Around Georgia tour

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Complete Around Georgia Tour: 12 Days from Tbilisi Through Mountains, Wine Country & Ancient Caves

Price for one tour per person

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tour features

Tour Duration: 12 Days

Tour Location:Imereti, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Svaneti, Shida Kartli

Tour highlights:

Tour is available from April to November

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See the real Georgia in twelve days. Not just Tbilisi and the tourist highlights, but Svaneti’s remote mountain villages at 2,100 meters elevation, monasteries carved into cliffs, wine cellars using 8,000-year-old techniques, and canyons where you walk suspended bridges over rushing water.

This tour covers seven regions across Georgia from east to west and back through the south. You’ll spend three nights in Svaneti, Georgia’s mountain heartland, where medieval stone towers still stand and glaciers carve through valleys. You’ll hike to waterfalls, taste wine in clay vessels buried underground, and visit villages that have been inhabited continuously for 3,000 years.

This isn’t a relaxing vacation. It’s twelve days of mountain roads, guesthouse accommodations in remote villages, and hiking that requires reasonable fitness. If you want to understand Georgia beyond the capital city brochures, this tour shows you the country that most visitors never see.

Why This Tour Covers More Than Standard Georgia Packages

Most Georgia tours stick to the easy circuit: Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Kakheti, maybe Mtskheta. Those tours skip the entire western half of the country and never reach Svaneti, where Georgia’s most dramatic landscapes and unique culture exist.

Svaneti changes the trip. Getting there requires six hours of mountain driving from Kutaisi. The region sits isolated by the Caucasus peaks, which preserved medieval culture that disappeared elsewhere. Stone defensive towers from the 9th to 13th centuries still stand in every village. Families have lived in the same houses for 40 generations.

Three nights in Svaneti lets you actually experience the region instead of just driving through. You’ll hike to Chalaadi Glacier, take jeeps to Ushguli (Europe’s highest continuously inhabited village at 2,100 meters), and walk the Shdugra waterfall trail through alpine meadows.

Southern Georgia gets missed entirely by most itineraries. The Vardzia cave monastery complex housed 2,000 monks in the 12th century, carved 13 stories deep into a cliff face. Rabati Fortress in Akhaltsikhe shows 700 years of architectural layers from Georgian, Ottoman, and Russian periods. The Javakheti Plateau’s volcanic lakes sit at 2,000 meters with views across to Armenia and Turkey.

This route covers the geographic and cultural diversity that makes Georgia interesting: wine-growing valleys in Kakheti, Soviet-era cities in western Georgia, Alpine villages in Svaneti, and semi-arid southern plateaus near the Turkish border.

What to Expect: This Is an Adventure Tour

  • Physical requirements matter. Day 6 includes a 5-6 hour hike to Chalaadi Glacier over uneven terrain. Day 8 covers 12 kilometers round-trip to Shdugra waterfalls with 400 meters elevation gain. If you can’t walk 4-5 hours with breaks, this tour will be difficult.
  • Accommodations shift with regions. Tbilisi and Kutaisi have standard hotels. Svaneti, Becho village, and Borjomi area use family-run guesthouses. Rooms are clean with private bathrooms, but don’t expect hotel amenities. Guesthouses serve traditional meals family-style. This is part of experiencing how Georgians actually live outside cities.
  • Roads in mountain regions are rough. The drive to Mestia takes 6 hours from Kutaisi on winding mountain roads. Some sections are unpaved. If you get carsick easily, bring medication. The scenery justifies the drive, but the journey is real.
  • Weather affects Svaneti significantly. Rain can close roads or make hiking trails muddy and slippery. Snow is possible in Ushguli even in summer (the village sits at 2,100 meters). We carry backup plans, but mountain weather sometimes forces itinerary changes.
  • Group sizes stay small. Maximum 8 people per tour. Svaneti’s infrastructure can’t handle large tourist groups, and small groups move faster on hiking trails.

Your 12-Day Itinerary Through Georgia

Day 1: Arrival in Tbilisi

We will meet you at Tbilisi International Airport regardless of arrival time. Most international flights land in the morning or late evening.

