Self-Guided Tour in Georgia

You can dedicate the first day spent in Georgia to the capital. Walk around the historic part of the city and enjoy the unique blend of cultures.

Walking through the narrow streets of the city you will find various religious buildings: churches, synagogues, mosques, wooden houses built in the nineteenth century with colorful balconies, sulfur baths, the Narikala Fortress. Metekhi, Sioni, Anchiskhati – these are the names associated with old Tbilisi.

By visiting Old Tbilisi you will learn much more about this historic city. You will find a statue of Toastmaster on Sioni Street, which holds the main attribute of the Georgian feast, a horn. This bronze monument is a replica of a figure discovered during archeological excavations in western Georgia. Toastmaster monument is an expression of traditional Georgian table customs and ancient wine culture.

To get better acquainted with Georgian culture, you can visit the Georgian National Museum, where Georgian treasures are preserved.

At the end of the tour it will be interesting to walk on Rustaveli Avenue. Rustaveli Avenue starts from Freedom Square and is referred to as the city center. This is where the most important state, public or cultural institution of the country is located.

This morning you collect your car and start traveling to discover the sights of different regions of Georgia. You take the road to Kakheti region. When we mention Kakheti, the first thing that comes to our mind is wine. This part of the country really is the homeland of wine. However, apart from winemaking, Kakheti is distinguished by monuments of different periods and diverse nature.

Ancient settlements, distinctive temples, and castle-towers are preserved here. You will walk in the fortified town Sighnaghi, which leaves a special impression with its beautiful streets and distinctive natural location. Walk the cobbled streets with colourful houses and balconies, enjoy the amazing view of the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains and the vast Alazani Valley. Then you visit Tsinandali Museum.

The complex includes a house-museum built in the 19th century, a beautiful garden and a unique wine cellar. Tsinandali Decorative Garden is the first European type recreation zone in Georgia. The Palace Cellar is the first in Georgia where Georgian wine was bottled for the first time.

At the end of the day, you will visit the administrative center of the region, Telavi. The historical city of Telavi is interesting and beautiful. Take a walk through the city’s central streets, which have recently been restored. While walking you will see the local architecture and feel the full colour of this city.

You take the road from the homeland of wine to Stepantsminda, famous for the Great Caucasus. Turn off the standard tourist route and you will find yourself on the Georgian Military Road through the beautiful Gombori Pass and historic Tianeti.

The military road is one of the most spectacular routes in Georgia. While traveling in the Caucasus Mountains you will enjoy beautiful panoramic views. On the way you will stop at the colourful Zhinvali Reservoir and visit the beautiful Ananuri complex.

Stop near the Peace Monument near Gudauri to take a photo of the beautiful mountains of the Caucasus. The renovated building is one of the most interesting examples of Soviet modernism and is constantly in the spotlight due to its special location. The view is amazingly large and impressive. Without this panorama it’s impossible to complete the military road.

On the way to Stepantsminda you can see a flocks of sheep grazing on green slopes. After arriving in Stepantsminda you visit Gergeti Trinity Church. To get to know the place better, you can choose a walking route to the church, which will take 2.5 hours in total. If you want to save time and energy, you can drive to church.

Today, Gergeti Trinity is the most popular tourist destination in Georgia. With its special location and centuries-old history, it really represents the face of Georgia. The green slopes decorated with mountain flowers and the great Caucasus will make an unforgettable impression. The snow-covered glacier gives a special charm to this place. The fourth day of the journey ends in Stepantsminda, surrounded by mountains.

You will spend this day in the beautiful nature. For wildlife lovers, a day spent in fantastic Juta and in the bosom of impressive Chaukhebi will be unforgettable. This place is torn apart by modern chaos and the accelerated rhythm of life and really looks like an earthly paradise. The rocky massif of Chaukhebi stands on the top of the village.

Typically, a visitor to Juta will inevitably walk about three kilometers to the foot of the Chaukhebi and then return. You will go through this route and will make sure that it was really worth it. At the end of the walking tour, you will see great Chaukhebi.

