Duration: Full Day (10-11 hours) | Starting at: $65 per person | Location: Kakheti Region, Eastern Georgia
Journey to Georgia’s otherworldly frontier where medieval monks carved monasteries into desert cliffs, where wildflowers carpet semi-arid valleys each spring, and where the only sounds are wind and birdsong. Then descend into lush Kakheti wine country for traditional wine tasting and explore Sighnaghi—the romantic hilltop town where lovers come to marry at any hour.
This tour combines Georgia’s most unique monastery complex with its most celebrated wine region, dramatic desert landscapes with pastoral vineyard valleys, ancient spirituality with vibrant living culture. It’s adventure and relaxation, hiking and wine tasting, solitude and celebration—all in one extraordinary day.
Perfect for: Adventurous travelers, photography enthusiasts, wine lovers, hiking enthusiasts, spiritual seekers, and anyone wanting to experience Georgia’s most distinctive landscapes and traditions.
Tour highlights
Desert monasteries meet wine country in one extraordinary adventure
Itinerary
Departure: 8:00 AM from Tbilisi (hotel pickup)
Return: Approximately 7:30-8:00 PM
8:00 AM – Departure from Tbilisi
Your adventure begins with an eastward departure toward Kakheti, Georgia’s ancient wine region. But before reaching the lush vineyards, you’ll journey to Georgia’s most unexpected landscape: a true semi-desert. Watch the urban sprawl give way to agricultural plains, then gradually to dry, rocky terrain—the approach to the Gareja region, where rainfall is scarce, and the earth takes on hues of gold, rust, and pale stone.
Your guide will explain how this unique microclimate exists – a rain shadow effect created by the Greater Caucasus mountains, creating Georgia’s only semi-desert ecosystem just 100 kilometers from Tbilisi.
10:00 AM – David Gareja Monastery Complex
As your vehicle navigates the final dusty road, ancient stone structures and cave openings appear across an arid valley – the David Gareja monastery complex.
Founded in the 6th century by one of the thirteen Assyrian fathers who strengthened Christianity in Georgia, David Gareja became one of the region’s most important spiritual centers. At its peak, the complex comprised dozens of monasteries housing hundreds of monks who chose this harsh landscape for its isolation and spiritual intensity.
Lavra Monastery – The Spiritual Heart
Begin at Lavra, the central monastery nestled against the cliff base. You’ll discover the main church (an active place of worship with modern monks), St. David’s cave where the founder lived and prayed, monks’ cells carved into rock, ingenious ancient water cisterns, and the opportunity to meet Georgian Orthodox monks continuing David Gareja’s legacy.
Duration at Lavra: 30-40 minutes
The Border Ridge Hike to Udabno Monastery
Now begins the adventure that makes David Gareja truly extraordinary.
Hiking details:
Distance: 3-4 km round trip
Duration: 1.5-2 hours total (including exploration)
Elevation gain: ~300 meters (980 feet)
Difficulty: Moderate to moderately strenuous
Trail surface: Rocky, steep sections, uneven terrain
The Border Factor: The trail follows the ridge that forms the Georgia-Azerbaijan international border. You’ll walk ON the border itself, with Georgia to your left and Azerbaijan to your right. Bring your passport (may be checked), stay on the marked trail, and no photographing military installations.
The Reward – Udabno Monastery:
Carved entirely into the cliff face, Udabno’s fame rests on its extraordinary medieval frescoes from the 9th-13th centuries. In cave after cave, sophisticated religious art adorns the rock walls—biblical scenes, Georgian saints, royal patrons, and dramatic Last Judgment imagery. The vibrant pigments glow in dim cave light while the desert stretches in all directions outside.
Spring bonus: In April-early May, the desert explodes with wildflowers—poppies, irises, tulips carpet the valleys in crimson, yellow, purple, and white.
Important notes: Caves are dim (phone flashlights help), some require ducking through low entrances, no touching frescoes, and respectful quiet in this sacred space.
Duration at Udabno: 45-60 minutes
12:30 PM – Farewell to the Desert
Return hike downhill—easier on lungs but harder on knees. Take your time on loose rocks. Many find the return even more beautiful with changing sun angles.
1:00 PM – Journey Through Kakheti Wine Country
The landscape completely transforms within 30 minutes. Arid hills give way to green, rivers flow, and vineyards appear—row upon row covering hillsides and valleys. This is Kakheti, Georgia’s wine heartland and one of the world’s oldest wine regions with 8,000 years of winemaking tradition inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
1:45 PM – Vineria Kakheti: Wine, Chacha & Traditional Feast
Arrive at a family wine estate—not a commercial winery but an authentic family operation where traditional methods meet warm Georgian hospitality.
The Estate Tour: Walk among the vines, visit the traditional marani (wine cellar) with qvevri buried in the ground, and meet multiple generations of the winemaking family.
Chacha Tasting: Georgia’s traditional grape vodka (40-70% alcohol). Sip, don’t shoot—this is cultural tradition, not a drinking competition!