Transfer to your hotel in Tbilisi’s city center. If you arrive in the morning, you have the afternoon free to walk around the neighborhood, find restaurants, and adjust to the time zone. If you arrive late, check in and rest for tomorrow’s city tour.

Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi (central location)

Tbilisi’s history shows in layers. The Old Town’s narrow streets and wooden balconies date from the 18th and 19th centuries, built after Persian invasions destroyed earlier structures. The sulfur bath district (Abanotubani) is where Tbilisi began in the 5th century around natural hot springs.

Narikala Fortress sits on the ridge above Old Town. Originally built in the 4th century, the fortress was expanded by every power that conquered Tbilisi over 1,500 years. We take the cable car up for city views showing how Tbilisi spreads through the valley between two mountain ranges.

Metekhi Church (13th century) stands on a cliff above the Mtkvari River. This area was the royal quarter during Georgia’s medieval kingdom. The church survived because it was converted to a theater during Soviet times, saving it from demolition.

Rustaveli Avenue represents modern Georgia. The Opera House, Parliament, and National Museum line the main boulevard. The architecture mixes 19th-century Russian Imperial buildings with Soviet structures and new glass construction from the last twenty years.

Shardeni Street and Meidan (Old Town squares) host cafes, wine bars, and restaurants. This is where Tbilisi’s nightlife centers. Georgian cuisine mixes Middle Eastern and European influences. Khachapuri (cheese bread), khinkali (soup dumplings), and grilled meats are staples.

Welcome dinner in a traditional Georgian restaurant introduces you to the cuisine and the Georgian feast tradition called “supra” where toasts and conversation are as important as food.

Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi

Kakheti produces 70% of Georgia’s wine. The Alazani Valley between the Greater and Lesser Caucasus creates perfect grape-growing conditions. Over 500 grape varieties grow in Georgia, most found nowhere else in the world. Archaeological evidence dates Georgian winemaking back 8,000 years.

Telavi is Kakheti’s regional capital. The town shows typical Georgian provincial life away from Tbilisi’s urban energy. Markets sell fresh produce, spices, churchkhela (the colorful nut-and-grape snacks), and locally made cheeses.

Ikalto Monastery (8th century) housed one of Georgia’s first academies. Medieval Georgian scholars studied philosophy, rhetoric, and astronomy here. The monastery complex includes a wine cellar where monks made wine using traditional qvevri clay vessels.

Gremi Fortress (16th century) was once a thriving Silk Road trading city. The fortress-church complex is all that remains after Persian Shah Abbas destroyed the city in 1615. The views from the tower show the Alazani Valley stretching toward the Caucasus mountains.

Lunch at a traditional winery includes wine tasting with Georgian appetizers. The qvevri method ferments wine in large clay vessels buried neck-deep in the ground. This creates wines that taste completely different from European winemaking methods. You’ll try 4-5 wines alongside Georgian dishes designed to pair with wine.

Signagi sits on a hilltop overlooking the Alazani Valley. The town’s Italian-looking architecture came from 18th-century reconstruction when Georgian King Erekle II fortified the town. Four kilometers of defensive walls with 28 towers still surround Signagi.

Walk the cobblestone streets, visit small wine shops, and see the views across the valley to the Caucasus peaks. On clear days, you can see mountains in both Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Return to Tbilisi in the evening.

Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi

Jvari Monastery (6th century) sits on a mountain overlooking where the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers meet. The cross that gives the church its name (jvari means cross) was erected in the 4th century when Georgia converted to Christianity. The monastery you see today was built 200 years later. UNESCO designated this a World Heritage Site in 1994.

Mtskheta served as Georgia’s capital for 1,000 years until the 6th century. Religious Georgians consider this the holiest city in the country.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) is where Georgian kings were crowned and buried for centuries. The cathedral supposedly houses the robe of Christ, brought to Georgia in the 1st century. The cathedral’s name means “life-giving pillar” referring to the cedar tree that grew where the robe was buried.

After Mtskheta, we drive west toward Uplistsikhe and Kutaisi.