Here you will feel the beauty of nature even more intensely and emotionally. Green slopes and wild flowers of intense color make this place extremely beautiful. You can relax in the local cafe and enjoy the majesty of the Chaukhebi. At the end of the day you will visit Sno Valley.

Located in the mountains, this beautiful valley is especially attractive for wildlife lovers. Sno Castle is raised on a rocky hill. This defensive structure artistically blends in with the beauty of nature. In the evening you will return to Stepantsminda.

In the morning you leave for Mtskheta. Mtskheta is the ancient capital and religious centre of Georgia. The historical monuments of Mtskheta are distinguished examples of Georgian architecture of the medieval era. They emphasise the high level of culture and religious figures of the ancient Georgian kingdom.

In Mtskheta, you will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Jvari Monastery built in the 6^th century and the beautiful Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The Jvari Monastery offers an amazing panoramic view of the city at the confluence of the Mtkvari and Aragvi rivers. Later you will visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, which is the largest historical building in Georgia among the survivors and leaves a great impression on the visitor.

Then you visit Uplistsikhe through the village of Kavtiskhevi. It is interesting to see the villages of Kartli and look at the daily life of the locals. You visit the cave town, Uplistsikhe. Uplistsikhe was connected with the Silk Road, which passed here. It was one of the oldest settlements and urban centres in the Caucasus.

In the ancient city, there is a three-nave Byzantine-style basilica named after St. George, sacrificial amphorae outside the church, Queen Tamar Hall, a secret tunnel that leads to the river Mtkvari. The once glorious castle-town is now an open-air museum and deservedly considered one of the most important tourist monuments in the country.

At the end of the day, you visit the Stalin Museum in Gori. Few people know that the leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, was born in Gori. The museum complex includes a memorial house where Stalin was born and spent his childhood, an exhibition building, and a private carriage that took him to Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam. The sixth day of the trip ends in Gori.

It is time to travel to western Georgia. We continue on the road to Kutaisi, which is one of the oldest cities in the world. Your route to Kutaisi follows the industrial city of Chiatura. The journey is made mysterious by the rich nature with narrow valleys and large cliffs, Soviet-era architecture, ropes, mines, and historical monuments.

You can take a short break to take photos of the industrial city in Chiatura. On the way, you will also meet a religious monument with a special architecture – Katskhi pillar. Above the forty-meter pillar is a small monastery where the only recluse lives. The Katskhi pillar is often referred to as one of the most unique detached dwellings in the world. In the afternoon you will arrive in Kutaisi.

The centuries-old past of this city attracts visitors to discover famous or unknown places. Today Kutaisi is the third-largest city in Georgia and one of the most popular tourist destinations. You visit Gelati Monastery. Gelati is a Georgian architectural ensemble, which was the most important center of medieval Georgia. The centuries-old monastery with its beautiful paintings is deservedly included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You will spend the night in ancient Kutaisi.

In the morning you visit Kutaisi agricultural market. Visiting the market is an interesting experience to get to know people better or to discover the culinary peculiarities of different regions. Then you move on to Tskaltubo. In the first half of the day you visit the Prometheus Cave, which is a natural beauty monument.

You will find six halls in the karst cave decorated with shapes. Hearing music while passing through the cave will take you on a journey into a fabulous underground world. In the afternoon you will return to Kutaisi and in the evening you will walk in the central streets of Kutaisi, where the charm of the old city is especially felt. This day of travel ends in historical Kutaisi.

In the first half of the day, you visit Martvili Canyon. The canyon leaves an unforgettable impression on the visitor. While boating you’ll enjoy the beautiful valley of the mountain river, the waterfalls, and the viewing platforms. The river has a beautiful green colour, it is so beautiful and transparent that you can even see the seabed while boating. Then you continue your journey to Svaneti through Tsalenjikha.

 Tsalenjikha belongs to Samegrelo region. When driving in this beautiful region, you see special greenery, curvilinear and well-kept yards. You will be in Svaneti in the evening. A trip to Svaneti can be considered the culmination of the tour.

Svaneti is distinguished by towering villages harmoniously combined with huge mountains and cliffs, important samples of Georgian architecture, characteristic frescoes, centuries-old culture, sharply expressed individualism, and makes an indelible impression on the visitor.