Wine Tasting: 4-6 different qvevri wines, including amber/orange wines (white grapes fermented like reds), deep Saperavi reds, and indigenous varieties like Rkatsiteli, Kisi, and Tavkveri.
Traditional Supra Lunch: Mtsvadi (grilled meat skewers), khachapuri (Kakhetian style), fresh salads, lobio with mchadi, local cheese, fresh bread from stone oven, seasonal vegetables, more wine, and fresh fruit. Served family-style with hosts joining you for stories and Georgian toasts.
Duration at wine estate: 2.5-3 hours
4:30 PM – Bodbe Monastery
One of Georgia’s most important pilgrimage sites, located 2 kilometers from Sighnaghi.
St. Nino’s Story: In the 4th century, St. Nino converted King Mirian III and Queen Nana to Christianity, making Georgia one of the world’s first Christian nations in 337 AD. After her missionary work, she retired to Bodbe, where she lived until her death.
What you’ll experience: The main church with St. Nino’s tomb beneath the altar, peaceful monastery gardens, distinctive Kakhetian bell tower, and the working convent community.
The Healing Spring (optional): A steep path (200+ steps) descends to a sacred spring with believed healing properties. Those who prefer can enjoy the monastery grounds instead.
Duration: 40-50 minutes
5:30 PM – Sighnaghi: Georgia’s Town of Love
Perched dramatically on a hilltop overlooking the Alazani Valley with the Greater Caucasus as a distant backdrop.
Why “Town of Love”? Sighnaghi has a 24-hour wedding registry—couples can marry any time without appointments. This attracted eloping couples and romantic spontaneity, earning its nickname.
Exploring Sighnaghi: Walk the remarkably intact 18th-century defensive walls (4 kilometers with 23 towers), wander pastel-colored streets with distinctive wooden balconies, browse wine shops and art galleries, and enjoy panoramic views of the Alazani Valley stretching to snow-capped Caucasus peaks.
Free time: 45-60 minutes to explore independently—walk the walls, browse shops, enjoy coffee or wine at a terrace café.
Duration: 60-75 minutes
6:45 PM – Return to Tbilisi
Watch golden light bathe the Alazani Valley as you journey west, arriving approximately 7:30-8:00 PM with drop-off at your hotel.
Price details
PAX | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Price USD | 110$ | 85$ | 75$ | 65$ | 60$ |
What’s Included
Tour map
Tbilisi
David Gareja Monastery
Vineria Kakheti (Wine Estate)
Bodbe Monastery
Sighnaghi
Tour gallery
Practical Information
Duration: 10-11 hours (full day)
Distance: Approximately 280 km round trip
Activity Level: Moderate to moderately strenuous (due to hiking)
Group Size: Maximum 8 people
What to Wear & Bring – IMPORTANT
This tour involves desert hiking—proper preparation is essential.
Essential hiking gear: Sturdy hiking shoes or boots (ankle support recommended), sun hat with brim, sunglasses, sunscreen SPF 50+, light long-sleeved shirt for sun protection, comfortable hiking pants (not jeans), small backpack.
Water: Bring at least 1.5-2 liters for the hike. Desert air is very dry—you’ll drink more than expected. We provide bottled water but bring your own hiking bottle.
Additional: Lip balm with SPF, personal first-aid items (band-aids for blisters), camera/phone with charged battery, light jacket (churches can be cool), cash (GEL) for purchases in Sighnaghi, modest clothing for monasteries (shoulders/knees covered).
Physical Requirements
Specific requirements: Ability to hike 3-4 km with 300m elevation gain, comfortable on steep rocky trails, sure-footed on uneven surfaces, reasonable cardiovascular fitness, no severe knee problems, not afraid of heights (some exposed sections).
Who should think carefully: Those with knee injuries, significant heart conditions, poor balance, severe fear of heights, heat sensitivity, or respiratory problems.
Age considerations: Minimum age 10-12 (depends on hiking experience). No maximum if physically fit.
Alternatives: If concerned about the hike, you can visit only Lavra monastery (no hiking) while others hike, or contact us about modifying to focus more on wine/culture.
Seasonal Considerations
Spring (April-May): BEST SEASON! Desert explodes with wildflowers. Perfect hiking temperatures (15-22°C). Book early!
Summer (June-August): Hot! (35-38°C). We start very early (7:00 AM departure). Bring extra water and sun protection.
Autumn (September-October): Excellent! Moderate temperatures (20-25°C). Wine harvest season adds atmosphere.
Winter (November-March): Cold (0-8°C). Possible ice on north-facing slopes. Fewer tourists, dramatic light.
Border & Access Information
The Azerbaijan Border: The hiking trail follows the Georgia-Azerbaijan international boundary. Bring your passport (may be checked), stay on the marked trail, no photographing military installations.
Potential closures: Due to occasional diplomatic tensions, the Udabno trail sometimes closes temporarily. We monitor daily and inform you before departure. Alternative: more time at Lavra and additional nearby sites.