Uplistsikhe is Georgia’s most impressive archaeological site. Starting around 1000 BC, people carved an entire city into soft volcanic rock. At its peak in the 1st millennium AD, 20,000 people lived in these caves. The city included houses, streets, a theater, temples, and even a complex water system.

You’ll walk through rock-cut streets and chambers, see where pagan temples were later converted to Christian churches, and understand why this naturally fortified position could defend against invaders for centuries. The site shows continuous habitation from the Iron Age through medieval times.

Continue driving west to Kutaisi, Georgia’s second-largest city and the capital of western Georgia. The drive takes approximately 3 hours from Uplistsikhe.

Gelati Monastery (12th century) was the intellectual center of medieval Georgia. King David the Builder founded an academy here that attracted scholars from throughout the Middle East and Europe. The monastery’s mosaics and frescoes represent the peak of Georgian medieval art. UNESCO lists Gelati as a World Heritage Site.

Arrive in Kutaisi in the evening. Check into your guesthouse.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Kutaisi

Kutaisi in the morning shows a typical Georgian provincial city. Soviet-era buildings mix with newer construction and older neighborhoods. The Rioni River runs through the city center. Local markets sell produce from western Georgia’s subtropical climate.

Okatse Canyon requires a 30-minute drive from Kutaisi into the Imereti region’s forested hills. A metal walkway suspended above the canyon lets you walk 780 meters along the cliff face with the Okatse River rushing 20-30 meters below. The canyon cuts through limestone, creating formations carved by thousands of years of water flow.

The walkway offers views down the narrow gorge to waterfalls and pools. This is one of Georgia’s newer tourist developments (built in 2014), but the canyon itself is ancient.

After Okatse, the serious mountain driving begins.

Drive to Mestia takes approximately 6 hours from Kutaisi. The road follows the Enguri River valley into the High Caucasus. You’ll gain over 1,500 meters in elevation. The scenery shifts from western Georgia’s green subtropical zones to alpine landscapes with snow-capped peaks.

The last section of road to Mestia is partly unpaved and winds through steep mountain terrain. This drive shows why Svaneti remained isolated from the rest of Georgia for centuries. The mountains create a natural fortress.

Arrive in Mestia in the evening. Mestia sits at 1,500 meters elevation in the valley beneath Mount Ushba (4,700 meters), one of the Caucasus’s most dramatic peaks. The air is noticeably thinner and cooler than lowland Georgia.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Mestia

Mestia serves as Svaneti’s main town (population around 2,600). Stone defensive towers dominate the skyline. Svan families built these towers from the 9th to 13th centuries for protection during feuds and invasions. Each family had their tower. When conflicts started, everyone retreated to their towers and waited out the danger.

The towers are unique to Svaneti. The combination of available building stone, isolation, and constant threats created this architecture found nowhere else.

Svaneti Museum houses medieval manuscripts, icons, and artifacts showing Svan culture’s development over 2,000 years. The oldest manuscript dates to the 9th century. Svaneti’s isolation preserved cultural items that were destroyed in more accessible parts of Georgia.

Chalaadi Glacier hike begins from the village of Lenjeri, 10 minutes from Mestia. The trail follows the Mestiachala River valley toward the glacier. Total hiking distance is approximately 12 kilometers round trip.

The trail climbs gradually through alpine meadows and pine forests. You’ll cross wooden bridges over glacier-fed streams. The last section gets steeper as you approach the glacier itself.

Chalaadi Glacier descends from the flanks of Mount Ushba. The glacier face is actively calving, meaning ice constantly breaks off and falls. You can hear the glacier cracking and shifting. The turquoise ice and dramatic mountain backdrop make this one of Svaneti’s most striking landscapes.

The hike takes 5-6 hours total including stops for photos and rest. The altitude (you’ll reach about 2,000 meters) makes the hike more demanding than the distance alone suggests. Bring water, snacks, sun protection, and layers (weather can change quickly in the mountains).

Return to Mestia for dinner at the guesthouse.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Mestia

Ushguli is Europe’s highest continuously inhabited village at 2,100 meters elevation. The village actually consists of four small communities at the base of Mount Shkhara (5,193 meters), Georgia’s highest peak and the third-highest in the Caucasus.

