12-day Azerbaijan and Georgia Tour

Immerse yourself in a great exciting journey that will show the history and culture of the Caucasus. A large-scale 12-day Azerbaijan and Georgia Tour awaits you, including visits to the most iconic sights: modern and old Baku, the local Gobustan monument, the fire temple of Ateshgah, the picturesque Sheki and Lagich, the monasteries and temples of Georgia, the cozy city of Tbilisi, the vineyards of Kakheti, the cave of Prometheus, and others.
The visit of the monuments will gradually increase with the population and beauty, and throughout the route you will increase in importance the appreciation of the best dishes of the community and Georgian cuisine. Don't miss the opportunity to get to know the unique cultural heritage and hospitality of these enchanting countries!

Tour itinerary:

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Day 1: Baku

Arrival in Baku. You will be met by our driver and transferred to hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Baku

After breakfast, start sightseeing tour in Baku. Visit Martyrs Lane, known as ‘Shehidler Khiyabany’ among locals. When you walk through the Alley of the Martyrs, you will find a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. Move to Icheri Sheher, the old part of the city. Visit Shirvan Shahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, Maiden Tower, and the main market square, which has numerous art studios and souvenir stalls. Continue touring new Baku by exploring Nizami Street and Fountain Square. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be visit to the iconic Heydar Aliyev center.
In the evening enjoy welcome dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Baku – Absheron Peninsula – Gobustan – Baku

Today you will visit the area of the Greater Baku and Absheron peninsula. The first stop is at Yanardag Mountain, where natural gas has been burning for hundreds of years. Continue to Ateshgah, a temple for fire worshippers located in the village of Surakhany. Zoroastrians from India travel thousands of kilometers to Ateshgah to worship the fire coming out of the earth. After lunch, drive to Gobustan National Park. Pay a visit to the Petroglyphs Museum and explore petroglyphs dating back to 10,000 BC. Weather permitting, drive to mud volcanoes in Gobustan Reserve (possible change of vehicle). Gobustan is home to almost half of the world’s mud volcanoes. Return to Baku. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4:Baku – Lahij – Sheki

In the morning, depart Baku and drive to Sheki. On the way, stop at Diri Baba Mausoleum in the village of Maraza. Continue to Shamakha to visit the historical Juma Mosque, which was restored in 2013. Visit Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum, the Shirvan Shah's family graveyard. Weather permitting, drive through Girdimanchay River Canyon to visit Lahich, the 5th century, quaint corner high in Caucasus mountains with its rich history and beautiful architecture. Lahich is an ancient village with charming, cobbled sidewalks famous for numerous traditional handicraft workshops (jewelry, copperware, wool carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools). Continue driving to Sheki, the pleasant and easily walkable medieval town set in a lush mountainous area. Sheki is especially known for local style sweet baklava. Arrival in Sheki, overnight at the hotel.

Day 5: Sheki – Georgian border – Kvareli – Telavi

At 08:30, after breakfast and hotel check-out, visit the colorful Sheki Bazaar. Here, you can find virtually everything you may want to eat: local fruits and berries, spices, freshly-baked bread, honey, cheeses, and Sheki sweets. Continue to the Sheki Khans Palace, which is surrounded by medieval fortress walls, and then explore the handicrafts workshops and the famous caravanserai. Depart Sheki and head towards the border with Georgia (115 km, ~2 h). Cross the border and start exploring the eastern part of Georgia, which is famous for its viticulture and winemaking traditions. Enjoy a traditional lunch in a Georgian family. Our first stop will be the Khareba Winery, near the town of Kvareli. On the way there, enjoy the picturesque landscapes of vineyards and wine-producing villages. Khareba’s unique wine cellar is in a tunnel carved out of the rock. Originally built for military purposes, today the tunnel is used to store Kakheti’s finest wines. Enjoy a wine tour and a tasting session. Continue to your hotel for overnight.

Day 6: Telavi – Tsinandali – Sighnaghi – Bodbe – Tbilisi

After breakfast, take a short walk through the charming streets of Old Telavi, stopping for photos at the monument to Erekli II and the giant plane tree that is more than 900 years old. Then continue exploring Kakheti Region by visiting Tsinandali Palace, the former residence of Georgian dukes. Prince Chavchavadze, a 19th century public figure and poet, turned the Estate into what it is today, with a beautiful English-style garden, a museum, and a wine cellar. Next stop for today is Sighnaghi, the Royal Town and “City of Love”. This city, surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers, was an important trading center on the Great Silk Road. Continue to Bodbe Convent – according to legend, this is the burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century. Since 1889, following a decree by Tsar Alexander III of Russia, Bodbe Convent functions as a nunnery. Arrive in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi for overnight.

