Georgia Nature & Culture Tour8 Days | Tbilisi, Mtskheta, Ananuri, Kazbegi, Gudauri, Gori, Uplistsikhe, Kutaisi, Shrosha, Motsameta, Prometheus Cave, Martvili, Batumi, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Khertvisi, Vardzia

Arrival in Tbilisi. Transfer to the hotel. Check-in at noon. Meet your guide to start  your Georgia Nature and Culture Tour with sightseeing in Tbilisi. Start at Holy Trinity Cathedral, one of the largest orthodox cathedrals in the world. Continue to Metekhi church and the monument to Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Take cable car to Narikala Fortress to enjoy breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Walk down to the district of Sulfur bath houses passing by the only mosque in Tbilisi. Stroll through the Sharden area full of narrow streets with cozy cafes, wine tasting bars, souvenir shops, and breathe in the living past. Visit Sioni Cathedral, Anchiskhati Basilica, and the clock tower of famous Rezo Gabriadze Theatre. Cross the Bridge of Peace to Rike Park and head to Open Air Museum of Ethnography, a miniature model of Georgia. Overnight in Tbilisi.

After breakfast, drive to Mtskheta, one of the oldest towns and the cultural and religious centre of Georgia. Mtskheta was the capital of the Eastern Georgian Kingdom of Iberia from the third century BC. Visit Jvari, a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period built on a hilltop. You will enjoy the views of the confluence of Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers. Visit Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the main cathedral of Mtskheta and a sacred place where the robe of Christ is being kept. Continue to Ananuri architectural complex, a former residence of Argveti Dukes. The complex features churches and towers dating back to the 16-17th centuries, beautifully overlooking the Jinvali reservoir. Continue driving on Georgian Military Highway passing through the highest point of it at 2394 m above sea level. En-route, make a stop at the mineral water spring flowing down from a hilltop. Arrive at Kazbegi, a small town with the views of Mt. Kazbek (or Mkinvari) 5033 m, the seventh highest peak in the Caucasus Mountains. Visit Gergeti Holy Trinity Church located at an altitude of 2170 and enjoy breathtaking views to Mt Kazbegi. Overnight at the hotel in Gudauri.

After breakfast at the hotel drive to Gori and visit the Stalin Museum. The museum includes more than 60,000 artifacts, the tiny house where Stalin was born, and impressive bulletproof train Stalin used to travel to Yalta and Potsdam. Explore the cave town Uplistsikhe, dating back to Hellenistic Period and notable for the unique combination of various styles of rock-cut cultures and the co-existence of pagan and Christian architecture. Drive to Kutaisi, the central city of Western Georgia once called "Aia". The road to Kutaisi will take you over Rikoti pass and through the longest tunnel of Georgia (1,722 m). The tunnel is also considered as a border between western and eastern parts of Georgia.
On the way make a stop to visit Ubisa monastery famous for its well preserved and colorful frescoes dated 9th century. Have another stop at village Shrosha where you will have a chance to see versatility of Georgian pottery:"doqi" - jug," piala" - bowl," ketsi" - plate and many more are made from clay that is extracted from the soil of the area. Arrive to Kutaisi for overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, visit Bagrati Cathedral (11th century) - one of the best samples of medieval architecture, and is towering over Kutaisi and visible from almost any point of the city. Continue to Motsameta monastery to enjoy fantastic views over the gorge. Drive to the Prometheus cave with numerous stalactites and stalagmites. An excellent round up of this day will be visit to Martvili canyon. On the way to Martvili you will pass local villages with the eye-catching charming yards typical only to this area. Take a small boat trip inside the Canyon, see one of the nature's most wonderful creations – waterfall. After that enter the gorge's another side and stroll over the canyon's waters watching it changing its colors on every turn and stone. The best place for selfies. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning depart to Batumi . Stop on the way at Petra fortress with green gardens beautifully overlooking the Black Sea. Visit Batumi Botanical garden located on Green Cape with amazing views on the Black Sea. Established in 1880, it is the biggest and the oldest botanical garden in South Caucasus, which hosts incredible collection of more than two thousand tree species. Arrive in Batumi. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, visit Gonio fortress, the oldest fortress in Georgia. According to the legend this was the place where Apsyrtus, King Aet's son killed by Jason, was buried. The well-preserved fortress has two exhibition halls. Return to Batumi for walking sightseeing tour: visit Europe Square, Piazza Square, Alphabet tower, "Ali and Nino" statue, walk on Sea Boulevard, and take a ride on second longest ropeway in Georgia (about 6 min). In the afternoon, depart to Borjomi (270 km, 5 h). Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, take a walk in Borjomi Park famous with its mineral water reserves. After, take an hour-long drive to Akhaltsikhe and visit Rabat fortress. An old stone Rabati fortress, the main sight of the Akhaltsikhe town, is standing on the small hill on the very shores of the Potskhovi river. Its name comes from Arabic meaning "fortified place". Continue to Vardzia. En route, short stop at Khertvisi Fortress (10-11th centuries). Head to Vardzia erected in the 12-13th centuries during the rule of George III and his daughter of Tamara to protect southern boundaries of Georgia. Vardzia is not just a set of random rooms cut in rocks. It is a multi-storied complex with streets, tunnels and stairs leading to monasteries, temples, fortresses, baths, libraries dwelling houses and so forth. Finally, continue to Tbilisi for overnight.

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Free time till transfer to Tbilisi International airport. End of Georgia Nature and Culture Tour.