The road from Mestia to Ushguli covers 45 kilometers but takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Regular vehicles can’t handle the terrain. We use 4×4 jeeps for this trip.

The road crosses several rivers (no bridges, just fording through the water), climbs over high passes, and winds along cliff edges. The roughness is part of the experience. This remoteness kept Ushguli essentially unchanged for centuries.

Ushguli has over 200 defensive towers, the highest concentration in Svaneti. UNESCO designated the entire upper Svaneti region (including Ushguli) as a World Heritage Site for these unique medieval tower structures.

On clear days, Mount Shkhara dominates the view. The mountain’s glacier-covered peak rises directly above the village. Seeing a 5,000-meter mountain from a village where people are living normal daily lives (herding cattle, tending gardens) creates a surreal contrast.

Walk through the village’s narrow stone-paved lanes between towers. Some families open their towers for visits. The ground floor was for livestock, middle floors for living, and top floors for defense during attacks.

The 12th-century Lamaria Church sits above the village. Frescoes inside show medieval Georgian religious art preserved by Ushguli’s isolation.

Ushguli’s entire economy now depends on summer tourism. Winters are harsh (the village is snowbound for 6 months), and traditional livestock herding barely sustains families. Guest houses and small shops provide income during the 4-month tourist season.

Return to Mestia by the same rough road. The drive back offers different lighting on the mountains and valleys, making the return trip equally scenic.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Mestia

We drive to Becho village, about 45 minutes from Mestia deeper into the Caucasus. Becho sits in the valley leading to the Ushba region, less visited than Mestia or Ushguli.

Shdugra waterfall trail takes you into the high alpine zone. The hike covers 12 kilometers round trip with approximately 400 meters of elevation gain. Plan for 5-6 hours including breaks.

The trail follows the Dolra River through the Shkhra Valley. You’ll hike through pine forests, then above the tree line into alpine meadows filled with wildflowers in summer. The valley opens up with views of surrounding peaks.

Shdugra waterfalls drop about 30 meters in multiple cascades. The water comes directly from glaciers, so it’s freezing cold even in summer. The turquoise color comes from glacial sediment suspended in the water.

Horses can be hired for this hike if you prefer not to walk the entire distance (arrange in advance, additional cost around 50-60 GEL). However, even with horses, you’ll still need to hike the last section to the falls on foot.

This is genuine backcountry hiking. The trail is marked but not developed. You’ll be at altitude (reaching around 2,300 meters), so the air is thin. Weather can shift quickly in the mountains, so bring rain gear and warm layers.

Stay overnight in Becho village guesthouse. These are more rustic than Mestia accommodations. Expect basic rooms, shared family-style meals, and limited electricity. This is authentic Svan mountain life.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Becho

After breakfast in Becho, we start the long drive back west toward Kutaisi, then south to Borjomi. Total driving time is approximately 7-8 hours with stops.

Prometheus Cave (near Kutaisi) is one of Georgia’s largest cave systems. The tourist route covers about 1,600 meters through underground chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites, underground rivers, and petrified waterfalls. The cave stays at a constant 14°C year-round.

The cave was discovered in 1984. Geological surveys suggest the entire system extends for over 11 kilometers, though only a small section is open to tourists. Lighting creates dramatic effects on the rock formations.

After Prometheus Cave, continue south to the Borjomi region.

Borjomi became famous in the 19th century for its mineral water springs. The Russians built the town as a spa resort. Soviet leaders came here for health treatments. Borjomi mineral water (naturally carbonated) is now Georgia’s most famous export product.

Borjomi Central Park follows the Borjomi River through a forested gorge. Walk to the original spring where you can taste the mineral water straight from the source. The water is warm (38-41°C) and highly mineralized with a distinctive taste.

The park includes old Soviet-era spa buildings, cable car up to the ridge, and walking trails through pine forests. The setting shows typical Georgian mountain resort towns.

Arrive at your guesthouse near Borjomi in the evening.

