Hidden Gems in Georgia12 Days | Tbilisi, Telavi, Tsinandali, Shumi, Nekresi, Kvareli, Sighnaghi, Bodbe, Mtskheta, Ananuri, Kazbegi, Gudauri, Gori, Uplistsikhe, Kutaisi, Prometheus Cave, Gelati, Motsameta, Nikortsminda, Katskhi Pillar, Chiatura, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Vardzia

Arrival in Tbilisi. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel. Check-in at noon.
You will start your journey in Georgia with a Tbilisi city tour. Start at Metekhi church and the monument of Vakhtang Gorgasali, the legendary founder of Tbilisi. Take a cable car to Narikala Fortress to enjoy a 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 cafés, 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. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be a visit to Open Air Museum of Ethnography, a miniature model of Georgia. In the evening, visit a local restaurant to taste dishes of traditional Georgian cuisine. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast depart for the Kakheti region of Georgia, the cradle of Georgian wine. The beautiful road lies through the Gombori Pass. Our first stop will be in Telavi, the administrative and historic center of the region. Have a short walk through charming streets of old Telavi and have a photo stop at the monument to Erekli II. Visit newly opened royal castle museum, Batonistsikhe, originally built in the 17th century. Drive to Tsinandali, a residence of Georgian dukes, with a beautiful English garden, museum, and the wine cellar, which belonged to Prince Chavchavadze, a 19th century public figure and poet. Continue to Shumi winery. Take a part in tradition of grape picking (rtveli)* and try baking Georgian traditional cheese pie, called khachapuri. A delicious lunch will be served in the winery. Drive to Akhasheni for overnight.
*Grape harvest is usually possible from mid-August till end of October

Continue exploring Kakheti Region and the Alazani Valley. Check out from the hotel and continue to Nekresi Monastery. This complex was founded in the 6th Century CE and since then has been the religious center of the region. Continue to the unique Winery Khareba, located in a tunnel carved out of the rock. Originally built for military purposes, today the tunnel is used to store Khareba’s finest wines. Wine tour and wine tasting. Drive to Sighnaghi, the city of love and a royal town, one of the crossroads of the Great Silk Road, surrounded by defensive walls with 23 towers. Have a lunch in Sighnaghi. Depart to Tbilisi, making a stop at Bodbe Convent. Legend says that the burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century, is here. According to the decree of Tsar Alexander III of Russia, since 1889 Bodbe has been functioning as a nunnery. Continue driving to Tbilisi. Drop off at your hotel.

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 Monastery, a true architectural masterpiece of the early Medieval Period, built on a hilltop. Enjoy 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 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 m, and enjoy breathtaking views to Mt Kazbegi. Overnight at the hotel in Gudauri.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Gori to visit 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 dating from the 9th century. Have another stop at the village of 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, have a short walk around charming old town of Kutaisi. Visit Bagrati Cathedral (11th century), one of the best samples of medieval architecture towering over Kutaisi and visible from almost any point in the city. We will leave the city and drive to Prometheus Cave, where you will walk in a 1.5 km long tunnel and enjoy breath-taking views of stalactites, stalagmites, petrified waterfalls, underground rivers and lakes along the cave. The underground light system is filled with LED lights of all the colours of the rainbow, marvelously highlighting the natural beauty of the Prometheus Cave. Continue to Okatse Canyon, a natural monument of Georgia with scenic views. Drive back to Kutaisi. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Gelati Academy, built by King David the Builder in the 12th century. Gelati was the center of spiritual and scientific life of the Middle Ages, the tomb of Georgian kings and an important place for pilgrims. It is under UNESCO protection as an object of cultural and historical legacy. Continue to Motsameta Monastery to enjoy fantastic views over the Rioni River gorge. Continue to the north passing over the beautiful Nakerala Pass and making stop at Shaori Lake. The crystal clear water and beautiful forest around will make you feel part of untouched nature. Then visit Nikortsminda Monastery, famous for its unique frescos and architecture. Drive back to Kutaisi. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and head to explore other parts of Western Georgia. Drive to Katskhi Pillar. Stunning and mysterious, this 40-meter high natural limestone monolith towers over the gorge of the Karshuna River. On top of the pillar, there is a monastery and reconstructed 8th century church probably built by the Stylite. There is only one inhabitant: a monk named Maxim has been living in the monastery for 25 years in solitude and silence.
Continue to Chiatura, an industrial town founded in 1879. In Soviet Georgia, the town was a center of manganese mining. Presently Chiatura attracts visitors who are interested in Soviet industrial remains. To feel the past, you can ride Soviet-era cable cars still used by locals as transportation. This transport system has dozen of operating ropeway lines for passengers and two cargo lines for transporting manganese. The total length of the cable ways exceeds 6,000 meters. Drive to Borjomi for overnight.

In the morning, take a walk in Central Park, famous worldwide for its mineral water reserves. In the afternoon, drive to Akhaltsikhe to explore Rabati fortress. The old stone Rabati Fortress, the main sight of Akhaltsikhe, stands on small hill on the very edge of the Potskhovi River. Its name means “fortified place” from Arabic. Overnight in Akhaltsikhe.

In the morning, start exploring the Javakheti Region of Georgia. This region has been cultural center of Georgian Kingdom during its golden ages (12th century CE). Drive to Sapara Monastery. Founded in the 9th century, the monastery was in the possession of the Jakeli family of Georgian dukes. Next stop is Zarzma, where one of the biggest monasteries of Georgia is located, where monks still live. Last stop of the day will be at Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory in Abastumani*. Drive back to Akhaltsikhe. Overnight at the hotel.
*Since Abastumani Observatory is not a museum but a functioning scientific institution, the visit depends on internal regulations, which are subject to change.

In the morning drive to Vardzia, a cave city built in the 12-13th centuries during the rule of George III and his daughter Queen Tamara to protect the 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 more. Then drive to Poka Nunnery / St. Nino Monastery (11th century). Here you’ll have a chance to taste different kinds of unique Georgian cheeses: white and red Abuli, Javakhetian blue, Albio in a pot and others prepared by old Georgian traditions and other local products, such as jams, oil, chocolate, and honey. We will reach Tbilisi passing by the biggest lake of the country – Paravani Lake, enjoying a scenic drive. Arrive Tbilisi. Overnight at the hotel.

Check out from the hotel till noon. Transfer to Tbilisi International Airport. End of the tour.