8 Days
Specific Tour
8 people
English
We will sightsee major Georgian cities and towns – Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Mtskheta, Zugdidi and Gori, drive through the highlands of the Greater Caucasus mountains, explore the seashores of the Black Sea, take a journey into the caves of Uplistsikhe and Sataplia, and visit the well-known museums, such as the Georgian National Museum and museum of Joseph Stalin.
In the morning we organize pick up service for the group to start a full day Tbilisi sightseeing tour. Tour takes off at 10:00 am.
First, we visit one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world – the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi (Sameba). City tour continues to the Metekhi church of 13th c. which stands on a plateau overlooking the river Mtkvari and old Tbilisi downtown.
From here, we go up to the Narikala fortress by the areal cable car connecting Europe Square and the top of the hill where the fortress stands. Built-in the 4th c. Narikala served as a main fortification of Tbilisi through the centuries and has been sieged numerous times.
From Narikala we take the downhill stroll to the old city; follow Botanical Street, visit Tbilisi Mosque, Legvtakhevi (the Fig Ravine) and visit the natural waterfall in the downtown. From Legvtakhevi we continue to the Bathhouse Square where the historical Sulfur Bathhouses of the old Tbilisi are.
Passing along the Maidan Square, Shardeni and The King Erekle II streets with souvenir shops and art galleries, Tbilisi city tour proceeds to the Sioni Cathedral, dating back to the 13th century and Anchiskhati basilica – the oldest surviving church in Tbilisi (dates back to the 6th c AD).
We also will visit the Golden Treasury of Georgian National Museum. The collection features gold and silver artifacts from the pre-Christian period from different parts of modern-day Georgia.
After visiting the Georgian National Museum, we take a walk on Rustaveli Avenue towards the building of Parliament of Georgia, Rustaveli Drama theater, National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theater, Prospero’s book store, shopping center and the First Republic Square.
In the evening we return back to the hotel.
Overnight in Tbilisi.
After breakfast at the hotel drive to the West through Gori, the heart of the Kartli region and visit the museum of Joseph Stalin. Museum consists of Stalin’s memorial house, exposition building and Stalin’s personal belongings, including personal coach with interior (he used to travel to Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam).
From Stalin Museum we drive to the ancient cave complex of Uplistsikhe that is 14 km away from Gori. Cut in limestone rocks, Uplistsikhe is one of the oldest urban settlements in Georgia, which dates back to the Early Iron Age. The archaeological artifacts discovered here date as early as Early Iron Ages. Most of the items found in Uplistsikhe are parts of the collections of the Georgian National Museum. It is also possible to visit a small museum nearby and watch an 8-minute movie about Uplistsikhe.
Our trip continues to the western part of Georgia – the Imereti region. In the evening we arrive at the second-largest city in Georgia – Kutaisi, where we pay a visit to the Bagrati Cathedral. Built-in 11th c., Bagrati Cathedral is among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Overnight in Kutaisi.
After breakfast, we drive to Sataplia caves and natural reserves. The site is famous for its well-preserved fossilized dinosaur footprints. The cave is 900 meters long and is enhanced with light and audio effects.
Next visit Martvili Canyons, the sight of local waterfalls. Take a boat trip in the river Abasha and observe the surrounding area.
From Martvili we continue our trip to the north, and arrive at Mestia – the heart of the Svaneti region – located at an elevation of 1500 meters. Svaneti is unique for its geography and landscapes, as well as authentic and well-preserved culture and architecture. Local Svan towers are good examples of local architecture, which were used for defensive as well as dwelling purposes. Some of them date back as early as 9th c.
Dinner and overnight in Mestia.
NOTE: Sataplia Nature Reserve and Martvili Canyon are not open for visitors on Mondays.
After breakfast in Mestia, we start an off-road adventure to the most remote and isolated community Ushguli with 4x4WD vehicles. Ushguli is comprised of 4 villages and has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. It is one of the highest settlements in entire Europe (2200m above sea level).
On our way to Upper Svaneti, we will make a couple of stops at Ipari and Kala villages, and take a look at small Svan churches with well-preserved medieval frescos.
Dinner and overnight in Mestia.
After breakfast, we will head to Margiani museum – a Svan tower. Margiani Museum shows how Svans were living in medieval times.
From Svaneti, we arrive in Zugdidi – the administrative center of Samegrelo region and former capital of the Principality of Mingrelia. In Zugdidi, we will visit Dadiani Palace – a museum established by Prince David Dadiani. Museum’s collection includes death masks of Napoleon Bonaparte, important Georgian cultural and archaeological artifacts, etc.
From Zugdidi, we will drive to the Adjara region – it's capital city and port Batumi. In the evening we can take a walk on the city’s boulevards.
Overnight in Batumi.
After breakfast, we will visit a well-preserved ancient Roman fortification of Gonio located about 10 km from Batumi. Gonio Fortress functioned as a fortified Roman city within the historical region of Colchis.
The next stop will be in the Batumi Botanical Garden with panoramic views over the Black Sea shores and numerous indigenous plants. The garden was founded during the Russian Empire and was later expanded under the Soviet leadership. Nowadays it occupies 108 ha and has over 2000 taxonomic units of ligneous plants from all over the world.
From the Batumi, we will head to Kutaisi to visit Gelati Academy, which was built during the reign of King David IV of Georgia (David the Builder) in the 12th c. In the middle ages, Gelati Monastery was one of the major cultural and intellectual centers in Georgia.
In the evening we can take a walk through Kutaisi city center.
Overnight in Kutaisi.
After breakfast at the hotel we drive back to Tbilisi. We will visit Mtskheta town on the way. Mtskheta is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Jvari Monastery. Svetitskhoveli Cathedral was built in 11th c. and is associated with various legends from early Christian times. On the other hand, Jvari Monastery, which stands on the hill overlooking the confluence of the rivers Mtkvari and Aragvi, was constructed during 6th c.
From Mtskheta sightseeing tour we arrive back in Tbilisi to have a free evening for leisure.
Overnight at Tbilisi hotel.
*You can book farewell dinner with Georgian folk show for additional cost (optional).
Note: In case you want to travel longer, please see the extensions or contact us at trips@georgianholidays.com
Those taking extension trips to Georgia will start their tour next morning after breakfast.
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out time until 12:00 pm. End of service.
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