Day 7: Tbilisi – city tour

Breakfast followed by a sightseeing tour of Tbilisi. Start at Metekhi Church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Visit Narikala Fortress to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Walk past Tbilisi’s only mosque, down to the sulphur bath house district. Enjoy a stroll through the Sharden area, which is full of narrow streets with cozy cafés, wine bars, and souvenir shops, and breathe in the history of Old Tbilisi. Also visit Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the famous Rezo Gabriadze Theatre’s clock tower, before crossing the Bridge of Peace to Rike Park.
In the evening, we will invite you to a local restaurant for traditional dinner with folklore show.
Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Ananuri – Kazbegi – Gudauri

After breakfast, start exploring the north of Georgia. The first stop will be at Jvari Monastery, which is built on a hilltop and is a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period. From here you can enjoy the views of the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. After Jvari, visit Mtskheta, one of the oldest towns in Georgia and the country’s cultural and religious center. Mtskheta was the capital of the eastern Georgian Kingdom of Kartli from the 3rd century BC. Visit Svetitskhoveli, which is the main cathedral of Mtskheta and a sacred place where the robe of Christ is kept. Continue to Ananuri architectural complex, a former residence of Argveti dukes, which features churches and towers dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries and beautifully overlooks the Jinvali Reservoir. Next, drive over the Cross Pass and make a short stop at the Soviet era “People’s Friendship” viewpoint, which overlooks a deep gorge of the Caucasus Mountain range. In Kazbegi, switch to a four-wheel drive vehicle to reach Gergeti Holy Trinity Church (located at an altitude of 2,170 m) and enjoy breathtaking views of Mount Kazbegi. Reach Gudauri for overnight at the hotel.

Day 9: Gudauri – Uplistsikhe – Gori – Kutaisi

After breakfast, explore the cave town of Uplistsikhe, which dates to the Hellenistic Period and is notable for its unique combination of various styles of rock-cut architecture, including both pagan and Christian. Continue to Stalin’s hometown of Gori. Visit the Stalin Museum, which includes more than 60,000 artifacts, the tiny house where Stalin was born, and the impressive bulletproof train that Stalin used to travel to Yalta and Potsdam. After Gori, drive to Kutaisi, the central city of Western Georgia, which was once called “Aia”. The road to Kutaisi goes over the Rikoti Pass and through Georgia’s longest tunnel (1,722 m). This tunnel is also considered to be the border between the western and eastern parts of Georgia. Overnight at a hotel.

Day 10: Kutaisi – Prometheus Cave – Okatse Canyon – Kutaisi

After breakfast, we will start exploring Western Georgia with Prometheus Cave and see its numerous stalactites and stalagmites. Continue to Okatse Canyon, one of the most picturesque sights in the Kutaisi area. Take a walk through the historical Dadiani Forest and follow a 780 m hanging trail that offers breathtaking views of the canyon and the forest. Drive back to Kutaisi. Enjoy a free evening in the city. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11: Kutaisi – Bagrati – Gelati – Tbilisi

After breakfast we will start exploring Kutaisi and its vicinities by visiting Bagrati Cathedral (11th century), one of the best examples of late-medieval architecture in Georgia restored in our century. This cathedral towers over Kutaisi and is visible from almost any point in the city. Next, we will visit Gelati Monastery and Academy which was built by King David the Builder (considered the most powerful king in Georgia’s history). A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gelati was a major center of spiritual and scientific life in the Middle Ages. In the afternoon, we will embark on our return journey to Tbilisi (250 km, 4 h.). Upon arrival, we will check Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12: Tbilisi – departure

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Free time until your transfer to Tbilisi International Airport. Departure. End of the tour.

Inclusions
Exclusions

All transfers (1-2 pax by sedan, 3-4 pax by Mercedes Vito or similar, 5-10 pax by 16-seats Mercedes Sprinter passenger van);
Accommodation based on double/twin room sharing, breakfasts included;
Sightseeing tour program in each country with local English-speaking guides;
Entrance tickets to sights as per itinerary;
Welcome dinners in Baku and Tbilisi;
Lunch in a Georgian family;
Bottled drinking water;
Azerbaijan e-visa;
Two wine tastings in Georgia.