Cave Cities

Day 0:

• arrival in Tbilisi in the late evening hours

Day 1: Tbilisi Airport – Tbilisi sightseeing (20 km)

• late arrival in Tbilisi, hotel accommodation, time to rest
• after breakfast at the hotel, sightseeing in the old town, walk along Rustaveli Shota Avenue, Sioni Cathedral and Anchiskhati Basilica, cable car ride to the Narikala Fortress with a wonderful view of the city, walk to the waterfall located in the city center, in the district sulfur baths
• free time, break for an individual meal
• optional (for those interested) visit to the Sarajishvili cognac factory in Tbilisi combined with alcohol tasting
• dinner at a famous restaurant, combined with a show of traditional Georgian dances
• return to the hotel for overnight stay in Tbilisi

Day 2: Tbilisi – David Gareja – Bodbe – Signagi – Telavi (255 km)

• after breakfast, departure to Kakheti – a land known for its wine production and unique medieval heritage. Drive to the steppes in the south of the country and visit the complex of David Gareja rock monasteries from the 6th century
• transfer to Sighnaghi – a town with a 2.5-kilometer defensive wall, known for the oldest wine festival in Georgia, and on the way visiting the Bodbe Monastery – the burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity
• supra – a traditional Georgian feast at a friendly farmers house on a vineyard, wine degustation and local food tasting, Georgian cuisine workshops (baking bread, making churchkhela or khinkali) with taditional live music
• accomodation in Telavi

 Day 3: Telavi – Mtskheta – Ananuri – Gudauri/Stepantsminda (215 km)

• after breakfast, drive to Georgian Military Road, connecting Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz
• visit the monastery of Jvari and city Mtskheta – the capital of Georgia until the 5th century and Svetitskhoveli cathedral – the place of coronation and burial of Georgian kings
• on the way visiting the Ananuri fortress from the 17th century, located by the Zhinvali water reservoir
• photo stop at the Jvari Pass (2379 m)
• free time, break for an individual meal
• arriving in Stepantsminda/Gudauri, dinner and overnight in the hotel

Day 4: Gudauri/Stepantsminda – Truso Valley – Tsminda Sameba – Gudauri/Stepantsminda (40 km)

• after breakfast, all day off-road to the Truso Valley, known for its mineral springs, lakes, medieval defensive towers, the Abano monastery and the Zakagori fortress
• a walk in the valley, tasting the mineral waters and an outdoor picnic with local shepherds and baking skewers
• in the afternoon, drive to one of the most beautifully situated monasteries in Georgia – Gergeti Holy Trinity which lies at an altitude of 2250 m above sea level. at the foot of Mount Kazbek (5033 m)
• return to Gudauri/Stepantsminda, dinner and overnight in the hotel

Day 5: Gudauri/Stepantsminda – Uplistsikhe – Gori – Borjomi – Akhaltsikhe (280 km)

• after breakfast departure to Uplistsikhe, the oldest cave city in the Caucasus region, dates to the second millennium BC
• transfer to Gori – the hometown of Joseph Stalin, short stop at the Stalin Museum – memorial house where Stalin is believed to have been born, an exhibition building, and Stalin’s personal train car, in which he traveled to Tehran, Yalta and Potsdam
• free time, break for an individual meal
• transfer to Borjomi and a walk through the beautiful park with numerous medical waters
• dinner and overnight in hotel in Akhaltsikhe

 Day 6: Akhaltsikhe – Vardzia – Khertvisi – Rabati – Akhaltsikhe (125 km)

• po śniadaniu zwiedzanie monumentalnego, skalnego miasta Wardzia, założonego w czasach królowej Tamary (XII-XIII w.), które w czasach świetności mogło pomieścić nawet 50 tys. mieszkańców
• after breakfast, visiting the monumental rock city of Vardzia, founded in the times of Queen Tamara (12th-13th centuries), which in its heyday could accommodate up to 50,000 people. inhabitants
• visiting the Khertvisi fortress, the construction of which began in the 2nd century BC.
• return to the city of Akhaltsikhe – a place of intersection of religions and cultures, break for lunch, visiting the largest fortress in Georgia – Rabati, a city of intersection of many cultures
• dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Akhaltsikhe

Day 7: Akhaltsikhe – Tbilisi (215 km)

• after breakfast, departure towards Tbilisi
• lunch break on your own
• hotel accommodation in Tbilisi
• free time (visit the national museum, antiques market – “dry bridge” or sulfur baths, purchase of souvenirs)
• farewell dinner at a local restaurant and return to the hotel for the night

 Day 8: Transfer to Tbilisi Airport (20 km)

• transfer to the airport