This site is especially impressive for nature lovers with alpine meadows and lakes, cliffs, peaks, waterfalls, and a variety of endemic flowers. In the evening you stay in Mestia, which is developed as a regional center compared to the villages of Svaneti, although the centuries-old towers retain its old look.

You can spend the tenth day of the trip in the beautiful Mestia and satisfy your curiosity. A full free day will allow you to get the diversity of Svaneti knows better. If you wish, you can choose an interesting option from one-day walking tours.

After breakfast, you leave for Ushguli, which is one of the most beautiful places in Svaneti. Ushguli, surrounded by typical Svan defense towers, is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The contrast of colorful fields and snowy mountains is especially impressive in summer.

You will have amazing sensations while walking in Ushguli. Ushguli tour includes a sightseeing tour of the village. Snow-capped peaks, ancient towers, green slopes, wildflowers of intense colour create an amazing spectacle. Such beauty is hard to find all around the world. The highest peak of Georgia “Shkhara” is proudly raised. The beauty of the Great Caucasus is especially felt here.

You will return to Mestia in the afternoon. In the evenings the towers of Mestia are lit and beautiful to see. The mystical view of Mestia at night will stay in your memory for a long time.

Full of the amazing feeling of freedom we move to sunny Adjara. One of the most beautiful regions of Georgia, Adjara is distinguished by unusual nature, the charm of the Black Sea, beautiful mountain and sea landscapes, natural reserves, and the famous botanical garden. On the way from Mestia to Batumi, you will visit Dadiani Palace in Zugdidi.

Built-in the 17th century, the palace is now a state historical-ethnographic museum. Visiting the two-story residence of the royal family of Samegrelo is the best way to travel back in time. Among the unique expositions, the bronze mask of Napoleon I, which was cast in Paris, deserves special attention.

One of the four copies of the Napoleon I mask in the world is kept in this palace. In the evening you stay in Batumi, which is the administrative centre of Adjara and the second city of Georgia. Before arriving in Batumi, you can visit the Dendrological Park opened in 2020 in Shekvetili or the Batumi Botanical Garden, famous for its variety of plants.

You spend this day on the seaside Batumi. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the entire Black Sea region. Graceful white architecture and subtropical plants make Batumi unique among the cities of Georgia. Batumi is the best example of modern Georgia with its ancient port, beautiful seaside boulevard, old or new architectural buildings, European squares, and streets.

Visit the main tourist attractions of Batumi. The piazza, the statue of Medea, the alphabet tower, the moving statue of Ali and Nino are inseparable sights of today’s Batumi. Free evening hours may even be spent on the beautiful seaside boulevard or in the ancient port.

You leave Batumi and move towards Samtskhe-Javakheti. Visit Borjomi, hidden in the green, which is a famous balneological and climatic resort. While walking in Borjomi Central Park you can taste the famous mineral water. “Borjomi” has been a cult place in Georgian gastronomy since Soviet times. Then you will visit Akhaltsikhe.

Akhaltsikhe Municipality is distinguished by its natural beauty and abundance of cultural and historical monuments. You visit one of the most distinguished monuments in Akhaltsikhe, Rabat Fortress. It was the most important defensive structure in the region, its walls remembering many difficult battles.

This medieval castle complex is currently being rehabilitated. The modern part of the restored Rabat Fortress is very impressive. You spend the night in Akhaltsikhe.

In the morning you drive to Vardzia. On the way you stop by at Khertvisi Fortress and stop to take a photo of this medieval defensive structure. Then you’ll visit Vardzia Monastery Complex, which is the largest rock-carved city in Georgia and can be easily seen from afar.

The monument of Georgian artistic culture of the twelfth-thirteenth century is located in thirteen tiers. There is a Church of the Assumption, refectories, sanctuaries, tunnels, a large number of cellars, and amphorae.

Today Vardzia is a historical-architectural museum reserve and one of the most important tourist attractions. In the evening you will return to Tbilisi. The spectacular part of the tour ends in Tbilisi and you will return the car on this day as well.

Transfer to the airport and departure.