Tour Overview
| Duration | 10 Days / 9 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Georgia — The Grand Caucasus |
| Price From | $2,395 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Mountain Adventure / Cultural Discovery |
| Data Source | TourRadar — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Tbilisi
Welcome to Georgia! Transfer from Tbilisi International Airport. Evening stroll through Tbilisi’s Old Town — a maze of carved wooden balconies, sulfur bathhouses with their distinctive domed roofs, and the Narikala Fortress overlooking the city. Welcome dinner at a traditional Georgian restaurant with polyphonic singing — Georgia’s UNESCO-recognized three-part harmony. Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day 2: Tbilisi City Tour
Full day exploring Tbilisi. Morning: the Sameba Cathedral (Holy Trinity), one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in the world; Metekhi Church perched on the cliff above the Mtkvari River; and the atmospheric sulfur baths district where you can take a traditional bath. Afternoon: the Dry Bridge Flea Market for Soviet memorabilia, the modern Peace Bridge, and the cable car to the Mother of Georgia statue. Evening: Georgian wine tasting — Georgia is the cradle of wine with 8,000 years of winemaking history. Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day 3: Mtskheta & Gori — Ancient Capitals & Stalin
Morning visit to Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Jvari Church (6th century) perched on a hilltop — the views where the Aragvi and Mtkvari rivers meet are straight out of a Lermontov poem. Continue to Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, where Christ’s robe is said to be buried. Afternoon in Gori — visit the Joseph Stalin Museum (his armored train carriage included) and the Uplistsikhe Cave City, a rock-hewn town dating to the 1st millennium BC. Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day 4: Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi
Drive the legendary Georgian Military Highway north into the Caucasus Mountains. Stop at the Ananuri Fortress — a 17th-century castle complex on the turquoise Zhinvali Reservoir. Cross the Jvari Pass at 2,395 meters. Arrive in Stepantsminda (Kazbegi), a mountain town beneath the towering 5,047-meter Mount Kazbek. Afternoon 4×4 drive up to the Gergeti Trinity Church (2,170m) — Georgia’s most iconic image, a 14th-century stone church with Kazbek’s glacier as its backdrop. Overnight in Kazbegi.
Day 5: Kazbegi Hiking & Return
Morning hike through alpine meadows to the Gergeti Glacier viewpoint. The Caucasus form the border with Russia here — the dramatic peaks of the Khokh Range are visible in clear weather. Afternoon drive back to Tbilisi, stopping at the Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument for spectacular gorge views. Evening at leisure in Tbilisi. Overnight in Tbilisi.
Day 6: Fly to Mestia — Svaneti
Morning flight from Tbilisi to Mestia, the capital of Svaneti — Georgia’s most remote and spectacular mountain region. The Svan people are considered the ethnic subgroup that most purely preserves ancient Georgian traditions. Upon arrival, explore Mestia’s medieval stone watchtowers — these UNESCO-listed towers (built 9th-13th centuries) dot every village in Svaneti. Visit the Svaneti Museum with its extraordinary collection of medieval icons and manuscripts. Overnight in Mestia.
Day 7: Ushguli — Europe’s Highest Village
Full day 4×4 expedition to Ushguli (2,200m), the highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The road is an adventure in itself — crossing mountain passes with views of 5,000-meter peaks. Ushguli is a cluster of four hamlets beneath Mount Shkhara (5,193m), Georgia’s highest peak. Walk among the medieval towers that have protected Svan families for a thousand years. Lunch with a Svan family featuring kubdari (meat-filled bread) and Svan salt. Overnight in Mestia.
Day 8: Svaneti Hiking & Svan Culture
Morning hike to the Chalaadi Glacier — a relatively easy trail through pine forests to the glacier’s snout. Afternoon: Svan cultural experience — learn Svan polyphonic singing (even more ancient and complex than Georgian), watch a Svan wood carving demonstration, and taste Svan spirits (rakhi). Traditional supra (feast) with a tamada (toastmaster) — experiencing the famous Georgian tradition of elaborate toasts. Overnight in Mestia.
Day 9: Return to Tbilisi — Kakheti Wine Region
Morning flight back to Tbilisi. Drive east to Kakheti, Georgia’s premier wine region. Visit Sighnaghi, the “City of Love” — a perfectly restored 18th-century hilltop town with panoramic views of the Alazani Valley and the snow-capped Caucasus. Tour a traditional qvevri winery — Georgia’s 8,000-year-old method of fermenting wine in clay vessels buried underground (UNESCO Intangible Heritage). Farewell supra with wine tasting. Overnight in Sighnaghi or Tbilisi.
Day 10: Depart Tbilisi
Morning visit to the Bodbe Monastery (burial place of St. Nino, who brought Christianity to Georgia). Last chance for Georgian wine and churchkhela (walnut candy) at the airport. Transfer to Tbilisi Airport. Nakvamdis — goodbye!
Inclusions
- 9 nights accommodation (boutique hotels in Tbilisi, guesthouses in Svaneti)
- Daily breakfast, 3 lunches, 5 dinners
- Internal flights Tbilisi-Mestia-Tbilisi
- 4×4 to Gergeti Trinity Church & Ushguli
- English-speaking guide
- Wine tastings in Kakheti and Tbilisi
- Svan cultural experiences (singing, crafts, supra)
Why Georgia’s Mountains
- Svaneti — Europe’s last medieval mountain culture, a living museum of stone watchtowers and ancient traditions
- Ushguli — the highest village in Europe (2,200m), a UNESCO site beneath Georgia’s tallest peak
- Kazbegi & Gergeti Trinity Church — the iconic image of Georgia: a stone church with a 5,000m glacier backdrop
- Georgian supra — the most elaborate feast tradition in the world, with a tamada who will toast to God, Georgia, love, and you
- 8,000 years of wine — Georgia invented wine, and the ancient qvevri method is still practiced today
