GEORGIA ARMENIA

Day 0:

• late arrival in Tbilisi airport

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

• upon arrival in Tbilisi, check-in at the hotel, time to rest, and breakfast.
• explore the capital by taking a walk along Shota Rustaveli Avenue and through the old town, visiting the Sioni Cathedral and the Anchiskhati Basilica. Take a cable car ride to the Narikala Fortress for a wonderful view of the city, and stroll to the waterfall located in the city center, near the sulfur baths district.
• enjoy some free time for an individual meal and to purchase souvenirs.
• optionally, visit the sulfur baths or go for a tour and tasting at the “Sarajishvili” brandy factory, the first and oldest Georgian brandy distillery established in 1884.
• have dinner at a famous restaurant, accompanied by a traditional Georgian dance show.
• return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 2: Tbilisi – Signagi – Bodbe – Supra – Tbilisi (280 km)

• after breakfast at the hotel, depart for Kakheti, a region renowned for its wine production, medieval fortresses, charming towns, and impressive monasteries.
• transfer to Signagi, a town with a 2.5-kilometer defensive wall, known for hosting the oldest wine festival in Georgia. En route, visit the Bodbe Monastery, the burial place of Saint Nino, who converted Georgia to Christianity.
• experience a supra, a traditional Georgian feast, at a friendly host’s vineyard, featuring wine tasting, local dishes, Georgian cuisine workshops (such as bread baking and making churchkhela), and live music.
• return to Tbilisi for an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 3: Tbilisi – Ananuri – Stepantsminda – Tsminda Sameba – Tbilisi (300 km)

• after breakfast, transfer to the Georgian Military Road, which connects Tbilisi with Vladikavkaz.
• along the way, visit the 17th-century Ananuri fortress overlooking the Zhinvali reservoir.
• take a break for an individual meal.
• stop for photos at the Jvari Pass (2,395 m).
• transfer to one of Georgia’s most beautifully situated monasteries, Tsminda Sameba, located at an altitude of 2,170 m above sea level, at the foot of Mount Kazbek (5033 m).
• have dinner on the way back at a restaurant near the village of Bulachauri, known for serving some of the most delicious khinkali (Georgian dumplings with meat).
• return to Tbilisi for an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 4: Tbilisi – Mtskheta – Gelati – Motsameta – Kutaisi (255 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Kutaisi.
• visit the Jvari Monastery, situated atop a hill, and Mtskheta, which served as the capital until the 5th century, featuring the legendary Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the site of coronation and burial for Georgia’s rulers.
• enjoy some free time for an individual meal and to purchase souvenirs.
• transfer to Kutaisi, the third-largest city in Georgia and the capital of the Imereti region. Take a brief tour of the city and visit the Bagrati Cathedral.
• continue to two historic and extremely important monasteries: Motsameta and Gelati, a medieval monastery complex inscribed on the UNESCO list.
• have dinner at a local restaurant or experience a Georgian evening with a supra at a friendly host’s vineyard, featuring alcohol tasting, local Imereti dishes, and live music.
• check into a hotel in Kutaisi for an overnight stay.

Day 5: Kutaisi – Borjomi – Rabati – Vardzia (240 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Borjomi, where you’ll take a short walk around the spa park and taste the world-famous Borjomi water.
• enjoy some free time for lunch.
• stop at the Rabati Fortress.
• visit the rock city of Vardzia, founded during the reign of Queen Tamara (12th-13th century), which could accommodate up to 50,000 inhabitants.
• have dinner and spend the night at a hotel in Vardzia or Akhaltsikhe.

Day 6: Vardzia – Khertvisi – Bavra – Gyumri – Yerevan (255 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Yerevan.
• on route, stop at the Khertvisi fortress.
• around 11:00, gather at the Bavra border for crossing.
• make a brief stop in the town of Gyumri.
• check into a hotel in Yerevan and embark on a city tour, visiting Vernissage, Republic Square, and the Cascades.
• enjoy dinner and spend the night at a hotel in Yerevan.

Day 7: Yerevan – Khor Virap – Areni – Noravank – Yerevan (250 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Khor Virap, an extraordinary monastery overlooking Mount Ararat, known as the place where Gregory the Illuminator was imprisoned.
• enjoy wine tasting in Areni, the most famous wine center in Armenia, where you can taste the renowned pomegranate wine.
• visit the picturesque Noravank Monastery.
• return to Yerevan for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 8: Yerevan – Garni – Geghard – Yerevan (80 km)

• after breakfast, visit the Genocide Museum to learn about the tragic history of the Armenian massacre.
• transfer to the Garni Temple, a monument of the Hellenistic period and an impressive piece of ancient Armenian architecture.
• explore the nearby Geghard Monastery, inscribed on the UNESCO list.
• return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 9: Yerevan – Sevan – Sadakhlo – Tbilisi (295 km)

• after breakfast, depart for Lake Sevan, the largest alpine lake in the world, located 70 km north of Yerevan. Covering 5% of Armenia’s territory, the lake sits at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level.
• around 4:00 p.m., start driving towards Georgia, crossing the border.
• transfer to Tbilisi and enjoy a farewell dinner in the old town featuring local dishes.
• overnight stay at a hotel in Tbilisi.

Day 10: Transfer to the airport

pick up breakfast packages and transfer to Tbilisi airport.