch, we go to the locals on the banks of the Mtkhvari River. Head towards the capital, Tbilisi, and stop en route to take photos at the Khertvissi Fortress (10th century) and Paravani Lake, the largest lake in Georgia.

Overnight at the hotel in Tbilisi. (B/L/-)

Departure from Tbilisi

(Optional: Transfer to the Airport). Departure from Tbilisi International Airport. (B/-/-)