Tour Plan
Day 1. Arrival
Meeting, resettlement, program depends on arrival time.
Day 2. Tbilisi
Walk through the old Tbilisi, where every house and street have a great history behind, and picturesque balconies and fanciful styles of facades paint the unique architecture of Tbilisi. You will get acquainted with the most important epochs of the city, will see its main attractions, and near the legendary sulfur baths will learn about the silk road and the owners of caravans. It is possible to visit sulfur baths (additional pay). Room for 10 people about $ 150 per hour, it is better to take for 1, 5-2 hours. Dinner with the cultural program (Georgian songs and dances).
Day 3. Kazbegi
Early in the morning we leave to Kazbegi. On the way we will see Ananuri, Zhinvalskoe Reservoir, Friendship Arch in Gudauri. Accommodation in the hotel. Rise in Gergety. Then the Daryal Monastery. Light hiking (3 km on both sides) to Gveleti Falls. Georgian military road 3-4 hours. Instead of lunch picnic at the Waterfall. Stepansmind. Guest house.
Day 4. Gergety
We go up to Gergety early in the morning.
Gergety. There are many legends and myths connected with the Church of the Holy Trinity. One of them says that it was built on the site of an ancient pagan temple. Moreover, even now, supposedly, priests hide a stone idol in the form of a ram. The church was built as a repository of treasures of the Georgian Orthodox Church during the invasion of foreign invaders who desecrated Christian shrines.
The temple was built of huge stone blocks that were delivered from the valley. Another legend says that there were not enough stones to complete the construction. In the evening, the frustrated men fell asleep to go far in the morning, from where the building material was being delivered, but when they woke they saw a domed temple. Then we go to Juta (1.5 hours drive).
Easy trekking to the lakes, 2-3 hours, cool only the beginning of the route, 20 minutes. Then we go down and go to the village Shatili. 6 hours Sleeping in a 12th century tower.
Day 5. Shatili – Muzo
Muzo is a fortress in Georgia built on top of a mountain. To get there, you need to pass the Ardot gorge and climb a steep slope. It was built of local natural materials and was one of the most powerful outposts from the north of the country. Once warriors of other countries tried to capture it, and today it is conquered by tourists.
By car 12 km. Then we leave for Kutaisi. Overnight in the hotel.
Kutaisi is a city with more than three thousand years of history, the ancient capital of the two vanished kingdoms – Imereti and Colchis. Now it is inferior in size and scope only to the capital and preserves its rich historical heritage, brilliant against the background of magnificent landscapes of western Georgia. The city is divided into two parts – modern and ancient. Any more or less long walk on Kutaisi turns into a kind of kaleidoscope, in which the old replaces new and vice versa.
Day 6. Mestia
We leave to Mestia. On the way we look Inguri hydroelectric power station, village Maseri (view of Ushba mountain).
Easy trekking to Schdugra Falls. Overnight in Mestia in the guest house.
Day 7. Mestia
All day in Mestia. Walking, watching the Museum of Hergiani, climbing up the Svansk tower, an ethnographic museum. Climb the cable car Hatzwali. Second night in Mestia.
Day 8. Ushguli
We leave for Ushguli. On the way stop at “Tower of Love».
Ushguli is the birthplace of the defensive towers, one of the symbols of Georgia. This is one of the most original places in the country, where millions of tourists have not yet trampled the road. Locals say it’s also the highest mountain village in Europe.
Ushguli is the province of Georgia, marked by impassable mountains. Even in the summer in Ushguli you can see the snow under the clouds on the top of Shkhara – one of the highest mountains of the Main Caucasus ridge. Neither the charms of modern civilization nor comfort and convenience can force the inhabitants of Ushgul to leave their land even in winter, when due to snow rubble they are cut off from the outside world for long weeks.
Day 9. Tbilisi
Early in the morning on foot or on horseback (for a small surcharge) climb to the glacier Shhara.
Then return to Tbilisi. If the pass is open, then through the pass and Lentekhi. If not, then back through Mestia. It is about 9 hours drive. The longest stretch on the route. Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day 10. Kakheti
We go to Kakheti. Alazan Valley. Kakheti – the eastern part of Georgia, its main wine cellar and the Medieval Open Air Museum. Today the region looks particularly pastoral, but in the era of the Iberian Empire life here was full of events and military conflicts. In addition, it was with Kakheti that the Christianization of Georgia began, leaving behind an incredible number of ancient monasteries attracting pilgrims.
Tour of Patardzeuli Winery. «Kakheti traditional winery» preserves traditional traditions of wine production and offers special wines for tasting.
David Gareji Monastery complex is one of the most prominent religious and cultural centers of Georgia, a monastery cave complex. The complex was founded in the first half of the 6th century by one of the Assyrian fathers named David. He came and settled in a small natural cave in the Gareja desert with his pupil Lucian. Thus the monastery was founded, in the following centuries it was called David Lavra. Walking through the Gareja desert of colors.
The Saint George Monastery and Episcopal Complex, located in Kakheti, Bodbe, is a national Georgian shrine. Here in the Cathedral of Saint George the remains of Nino of Cappadocia – the great goddess of Georgia – the harbinger of the Christian era are buried.
Sighnaghi – the smallest city in Kakheti, built in the XVIII century as a citadel on the slope of the mountain – from here you can see picturesque views of the Alazan valley. At the beginning of the 21st century, Signahi experienced a large-scale reconstruction and became a popular tourist destination. Now it is one of the most European cities of modern Georgia.
Day 11. Departure
The Fortress of Gremi is one of the monuments of Georgia, awaiting inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The fortress of Gremi and the church are on a hill. Around the complex you can see the remains of fortress walls, towers and embrasures. There is a three-storey palace with a wine cellar and a church of Archangels Michael and Gabriel. Visitors can also inspect the partially preserved underground passage. It is believed that this is a former tunnel, through which the citadel was supplied with water.
Necresi Monastery is a nice little monastery high on the mountain above the Alazan plain. The original is that on the eastern side of the Valley very little was built, and a little built destroyed by the Dagestans. Now it is only a monastery on a mountain, but there used to be a whole city under the mountain, from which only the foundation of the Zoroastrian temple remained.
Alaverdi Monastery (“Alaverdi” is a Turkish-Arab word and means “given by God”) is a Georgian Orthodox monastery located near Telavi in the Alazan River Valley in Kakheti. It was founded by the Assyrian monk Joseph of Alaverd (after his death he was buried in this church; the grave still exists). The monastery dates from the 6th century, but today the cathedral replaces a small church and was built in the 11th century Kvirike III in Kakheti. At an altitude of more than 55 meters, Alaverdi Cathedral is the second highest religious building in Georgia, after the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameb) in Tbilisi.
Ikalto. This is an ancient village, first mentioned in the 6th century. This place became famous thanks to the academy, which was one of the most important cultural and cold centers of Georgia. Overnight in Kakheti or in Tbilisi (2.5 hours travel) Depends on departure time.
Gallery
Tour Price
2800 $
for 10 days
Accommodation and logistics
Photo workshops
Air tickets
Food