Accommodation: Guesthouse near Borjomi

Akhaltsikhe is the main city of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in southern Georgia near the Turkish border. The area has a mixed history of Georgian, Armenian, and Turkish cultural influences.

Rabati Fortress dominates Akhaltsikhe. The fortress complex shows 700 years of architectural layers. Originally built in the 13th century, the fortress was expanded under Ottoman rule (16th-19th centuries), then modified again when the Russians took control.

The fortress includes a mosque, Orthodox church, Catholic church, and synagogue all within the same walls, reflecting the region’s diverse population through history. Recent reconstruction (completed in 2012) rebuilt much of the fortress. Some critics argue the reconstruction made it too new-looking, but the complex effectively shows the region’s layered history.

Walk the fortress walls for views over Akhaltsikhe and the surrounding hills.

Sapara Monastery sits hidden in forest about 10 kilometers from Akhaltsikhe. The monastery dates from the 10th century but the main church was built in the 13th century. This was one of the most important monastic centers in southern Georgia.

The frescoes inside show medieval Georgian religious art at its finest. The paintings survived because the Ottoman Turks converted the church to a mosque rather than destroying it. When Georgians regained control, they restored it as a monastery.

The monastery’s setting in dense forest with mountain views makes it one of Georgia’s most atmospheric religious sites.

Saro village sits on a high hill with views across the Mtkvari River gorge. The location shows typical Georgian defensive positioning. Families built villages on hilltops that could be easily defended. A megalithic fortress (prehistoric stone structure) still stands near the village.

Arrive at your guesthouse in the evening.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Akhaltsikhe area

Vardzia is Georgia’s most impressive cave monastery complex. In the 12th century, Queen Tamar ordered the creation of this massive defensive monastery carved into the cliff face of the Erusheti Mountain.

At its peak, Vardzia housed up to 2,000 monks living in 6,000 cave rooms spread over 13 stories carved deep into the rock. The complex included churches, living quarters, wine cellars, libraries, and a sophisticated irrigation system bringing water 450 meters up from the Mtkvari River.

In 1283, an earthquake destroyed about two-thirds of the complex and exposed the inner rooms that were originally hidden behind the rock face. What remains today is still massive and gives you a sense of medieval Georgia’s ambitions and capabilities.

The main church contains frescoes of Queen Tamar (one of Georgia’s most revered rulers) and scenes from Georgian history. Walking through the cave tunnels connecting chambers carved at different levels shows the engineering skill required to create this complex.

Vardzia sits 100 kilometers from the Turkish border in a semi-arid landscape completely different from northern Georgia’s lush mountains. The climate here is hotter and drier.

Khertvisi Fortress stands on a rocky ridge above the confluence of the Mtkvari and Paravani rivers on the road back north. This fortress dates from the 10th century (possibly older foundations). The strategic position controlled the trade route from Georgia to Armenia and Turkey.

The drive back to Tbilisi crosses the Javakheti Plateau, a volcanic highland at about 2,000 meters elevation. The plateau is dotted with lakes including Paravani Lake (Georgia’s largest lake) and Sagamo Lake.

The landscape is treeless, windswept, and stark, resembling Central Asian steppes more than typical Georgian terrain. Armenia’s Mount Aragats is visible to the south. This region has a large Armenian population, and you’ll see Armenian churches alongside Georgian ones.

The drive to Tbilisi takes approximately 5-6 hours from Vardzia. Arrive in Tbilisi in the evening. Check into your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel in Tbilisi

Free time until your departure transfer. Depending on your flight time, you might have a few hours to revisit Old Town, do last-minute shopping, or explore neighborhoods you didn’t see on Day 2.

We will transfer you to Tbilisi International Airport according to your flight schedule.

