CULINARY MASTERCLASS

Day 0:

• arrival in Tbilisi airport in the late evening hour

Day 1: Tbilisi airport – Tbilisi Exploration (20 km)

• after breakfast at the hotel, explore the old town, stroll along Shota Rustaveli Avenue, visit Sioni Cathedral and Anchiskhati Basilica, take a cable car ride to Narikala Fortress for a magnificent city view, walk to the waterfall located in the city center, in the sulfur bath district.
• lunch on your own, free time in the city.
• optionally, drive to a local guesthouse farm for workshops on making natural Georgian cheese, cheese production demonstration, and workshops (approximately 2-3 hours) ending with a traditional Georgian dinner – supra with local wine and homemade Georgian dishes.
• optionally, visit private baths with sauna and hot mineral waters, massages, and peeling.
• dinner at a well-known restaurant, combined with a traditional Georgian dance show.
• return to the hotel for overnight stay in Tbilisi.

Day 2: Tbilisi – David Gareja – Supra – Gurjaani (210 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Kakheti – the wine-producing region known for its medieval fortresses, charming towns, and impressive monasteries.
• drive to the steppes in the south of the country, traditional Georgian lunch consisting of Swan cuisine delicacies.
• explore the David Gareja complex of rock monasteries, carved in the 6th century right on the border with Azerbaijan.
• traditional Georgian lunch consisting of Swan cuisine delicacies.
• drive to a local agrotourism farm in the steppes for workshops on Swan cuisine or cheese-making workshops from the remote mountainous region of Svaneti (Kubdari, chzhinti, nadhugi, and sulguni with mint).
• organize a supra – a traditional Georgian feast at a friend’s winery, combined with wine tasting and local food, Georgian cuisine workshops (bread baking or making churchkhela) with live music.
• drive to a winery in Gurjaani, accommodation.
• overnight stay in Gurjaani.

Day 3: Gurjaani – Pankisi – Gurjaani (160 km)

• breakfast at the winery.
• after breakfast, depart for the Pankisi Gorge – a valley near the border with Chechnya and Dagestan, inhabited by Chechens and Kists.
• performance by local musicians outdoors and presentation of Chechen songs.
• culinary workshops on preparing traditional Chechen dishes, mainly featuring beef and mutton.
• return to Gurjaani.
• dinner and overnight stay at the winery.

Day 4: Gurjaani – Wine Tour – Signagi – Bodbe – Gurjaani (120 km)

• breakfast at the hotel
• visit to the Kindzmarauli wine factory with wine tasting
• tour of the Khareba winery – exploring a military tunnel converted into a wine cellar, followed by a wine tasting session
• visit to the town of Velistsikhe, including a visit to a winery and the Numisi Museum of Antiques
• arrival in Signagi – a town known for its 2.5-kilometer defensive wall, famous for hosting the oldest wine festival in Georgia, and a visit to the Bodbe Monastery – the burial place of St. Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity
• free time in the city for souvenir shopping, lunch on your own
• return to Gurjaani
• dinner and overnight stay at the winery

Day 5: Gurjaani – Ananuri – Stepantsminda/Gudauri (220 km)

• after breakfast departure towards the famous Georgian Military Road, connecting Tbilisi with Vladikavkaz, with a stop at Ananuri Fortress from the 17th century, beautifully located above the Zhinvali reservoir.
• stop at a beautiful viewpoint just before the Cross Pass (2395 m above sea level).
• visit a local in Stepantsminda – tea and jam tasting.
• dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 6: Stepantsminda/Gudauri – Truso Valley – Tsminda Sameba – Stepantsminda/Gudauri (100 km)

• breakfast at the hotel.
• off-road trip to the Truso Valley, known for its mineral springs, lakes, medieval watchtowers, Abano Monastery, and Zakagori Fortress.
• hike through the valley, tasting mineral waters, and a picnic with local shepherds and barbecue.
• drive to Stepantsminda.
• jeep ride to one of the most beautifully located monasteries in Georgia – Tsminda Sameba, located at an altitude of 2170 m at the foot of Mount Kazbek (5033 m).
• dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Gudauri/Stepantsminda.

Day 7: Stepantsminda/Gudauri – Mtskheta – Sarajishvili Factory – Tbilisi (160 km)

• after breakfast at the hotel, departure towards Tbilisi
• sightseeing around Tbilisi – transfer to the Jvari Monastery located on the top of a hill, and then to the city of Mtskheta, which until the 5th century AD served as the capital, visiting the legendary temple of Svetitskhoveli, the place of coronation and final resting place of the rulers of Georgia
• free time in the city, opportunity to buy souvenirs
• visit to the factory of the oldest Georgian brandy Sarajishvili and tasting of XO VIP brandy
• free time in the city, opportunity to buy souvenirs
• hotel accommodation, recreation
• farewell dinner at a famous restaurant in Tbilisi
• return to Tbilisi, overnight stay at the hotel

Day 8: Transfer to the Airport (20 km)

• transfer from the hotel to the airport