Essential Georgia & Armenia

• Accommodations as noted in the itinerary. All room types, even in upgraded properties, are standard entry-level doubles or twins; please call for room category upgrade pricing and information.
• Meals, as noted in the itinerary: 14 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 4 dinners.
• Restaurant tips for included meals.
• One arrival and one departure airport transfer. (Additional arrival and departure transfers available at additional cost.) MIR will arrange for travelers to be met upon arrival and seen off on departure, whether we make your air arrangements or not.
• Ground transportation throughout itinerary by private vehicle (size of vehicle depends on number of travelers in your group).
• Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.
• Services of experienced, English-speaking local guides, drivers, and other staff.
• Complete pre-departure electronic document that includes detailed packing suggestions, reading list links, country-specific information, maps, travel tips and more.
• Assistance booking your custom flight arrangements (on request; please note that international airfare is not included in the land tour cost).
• Electronic final update bulletin, with any late news, updates and important information.

• International airfare or taxes/fuel surcharges.
• Meals not specified as included on the itinerary.
• Single supplement charge, if requested or required.
• Items of a personal nature (phone calls, email, laundry, alcohol, excess baggage, etc).
• Baggage handling.
• Gratuities to local guides and drivers.
• Visa/passport fees, airport departure fees.
• Expenses incurred as a result of delay, modification or extension of a tour due to causes beyond MIR’s control.
• Travel and trip cancellation insurance.

Level 4: Rigorous, but Customizable

This ‘Essential’ itinerary designed for private travel features long days walking and standing, some day hikes with hill climbing, some long days of overland travel, significant stair climbing, unpaved sidewalks and streets, uneven surfaces and steps, absent handrails, and lack of elevators. While some of these challenges are inherent in the destinations and sites, as one of our Essential Series programs this trip can be modified as needed for those travelers who are looking for a less challenging (or more challenging) program.

There is a significant amount of touring on foot, and those travelers planning to take the program as written should be able to walk at least two miles a day comfortably. During day hikes, travelers will be expected to carry a day pack with their personal belongings. Some long drives are an inevitable element of the routing this tour uses, and road conditions in the region can be bumpy and rough. Some attractions are only accessible via steep staircases with tall, uneven steps, and handrails are not always in place. Interior staircases may involve steep steps inside narrow passageways with limited light. Touring will be over a variety of surfaces, such as cobblestones, bricks, packed or loose dirt, or gravel, including uphill or downhill sections.

This tour maintains a focus on cultural interaction and the natural beauty of the Caucasus. You will be visiting private homes, sharing meals with local residents, and taking advantage of several opportunities for day hikes. It is therefore important that tour members have a desire to involve themselves in the local culture and be up for hiking/walking in order to enjoy this trip.

Please note, some Orthodox churches enforce fairly strict dress codes. Women may need to have head coverings (scarves) with them, and men and women may need to have their arms and legs modestly covered. Your guides will advise you when this is the case.

Past travelers have encountered challenges with bureaucratic service, plumbing in and out of hotels, and availability and quality of public restrooms. Accommodations in the basic program will vary from three-star hotels to basic guesthouses. Upgrades may be available in some cities, please call for details. Air-conditioning is a luxury and rarely available outside the capitals.