What’s Included in This Tour

Included:

  • Airport transfers (arrival Day 1, departure Day 12)
  • 11 nights accommodation (3 nights in Tbilisi hotels, 3 nights in Svaneti guesthouses, 5 nights in guesthouses in other regions)
  • All meals during Svaneti days (Days 5-9: breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Breakfast daily throughout the tour
  • Private transportation throughout (comfortable vehicles suitable for mountain roads)
  • Professional English-speaking guide for entire tour
  • 4×4 jeep transfers to Ushguli on Day 7
  • Entrance fees: Uplistsikhe archaeological site, Gelati Monastery, Okatse Canyon, Prometheus Cave, museums in Mestia, Rabati Fortress, Vardzia
  • Wine tasting with lunch on Day 3 in Kakheti
  • Welcome dinner on Day 2 in Tbilisi

Not Included:

  • Lunches and dinners outside of Svaneti days (Days 1-4, Days 9-11)
  • Day 8 horse rental if desired (approximately 50-60 GEL per person)
  • Personal expenses and souvenirs
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips for guides and drivers (optional)
  • Any meals or activities not specifically mentioned as included

Why some meals aren’t included: Outside of Svaneti (where guesthouse meals are standard), we give you flexibility to choose restaurants matching your preferences and budget. Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Borjomi have diverse dining options from budget to upscale. Our guides recommend restaurants for each area.

Accommodation Details

Tbilisi (3 nights): 3-star or 4-star hotels in central locations. Private bathrooms, air conditioning, WiFi. Walking distance to Old Town restaurants and attractions.

Kutaisi (1 night): Guesthouse or small hotel. Private rooms with bathrooms. Family-run properties typical of Georgian hospitality.

Svaneti – Mestia (3 nights): Traditional Svan guesthouses. Rooms are clean with private bathrooms. Properties have stunning mountain views. Meals are included and served family-style (traditional Svan and Georgian dishes). Don’t expect hotel amenities, but expect genuine warmth from Svan families who take pride in hosting visitors.

Svaneti – Becho (1 night): Basic mountain guesthouse. This is the most rustic accommodation on the tour. Rooms are simple, meals are family-style, and the experience is authentic Svan mountain life.

Borjomi area (1 night): Guesthouse in the Borjomi region. Comfortable rooms in quiet mountain setting.

Akhaltsikhe area (1 night): Guesthouse or small hotel. Private rooms, typical Georgian family hospitality.

Final night Tbilisi (1 night): Return to hotel comfort for your last night before departure.

All accommodations are chosen for location, cleanliness, and authentic experience rather than luxury amenities.

Pricing and Booking

Pricing for this 12-day tour depends on your group size. This is a private tour with your own vehicle and guide, not a shared group tour.

Contact us for current pricing based on:

  • Number of people in your group
  • Your preferred accommodation level
  • Season you’re traveling
  • Any customization requests

Booking process:

  1. Contact us with your dates and group size
  2. We provide detailed quote including all costs
  3. 30% deposit secures your booking
  4. Balance due 14 days before tour start
  5. We send detailed pre-trip information

Cancellation policy:

  • 30+ days before tour start: 90% refund (10% processing fee)
  • 15-29 days before: 50% refund
  • 7-14 days before: 25% refund
  • Less than 7 days: No refund

Weather-related cancellations (roads closed by snow, dangerous conditions) receive full refund or rescheduling option.

Difficulty Level and Physical Requirements

This tour is rated Moderate to Challenging. Here’s what that means practically:

You should be able to:

  • Walk/hike for 4-6 hours with breaks
  • Handle uneven terrain (rocky paths, river crossings, steep sections)
  • Manage altitude up to 2,300 meters (you may feel shortness of breath)
  • Sit in vehicles for long driving days (some days involve 6-7 hours of driving)
  • Adapt to varying accommodation standards

Specific challenges:

  • Day 6: Chalaadi Glacier hike (12 km, 5-6 hours, elevation to 2,000m)
  • Day 7: Rough jeep ride to Ushguli (3 hours each way on unpaved roads)
  • Day 8: Shdugra waterfall hike (12 km, 5-6 hours, elevation to 2,300m)
  • Multiple long driving days through the mountains

Age considerations: We’ve had successful tours with participants from ages 18 to 65. Physical fitness matters more than age. If you exercise regularly and can hike for several hours, you’ll handle this tour. If you’re sedentary or have mobility issues, this tour will be extremely difficult.

