THE BEST OF GEORGIA
THE BEST OF GEORGIA - 8 DAYS
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DAY 1 – TBILISI CITY TOUR
Arrival in Tbilisi. Departure to the hotel.
After breakfast we set off in the direction of Tbilisi, the capital: we’ll see the Old Town and the most important monuments of the city: Narikala fortress, to which we will get to by a funicular, allowing us to admire a beautiful panorama of the whole capital; Abanotubani (sulfur bath district); the winding streets of Old Tbilisi; and its most important temples Sioni cathedral (XVII c.) and the oldest Tbilisi church Anchiskhati (VII c.). Then dinner accompanied by a folklore show, overnight stay in Tbilisi.
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DAY 2 – TBILISI – STEPANTSMINDA – TBILISI
Breakfast, departure from Tbilisi towards the mountains of the Greater Caucasus along the famous Georgian Military Highway, up to the town of Stepantsminda.
Along the way we’ll visit the most important monuments of Georgia, places that recall the beginnings of Christianity: the old capital Mtskheta. Mtskheta is the cradle of Christianity in Georgia-it was here that Christianity was adopted as the state religion in the 4th century. We will visit the most important religious buildings from the UNESCO list: Svetitskhoveli cathedral (11th century) and Jvari monastery (6th century)
This journey will delight with wonderful views of the highest peaks of the Caucasus. Along the way, we’ll visit the picturesque Ananuri fortress located on Lake Jinvali, and take a photo break at a historic lookout point near the ski resort of Gudauri. We’ll then drive to Stepantsminda and ascend by off-road vehicles to the Holy Trinity Church of Gergeti, which is a landmark of the region and entire country. From Gergeti, in good conditions of visibility, we’ll be able to see the peak of Mount Kazbek (5054 m), the second highest in the country. Dinner and overnight stay in Stepantsminda.
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DAY 3 – STEPANTSMINDA – TRUSO VALLEY – STEPANTSMINDA
Breakfast followed by a drive by off-road vehicles to Truso valley, one of the most beautiful places in the vicinity of Stepantsminda. The valley stretches all the way to the North Ossetian border and can be traversed to its very end on foot as well as by vehicle. Within the valley you can come across the remains of once-inhabited villages, which are now only used by local shepherds seeking shelter during bad weather. At the very end of the trail two monasteries are visible: one all-male and one all-female a little further on-both practically cut off from civilization, especially in winter when the road here becomes impassable. At this beautiful spot we;ll begin our light trek.
Dinner and overnight stay in Stepantsminda.
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DAY 4 – STEPANTSMINDA – RAFTING ON THE ARAGVI RIVER – TBILISI
Breakfast, then departure in the direction of Tbilisi. Another attraction awaits us along the way: we’ll stop at a rafting base located on the Aragvi River and go for a short rafting trip on a 6 km-long section of the river. Equipment and an instructor will be waiting for us on site, while the level of the route will be suitable for beginners, all under the watchful eye of an instructor.
Return to Tbilisi, dinner, free time in the evening. Overnight stay in Tbilisi.
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DAY 5 – TBILISI – GORI – BORJOMI – BAKURIANI
Breakfast, then departure to southern Georgia. On the way we’ll visit Uplistsikhe – a cave city near the town of Gori and oldest monument and cave dwelling on the territory of Georgia. According to historical sources, the first settlements here are dated to the 2nd millennium BC! The city impresses with an advanced (for those times) infrastructure and a variety of caverns and living quarters.
Breakfast, then drive to the resort town of Borjomi. The famous mineral water of the same name originates here, which we will be able to try straight from the spring. After visiting Borjomi, we’ll continue on to Georgia’s most famous ski resort – Bakuriani. Dinner and overnight stay in Bakuriani.
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DAY 6 – BAKURIANI – VARDZIA – RABATI FORTRESS – TBILISI
Breakfast. After breakfast we will visit the cave city of Vardzia, carved into a rock wall in the 12th century AD. The complex consists of about 3,000 chambers, which could accommodate about 60,000 people during the Mongol invasions. We’ll enter small, narrow chambers and move through tiny tunnels, allowing us to fully enjoy the atmosphere of this magical place.
Our next stop will be the mighty Rabati fortress, located in the center of the historic city of Akhaltsikhe. The fortress consists of churches, mosques, palaces, and other building complexes, demonstrating the multi-cultural and multi-religious history of the region.
After sightseeing we’ll depart to Tbilisi, dinner and overnight stay there.
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DAY 7 – TBILISI
Free day in Tbilisi for shopping or sightseeing. Dinner at one’s own leisure.
Optional one-day tour to wine region Kacheti
TBILISI – BODBE MONASTERY – SIGNAGI – TBILISI
Breakfast, then departure to the Kakheti region, known as the “land of wine”. We’ll visit the beautiful Bodbe monastery, where St. Nino – the apostle of the Georgian Orthodox Church who brought Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century – is buried. From the monastery there is a stunning view of the Alazani valley, where the best grape varieties are grown. We’ll then drive to city-of-love Signagi, which has been perfectly preserved in its 17th-18th century form. We’ll visit a family-run vineyard, where you can see how Georgian homemade wine is made, and where we’ll enjoy a wine and chacha (Georgian grappa) tasting combined with dinner. Drive to Tbilisi, overnight stay there.
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DAY 8 – TBILISI
Breakfast in the form of take-away goody-bags, transfer to the airport, departure.
Trip route: approx. 1,500 km
Difficulty level: easy
Documents needed: ID card (for EU citizens) or passport
Weather conditions (summer season): in mountain areas approx. +15°C, in lowland areas approx. +25°C
Currency: GEL (Georgian lari), 1 GEL = PLN 1.68, you can exchange EUR, USD or withdraw GEL from an ATM on site
Clothing: light, comfortable shoes for walking around the city, long-sleeved jacket/sweatshirt, scarf (ladies are recommended to wear a headgear when visiting temples)
Medicines: it is recommended to have sunscreen and medicine for possible stomach problems with you due to the different bacterial flora in Georgia (you can also buy it locally)
Internet: Wi-Fi is available in every hotel and most restaurants, you can purchase a local SIM card with Internet (approx. 15 GEL)
There are no Covid regulations
