Active Essential Georgia

Itinerary

• Days 1-2: Tbilisi (Georgia)
  

  After arriving in Tbilisi, check in to your hotel and start your Georgian experience the next day with a tour of the hip, picturesque capital. Follow the winding streets of the red-roofed Old Town; stroll down broad Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare; and stop at three historic churches: Anchiskhati Basilica, Metekhi Church of the Virgin, and Sioni Cathedral. In the surrounding hills, the 4th century Narikala Fortress and the Mother Georgia monument are inescapable presences towering over the city. You’ll also explore the city’s art nouveau Sololaki District.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • A visit to the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia (part of Georgia’s National Museum) for a look at some of the country’s most significant archaeological finds
  • The elaborately carved balconies and sulfur bath domes of Tbilisi’s Old Town
  • The frescoes of 6th century Anchiskhati Basilica, Tbilisi’s oldest church
  • The unique golden stonework of the Sioni Cathedral
  • People-watching and window-shopping on Rustaveli Avenue
  • A browse through the Dry Bridge Market, where vendors sell everything from jewelry and tchotchkes to carpets, tableware, and tools
• Days 3-4: Mtskheta, Kutaisi, Mazeri
  

  Depart Tbilisi for Mtskheta, capital of the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia from the 3^rd century BC to the 5^th century AD. Visit the UNESCO-listed sites of Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral before continuing on to the Mukhrani Chateau vineyards for a wine tasting. Upon arrival in Kutaisi, pay a visit to the local farmers market and the 11^th century Bagrati Cathedral. Kutaisi is an ancient city that served as an important merchant center on the route between Greece and India, becoming the capital of Georgia from 978 to 1122 AD. The next day, visit the Gelati Monastery before departing for the UNESCO-listed region of Svaneti, a remote mountainous region dotted with remarkably preserved medieval watchtowers, and spend the night in the village of Mazeri.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Mtskheta’s two UNESCO-listed early Orthodox churches – Jvari Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
  • Winetasting at Mukhrani Chateau, the palatial estate of the former royal family of Georgia
  • Domed cathedral of 11^th century Bagrati Cathedral
  • The frescoes and mosaics of the UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery
  • The steep, remote mountains of Svaneti, studded with medieval watchtowers
  • A home cooked Svanetian meal with a local family in the remote village of Kichkhuldashi
• Days 5-8: Mazeri, Mestia, Ushguli
  

  Depart Mazeri and enjoy a day hike to the Shdugra waterfall, the tallest in Georgia and one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the Svaneti region. Spend the next couple of nights in the town of Mestia and explore the wonderful Ethnographic Museum, its towering Svanetian architecture, and a hike toward the Chalaadi Glacier. The next day, enjoy a beautiful but challenging hike in the Svaneti region before continuing on to Ushguli to spend two nights at a guesthouse in this stunningly beautiful, remote village. At an altitude of 7,218 feet, Ushguli is the highest continually inhabited village in Europe. Here, you will have a chance to hike to Shkhara Glacier with views of Georgia’s highest peak, Mt. Shkhara.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • 6-8 hour roundtrip hike past mineral springs, a picturesque church, and beautiful meadows to Shdugra waterfall
  • Tour of the Ethnographic Museum in Mestia, with its 10^th-12^th century manuscripts, unique 14^th century metalwork, and its religious icons
  • Explore a typical, 12^th century Svanetian tower-house
  • See the outstanding interior and exterior murals of Laghami’s Church of Christ the Savior
  • 1-2 hour hike to Chalaadi Glacier for amazing views of Mestia and the Ushba and Tetnuldi glaciers
  • 5-6 hour challenging but beautiful hike from Zhabeshi village to Hadishi village
  • Day hike from Ushguli to the Shkhara Glacier for outstanding views of Georgia’s tallest peak – the 17,000-foot Mt. Shkhara – through countryside dotted with small villages, ancient watchtowers, alpine forests and meadows, and small creeks
• Days 9-10: Tskaltubo, Uplistsikhe, Tbilisi
  

  Depart Ushguli for Tskaltubo, a resort town about 9 miles west of Kutaisi famed for its thermal radon-mineral baths and natural springs once favored by Stalin. After an overnight at a hotel, continue on to Tbilisi with stops in a remote village in the Ateni River Valley for a wine tasting at a local winery, and at the cave town of Uplistsikhe – once one of the most important towns along the trade route linking Byzantium with India and China.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Enjoy a wine tasting and lunch at the Winery of N. Vacheishvili and pay a visit to the home of a local vigneron and winemaker in the Ateni River Valley
  • Explore the cave town of Uplistsikhe (optional visit)
• Days 11-12: Kakheti Region (Qedeli, Signagi, Vashlovani National Park or Lagodekhi National Park)
  

  Depart Tbilisi and head east to the Kakheti region, home to the beloved town of Signagi and the charming village of Qedeli. Kakheti is wine country and the most important wine-growing area of the country. Qedeli will be your home-base for the next few days and is home to a small horse ranch from which you can take in picturesque views of rolling green hills dotted with small churches and flocks of sheep. After spending some time exploring Signagi and Qedeli, enjoy a day trip to one of the area’s national parks – Vashlovani or Lagodekhi – depending on the season.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Enjoy some horseback riding through villages, forests, and vineyards in the countryside near Signagi (optional)
  • Try some Georgian craft beer at the Lost Ridge Brewery, Georgia’s first village craft brewery
  • Walking tour of the hill-town of Signagi, wandering its narrow streets and admiring its richly carved balconies and the green valleys below (optional)
  • Tour of the Signagi Archaeological & Ethnographic Museum, with its collection of artifacts found near the David Gareja Monastery and paintings by Georgian master artist Pirosmani
  • Enjoy a fantastic meal at Pheasant’s Tears Restaurant, where the chef prepares superb local and organic cuisine
  • Day trip to either Vashlovani National Park to hike and explore Artsivi (Eagle) Canyon, or Lagodekhi National Park in the peak summer months for a hike on a choice of hiking routes
• Days 13-14: Kakheti Region, Tbilisi
  

  Depart the Kakheti region today and return to Tbilisi. You can choose to enjoy some free time in Tbilisi this afternoon to check out the Dry Bridge Market or rest and pack, or to explore more of Kakheti with an optional activity on the way back to the capital. The next day, say goodbye to Georgia with a transfer to the airport to catch your departure flight.

  HIGHLIGHTS

  • Free time in Tbilisi
  • OR, enjoy some touring in Telavi, a delicious Tushetian lunch and wine tasting at a young winemaker’s house in Zemo Alvani village, and (time and interest permitting) visit Alaverdi Monastery or Ikalto Academy before continuing on to Tbilisi via the Gombori Pass