Not suitable for:

  • People with serious knee or back problems
  • Anyone who can’t walk more than 2-3 hours
  • Very young children (the hiking days are too long)
  • Travelers expecting luxury accommodations throughout

Weather factors: Mountain weather is unpredictable. Rain makes trails muddy and slippery. We provide backup plans, but you need flexibility when conditions change.

Best Time to Visit

May to October is the optimal window for this tour. Here’s why:

June (Early Season):

  • Pros: Wildflowers in full bloom, fewer tourists, snow still visible on peaks, creating dramatic scenery
  • Cons: Some trails may still be muddy from snowmelt, the Ushguli road sometimes closes due to late snow
  • Average temperatures: Tbilisi 20-28°C, Mestia 12-18°C, Ushguli 8-15°C

July-August (Peak Season):

  • Pros: Best weather reliability, all trails fully accessible, warmest temperatures, longest daylight hours
  • Cons: More tourists in popular spots, the highest accommodation prices, Tbilisi gets very hot (30-35°C)
  • Average temperatures: Tbilisi 25-35°C, Mestia 15-22°C, Ushguli 10-18°C

September (Shoulder Season):

  • Pros: Autumn colors beginning, fewer tourists, comfortable temperatures, harvest season in wine regions
  • Cons: Days getting shorter, weather less predictable, first snow possible in Ushguli late September
  • Average temperatures: Tbilisi 18-25°C, Mestia 10-16°C, Ushguli 5-12°C

Why not other months?

  • November-April: Svaneti hiking is difficult because of snow

What to Pack

Essential items:

  • Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support (broken in, not new)
  • Waterproof rain jacket and pants
  • Warm fleece or down jacket (evenings in Svaneti are cold even in summer)
  • Sun hat and sunglasses (high altitude means intense sun)
  • Sunscreen (SPF 30+) and lip balm
  • Daypack (25-30L) for hiking days
  • Water bottles (1-2 liters capacity)
  • Trekking poles if you normally use them
  • First aid kit with blister treatment
  • Headlamp or flashlight (power outages happen in mountain villages)
  • Personal medications (pharmacies exist in cities but not in remote villages)

Clothing layers:

  • Quick-dry hiking pants (2-3 pairs)
  • Long-sleeve shirts for sun protection
  • T-shirts for warmer days
  • Underwear and socks (including wool hiking socks)
  • Swimsuit (some guesthouses have saunas)
  • Comfortable shoes for non-hiking days
  • Modest clothing for church visits (covered shoulders and knees)

Optional but useful:

  • Camera with extra batteries (charging not always available)
  • Binoculars for mountain views
  • Power bank for phone charging
  • Snacks you prefer (Georgian food is available, but you might want familiar items)
  • Water purification tablets (mountain streams look clean, but better safe)

Don’t overpack: You’ll be carrying your luggage in and out of guesthouses. Keep it manageable.

Ready to Book Your Georgia Adventure?

Contact us with your preferred dates and group size. We respond within 24 hours with detailed pricing and answers to any questions.

The tour runs from June through September. Peak season (July-August) books 2-3 months in advance. June and September have more availability.

This isn’t a tour for everyone. But if you’re physically active, culturally curious, and want to see Georgia beyond Tbilisi’s tourist streets, this 12-day journey covers the country’s geographic and cultural range better than any other itinerary.

Georgia rewards travelers willing to handle rough roads, simple accommodations, and unpredictable weather. The mountain views, wine country sunsets, and cave monasteries carved into cliffs make the effort worthwhile.

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additional notes

Most nationalities get visa-free entry to Georgia. Citizens of EU countries, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, UAE, and many others can stay up to one year without a visa. Check Georgia’s e-visa portal for your specific nationality if unsure.

You should be able to hike 4-6 hours on mountain trails carrying a daypack. Regular exercise like walking, jogging, or cycling prepares you adequately. The altitude makes hiking harder than at sea level, even if you’re fit. This tour includes two challenging hiking days with 12km distances and elevation gains up to 2,300 meters.

Yes, this is a private tour so we can adjust days, add extensions, or modify activities based on your preferences. Major changes may affect pricing. Contact us to discuss specific customization requests for your group.

On hiking days (Days 6 and 8), those who prefer not to hike can stay in Mestia with optional easier walks or rest time while others hike. The guide stays with the hiking group. Let us know in advance so we can arrange appropriate activities.

Mestia has ATMs, but they sometimes run out of cash or malfunction. Bring enough Georgian Lari cash from Tbilisi for your Svaneti days (approximately 200-300 GEL per person). Cards work in very few places in mountain villages.

Most Georgian meat is not certified halal. However, many dishes are naturally vegetarian including khachapuri (cheese bread), lobio (bean stew), and various vegetable dishes. Guesthouses can accommodate dietary requirements with advance notice. Let us know your needs when booking.

Yes, Georgian cuisine includes many excellent vegetarian dishes. Guesthouses can accommodate vegetarian diets easily. Vegans face more challenges as cheese and eggs are common ingredients, but it’s manageable with advance notice to the guesthouses.

Summer daytime temperatures in Mestia average 15-20°C, while Ushguli is 3-5°C colder. Nights drop to 5-10°C even in July and August. Higher hiking trails can be colder with wind chill. Bring warm layers including fleece or down jacket for evenings and early mornings.

We monitor conditions daily. If the Ushguli road closes due to weather, we substitute other Svaneti destinations. If heavy weather makes Svaneti inaccessible entirely, we adjust the itinerary to alternative regions at no extra cost. Individual days sometimes change, but no tour has been completely cancelled due to weather.

Teenagers 14+ who are physically active and fit can handle this tour. Younger children struggle with the hiking distances (up to 12km) and long driving days (6-7 hours). We’ve had successful family tours with teenagers who enjoy outdoor activities and can hike for several hours.

Most guesthouses have WiFi, but it’s slow and unreliable in mountain areas. Don’t expect to video call or stream content. Basic messaging and email usually work. Remote villages between major towns may have limited or no internet connectivity.

Georgian mobile networks (Magti, Silknet) cover main roads and towns. Remote areas between villages have no signal. Svaneti has coverage in Mestia but limited coverage in smaller villages like Becho. The drive to Mestia has several sections without any signal.

Travel insurance is not required but absolutely recommended. This tour includes mountain activities at high altitude, rough roads, and remote locations. Insurance should cover emergency evacuation from mountain regions, medical treatment, trip cancellation, and activities up to 2,400 meters elevation.

Yes, solo travelers are welcome. You’ll pay a single supplement for private room throughout the tour (approximately 30-40% additional to the per-person rate). Alternatively, we can try to match you with another solo traveler if dates align for shared accommodation.

Maximum eight people per tour. We keep groups small because Svaneti’s infrastructure can’t handle large tourist groups, and small groups move faster on hiking trails. Groups larger than eight split into two vehicles with separate guides.

June to September is optimal. July-August offers the most reliable weather but has more tourists. June has wildflowers and fewer crowds but possible muddy trails. September brings autumn colors and comfortable temperatures. Svaneti is inaccessible October-May due to snow.

Essential items include sturdy hiking boots with ankle support, waterproof rain jacket and pants, warm fleece or down jacket, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, SPF 30+ sunscreen), daypack (25-30L), water bottles, trekking poles if you use them, and personal first aid kit with blister treatment.

Some days involve 6-7 hours of driving through mountain terrain. Roads to Mestia include unpaved sections with hairpin turns. The drive is part of the adventure showing Georgia’s dramatic landscapes, but if you get carsick easily, bring medication. Vehicles are comfortable and drivers are experienced.

Tbilisi has standard 3-4 star hotels. Svaneti and other regions use family-run guesthouses with clean private rooms and bathrooms but basic amenities. Becho village (Day 8) offers the most rustic accommodation. Meals in guesthouses are family-style traditional Georgian food. This is authentic local experience, not luxury tourism.

All breakfasts are included throughout the tour. During Svaneti days (Days 5-9), all meals are included as guesthouses serve family-style meals. Outside Svaneti, lunches and dinners are not included to give you flexibility to choose restaurants matching your preferences and budget. Our guides recommend dining options.

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